Is Krypto the Superdog stronger than the Man of Steel? James Gunn’s new Superman teaser trailer doesn’t literally pose that question, but well, you be the judge. “Stronger” in this discussion more accurately means that this David Corenswet-starring movie is looking far more impressive than weary comic book movie viewers might have expected, and Gunn has seized the occasion to bestow Krypto’s live-action debut upon the DC Comics audience.
Of course, there’s much more to witness during this trailer, including glimpses of Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Jonathan Kent, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Anthony Corrigan as Metamorpho, and Skyler Gisondo as Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen. This movie also isn’t the formal launch of the DCU (Creature Commandos has been doing those honors on Max over the past few weeks), but symbolically, watching Krypto start to drag a battered and bloodied Superman (“home”) across the arctic ice does the trick.
As does this moment, which goes a long way towards restoring a sense of awe (and vibes) missing from DC movies throughout much of the gritty Snyder era:
Yep, that is Superman. Via the film’s synopsis, Gunn’s not-exactly-a-reboot film “tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.”
Of the incredibly good boy, Krypto, Gunn previously revealed, “Krypto was inspired by our dog Ozu, who we adopted shortly after I started writing Superman. Ozu, who came from a hoarding situation in a backyard with 60 other dogs & never knew human beings, was problematic to say the least. He immediately came in & destroyed our home, our shoes, our furniture – he even ate my laptop. It took a long time before he would even let us touch him.” The Guardians of the Galaxy helmer added, “I remember thinking, ‘Gosh, how difficult would life be if Ozu had superpowers?’ – and thus Krypto came into the script & changed the shape of the story as Ozu was changing my life.”
It sounds like Krypto is gonna tear some sh*t up. He still deserves every treat.
Faster than a speeding bullet, James Gunn’s Superman will soar into theaters on July 11, 2025.
