The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday is a 2023 half-hour, CG-animated Christmas heist comedy special based on the 2022 DreamWorks Animation film The Bad Guys, itself based on Aaron Blabey’s graphic novel series of the same name. Directed by Bret Haaland, the special premiered on Netflix on November 30, 2023, and serves as a prequel set before the events of the feature film. It was the first of two Bad Guys holiday specials, followed by 2024’s Haunted Heist.
Quick Facts
| Title | The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday |
| Based on | The Bad Guys (2022 film) / Aaron Blabey’s graphic novels |
| Director | Bret Haaland |
| Composers | Daniel Futcher & Taylor Page (score); Brandon Liew (theme music) |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release date | November 30, 2023 |
| Runtime | ~25 minutes |
| Genre | Animation, Action, Comedy, Crime, Family |
| Follow-up | The Bad Guys: Haunted Heist (2024) |
Who Composed the Score
The special’s score was composed by Daniel Futcher and Taylor Page, with Brandon Liew credited for the theme music. This is a different composer team from the original 2022 feature film, which was scored by Daniel Pemberton (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.). Pemberton has no composing credit on this holiday special — he only scored the original theatrical film.
Los Angeles-based composer Daniel Futcher is also known for co-writing the score to My Adventures with Superman alongside Dominic Lewis, plus additional composing work on Disney’s DuckTales, Disney Pixar’s Monsters at Work, and Pam & Tommy. Taylor Page, also based in Los Angeles, co-scored the 2023 Sundance film Beyond Utopia with Adam Taylor, and her other credits include Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Netflix’s Ivy + Bean and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Disney+’s The Right Stuff.
No standalone soundtrack album for A Very Bad Holiday has been publicly released or credited beyond these score composers, so we are not listing specific licensed-song cues here rather than guess at an unverified tracklist.
Where to Stream
The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday is streaming exclusively on Netflix, alongside its 2024 follow-up special Haunted Heist and the original 2022 film.
Voice Cast
None of the original film’s voice cast returned for the special; instead, a new cast voices the Bad Guys crew:
- Michael Godere as Mr. Wolf
- Ezekiel Ajeigbe as Mr. Shark
- Raul Ceballos as Mr. Piranha
- Chris Diamantopoulos as Mr. Snake
- Mallory Low as Ms. Tarantula
- Zehra Fazal as Tiffany Fluffit
- Keith Silverstein as Gary, the Shaved Ice vendor
- Kari Wahlgren as DJ Trudy Tude
Per Netflix’s official synopsis: “In this new adventure set before the events of the feature, there’s nothing the Bad Guys love more than Christmas morning — because while everyone is home opening presents, it’s the perfect time to execute their city-wide holiday heist. But when Christmas is unexpectedly canceled, the Bad Guys must do the unthinkable: reignite the city’s holiday spirit by giving instead of taking.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday?
Daniel Futcher and Taylor Page composed the special’s score, with Brandon Liew credited for the theme music. This is a different team from Daniel Pemberton, who scored the original 2022 film.
Did Daniel Pemberton work on this holiday special?
No. Pemberton scored only the original 2022 theatrical film, The Bad Guys. The 2023 holiday special and its 2024 follow-up were scored by different composers, Daniel Futcher and Taylor Page.
Is A Very Bad Holiday a sequel or a prequel?
It’s a prequel. The special is set before the events of the original 2022 film, and none of the film’s voice cast reprised their roles for it.
When did The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday release?
It premiered on Netflix on November 30, 2023.
Is there a follow-up to this holiday special?
Yes. The Bad Guys: Haunted Heist followed in 2024 as a second holiday special in the same prequel format.
Related reading: Movie Soundtracks | More Netflix Soundtracks | TV Soundtracks