The Evolution of Animated Storytelling: Insights from 'The Bad Guys 2'

Pioneering New Visual Horizons: "The Bad Guys 2" Unveils Cinematic Masterpieces

Embracing Stylized Animation: A Post-"Spider-Verse" Revolution

The release of "The Bad Guys" in 2022 marked a significant moment in American animation, emerging during a period of transformative change ignited by 2018's "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." That groundbreaking film shattered the industry's long-standing pursuit of hyper-realism, demonstrating the immense appeal and financial success achievable through highly stylized visuals. This shift prompted animation studios to explore more experimental artistic approaches. "The Bad Guys" was among the first wave of productions to follow this trend, a challenging endeavor that, as director Pierre Perifel noted, often involved "fighting the computer" to achieve the desired aesthetic of dramatic shading, dynamic lighting, and distinctive character designs reminiscent of comic book art.

Overcoming Technical Hurdles: The Evolving Landscape of Animated Production

In anticipation of "The Bad Guys 2" in 2025, Perifel reflected on whether the technical battles had eased. He affirmed that the struggle has significantly diminished compared to the initial film. While traditional systems prioritize realistic rendering, the advancements made since "The Bad Guys," including projects like "Puss In Boots: The Last Wish" and "The Wild Robot," have laid a foundation for more stylized and graphic-oriented animation. This cumulative progress means that new projects can build upon established technologies. Perifel emphasized that DreamWorks has also dedicated resources to training artists in this new wave of stylization, enabling them to integrate 2D inspirations into CG visuals more seamlessly. This growing comfort and expertise among artists, coupled with enhanced technological capabilities, are visibly improving the on-screen results.

Collaborative Artistry: Partnering for Visual Cohesion

A notable challenge in the production of "The Bad Guys 2" involved coordinating with Sony Pictures Imageworks, which handled approximately 20 minutes of the 104-minute feature to manage costs. This collaboration necessitated careful asset sharing and meticulous style matching to ensure consistency with the original film's distinct aesthetic. Fortunately, Sony Imageworks' extensive experience with stylized animation allowed them to quickly adapt to the required visual language. Perifel cited Sony's recent work on "K-Pop Demon Hunters" as evidence of their proficiency in producing visually unique animated content, albeit with a different artistic direction.

Refining the Aesthetic: Subtle Yet Impactful Design Choices

For "The Bad Guys 2," Perifel and co-director JP Sans seized the opportunity to push their design concepts and lighting experiments even further. While aiming to maintain the core visual recipe of the first film to avoid alienating audiences, they introduced subtle but perceptible enhancements. The sequel features more painterly matte paintings, giving the film a richer, more artistic feel. Character designs were subtly tweaked, adding a bit more 'meat' to the figures, making them appear slightly more robust. A significant focus was placed on blending 2D and CG effects, integrating graphic elements more deeply into the visual equation. The addition of layered 2D animated effects on top of everything else created a truly unique and compelling visual fusion.

The Cinematic Touch: Embracing Anamorphic Lens Simulation

A particularly innovative detail in "The Bad Guys 2" is its intentional simulation of an anamorphic lens effect, typically used in live-action cinema to achieve a wider aspect ratio (2:40) and characteristic edge distortions. Perifel explained that while anamorphic lenses were originally designed for film cameras, their distinctive visual artifacts—such as light bleeds and spills—are highly coveted, even leading live-action productions to use them on digital cameras. By finessing their digital technology to mimic these effects, the filmmakers imbued "The Bad Guys 2" with an elevated, more refined cinematic appearance. This artistic choice, though subtle, significantly enhances the film's visual sophistication, making it feel more expansive and dynamic.

Drawing Inspiration from Live-Action Cinema: Crafting an Immersive Experience

Perifel and Sans meticulously studied renowned live-action films to infuse "The Bad Guys 2" with a classic action aesthetic. Their inspirations ranged from James Bond thrillers to ambitious space epics like Alfonso Cuarón's "Gravity" and Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar." Perifel noted that even the first "Bad Guys" drew heavily from iconic heist films such as "Ocean's Eleven," "Snatch," and "The Italian Job" for its genre conventions and dynamic car chases. For the sequel, the focus shifted more towards action cinema, particularly the stylish and sophisticated visuals often seen in James Bond and Mission: Impossible films. The deliberate use of simulated anamorphic lenses in these live-action inspirations provides a grander scope and a unique visual sophistication that spherical lenses cannot replicate. Perifel highlighted that the characteristic barrel distortion at the edges of the screen, while technically an optical 'mistake,' contributes significantly to the appeal of anamorphic cinematography, making it a beloved element for filmmakers.