Pete Davidson is about to purr his way into your hearts in the new animated film Dog Man! Yes, you heard that right. The man who once made “Staten Island” a personality trait is now voicing Petey the Cat, a feline supervillain with an attitude sharper than his claws.
Now, let’s paws (pun intended) for a second and break down the plot. This is no ordinary crime-fighting saga—oh no. Picture this: a dedicated police dog and his equally dedicated (but very human) police officer partner find themselves in a bit of a “ruff” situation on the job. They’re both injured, but instead of calling it a day like normal beings, some mad scientist (or at least someone who really needs to lose their medical license) decides the best course of action is to fuse them together. You know, like a freaky, buddy cop version of Frankenstein but with more drool. And thus, Dog Man is born! Half-dog, half-man, 100% dedicated to stopping crime… and also probably licking his own butt.
Our beloved Dog Man, now embracing his new “ruff” identity, is out to serve, protect, and maybe sniff a few hydrants along the way. His boss, The Chief (played by Lil Rel Howery), expects greatness, but all Dog Man really wants is to impress him by doing all the important things—like fetching sticks and rolling over.
Enter Petey the Cat, voiced by none other than Pete Davidson, because when you think “maniacal feline villain,” you definitely think of a guy who once got a tattoo of Hillary Clinton. Petey’s up to some nefarious shenanigans, as supervillains do, and decides, “Hey, why do crime alone when I can CLONE myself?” So he creates Lil Petey, a kitten that’s supposed to double his bad guy powers. Classic villain move.
But here’s where things get spicy—Lil Petey, being the adorable ball of fur that he is, somehow ends up bonding with Dog Man. Turns out even the most diabolical cats have a soft spot for family (and kibble, probably). But then, disaster strikes! Lil Petey gets snatched up by some mutual bad guy, forcing Dog Man and Petey to become the most dysfunctional buddy duo since, well, every buddy cop movie ever.
Can Dog Man and Petey save Lil Petey? Will they discover that family (and cats) can melt even the coldest of hearts? And most importantly, will there be any scenes where Dog Man chases his own tail in circles? Only time will tell, my friends.
The all-star cast includes Isla Fisher as Sarah Hatoff, a TV reporter probably tired of covering so much pet drama; Poppy Liu as Butler, Petey’s assistant and the real MVP of cat villainy; Stephen Root as Grampa, because every film needs a lovable old guy; Billy Boyd as Seamus, a cameraman who’s probably wondering how he ended up in this mess; and Ricky Gervais as Flippy the Fish, who is, you guessed it, a fish. Yes, Ricky Gervais is a fish. We’ve officially reached peak cinema.
Directed by Peter Hastings, Dog Man will be barking up the right tree in theaters starting January 31, 2025. Watch the trailer and prepare for a tail-wagging, fur-flying adventure that’ll have you meowing for more!