The Dog Man movie is one of those upcoming book-to-screen adaptations that parents on all four corners of the world have been hearing their kids yell about for the past few years, and now those same parents are probably trying to figure out what’s going on with the animated film. No need to worry, because we’re in the same camp -- And to be clear, we're not talking about Luc Besson’s similarly titled 2023 thriller, Dogman.
If you or your kids are also eagerly anticipating the Dog Man movie, stick around because we’re about to break down everything we know about Dog Man, which will surely be a kids movie everyone can enjoy. This includes its release date, information about its story, and some other great projects in the works based on Dav Pilkey’s beloved and incredibly popular graphic novel series.
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 the 2025 movie schedule, 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 the month. Other titles like Wolf Man, Presence, and Den of Thieves 2: Pantera will also walk into theaters this winter.
The Dog Man Cast
DreamWorks Animation has been mum about the Dog Man cast, but hopefully, a lot of the fan-favorite characters from the graphic novel series end up hitting the big screen. With the titular half-dog, half-cop being silent in the books aside from barks, growls, and other canine sounds, it’s hard to say if the character will have a speaking role when the movie comes out. However, with the likes of Chief, Petey the Cat, Lil Petey, and several other mainstays all having plenty of lines in novels, it’s safe to assume we’ll see some talented voice actors filling those roles.
And while George Beard and Harold Hutchins, the two kids who created the Dog Man comics inside the books, as well as the Captain Underpants stories, were voiced by actual kids for the Netflix series, Kevin Hart and Harold Hutchins played the characters when Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie came out in 2017. Perhaps we could see a repeat for Dog Man.
What Is Dog Man About?
By the looks of it, the Dog Man movie will follow a similar path as the graphic novels on which it is based in that it will follow the titular half-dog, half-human police officer as he tries to protect his city from all kinds of evildoers, especially a certain feline supervillain. According to Deadline, the movie will center on Dog Man as he takes on the antagonist, Petey the Cat, until their tireless fight is upended when the villain’s clone, Lil Petey, arrives on the scene.
Both the diabolical Petey the Cat and adorable Lil Petey have been major parts of the Dog Man books, so longtime fans of the series should be excited to see both come into the picture and get into all kinds of mischief. At the same time, we should expect all kinds of familiar faces to show up on both sides of the law (and cuteness spectrum).
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.
Prior to 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.
When Can We Expect The Dog Man Trailer?
With the movie’s release date so close, it shouldn’t be all that long before we get to see our first look at the Dog Man trailer. With a whole lot of upcoming kids movies on the way, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if at least a teaser pops up at some point this fall. However, if you want to get a look at the film’s visual style, you can preorder The Art of DreamWorks Dog Man (The Art of DreamWorks Animation), which is set to hit shelves on December 10, 2024, on Amazon right now.
Peter Hastings Is Directing Dog Man
Back when everything was being announced for the Dog Man movie, 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.
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 at some point before the end of the year.
Published by 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, including its release date, in the coming weeks and months.
As you can see by now, we’re going to 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.
