Filmmaker James Gunn announced that Krypto the Superdog will star in his forthcoming film Superman, which is set to hit theaters next summer.
Gunn announced the news Tuesday, touting it to the fact that October is Adopt a Shelter Dog month. He said Krypto’s part in the film was because of his rescue dog, Ozu. Gunn adopted Ozu about a year after starting Superman. Ozu had a tough background, having come from a hoarding situation in a backyard with 60 other dogs. The dog wasn’t socialized with people much and was a handful.
Gunn said that Ozu’s first days were chaotic. “He immediately came in and destroyed our home, our shoes, our furniture-he even ate my laptop,” Gunn wrote. The dog was skittish to reach and it also took some time before Ozu would permit Gunn and his family even to touch him.
Reflecting on this, Gunn thought about how life would be if Ozu had superpowers. This sprouted into including Krypto in the Superman script. Adding Krypto to the story made a whole new level since his inclusion was based on Ozu’s journey. And Gunn thought that Ozu’s transformation paralleled Krypto’s purpose within the film.
Gunn, in particular, was eager for Krypto’s screen debut, writing, “What better time to debut the not-so-good-good-boy Krypto than Adopt a Shelter Dog month,”. He wrapped up his post with a word about how Ozu is doing: “By the way, Ozu today, is, fairly often, a very good boy.”
Krypto is the superpowered canine resident of Superman’s native planet Krypton. And has seen many animated iterations in DC films over the years, but will get his first live-action treatment. Its action premiere will star alongside David Corenswet’s Superman in Gunn’s film. Krypto will also star in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow directed by Craig Gillespie, opening in June 2026.
It’s going to be awesome to see how Krypto contributes to the Superman storyline. And how much of Gunn’s connection to Ozu has been an influence in his inclusion into the story. Heart and humor combine in Krypto’s contribution to the dynamic world of DC cinematic continuity.
ANI