Noticias

(from left) Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) and Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina) in DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys 2, directed by Pierre Perifel. Photo Credit: Universal Pictures / DreamWorks Animation © DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Once, animated movies were mostly seen as kids’ films. A few rare titles broke the mold, but most grown-ups turned elsewhere for entertainment. Over time, that has changed. With films like The Bad Guys 2 appealing to all ages, animation has grown into a captivating art form. Today’s animated films mix clever inside jokes, layered storytelling, and even adult themes all while keeping their family-friendly charm.

DreamWorks’ hit franchise The Bad Guys is a perfect example of this evolution. The new sequel, The Bad Guys 2, brings back stars Sam Rockwell (Mr. Wolf) and Craig Robinson (Mr. Shark). This high-energy adventure delivers laughs...

Twenty-four years ago, Stephanie Tavares-Rance and Floyd Rance had an idea to do a film festival focusing on Black stories and creatives in Barbados. They were in the middle of solidifying programming when the September 11th attacks happened, and Barbados backed out as host. But instead of letting the idea die, the Rances decided to shift the festival’s location to their personal happy place, Martha’s Vineyard. From there, the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (Mvaaff) was born. Since then, the festival has had countless sponsors, including HBO Max and Netflix, and has championed projects from creatives such as Issa Rae, Barack and Michelle Obama and numerous others.

“It’s been amazing to see the growth of this film festival,” Tavares-Rance tells Variety following the conclusion of the 23rd festival. “Never in a million years did Floyd and I think that we would be here 23 years later.

In front of a rapt Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival audience Aug. 9, Michelle Obama co-hosted with her brother a live taping of their podcast Imo With Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, produced through their production company Higher Ground. The former First Lady returned to the fest, where she and former President Barack Obama made a surprise appearance in 2022 to support their Netflix documentary Descendant.

Pinch-hitting for advertised guest Teyana Taylor, who stars in the upcoming feature One Battle After Another with Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro, and who canceled due to unexpected vocal surgery, was The White Lotus‘ Emmy-nominated Natasha Rothwell.

During the conversation, Obama shared a moment she particularly enjoyed about Rothwell’s twice Emmy-nominated role as Belinda. “Not only does Belinda get her groove thing on,” she said, “but one of my favorite scenes, because this is a luxury resort, [is] where you’re...

Former First Lady Michelle Obama took the stage with her brother and co-host Craig Robinson for a live-taping of their hit podcast, Higher Ground’s “Imo With Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson” at the 23rd annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (Mvaaff). The hosts sat down to chat with Emmy-nominated “The White Lotus” actress Natasha Rothwell in a wide-ranging interview that revolved around her expansive career, why people always confuse her for Michelle Buteau and when we’ll finally see “Who Tf Did I Marry?” on the small screen.

“I had no aspirations for Hollywood,” Rothwell told Obama after she was asked about her unique career path. “I thought I was going to be a Broadway theater actor. I thought that Audra McDonald and I would be best friends. I went to college for acting, but I would write my auditions. So writing was a huge part of my process as well.

Exclusive: Howie Mandel, Bobby Lee, and Caroline Rhea are joining the mass comedic ensemble of Adam Rifkin’s Toad.

The trio join already announced James Paxton, Oliver Wyman, Tiffany Haddish, James Franco, Christopher Meloni, Katt Williams, and Craig Robinson in the story of two hapless friends who accidentally ingest psychedelic toad venom and embark on a chaotic desert journey filled with bizarre encounters and questionable decisions.

The first feature production from Laugh Factory Studios is currently shooting in California for anticipated summer 2026 release.

Rifkin directs off a screenplay he wrote with Piers Ashworth. Brad Wyman (Oscar-winning Monster), Michael P.J. Gerstein of futureIII Entertainment Corporation, and Mike Kolko are producing. Chris Hanley Muse productions is also producing. Toad is executive produced by David Fuhrer, Jamie Masada, and John Weiser.

“Toad is the kind of movie that grabs you by the funny bone and doesn’t let go,” said David Fuhrer, President...

As part of Collider’s Exclusive Preview event, we’re inviting readers to unburden their minds and step into a world of dreams courtesy of a brand-new image from Netflix’s upcoming feature, In Your Dreams. Exploring the sleeping world has never been so fun as filmmaker Alex Woo and his co-director, Erik Benson, have made it in the production that will release on November 14. The ends are limitless of what could happen to Stevie (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and Elliot (Elias Janssen), the two main characters at the center of the story, and today, we’re getting a taste of what the siblings will face on their journey into the unconscious mind in hopes of saving their parents’ marriage.

The dream realm won’t be all sunshine and rainbows when Stevie and her younger brother travel beyond their waking state in an attempt to track down The Sandman and ask for...

The Bad Guys 2star Sam Rockwell explains how he lost out of Noah Wyles' part in ER.

Speaking toEntertainment Weekly, Rockwell recalled his attempt to fit the part of an emergency room doctor while auditioning for 1994's ER. "I came with a lab coat and a hypodermic [needle]. But not the needle part, just the plastic part," Rockwell said. "It's almost like I brought a gun to an audition. They were looking at me with this hypodermic thing... There was no needle! Just to be clear. I'm not that crazy." Rockwell added that he "though I nailed it."

Created by Michael Crichton, ER premiered on NBC back in 1994 and immediately established itself as the then-latest hit medical drama on TV. The series began with a star-studded ensemble cast including Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Sherry Stringfield, Julianna Margulies, Eriq La Salle, and The Pitt star Noah Wyle. Over the course of fifteen seasons,...

Following the success of ‘The Bad Guys’ in 2022, DreamWorks returns to the scene of the crime with a sequel that’s just as slick and entertaining. ‘The Bad Guys 2’ picks up where the original left off, with the crew of animal criminals adjusting to their new lives as good guys. But redemption isn’t so easy, especially when you’re used to the adrenaline of a getaway and the thrill of a perfectly pulled-off heist. Not to mention the whole city remembers your life of crime. Directed by Pierre Perifel and written by Etan Cohen and Yoni Brenner, the sequel doubles down on the stylized animation and witty dialogue that made the first film feel fresh. DreamWorks once again delivers a film that doesn’t talk down to its younger audience while also appealing to grown-ups in the room. Things to do: Subscribe to The Hollywood Insider’s YouTube Channel,...

The Bad Guys 2 director addresses one key spoof in the film. The animated animal adventure action movie is a sequel to the 2022 film The Bad Guys. The sequel sees the return of director Pierre Perifel, this time working with co-director Jp Sans. The leading voice cast includes Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Natasha Lyonne, and Danielle Brooks.

The Bad Guys 2 released in theaters on August 1 to mostly positive reviews. The movie has an 85% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes and a 95% Popcornmeter from audiences.

As per Variety, Perifel speaks about the Elon Musk spoof in The Bad Guys 2. The interviewer asked the director about the storyline that seems very similar to Musk's space shuttles, and what Perifel thinks about that now. Perifel started by confirming that they attempted to spoof SpaceX with MoonX.

He did note that The Bad Guys 2's Mr. Moon is not "inspired by Elon himself.

At the recent world premiere of “The Bad Guys 2” in Los Angeles, franchise star Craig Robinson expressed his excitement revisiting his character for a sequel, as did several of his cast members and directors.

“I loved it because you have the confidence with it being the second one,” Robinson said. “They gave me some more crazy stuff to do. It was so much fun and passionate. It’s contagious. They’re amazing to work with alongside producer Damon [Ross] and directors Jp [Sans] and Pierre [Perifel]. I had a ball.”

Robinson voices Mr. Shark, who is a part of a group of ex-convicts determined to be good as they reenter society. “The Office” star recently made headlines for his so-called “retirement” stunt for his new marketing campaign with AT&T. When asked if he still had to clear up that he’s not quitting comedy, Robinson told Variety, “Yes, but it’s all good.

The latest release from DreamWorks has earned the second-best Popcornmeter score for the studio. The company is behind many popular animated movies, namely the Shrek franchise. Since its beginning in 2001, Shrek has garnered a large fandom, and the original film rests at a Popcornmeter score of 90%.

However, DreamWorks Animation has produced several more acclaimed movies, notably the How to Train Your Dragon series, each installment of which earned an Academy Award nomination and audience-based scores on Rotten Tomatoes that range from 87% to 91%.

Among DreamWorks' more recent well-received films are Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Trolls Band Together, which presently boast Popcornmeters of 94% and 92%, respectively. The Wild Robot was a massive success as well, producing impressive Tomatometer and Popcornmeter scores of 96% and 98%.

The Bad Guys 2 Earns DreamWorks Its Second-Best Popcornmeter

However, the latest release from DreamWorks is The Bad Guys 2, a heist comedy movie co-directed by Pierre Perifel and Jp Sans.

“Jurassic World Rebirth” keeps roaring at the box office with ticket sales clearing the $750 million milestone over the weekend.

Universal’s dinosaur tentpole, which rebooted the prehistoric series with Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali at the helm, has grossed $766 million globally after five weekends of release. It’s one of three Hollywood films this year — Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” ($1 billion) and Warner Bros. “A Minecraft Movie” ($955 million) are the other two — to clear the $750 million mark so far. International audiences have been particularly enthusiastic, with overseas revenues contributing a massive $448 million to the total bounty. The United Kingdom and Ireland ($42 million), Mexico ($34 million) and Germany ($28 million) rank as the top-earning territories. Those are mighty returns, however, the latest “Jurassic” has to keep climbing to near the heights of the prior sequel trilogy led by Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, each of which grossed $1 billion globally.

“F1...

Animation did fairly well in the early years of the pandemic, even when other kinds of films were struggling. Besides the massively successful Minions: The Rise of Gru and Sing 2, DreamWorks’ The Bad Guys emerged as a surprise sleeper hit. The movie made $250 million globally, against a budget of around $80 million. Since then, DreamWorks’ has also witnessed major success with films such as Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Kung Fu Panda 4, and The Wild Robot— each of these films was produced in the same, under $100 million budget range. And now, this group has a new member: The Bad Guys 2.

Also produced on an $80 million budget, the movie made around $22 million domestically and another $22 million from overseas markets, for a cumulative global haul of $44 million. By comparison, the recent Pixar flop Elio grossed $20 million domestically and $35 million worldwide in its opening weekend, and it did this with a...

Talk about a two-edged sword.

Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps easily stayed atop the domestic box office chart in its second weekend with $40 million, but tumbled a worrisome 66 percent. That’s more than anyone could have predicted after the event pic opening to $117.6 million last weekend amid stellar audience and critical reaction. At the same time, it isn’t entirely outside the range of normal for the superhero genre. And there’s still a clear runway ahead before summer ends.

Fantastic Four had hoped to clear $200 million domestically through Sunday, but instead is projecting a 10-day domestic tally of $198.4 million, compared to cume of $236.2 million and a drop of 53 percent for DC Studos’ Superman in its second weekend (to be fair, the Man of Steel didn’t have another superpic to compete with, although Jurassic Park Rebirth had only opened a week earlier). Overseas, Mister Fantastic and his...

“The Bad Guys 2” sees all of Mr. Wolf’s wild entourage of thieves return in the sequel, all in an effort to pull off another big heist.

It’s been five years since the events of the first film, and the crew isn’t quite the same. The luxurious lives they once lived has been reduced to a check-to-check lifestyle, and instead of foreign cars, they’re just lucky to make it around town in a beat up, old vehicle. But all hope isn’t lost. In fact, a new group of swindlers makes them an offer they can’t refuse — literally.

The old gang is back, but check out all the newcomers in the cast below.

Sam Rockwell as Mr. Wolf in “The Bad Guys 2” (DreamWorks) Sam Rockwell as Mr. Wolf

Sam Rockwell reprises his role as Mr. Wolf in “The Bad Guys.” Five years later, the...

The Bad Guys 2 Box Office Day 1 Update ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

The Bad Guys 2 is winning against Liam Neeson‘s The Naked Gun as it debuted at #2 above the comedy action. It collected almost $10 million on its opening day at the North American box office. The animated feature is also set to have a bigger opening weekend than the first film released in 2022. Keep scrolling for the deets.

This is the sequel to The Bad Guys, released in 2022 and directed by Pierre Perifel. The original film follows a criminal group of anthropomorphic animals who, upon being caught, pretend to attempt to reform themselves as model citizens. Their leader really wants to change, as a new villain emerges with his own plans. The sequel sees them come out of the requirement to perform their one last heist.

The Bad Guys 2’s day 1 collection at the North American box office...

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures / DreamWorks Animation DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved.

While The Bad Guys 2 brings back much of the beloved voice cast from the first movie, it also introduces some exciting new characters and talent to the mix. One of the standout additions is Natasha Lyonne, who joins the animated franchise as a key member of the all‑female criminal crew known as The Bad Girls. This new team plays a significant role in the film, shaking up the dynamics of the returning characters and adding even more action‑packed moments to the story.

While doing press for The Bad Guys 2, Lyonne shared how much fun audiences are in for when they experience the sequel on the big screen. She emphasized that the creative team has packed the film with layers of detail that make it as enjoyable for adults as it is for kids.

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Time travel is a concept long discussed within film and TV, with most movies venturing into the endless possibilities with sincerity. However, one of the sub-genre's most popular sleeper hits took the concept and passed it through a comedy writing room, creating the most unlikely of successes. Starring John Cusackas Adam, alongside his friends Lou (Rob Corddry) and Nick (Craig Robinson), the brilliant Hot Tub Time Machine sees the trio, and Jacob (Clark Duke), transported back to 1986 via the titular leisure activity.

Fifteen years since it first debuted, Hot Tub Time Machine is still as popular as ever, officially joining the ranks of the ten most-streamed movies on Peacock in the U.S., per FlixPatrol. As of July 27, the movie finished tenth on the list, with the billion-dollar Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom at #9, and Steve Carell's family-friendly adventure Horton Hears a Who! at #8. Jaume Collet-Serra's new horror The Woman in the Yard...

What better way to go out than to go out laughing.

Paramount’s acclaimed The Naked Gun revival — starring Liam Neeson opposite Pamela Anderson — started off its North American run with a Friday gross of $6.3 million for an estimated opening of $16.5 million.

That’s good enough for a third-place finish behind Marvel holdover The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which remains perched in first-place with an estimated $40 million second weekend, and Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s new family pic The Bad Guys 2, which grossed $9.2 million on Friday for an estimated $22.8 million launch. (Superman won the day with nearly $12 million.) Both new entries are opening on the higher end of expectations.

As fate would have it, Naked Gun is the last film that the current iteration of Paramount Pictures will release before David Ellison’s Skydance officially closes its $8 billion merger with Paramount Global on Aug. 7. Affable movie studio chief Brian Robbins...

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is hanging on to No. 1 in its sophomore outing at the box office, despite a disappointing weekend two result and competition from Dave Franco, Detective Frank Drebin Jr. and “The Bad Guys” crew.

“Fantastic Four” grossed $11.7 million domestically in its second Friday on the big screen, making for a devastating 80% drop from its debut. With that disappointing result, the film will most likely fall short of its initial weekend two estimates of $45 to $52 million by Sunday. Its domestic grand total currently sits at $129.7 million and could reach as high as $170 million by the end of the weekend. Marvel shelled out more than $200 million to produce “Fantastic Four.”

The comic book tentpole, headlined by Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn, was shaping up to be the MCU’s first post-pandemic success at bringing a new super team to cinemas after missing the mark with “Thunderbolts*” in May,...

Even though practically every other kind of movie was underperforming at the box office a few years ago, animated films were doing dependably well. Minions: The Rise of Gru nearly grossed $1 billion worldwide in 2022, while Sing 2 made over $400 million globally in 2021. Among these hits was DreamWorks' The Bad Guys, a heist comedy film directed by Pierre Perifel, which made exactly $250 million globally and nearly $100 million at the domestic box office. DreamWorks has now released a follow-up to the movie, which is looking at an identical opening weekend haul after earning excellent reviews from both critics and audiences.

The Bad Guys 2 debuted alongside the comedy reboot The Naked Gun and the body horror film Together. All three films earned positive reviews, with The Bad Guys 2 currently sitting at an 84% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. The film's audience score on Rt is even higher, at a near-perfect...

Plot: As The Bad Guys struggle to find trust and acceptance in their newly minted lives as Good Guys, they are pulled out of retirement and forced to do “one last job” by an all-female squad of criminals.

Review: While the world waits for George Clooney and Brad Pitt to assemble their crew for another chapter of the Ocean’s saga, the Big Bad Wolf and his crack team of criminals-gone-good are back for another outrageous heist with The Bad Guys 2! Taking inspiration from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and stylish live-action films like The Fifth Element, Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, and Ocean’s Eleven, the latest film in the Bad Guys franchise is every bit as good as the original, and takes the story and characters to new heights (literally and metaphorically).

Pierre Perifel returns to the director’s chair for the go-big-or-go-home sequel. His direction feels less dynamic this time around,...

The Bad Guys 2 North America Box Office: Previews Update ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

The Bad Guys are returning to the cinemas this Friday, and The Bad Guys 2 has earned excellent numbers from the Thursday previews. The animated feature has earned positive reviews from critics and is expected to be a box office success. The film has been produced by Dreamworks Animation, the studio behind the Kung Fu Panda films. Keep scrolling for the deets.

The audience and critics have given excellent ratings on the Rotten Tomatoes site. The critics gave it 84% and said, “Its crew of reformed rapscallions are still a ton of fun as their latest adventure raises the stakes while maintaining a playful sense of mischief.” The audience gave it 94% on the aggregate site. It features an ensemble voice cast including Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Zazie Beetz, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh, and Alex Borstein...

Michelle Obama is revealing her reality TV watching habits!

The 61-year-old former first lady got candid about her love of Bravo on the Wednesday (July 30) episode of Imo with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson.

During the episode, Michelle shared that she watches “all” of the Bravo shows and even named a few of her favorites!

Keep reading to find out more…

“The truth is that they razz me about my love of reality TV and the Real Housewives. I watch it all — all of it,” Michelle shared on the podcast, referencing the fact that her husband Barack Obama teases her reality TV obsession.

Michelle went on to compare watching shows like The Real Housewives of Atlanta to watching ESPN.

“There’s drama in sports. If I listen to ESPN for an hour, it’s like watching The Real Housewives of Atlanta. You know? It’s the same drama, and they’re yelling at each other,...

Paramount’s “The Naked Gun” reboot, one of the year’s funniest movies, has made $1.6 million at the box office so far after Thursday previews.

It’s on track to make between $15 million and $17 million, which is a respectable start considering theatrical comedies rarely get released anymore and the film only cost $42 million to produce. It stars Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr., the son of original “Naked Gun” comedy icon Leslie Nielsen. He’s an incompetent police detective tasked to solve a twisty murder case in Los Angeles. The cast also includes Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Danny Huston, Kevin Durand, Liza Koshy and more. It’s directed by Akiva Schaffer of Lonely Island and “Saturday Night Live” fame.

None of this weekend’s new releases will be able to dethrone Marvel’s “Fantastic Four: First Steps” from atop the box office. The superhero adventure is expected to make...

Michelle Obama is defending her status as a Bravo fanatic. The former first lady gushed over her love of the reality TV network on the Wednesday, July 30, episode of her Imo podcast, joking that her brother, Craig Robinson, and her husband, former President Barack Obama, “razz” her about her Bravo obsession, particular The Real Housewives franchise. “I watch it all. All of it,” she told Robinson and their podcast guests, Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers. She revealed that one of her current Bravo watches is the new series Next Gen NYC. The series, which premiered last month, follows the children of The Real Housewives stars as they navigate young adulthood. “I watched the first two episodes, and I’m just like, ‘Oh, they’re starting the babies off early,’” Michelle quipped, while Rogers added, “They’re really like the princes and princesses of Bravo, now seeing if they’re worth...

“The Bad Guys 2”, is the new animated comedy sequel, based on the book series by Aaron Blabey, directed by Pierre Perifel and Jp Sans, starring Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Zazie Beetz, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh, Alex Borstein, Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova and Natasha Lyonne as ‘anthropomorphic animal’ characters, releasing August 1, 2025 in theaters:

“…one year after the events of the first film….

“…‘The Bad Guys’ are struggling to find trust and acceptance…

“…in their newly minted lives as ‘Good Guys’…

‘…when they are pulled out of retirement…

“…and forced to do ‘one last job’ by an all-female squad of criminals…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

When we first met the Sam Rockwell-voiced Mr. Wolf, the whistle-slick, silver-tongued animated star of The Bad Guys, DreamWorks Animation Studios’s modestly successful 2022 animated release, he was living the life -- the criminal life. As a George Clooney-in-Ocean's-11-inspired heist-master, the anthropomorphic Wolf and his onetime partners-in-crime, Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), a slithery, stealthy safecracker, Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), a bumbling, stumbling, shockingly successful master of disguise, Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), a pint-sized bruiser, and Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina), nicknamed “Webs” for her next-level hacking skills, stole from the wealthy and the well-insured and gave the proceeds to the most deserving, i.e., themselves. All that changed when said "Bad Guys," their nom-de-crime in the onscreen world, a sun-bleached Los Angeles of the imagination, found themselves...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

As the final month of the summer box office season begins, theaters will have a trio of demo-targeting films — adult comedy, family animation and body horror — to offer moviegoers alongside returning “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” and the other four-quadrant tentpoles from July’s slate.

On tap for the big screen: Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s “The Bad Guys 2,” Paramount’s revival of the George Bush-era comedy “The Naked Gun,” and Neon’s critically lauded date night film from hell “Together.”

None of these films are projected to take No. 1 from “Fantastic Four,” but “Bad Guys 2” is projected to take the No. 2 spot with an opening weekend in the $20 million range against an $80 million budget. The first “Bad Guys” earned a $23.9 million opening in April 2022 and went on to earn $97 million domestic and $250 million worldwide.

“The Naked Gun” is projected to take third with an opening in the mid-to-high teens.

The Bad Guys 2 keeps DreamWorks' strong Rotten Tomatoes streak alive. A sequel to 2022's The Bad Guys, the upcoming animated heist comedy brings back the Bad Guys who, having a hard time earning trust and fitting into their new roles as Good Guys, are coaxed out of retirement and team up with an all-female crew of criminals for one final heist.

The sequel's voice cast includes Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Zazie Beetz, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh, and Alex Borstein reprising their roles from the first film. Oscar nominees Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm), and five-time Emmy nominee Natasha Lyonne join the cast.

Now, ahead of its theatrical release in just a few days, The Bad Guys 2 has debuted with an 86% score from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie has 36 reviews at the time of writing, so its...

Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) and Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina) in ‘The Bad Guys 2’ (Photo © DreamWorks Animation LLC)

The Bad Guys are back, but this time they’re good?! That seems to be the case. Wolf (voiced by Sam Rockwell), Snake (voiced by Marc Maron), Ms. Tarantula (voiced by Awkwafina), Piranha (voiced by Anthony Ramos), and Shark (voiced by Craig Robinson) are all trying their very best to be good. They even look for jobs, but things aren’t going well for them in The Bad Guys 2.

A prime example of this is when Wolf interviews for a job at a bank and the manager says, “Now you want to work at a bank?” Wolf responds, “Why not? Some of my best memories are at banks.” “You robbed us three times,” says the manager, eyes bulging and ears laid back and down.

The Bad Guys 2 is a direct follow-up to 2022’s The Bad Guys, which was a box office success and a hit with fans and critics alike. It was only a matter of time before DreamWorks Animation would greenlight a sequel. With much of the original team returning, DreamWorks and Universal should have another hit on their hands.

The Bad Guys 2 Plot

Following the events of its predecessor, the now-reformed titular Bad Guys are trying their hardest to make the world see them as good guys now. But after years of high-profile heists, that is proving quite difficult. When they try to help the police catch a new team of thieves — The Bad Girls — they instead find themselves manipulated into helping them pull off perhaps the biggest heist the world has ever seen. Can they find a way out of it and cement their new status as the Good Guys?...

How high will “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” fly in its second weekend at the box office?

That’s the lingering question after Disney’s comic book adventure captured a healthy $117.6 million in its debut. Any superhero tentpole can start strong; this one needs momentum to qualify as a hit for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In its sophomore outing, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is aiming for $45 million to $52 million, a roughly 55% to 60% decline. That’s a slightly bigger dip than “Superman,” which dropped by 53% in its second weekend after launching to $125 million earlier in July.

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” was the final major blockbuster of the summer’s movie season, though Hollywood is hoping that several August releases have the potential to become sleeper hits. Two of the breakout hopefuls include Paramount’s slapstick action-comedy “The Naked Gun” and Neon’s body-horror nightmare “Together,” both of which open this weekend.

To mark the release of the animated sequel The Bad Guys 2, we had the pleasure in sitting down with the leading cast-members and filmmakers, to discuss this hugely entertaining feature – while asking them to handpick their ultimate heist line-up from their fellow cast-members.

First up is our interview with Sam Rockwell and Craig Robinson as they lend their thoughts on bringing these iconic characters to life, the unique animation process, and how the sequel expands the story and character dynamics. Next up is our chat with Danielle Brooks, Natasha Lyonne & Maria Bakalova, on stepping into the world of animated villainy, sharing behind-the-scenes stories, as all of the above tell us who they think would be the best getaway drivers, the smoothest talkers, and who would keep the group calm in a heist. Plus, hear their take on which Hollywood celebrity mask they’d wear for a perfect disguise!

We...

“The Bad Guys 2”, is the new animated comedy sequel, based on the book series by Aaron Blabey, directed by Pierre Perifel and Jp Sans, starring Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Zazie Beetz, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh, Alex Borstein, Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova and Natasha Lyonne as ‘anthropomorphic animal’ characters, releasing August 1, 2025 in theaters:

“…one year after the events of the first film….

“…‘The Bad Guys’ are struggling to find trust and acceptance…

“…in their newly minted lives as ‘Good Guys’…

‘…when they are pulled out of retirement…

“…and forced to do ‘one last job’ by an all-female squad of criminals…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Marc Maron says his dream guest for his final episode of “Wtf With Marc Maron” would be Barack Obama.

The former president appeared on a previous episode of Maron’s show back in June 2015.

“If we could get President Obama back, that would be good to give us a little hope or some sense of reflection,” he told Variety Wednesday at the premiere of his new animated movie “The Bad Guys 2” in Los Angeles. “Ground us a little bit.”

In June, Maron made headlines when he and producer Brendan McDonald decided to end the podcast that launched in 2009. Maron made the announcement in an episode with John Mulaney as his guest. After recording more than 1,600 episodes, Maron said that the podcast will air its final episode in the fall.

Coming off the heels of announcing the end of his podcast, Maron shared his reaction to the report on CBS...

The gang is back, but the thrill is gone. When we reconnect with Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Ms. Tarantula, Mr. Shark, and Mr. Piranha, they are on the other side of a prison sentence and attempting to walk the straight and narrow. The problem is, the straight and narrow is paved with late bills, dead-end jobs, and a general sense of societal side-eye.

Mr. Wolf, the debonair leader once suited for high-stakes heists, is now stuck with a beat-up hatchback. This stark contrast between their legendary criminal past and their mundane present forms the uneasy bedrock of The Bad Guys 2.

The world may have forced them to be good, but it hasn’t forgotten they were great at being bad, and a new threat simmering in the criminal underworld is about to test whether their rehabilitation is a new identity or just a temporary disguise.

Second Acts and Second Thoughts...

The main joy of self-described “animated caper” The Bad Guys — the 2022 film based on the books of the same name — came in the way it blended Ocean’s Eleven-style heist action with Looney Tunes-style zany physics. As with its predecessor, this sequel builds a moral parable on top of all this, though this time around with a little less pandering to a young audience through childish jokes.

We find Wolf, Snake (Marc Maron), Tarantula (Awkwafina), Shark (Craig Robinson) and Piranha all struggling to become part of the normal world after doing time in prison. Eviction notices and late bills loom, while job offers seem like a pipe dream. The criminal lifestyle they left behind soon becomes more alluring, especially when the new antagonists pose them the question: why should they try to assimilate into a world that will never trust them?

For the most part the comedy is a lot sharper this time around.

Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps leads this week’s new releases in the UK and Ireland, opening in 665 cinemas.

Marvel parent company Disney is distributing the second reboot of the Fantastic Four franchise. The first Fantastic Four film opened to £3.5m in 2005 and ended on £12.7m. Its 2007 sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer opened with £4.1m and closed on £12.4m. The franchise was then rebooted for a first time in 2015 withFantastic Four,opening to £1.9m and ending on £6.2m.

In the latest reboot Pedro Pascal plays Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, alongside Vanessa Kirby as Sue, Joseph Quinn...

A cheerfully macabre comedy of misunderstandings, lies and delusion, “Terrestrial” teases with the promise of science-fiction — but it turns out the kind of fantasy at work here is less about outer space than the inner space of frantic reality-denial. An auspicious first produced screenplay for the duo of Samuel Johnson and Connor Dietrich, this Fantasia premiere also affords director Steve Pink his best feature to date, one whose tonal finesse is a considerable leap from his studio comedy “Hot Tub Time Machine” (and its sequel). While the lack of major marquee names might limit initial exposure, the mingled genre elements, subversive humor and genuinely clever, unpredictable narrative should accrue the indie production an enthusiastic cult following.

It opens with cornball footage of a retro space opera, circa the 1990s, showing protagonists on another planet after surviving some laser shootout. It turns out this adaptation of “The Neptune Cycle” is playing...

The first Bad Guys (2022) stood out for several reasons, primarily for a voice cast that sounded like the most stellar Sundance movie ever. The reason it worked, however, is that it capitalized on parent fatigue, replacing the black-and-white lecturing of the average Disney morality tale with subversive shades of grey, asking kids to root for a criminal gang of animals that, for a time, are only pretending to reform (until they inevitably do for real). This premise immediately sets up a tricky double negative for the sequel: Where do they go next? By pretending not to have not reformed all along (or not)?

This question is staved off for a good 15 minutes or so by a hectic opening sequence set in Cairo five years previously. Crime lord Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell) has put his squad to work on a heist involving Egyptian billionaire Mr. Soliman (Omid Djalili). Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson) leads the attack,...

“The Bad Guys 2” is a benignly rambunctious cartoon about a quintet of critters — the debonair Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), the goofy/badass Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), the flatulent Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), the disguise expert Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), and the brainiac Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina) — who are famous for being bad guys (they’re known as “the Bad Guys”), but when you come right down to it they’re actually pretty good guys. They’re like any movie team with a special freak quality, from the “Guardians of the Galaxy” brigade to the escaped zoo animals of “Madagascar.” They’re bad guys the way that Gru, from the “Despicable Me” films, is a “bad guy” — a notorious troublemaker who’s really just trying, on his own terms, to do right.

In the three years since the first “Bad Guys” (a major animated hit during the pandemic), our team of...

Pierre Perifel’s hit animated film “The Bad Guys” was bright, it was colorful, it was funny, and it was — in defiance of the odds and expectations — one of the best heist movies of the 21st century. The film had all the makings of a great crime caper and nestled them inside a satisfying story about the complexity of redemption. It’s hard to convince people you’re a good person when you’ve done bad things in your past. And when you’ve done so many bad things you’re literally called “The Bad Guys,” it’s danged near impossible.

The sequel, “The Bad Guys 2,” has a similar idea on its mind. At the end of the first movie, Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) and Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina) saved the city but turned themselves in. Now they’re out of prison.

The Bad Guys was an entertaining caper movie that followed our protagonists as they attempted to do good, to great effect, and I'm delighted that the sequel does it too.

We open a few years before the first film, on the team's first heist together. That's with a showcase for the fearsome fivesome's particular sets of skills. Awkwafina's Ms Tarantula is the newest member, hacking her way through security systems. Mr Shark (Craig Robinson) and Mr Snake (Marc Maron) subvert security both socially and physically, Mr Piranha (Anthony Ramos) spins things into action like a flatulent dynamo, and Mr Wolf? Sam Rockwell ensures he brings the cool.

The target of that first pilfering as a pentad? A car, a one-of-a-kind, the same one as the first film but before its obsidian overhaul, a pristine piece of automotive ivory. So new that there's an odometer 'joke' which will probably sail past younger.

Sam Rockwell is stepping out for the premiere of his new Dreamworks animated movie!

The 56-year-old Oscar-winning actor was joined by longtime love Leslie Bibb at the premiere of The Bad Guys 2 on Wednesday (July 23) held at the Tcl Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Calif.

Fellow cast members in attendance included Natasha Lyonne, Anthony Ramos, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Awkwafina, Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova, and Alex Borstein along with director Pierre Perifel.

Here’s the synopsis: “Everyone’s favorite felons are back, and this time, they’ve got company. In the new action-packed chapter from DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed comedy smash about a crackerjack crew of animal outlaws, our now-reformed Bad Guys are trying to be good, but instead find themselves hijacked into a high-stakes, globe-trotting heist, masterminded by a new team of criminals they never saw coming: The Bad Girls.”

The Bad Guys 2 hits theaters on August 1.

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We enter Steve Pink’s Terrestrial with a tour through an opulent home––broken glass on the floor, a blood trail towards the door, and Allen (Jermaine Fowler) sat against the wall in a frozen panic. Before we can even begin to presume what might have occurred, however, we’re whisked to a car inhabited by three of his old college friends: Maddie (Pauline Chalamet), Ryan (James Morosini), and Vic (Edy Modica). En route to see Allen for the first time in years, they’re worried about the state in which they might find him. His mother called in a fright about him potentially being suicidal, so it’s more than a little surprising when he greets them outside his giant mansion with joy.

Our assumption is thus that Samuel Johnson and Connor Diedrich’s script is teasing us with a possible future. A glimpse of what might arise once...

“The Bad Guys 2”, is the upcoming animated comedy sequel, based on the book series by Aaron Blabey, directed by Pierre Perifel and Jp Sans, starring Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Zazie Beetz, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh, Alex Borstein, Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova and Natasha Lyonne as ‘anthropomorphic animal’ characters, releasing August 1, 2025 in theaters:

“…one year after the events of the first film….

“…‘The Bad Guys’ are struggling to find trust and acceptance…

“…in their newly minted lives as ‘Good Guys’…

‘…when they are pulled out of retirement…

“…and forced to do ‘one last job’ by an all-female squad of criminals…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Former First Lady Michelle Obama will make a special appearance at the 23rd edition of the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (Mvaaff) next month.

On Aug. 9 at 4 p.m., Obama will take the stage with her brother and co-host Craig Robinson as they interview multi-hyphenate star Teyana Taylor in a live taping of their hit podcast “Imo With Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson.”

“We’re beyond honored to welcome back to our stage Michelle Obama and, for the first time, her brother Craig Robinson,” said Mvaaff founders Floyd & Stephanie Rance in a statement. “Their voices have inspired millions, and this intimate conversation will be a moment to remember.”

In 2022, Obama and her husband, former president Barack Obama, made a surprise appearance at the festival to support the Netflix documentary “Descendant,” which was produced by their Higher Ground company and served as that year’s opening night screening. “Imo...

Enter our contest by following the link at the bottom of this page for your chance to win passes to a preview of the upcoming film The Bad Guys 2 on Saturday, July 26, 2025 at 11:00am at the AMC Forum 30!

Synopsis: Everyone’s favorite felons are back, and this time, they’ve got company. In the new action-packed chapter from DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed comedy smash about a crackerjack crew of animal outlaws, our now-reformed Bad Guys are trying to be good, but instead find themselves hijacked into a high-stakes, globe-trotting heist, masterminded by a new team of criminals they never saw coming: the Bad Girls.

About The Film

Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation, Comedy Starring: Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Danielle Brooks, Natasha Lyonne, Maria Bakalova, Zazie Beetz, Richard Ayoade, Lilly Singh, Alex Borstein Director: Pierre Perifel, Jp Sans Screenplay: Aaron Blabey Produced by: Damon Ross...

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Truth The job of the stand-up, it seems, is that of a surgeon. They dissect, examine, and expose the faults, flaws, and foibles of the public, the powerful, and themselves. In 1960, a Life critic observed this about Nichols and May’s humor: “They hold the human race on a pin and make it laugh at itself while it squirms.” That legacy carried forward- through George Carlin’s blistering social commentary and Richard Pryor’s raw, autobiographical confessions. We’ve since crowned the comedian as the modern philosopher. But even that idea- noble as it sounds- has been dismantled by comedians themselves. Norm Macdonald, never known for intellectual posturing, worked more in the tradition of Bob Hope: clear-cut, joke-first, unpretentious. However, in what was sadly his final Netflix special, Macdonald deadpanned, “[The public] expect [comedians] to know things nowadays.” And when “they say comedians are the modern-day philosophers.