Pete Davidson plays Petey in “Dog Man (2025).” DreamWorks Animation’s animated action-adventure comedy film “Dog Man” is based on Dav Pilkey’s bestselling graphic novel series and set in the “Captain Underpants” universe. The film is directed by Primetime Emmy winner Peter Hastings, and narrates the story of a half-dog, half-human police officer who combats crimes committed in Ohkay city.
While Davidson voices Petey the Cat, the city’s mischievous feline supervillain, Lil Rel Howrey portrays the police Chief, and Isla Fisher lends her voice to reporter Sarah Hatoff. The plot follows the titular hero Dog Man, as he attempts to thwart Petey’s latest scheme involving a cloned kitten named Li’l Petey, voiced by Lucas Hopkins Calderon. When the little kitten is kidnapped by a shared enemy, Dog Man and his nemesis Petey, join forces in an unexpected alliance.
The voice cast also features Poppy Liu as Butler, Billy Boyd as Seamus, Luenell as Milly, and Yung Gravy as Mr. Whiskers. The film is written by Peter Hastings and Dav Pilkey and is distributed by Universal Pictures. With over 60 million copies in print and translations in 47 languages, the film adaptation continues the global success of the Dog Man franchise. It was released in U.S. theaters on January 31, 2025.
Who plays Petey in Dog Man?
American comedian, actor, and producer Pete Davidson is a native of Staten Island, New York. Born on November 16, 1993, Davidson began performing stand-ups in his teens and rose to fame when he joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live” in 2014, as one of its youngest cast members. He remained on the show for seven seasons until 2024, becoming a familiar face through his various original characters.
Davidson has also appeared in several films and comedy specials. In 2020, he starred as Scott Carlin in “The King of Staten Island,” a semi-autobiographical film that was inspired by his personal journey. He also appeared in the DC Universe movie “The Suicide Squad (2021),” as Blackguard and Marvel Cinematic Universe movie “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023),” as Phlektik. He also voiced Marmaduke in the 2022 animated adventure film “Marmaduke.”
Recently, he guest-starred as himself in the animated series “Family Guy (2025).” In 2021, he received a CinEuphoria award in the “Best Actor- International Competition” category. He has also spoken publicly about his experiences living with Crohn’s disease and borderline personality disorder, contributing toward broader conversations around physical and mental health awareness.
Who is Petey in Dog Man?
Petey is initially introduced as a supervillain with the singular goal of world domination. However, as the narrative progresses and unlikely experiences influence him, his character undergoes significant transformations. Petey attempts to clone himself “to double his ability to do crime stuff.” Throughout the movie, his identity is influenced by the complicated relationship he harbors with his own father, Grampa. His eventual abandonment of Li’l Petey is driven by the belief that being a villain is his only available option.
As the plot unfolds, Li’l Petey is captured by Flippy, an intensely intelligent fish, and Petey is forced to form an unexpected alliance with Dog Man to rescue the kitten. The film concludes with Petey receiving a pardon from the governor for his role in stopping the villain Flippy. Petey’s arc also touches on the theme of how nurture shapes one's behavior. Despite being a clone of Petey, who is dubbed as the “world’s most evillest cat,” Li'l Petey is influenced by the care and love he receives from Dog Man and ultimately becomes a "do-gooder."
Watch the official trailer of the film here:
FAQs about Dog Man
A. No, Petey from Dog Man is not a girl; he is a male character. He is often referred to using he/him pronouns.
A. As of April 2025, there are 13 Dog Man books.
A. Dog Man was created after a police officer and his dog were injured in an explosion. In an effort to save them, the doctors attached the officer’s body to the dog’s head, resulting in the creation of Dog Man.
