‘The Bad Guys 2’ Opens With $22.2 Million Domestically, Slightly Lower Than Its Predecessor

DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys 2 debuted in theaters this weekend, landing the number two spot in North America with a domestic gross of $22.2 million. The result signals steady, though not improved, momentum for the studio’s family-friendly, caper-driven franchise. The sequel arrives three years after the original film’s successful 2022 run, which opened with $23.9 million and eventually earned nearly $250 million globally.

While the weekend’s gross isn’t poor for a film of its scale and budget, given the success of the first film and a more robust marketing push this time around, expectations were for a more upward trajectory for The Bad Guys 2, rather than a lateral one. While The Bad Guys may not be breaking out into DreamWorks’ next Shrek-like mega-franchise, the sequel will certainly pull a profit and likely have a strong second-window life on streaming.

Domestic: Familiar Territory, Modest Slippage

While the domestic opening paints a mixed picture, overseas performance offers a similarly measured outlook.

Universal released The Bad Guys 2 across 3,852 North American theaters, where it brought in $22.2 million over three days, including $2.3 million from Thursday previews. That preview figure more than doubled the original film’s $1.1 million in early showings, making the weekend’s overall performance all the more underwhelming.

The first Bad Guys benefited from strong weekday holds and positive word-of-mouth, reaching $97 million domestically by the end of its run. With very little family-friendly competition on the horizon, the sequel should have strong legs, although reaching the first film’s total could prove a bridge too far for the new film.

International: A Slower Start Abroad

Internationally, The Bad Guys 2 earned $16.3 million from 58 markets in its first major global rollout, including $2.9 million from early territories like the U.K., Israel, and Argentina. The first film grossed $8.5 million from 25 international markets in its opening weekend, so a comparison isn’t entirely fair, but it looks to be about par for the franchise.

The Bad Guys eventually grossed $153.4 million internationally. While that total built gradually, aided by staggered COVID-era rollouts, the sequel’s early returns don’t suggest better long-term returns than its predecessor was able to pull in. Despite the original film establishing solid brand recognition among families, the Bad Guys IP appears to lack the extensive merchandise pipeline or cross-platform presence that typically fuels animated hits abroad – think Despicable Me or Trolls – and that Universal is among the best at executing.

Studio Outlook: Stability Over Growth

The Bad Guys 2 aligns with DreamWorks’ recent output of modestly budgeted family films with theatrical-first aspirations. While the sequel doesn’t indicate substantial growth for the franchise, it maintains a stable presence and could continue adding value over time. With no major animated competitors on the near-term release calendar, The Bad Guys 2 has room to grow, but whether that translates to long-term revenue remains to be seen.

As of now, the film’s global total stands at $44.5 million after its opening weekend. While respectable, it suggests a final worldwide gross that may fall short of the original’s $250 million unless international holdovers significantly outperform expectations.

Other Animated (Under)Performances

Paramount’s The Smurfs has legs like those of its diminutive protagonists, and barely made a dent with just $1.8 million at the domestic box office in its third week. The film’s total domestic haul sits at $28.5 million. Elio, now in its seventh week, made just $365,000 from 575 theaters, less than CatVideoFest 2025‘s $460,219 from only 199 theaters. Pixar’s latest has now made $72.5 million at the domestic box office.