For audiences of a certain age, Dog Man is one of, if not the biggest movie on the list of upcoming book-to-screen adaptations on the horizon. One of the first releases on the 2025 movie schedule, the long-in-the-works animated film about a hero that is half dog, half man, and all cop will kick off the year in spectacular fashion with its story, awesome cast, and dazzling visual style.
If you or your kids are also eagerly anticipating the movie based on Dav Pilkey’s beloved graphic novel series, stick around because we’re about to break down everything we know about it, including the Dog Man release date, trailer, the franchise’s future, and so much more. Here’s everything we know about what will surely be a kids movie everyone can enjoy.
What Is The Dog Man Release Date?
We have some great news about the Dog Man release date, as DreamWorks Animation has announced that the adaptation of the long-running graphic novel series will hit theaters on January 31, 2025.
While January is typically a slower month at the box office, that may be a different story at the start of next year, as the long-awaited Paddington in Peru is slated to open earlier in the month, and Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17 shares a release date with Dog Man to close out January. Other titles like Wolf Man, Presence, and Den of Thieves 2: Pantera will also walk into theaters this winter.
The Dog Man Cast
After being quite mum about who’ll be appearing in the movie, DreamWorks Animation has announced the Dog Man cast, which includes some heavyweights of the comedy world and one of the funniest former Saturday Night Live cast members in recent memory. Let’s meet them now…
Lil Rel Howery as Chief
Lil Rel Howery will be taking on the role of Chief, the dedicated yet often fed-up supervisor for the titular half-man-half-canine crime fighter in Dog Man. The actor and comedian is no stranger when it comes to voice roles, as he previously lent his talents to characters in animated films like The Angry Birds Movie 2, Tom & Jerry, and PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, to name a few.
Pete Davidson as Petey the Cat
Pete Davidson is going to be taking on the role of Petey the Cat, Dog Man’s archnemesis from the graphic novels. After providing the voice for characters in Marmaduke, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and The Freak Brothers, Davidson has built up a nice resume for himself outside of his live-action and comedy work.
Isla Fisher as Sarah Hatoff
Isla Fisher will show up in Dog Man as Sarah Hatoff, a news reporter who fans of the books know and love. Fisher’s voice work includes movies like Strays, Rise of the Guardians, Horton Hears a Who!, and Rango.
Poppy Liu as Butler
Poppy Liu will be taking on the role of Butler, Petey’s trusty assistant, Butler. Throughout her career, Liu has appeared on shows like iCarly, Hacks, and The Afterparty, as well as movies like The Tiger’s Apprentice and Space Cadet.
Stephen Root as Grampa
Stephen Root, best known for movies like Office Space and shows like Barry, will be taking on the role of Grampa in Dog Man. Root’s voice work includes Finding Dory, Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe, and Rango.
Billy Boyd as Seamus
Billy Boyd, best known for his take on Pippin in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, will be taking on the role of Seamus, Sarah Hatoff’s cameraman. Boyd’s previous voice work includes The Legend of Vox Machina, The Simpsons, and Sofia the First.
Ricky Gervais as Flippy the Fish
And then there is Ricky Gervais, who’ll be providing the voice of Flippy the Fish in Dog Man. Prior to playing a telekinetic fish, Gervais lent his voice to characters in movies like Valiant, Escape from Planet Earth, and Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, to name a few.
What Is Dog Man About?
When Dog Man hits the big screen in early 2025, it will tell a story that will be familiar to those who’ve read the books in that it will provide the origin story for the unusual crime fighter, at least in the beginning. According to the official synopsis from DreamWorks Animation, the movie will also see Dog Man and Petey the Cat reluctantly team up when Lil Petey, the adorable clone of no-good feline villain, is kidnapped by an even greater threat.
Dog Man Is Based On Dav Pilkey's Popular Graphic Novel Series
Part dog, part man, and all hero is the best way to describe Dog Man, the legendary hero of Dav Pilkey’s series of graphic novels. Since the series’ launch back in 2016, there have been a total of 12 Dog Man books with one more, Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, set to hit bookshelves later this year. In that time, many of Pilkey’s books have sat atop the New York Times bestseller list, including The Scarlet Shedder, which was the best-selling graphic novel at the time of this writing in August 2024.
Before launching Dog Man, Pilkey made a name for himself years earlier by creating the Captain Underpants novels, which took the world (and book fairs) by storm in the early 21st century with all kinds of outrageous adventures for the principal-turned-superhero.
The Dog Man Trailer
After what seemed like years of waiting for footage from the upcoming kids movie, DreamWorks Animation finally released the Dog Man trailer in September 2024, and it wasn’t hard to be blown away by what followed.
The two-and-a-half-minute trailer has it all: the origin story, the wild characters voiced by Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery, and company, and some incredible visuals that’s up there with other more recent DreamWorks films like The Bad Guys and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. If you were a fan of the franchise who was worried about the movie not capturing the distinct visual style of Dav Pilkey’s graphic novels, this trailer was like a breath of fresh air.
Peter Hastings Is Directing Dog Man
Back when everything was being announced for Dog Man in early 2024, Animation Magazine reported that six-time Emmy winner Peter Hastings, who is best known for writing some of the best cartoons of all time like Pinky and the Brain, would be directing the adaptation. Hastings also has a history with Dav Pilkey’s work, as he previously served as an executive producer for the Captain Underpants TV show and various specials set within the books’ universe.
What Is The Dog Man Rating?
With Dog Man being something geared toward families, there was no chance this kids movie would have a PG-13 or more restrictive rating. So, what is the Dog Man rating? Well, according to FilmRatings.com, the animated flick will be rated PG for “some action and rude humor.” Basically, it’s going to be cool for kids of all ages, even adults.
There Is Also A Dog Man Video Game On The Way
The Dog Man movie isn’t the only adaptation of the beloved graphic novel series set to come out in the next few months, as there is also a video game based on the project in the works. In August 2024, GamesRadar reported that Dog Man: Mission Impawsible, a 2D side-scrolling platformer would be hitting all major consoles and PC on December 6, 2024, according to the game’s publisher, Mindscape
The game will allow players to explore various locations from the books and offer all kinds of challenges and adventures for fans of all ages. Expect to hear much more about this exciting game in the coming weeks and months.
As you can see by now, we’re going to be up to our necks in Dog Man in the coming months. But if you’re looking for something to watch while you wait, there are still plenty of great titles on the 2024 movie schedule.
