'The Bad Guys' Interview: Director Pierre Perifel On Influences And Possible Sequels
Dreamworks Animation has crafted another unique, refreshing gem with The Bad Guys, an animated feature that is sure to not only please children, but adults as well in equal measure.
With The Bad Guys hitting digital and home video, FilmSpeak had the opportunity to sit down with director Pierre Perifel, who was open about his creative influences and his desire to tackle possible sequels to the animated film. Though this may be his first animated feature as a director, Perifel is no stranger to animated films, having previously worked on animated hits such as Kung Fu Panda, Monsters vs. Aliens, and Rise of the Guardians in their animation departments. As for what drew him to the project, Perifel explained, “It was genius for me. It was a really brilliant idea and I think it spoke to me in a way that I was like I know exactly what to do with this.”
One of Perifel’s aspirations for the film was to craft a story that didn’t have to be dumbed down for children and respected a younger audience. When asked if this was an important goal for him, Perifel expressed, “So important. Very, very important. Of course the characters are very charming and very child accessible, but at no point were we like let’s dumb down the plot and the twists and the turns.”
The film, which feels like an animated version of capers like Ocean’s Eleven, earnestly wears its influences on its sleeve. Perifel certainly wasn’t trying to hide his homages to some of his favorite films and directors that inspired his take on this story. When asked what or who his influences were, Perifel excitedly explained, “Tarantino for sure. This is Reservoir Dogs with Mr. Brown, Mr. White, Mr. Pink….so its Mr. Wolf, Mr. Shark, Mr. Snake. I’m also just a big sucker for his work.” When asked if there were any other films that inspired him, he went on to say, “The Italian Job, The Ocean’s Franchise, The Sting, a lot of Guy Ritchie.” These influences are notably present, but it never feels as if the film is copying them, but rather doing its own flavorful twist on these genre favorites.
The film has performed well at the box office, currently sitting at an impressive $244 million globally, leaving the possibility of a sequel not far out of reach. When asked what he might do in possible follow-ups, he expressed, “The first movie starts before the first book. It’s really borrowing from the first four books. So, we have sixteen more books to borrow from. If we make sequels, the movies are always going to be a bit more grounded, but I love the whimsy and I love the craziness of where the books go.”
The Bad Guys is a stylish, fun, heartfelt, and exciting directorial debut from Perifel, who has proven that he has a bright future ahead of him as a feature director. His influences never overtake the film, but fuel its wild, immersive energy that takes hold of the audience and never fully lets go. With plenty of material to mine from author Aaron Blabey’s beloved books and a talented cast that includes the likes of Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, and Anthony Ramos, the sky is the limit for this talented director and colorful set of lovable characters.
The Bad Guys is now available on digital and Blu-ray/DVD in the U.S. It’s currently available on digital and will be available on Blu-ray/DVD July 19th in Canada.
