Sure, the Superman fans got in the original Richard Donner film from 1978 evoked a more hopeful vibe than the slightly more introspective version from Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, but Superman himself has always been presented in films as the stoically charming outsider who was willing to bear the weight of any burden on his own. Even the Justice League had to bring him back from the dead to get a team-up out of him. However, it seems that’s all going to change if the first trailer for James Gunn’s Superman is to be taken at face value. Suddenly, Superman is not only willing to accept help but even to ask for it when necessary — and it seems he’ll find that help in the form of man’s best friend, Krypto the Superdog.
Krypto the Superdog Makes Superman Infinitely More Relatable
A Canine Companion Is Something Most People Yearn For At One Point Or Another
- Publisher: DC Comics
- First Appearance: Adventure Comics #210 (March 1955)
- Created by: Otto Binder and Curt Swan
- Team Affiliations: Team Superman, Space Canine Patrol Agents, Legion of Super-Pets, Justice League, Titans
- Notable aliases: Supercat, Skip, Air Dale, Pal
For decades, Superman has been one of the most popular comic book characters — being featured in hundreds of superhero stories in comics, animation, and film. Despite his immense popularity, Superman is easily one of the least relatable heroes in many ways. While his struggle to feel a sense of belonging on Earth is more than relatable for some, it’s impossible to not also acknowledge his unbelievable superpowers — ultimately rendering him physically infallible when compared to any normal human being. Whether he feels like an outsider like many people do, Superman will always have an inherent advantage compared to the residents of Earth due to his inhuman abilities.
That’s where Krypto comes in. The inclusion of the Superdog immediately sets James Gunn’s Superman film apart from previous Superman films in that Superman is willing to accept that he can’t make it on his own — even with his superhuman abilities. Relying on the bond between himself and Krypto perfectly illustrates the relationship between a dog and a dog owner, which only works to make Kal El feel just that little bit more human. With a bond between Superman and Krypto being more than apparent in the latest Superman trailer, this version of Superman automatically becomes more relatable to viewers — especially dog lovers.
RelatedThe captain of the DC explains how he embraced every aspect of Superman’s character.
In many ways, Superman’s partnership with Krypto will even make this particular Superman film feel more grounded, even among all the stunning visuals and wild metahumans popping up everywhere. Instead of taking the more gritty, dark route that Christopher Nolan or Matt Reeves took Batman, or that Zack Snyder took with his approach to Superman himself, it seems James Gunn’s Superman will be catering more to the human side of realism to establish its emotional core. Whether one is a huge fan of The Batman or Man of Steel, it will be both intriguing and refreshing to see the character of Superman and his relationship to the world he resides in handled differently than in prior iterations.
James Gunn Has A History Of Using Animals To Tug On the Heart Strings
Gunn Is Never Afraid To Put An Animal In Turmoil To Elicit An Emotional Response
Notable Animal Characters in James Gunn Movies
First Appearance
Rocket Raccoon
Guardians of the Galaxy, 2014
Cosmo the Spacedog
Guardians of the Galaxy, 2014
Weasel
The Suicide Squad, 2021
Starro
The Suicide Squad, 2021
Lyla
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, 2023
Teefs
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, 2023
Floor
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, 2023
Krypto the Superdog
Superman, 2025
Although Krypto the Superdog’s inclusion in Superman seemingly represents the more hopeful elements of the upcoming film, the elephant in the room cannot be ignored. James Gunn has made nearly the past decade of his career by placing cute, cuddly animals in perilous situations as a means to garner emotional reactions from audiences. While this technique could be viewed as hollow and manipulative if implemented by any other filmmaker, Gunn has a penchant for fusing a sense of sincerity into these tense moments by placing well-developed characters behind the adorable faces on screen.
RelatedSuperman writer-director James Gunn delves into the runtime for the Last Son of Krypton’s newest cinematic outing.
Still, releasing a film featuring Krypto so soon after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 raises some red flags for comic fans. Not only did Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 see fan-favorite Rocket Raccoon’s early days as a science experiment gone wrong — or wonderfully right, depending on how one looks at it — it also had the guts to introduce three sweetly charming animal friends of his only to kill them off in the second act as part of Rocket’s tragic backstory. Surely, Krypto won’t face the same fate as Rocket’s pals, but just knowing that a super-powered dog will be an element of 2025’s movie suggests Superman’s best friend may take some punches that audiences will have to once again roll with.
Krypto Represents Some Much-Needed Levity In the DCU
There Is Room For Both Work and Play in Gunn’s New Universe
James Gunn Filmography
Tromeo and Juliet, 1996
Slither, 2006
Super, 2010
Guardians of the Galaxy, 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, 2017
The Suicide Squad, 2021
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, 2023
Superman, 2025
Krypto the Superdog’s playful mannerisms when approaching a battered Superman during his few brief appearances in Superman‘s record-setting trailer would suggest that Gunn’s approach to the DC Universe will not only be a bit more hopeful than modern movie-goers are used to but will also add some levity among the high-stakes action. Something many fans criticized Zack Snyder’s approach to Superman for was an utter lack of cheerfulness — which is something that, up until Snyder’s Man of Steel, was an inherent staple of the character and the adventures he’d go on. It got to the point that when Snyder was replaced by Joss Whedon for 2017’s Justice League, a major studio note was to add some MCU-style humor to brighten the tone of the narrative.
RelatedThe epic first trailer for James Gunn’s Superman confirmed several comic characters, creating a full, lived-in world to launch the new DCU properly.
While Warner Bros’ attempt at cheering the Justice League up proved to be one of the biggest missteps in the studio’s history — such a hard 180 pivot from Snyder’s original vision simply wasn’t in the cards — it’s certainly not impossible to present the DC Universe more joyfully while still keeping the dark undertones for a lot of the characters in play. After all, DC Comics has spent the last 80 years doing just that in their printed stories. Krypto’s presence in the Superman trailer reminds fans of the source material that these stories can be told in a more typically comic book fashion than what DC films have been honing in on over the past few decades.
Your changes have been saved
Superman
