The Bad Guys is a different kind of children’s film that presents a story about misunderstood antiheroes in a way that we haven’t really seen in animated features. Consequently, the story becomes much more accessible to adults, given elements like twisted heists and references to films that certainly aren’t intended for children. Case in point, The Bad Guys' opening scene is a clear reference to Reservoir Dogs. Even if it’s not quite the Reservoir Dogs reboot fans have been waiting for, it was certainly enough to get musician, comedian and actor Craig Robinson on board to voice Shark.
CinemaBlend recently spoke with Craig Robinson about The Bad Guys, and as he explained what made him take on the project, “Tarantino” was one of the first words out of his mouth:
It’s Tarantino for kids! That is something I dug about it right away. They did a pitch for me, Dreamworks. I was at the studio and they showed what the characters were and who the voice talent was and they described the book series to me and I was like, ‘heck yeah.’ It’s gritty, and it’s, you know, fun and silly. It’s a cartoon.
It’s not surprising that Craig Robinson was sold after hearing about the cast, which boasts names like Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, Anthony Ramos, Zazie Beetz, and Marc Maron. He’s right in saying that the film is gritty. Of course, that's not to a jarring extent, as it is primarily for kids, but the twists, turns and double-crosses really set it apart from anything we’ve seen from Dreamworks.
The Bad Guys is based on the illustrated children’s book series of the same, which is about a group of animals typically considered to be “bad” who set out to do some good. Despite their best efforts, it doesn’t usually work out. This includes Wolf, Snake, Piranha, Tarantula and Craig Robinson’s Shark, who is big and lovable (just like the man himself) and a master of disguise. The humor, of course, being that it’s near-impossible to properly disguise a shark.
Just like the rest of the primary cast of The Office, Craig Robinson has been very busy since his days of being pelted in the head by Rainn Wilson. He hosted The Masked Dancer, starred in a slew of films, including Hot Tub Time Machine and Dolemite Is My Name, and he even led his own, now-defunct sitcom called Mr. Robinson. With a ton more projects on the way, he’s showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
The Bad Guys has surpassed some top contenders at the box office, and you’ll be able to own it on home video starting June 21! As for everything else that’s coming to theaters this year, check out our 2022 release schedule.
