DreamWorks Animation Developing DOG MAN Feature Film

DreamWorks Animation Developing DOG MAN Feature Film

December 9th, 2020

Jerry Beck

DreamWorks Animation has optioned the rights to “Dog Man,” the bestselling series by author and illustrator Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants), and is currently developing a feature film based on the series. Peter Hastings (Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain) is attached to direct. Hastings, a six-time Emmy Award and Peabody winner, joined DreamWorks Animation in 2011, where he worked on DWA TV programs such as the Emmy winning Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness and The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, where he worked closely with Pilkey.

Published by Scholastic, the Dog Man series follows the hilarious adventures of the “Supa Buddies”: Dog Man, a lovable canine superhero, and his friends Li’l Petey, a curious kitten who embodies love, optimism, and hope, and 80-HD, a robot who expresses himself best through his art. With Pilkey’s trademark humor and heart, the books explore universally positive themes including empathy, kindness, persistence, becoming a better version of one’s self, and the importance of doing good. The unique style of the “Dog Man” graphic novels is intended to encourage the love of reading and creativity in kids.

The newest book in the “Dog Man” series, “Dog Man: Grime & Punishment,” was recently published on September 1, 2020 by Scholastic. It became the #1 bestselling book overall for its first week in the U.S. and Canada and swept the top spots on USA Today, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, Indie Bound, Toronto Star, and The Globe and Mail bestseller lists.

All nine books in the “Dog Man” series released to date have clinched the #1 spot on the bestseller list. Since the first Dog Man book launched to critical acclaim four years ago, the series has nearly 40 million copies in print to date and has been translated into 40 foreign languages. Scholastic will publish the 10th book in the series, “Dog Man: Mothering Heights,” on March 23, 2021.

On the film side, DreamWorks Animation previously collaborated with Pilkey on 2017’s Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, which grossed more than $125 million globally.

“I am humbled and grateful to once again work with the brilliant Peter Hastings and the outstanding team at DreamWorks Animation,” said Pilkey.

“This is my second project based on Dav Pilkey’s books and I’m very excited to take his funny, clever, emotional and ultimately inspirational Dog Man and make it move! Not just by telling the story, but by absorbing and building on his great sensibility, bringing it to the screen with deep respect to his gazillion fans – ’cause I’m one of them,” said Hastings.

Pilkey is represented by Amy Berkower at Writers House LLC, Kassie Evashevski at Anonymous Content and Jamie Coghill at Surpin, Mayersohn & Coghill, LLP. Hastings is represented by The Gotham Group.

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Jerry Beck

Writer, cartoon producer and author of more than 15 books on animation history. A former studio exec with Nickelodeon and Disney; currently on the faculty at both CalArts in Valencia and Woodbury University in Burbank, California.