Believe it or not, the giant, clumsy Great Dane we all grew up reading in the Sunday funnies actually got a Netflix makeover recently. When the news first dropped about the cast of Marmaduke 2022, people were... well, they were skeptical. It’s a CGI-animated movie, which already puts it in a weird spot compared to the 2010 live-action version where Owen Wilson voiced the dog. This time around, the vibe is different. It’s more slapstick. It’s loud. It’s honestly a bit chaotic.
The movie tries to modernize the Winslow family while keeping the core DNA of Brad Anderson’s comic strip. You have the dog, the mess, and the high-stakes dog show circuit. But the voices? That’s where things get interesting. You’ve got a mix of legendary comedic actors and seasoned voice talent who had to carry a script that leans heavily into physical comedy that, let's be real, doesn't always land.
Pete Davidson as the Voice of the Big Dog
The biggest name on the list is easily Pete Davidson. He voices Marmaduke. It’s a casting choice that raised some eyebrows because Davidson is known for his dry, self-deprecating SNL humor, which is a far cry from a lovable, bumbling canine. Yet, it kind of works in a weird way. He brings this laid-back, almost "chill" energy to a dog that is constantly destroying furniture.
Marmaduke in this version isn't just a big dog who doesn't know his size; he’s a social media disaster. After a video of him ruining a barbecue goes viral, the family meets a world-renowned dog trainer. Davidson’s performance is mostly built on sighs, grunts, and a very specific "guy just trying his best" delivery. It’s not a classic Disney-style performance. It’s more contemporary. Some critics found it a bit too low-energy for a high-octane cartoon, but others thought his "cool dog" persona was the only thing that made the movie tolerable for adults.
J.K. Simmons is... Zeus?
If you want to talk about range, we have to talk about J.K. Simmons. This is a man who won an Oscar for screaming about tempo in Whiplash and played the terrifying Omni-Man. In the cast of Marmaduke 2022, he plays Zeus. Zeus is the villain. He’s a snobby, narcissistic show dog who basically functions as the "mean girl" of the canine world.
Simmons is clearly having a blast. He uses that deep, authoritative baritone to belittle Marmaduke at every turn. It’s probably the most "pro" performance in the whole film. When Zeus is on screen, the stakes actually feel like they matter, mostly because Simmons can make a line about a dog grooming brush sound like a death threat. Honestly, seeing his name in the credits for a Netflix kids’ movie about a farting Great Dane is just a testament to the fact that the man stays booked and busy.
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The Winslow Family: The Human Element
Then we have the humans. David Koechner plays Phil Winslow. You know Koechner. He’s Champ Kind from Anchorman and Todd Packer from The Office. He specializes in playing the stressed-out dad, and that’s exactly what he does here. Phil is the one trying to hold the family together while their house is literally being demolished by 200 pounds of dog.
Brian Hull plays Guy Hilton. Now, if you aren't a voice acting nerd, you might not recognize the name, but you’ve heard him. Hull is the guy who took over voicing Dracula in the Hotel Transylvania franchise after Adam Sandler stepped away. He’s a chameleon. In this movie, he plays the eccentric dog trainer who thinks he can turn Marmaduke into a champion. It’s a very high-energy, almost manic performance that balances out Pete Davidson’s more grounded tone.
The rest of the family includes:
- Mary Winslow, voiced by Erin Fitzgerald. She’s a veteran in the voice-acting world, having worked on everything from Monster High to Naruto.
- Barbara Winslow, voiced by Julie Nathanson.
- Billy Winslow, voiced by Terri Douglas.
Why the cast of Marmaduke 2022 faced such a tough crowd
Look, the movie didn't exactly get rave reviews. In fact, it’s often cited as one of the lowest-rated movies on Rotten Tomatoes for 2022. But why? Usually, when a movie fails this hard, people blame the actors. In this case, that’s not really fair. The cast of Marmaduke 2022 did exactly what they were asked to do. The issue was more about the animation style—which felt a bit dated—and a script that relied very heavily on "potty humor."
For the kids, it’s fine. It’s colorful. It’s fast. There’s a scene where Marmaduke eats a massive amount of food and the inevitable happens. Kids find that hilarious. Adults? Not so much. But from a technical standpoint, the voice acting is solid. You have industry legends like Fred Tatasciore—who is basically in every cartoon you’ve ever seen—playing secondary characters like the Referee and Vinnie.
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Supporting Voices and Cameos
There are a few other voices that pop up that might sound familiar if you're a parent who watches a lot of Nick Jr. or Disney Channel.
- Nika Futterman (who voiced Luna Loud in The Loud House) plays several roles.
- Stephen Stanton, a man famous for his roles in Star Wars: Rebels and The Clone Wars, lends his voice to the mix.
- Andrew Morgado, another heavy hitter in the world of video game voices (Mortal Kombat 1, Destiny 2), shows up too.
It’s a "working actor" cast. Aside from Davidson and Simmons, these are people who spend eight hours a day in a recording booth. They know how to squeeze personality out of a single line of dialogue. Even if the animation doesn't always sync up perfectly or the jokes feel a bit "2005," the vocal performances are professional.
The Legacy of Marmaduke on Screen
This wasn't the first time the big dog hit the screen, and it probably won't be the last. The 2010 version was a massive cultural moment for all the wrong reasons, but it had a certain charm. That movie had Owen Wilson, Emma Stone, and George Lopez. It was a huge budget, live-action/CGI hybrid.
The 2022 version is much smaller in scope. It was produced by Andrews McMeel Entertainment and Legacy Classics, and distributed by Netflix. Because it went straight to streaming, it didn't have to worry about the box office. It just had to be "content" for families to put on while they were doing chores. And in that regard, it succeeded. It was in the Top 10 for a while.
The cast of Marmaduke 2022 really represents the current state of animation. You get one or two big "A-list" names to put on the digital poster, and then you surround them with the best voice talent in the business to make sure the thing actually sounds like a movie. It’s a formula. Does it result in a masterpiece? No. But does it get the job done for a rainy Saturday afternoon? Yeah, pretty much.
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What to Watch if You Actually Liked the Cast
If you enjoyed the voices here, you should probably check out where else these actors shine. Pete Davidson is surprisingly good in The King of Staten Island, which is obviously not for kids, but shows he can actually act when he isn't playing a dog. J.K. Simmons is a god-tier voice actor; if you haven't seen Invincible or The Legend of Korra, you are missing his best vocal work.
As for the movie itself, it remains a strange artifact of 2022. It’s a bridge between the old-school comic strip world and the modern "viral video" era. Whether you love it or hate it, the effort put in by the voice cast is evident. They tried to bring life to a character that has been around since 1954, which is no small feat.
Real-world takeaways for fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of the cast of Marmaduke 2022, here is the best way to do it:
- Follow the VAs: Look up Brian Hull and Erin Fitzgerald on social media. They often post "behind the scenes" clips of how they create these voices. It’s fascinating to see the physical effort that goes into a voice-only role.
- Compare Versions: Watch 10 minutes of the 2010 Marmaduke and then 10 minutes of the 2022 version. The shift in tone is wild. The 2010 version feels like a teen movie with dogs; the 2022 version is a pure Looney-Tunes-style romp.
- Check the Credits: Next time you watch an animated show, look for names like Fred Tatasciore or Stephen Stanton. You’ll start realizing that about 50 people voice about 90% of the cartoons we watch.
The movie might not be an Oscar-winner, but the cast is a perfect example of how Hollywood mixes "star power" with "vocal expertise" to keep these classic franchises alive for a new generation of kids who have never even seen a physical newspaper.
Next Steps
If you want to see more of what Pete Davidson can do in the voice-acting world, check out his work in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, where he plays Mirage. For more J.K. Simmons, his performance as Klaus in the Netflix film Klaus is genuinely one of the best animated performances of the last decade. Log into your Netflix account and check the "More Like This" section under the Marmaduke title card to find similar family-friendly animated features like The Willoughbys or Back to the Outback.