Dog Man Revealed as Hidden Sequel to Overlooked $125 Million DreamWorks Film from 8 Years Prior

DreamWorks Animation’s highly anticipated Dog Man has finally made its debut, and intriguingly, this 2025 animated film serves as a secret sequel to a lesser-known DreamWorks production from eight years prior. Rooted in Dav Pilkey’s beloved book series, Dog Man represents a fresh animated venture for DreamWorks. While this film can stand alone as an engaging tale, it possesses a fascinating connection to an earlier, almost forgotten installment within the same franchise.

Regarded as one of the standout animated family films of 2025, Dog Man employs a distinctive art style infused with whimsical humor, effectively transitioning the popular books to the silver screen. The narrative follows a police officer and his loyal canine sidekick, who find themselves embroiled in a perilous explosion. The creative solution to their dilemma leads to the unusual merging of the dog’s head with the officer’s body, resulting in the creation of Dog Man, the ultimate crime-fighting hero. The storyline escalates as Dog Man confronts the antagonist, Petey the Cat, voiced by Pete Davidson, setting the stage for an exhilarating tale.

The Connection to Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie

Dog Man’s Roots in the Captain Underpants Multiverse

While the marketing campaign for Dog Man has not explicitly highlighted it, the film is, in fact, a spinoff of DreamWorks’ Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie. Released in 2017, this film adapted several stories from Pilkey’s popular children’s novels. Despite garnering attention upon its release, Captain Underpants has faded from the limelight, yet its essence continues to influence Dog Man.

Interestingly, the Dog Man book series has been available since 2016, featuring 14 primary installments. Even though the narratives are fictional, they are intricately woven into the Captain Underpants universe, further solidifying their connection.

Potential Cameos from Captain Underpants

George & Harold: Possible Appearances

Speculation surrounds the possibility of George and Harold making appearances in Dog Man, perhaps as narrative devices. Given that these characters created the Dog Man comics, the film could cleverly frame scenes around their contributions. This approach would offer a nod to Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, making it accessible to those unfamiliar with the original.

The Absence of a Sequel for Captain Underpants

DreamWorks’ Assessment of Success

Despite developing a dedicated fanbase, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie did not see a conventional sequel. It boasted a modest production budget of only $38 million but went on to gross approximately $125.4 million, suggesting profitability. Nonetheless, DreamWorks executives decided against further sequels, citing the film’s performance did not align with their ambitious expectations.

However, the legacy of Captain Underpants continued through a Netflix animated series titled The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, which launched in 2018 and ran for four seasons with additional specials. With the release of Dog Man, fans are left hopeful that a sequel to *Captain Underpants* might still find its way to production if this latest installment garners success.

Source & Images