Development for a live-action film or TV series began in 1997, when the first book came out. Dav Pilkey wanted Chris Farley to play Captain Underpants. The project was shelved when Farley died.
'Weird Al' Yankovic, who sings the theme song, is mentioned in several of the source novels, including the first one.
Released on the year of the book series' 20th anniversary.
This is the final DreamWorks Animation film to be distributed by 20th Century Fox before Universal Pictures took over the rights of it.
The film is centered around "Jerome Horwitz Elementary." Jerome Horwitz is the birth name of Curly Howard, of The Three Stooges.