Zazie Beetz and Lilly Singh Talk The Bad Guys — a Brilliant Movie About Second Chances

What happens when you combine a group of ferocious animals with a star-studded cast? You get The Bad Guys. DreamWorks Animation’s latest film follows the antics of Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina) as they tear up the city and cause chaos to those residing in it.

The criminal gang relish being “bad” — and they’re good at it too. The five of them have mutually come to an agreement: If they’re always going to be viewed as baddies, they may as well live up to their reputation.

If you’re still confused about the premise of the film, then imagine if Quentin Tarantino ventured into children’s movies. Based on the hugely successful novels by Australian author Aaron Blabey, there’s a good chance that if you have children, you’re already familiar with the franchise. 

“I was offered the role, and what was really appealing to me was a few things. One was the amazing cast, and two, I knew it was based on a book — which is always really special,” Lilly Singh, who voices journalist Tiffany Fluffit told POPSUGAR Australia.

“Anytime a project is based on a novel, there’s an existing fan base who are so excited and passionate about the content, and I wanted to be a part of that.” 

While the film’s main characters are shown to be vicious and terrifying, there is of course a redemption arc weaved into the story. 

After a heist goes terribly wrong, the town’s mayor Diane Foxington sends The Bad Guys to rehab with guinea pig Professor Marmalade, the most upstanding citizen of all time. Everything that takes place after makes viewers question: Why are ‘The Bad Guys‘ bad? The takeaway is an important one and can be applied to how we perceive people in real life.

For example, it doesn’t matter how great Tarantula is, those around her are still going to find a way to squish her because of the reputation of her species. 

“I really enjoyed the story and thought it was a cool way into this narrative of exploring the grey and not just the binary of individuals,” Zazie Beetz, who voices Foxington told POPSUGAR Australia. 

Like much of the world, filming for The Bad Guys faced some roadblocks because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the crew having to record remotely.

Originally slated to release in September 2021, the movie’s theatrical opening was postponed due to the virus. 

“I was alone all the time. I went to a studio for the first session and then after that, I recorded in a sound booth at my house, in my sweatpants, with Pierre our director over Zoom,” Singh revealed. 

The hard work that has gone into making the movie is evident, and the message is one both children and adults can learn from.

“We can’t control the narrative around ourselves but we can control the type of person we want to be. Whatever expectations people have for you, ultimately you’re the one making that decision, so live your life and live it well,” said Beetz.

The Bad Guys is out now in HOYTS Cinemas nationwide.