Dog Man: Story, Cast & Netflix Streaming Details

Dog Man is the animated superhero comedy from DreamWorks Animation based on Dav Pilkey's bestselling graphic novel series. The same author is also behind the popular Captain Underpants books.

The movie brings Pilkey's unusual canine superhero to the big screen, combining slapstick comedy, action and a surprisingly heartfelt story about family.

While some September 2026 Netflix release lists have included Dog Man with a September 13 date, that information is not correct for the 2025 DreamWorks movie. Dog Man originally opened in theaters on January 31, 2025, and its streaming availability on Netflix depends on the viewer's region.

What Is Dog Man About?

The story follows Officer Knight and his loyal police dog Greg. After the two are critically injured while fighting crime, doctors perform an extraordinary life-saving surgery that fuses Greg's head with Knight's body.

The result is Dog Man, a bizarre but lovable half-dog, half-human police officer.

Dog Man is determined to protect his city and impress his Chief, but his canine instincts often get in the way. Chasing balls, getting distracted and behaving like a dog create plenty of comedic situations as he tries to perform his duties as a police officer.

The movie is based on Dav Pilkey's Dog Man book series, which DreamWorks describes as a bestselling literary phenomenon.

Spoilers ahead: The following sections reveal major plot details, including the origin of Dog Man, Petey's cloning experiment, Li'l Petey and the movie's final conflict.

Dog Man Plot Explained

Officer Knight is a dedicated police officer who works alongside his highly intelligent dog, Greg.

Their biggest problem is Petey the Cat, a supervillain who is constantly creating new schemes to cause trouble.

During one confrontation, Knight and Greg are badly injured. Doctors discover that the only way to save them is to combine the two bodies in a bizarre surgical procedure.

That experiment creates Dog Man.

Now part dog and part human, Dog Man becomes the city's newest crime-fighting hero. However, his instincts don't always match his responsibilities as a police officer.

Petey, meanwhile, becomes increasingly frustrated by Dog Man's interference.

Who Is Petey the Cat?

Petey the Cat is Dog Man's main nemesis and one of the movie's central characters.

He is a feline supervillain who wants to become more powerful and finally defeat Dog Man.

Instead of simply creating another criminal ally, Petey decides to clone himself.

But the experiment doesn't go according to plan.

Rather than creating another version of the evil Petey, the experiment produces Li'l Petey, an innocent and affectionate kitten.

Li'l Petey completely changes the dynamic between the characters.

Who Is Li'l Petey?

Li'l Petey is essentially Petey's opposite.

While Petey is selfish and focused on crime, Li'l Petey is kind, loving and interested in friendship.

When Petey struggles to deal with his clone, Dog Man becomes connected to Li'l Petey.

This relationship eventually becomes one of the emotional centers of the movie.

The story moves beyond the simple hero-versus-villain setup and explores the idea that family can be created in unexpected ways.

DreamWorks describes Li'l Petey as the character who unexpectedly bonds with Dog Man and changes the rivalry between Dog Man and Petey.

Flippy the Fish Becomes the Bigger Threat

The rivalry between Dog Man and Petey eventually takes an unexpected turn when Flippy the Fish becomes a much bigger threat.

Flippy's powers create a situation that neither Dog Man nor Petey can handle alone.

The two longtime enemies are therefore forced to put their differences aside and work together to rescue Li'l Petey and stop the new threat.

The unlikely alliance gives the movie its biggest action sequence while reinforcing one of its central themes: sometimes even enemies have to work together when something more dangerous appears.

Dog Man Voice Cast

The movie features a notable voice cast.

Pete Davidson voices Petey the Cat, while Lil Rel Howery voices Chief.

The cast also includes:

• Isla Fisher as Sarah Hatoff

• Ricky Gervais as Flippy the Fish

• Poppy Liu as Butler

• Stephen Root as Grampa

• Billy Boyd as Seamus

DreamWorks officially lists Davidson, Howery, Fisher, Liu, Root, Boyd and Gervais among the film's cast.

Who Directed Dog Man?

Peter Hastings directed Dog Man.

Hastings is known for his work on animated projects including The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain.

The movie was produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures.

How Long Is Dog Man?

The animated movie has a runtime of approximately 89 minutes, or 1 hour and 29 minutes.

That makes it a relatively short and easy family movie for viewers looking for a quick animated adventure.

When Was Dog Man Released?

Dog Man was released theatrically in the United States on January 31, 2025.

It was not originally a September 2026 movie release. The film was already available for digital and home entertainment after its theatrical run.

Is Dog Man Available on Netflix?

Dog Man's Netflix availability varies by country.

Netflix has an official listing for the 2025 animated movie, describing it as a kids and family film starring Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery and Isla Fisher.

However, Netflix's catalog is different from one country to another, so viewers should check their local Netflix search before assuming the movie is available.

For viewers in India, current streaming listings indicate that Dog Man is available through Netflix, although availability can change.

Dog Man Box Office Performance

The movie was also a commercial success.

Dog Man was produced on an estimated $40 million budget and earned roughly $145.6 million worldwide during its theatrical run.

Its opening weekend in the United States and Canada was approximately $36 million, making it a strong start for the animated film.

Why Is Dog Man Popular?

A major reason for the movie's appeal is the popularity of the original books.

Dav Pilkey's Dog Man series has sold tens of millions of copies worldwide, giving the movie an established audience before it even reached theaters. DreamWorks says the series had more than 60 million copies in print and had been translated into 47 languages.

The film also combines several elements that appeal to younger viewers: superheroes, talking animals, comedy, action and a simple emotional story about friendship and family.

Dog Man: Quick Details

Movie: Dog Man
Release Year: 2025
Theatrical Release: January 31, 2025
Genre: Animated, Comedy, Family, Action
Runtime: 89 minutes
Director: Peter Hastings
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Based On: Dav Pilkey's Dog Man book series
Lead Voice Cast: Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, Ricky Gervais
Production Budget: Approximately $40 million
Worldwide Box Office: Approximately $145.6 million

Dog Man takes Dav Pilkey's wildly imaginative comic-book world and turns it into a fast-moving animated adventure filled with humor, action and heart.

At the center of the story is an unlikely hero who is literally part dog and part human. His rivalry with Petey the Cat eventually develops into an unexpected relationship involving Li'l Petey, giving the movie a stronger emotional element beneath all the comedy.

And if you saw Dog Man listed as a September 13, 2026 Netflix release, that date should be treated with caution. The DreamWorks movie was released in 2025, while its Netflix availability depends on the region.