James Gunn Shares First Look At Krypto In Superman, And The Sweet Story Behind The Dog’s Inspiration

While the comic book genre continues to dominate pop culture, there's a change coming to upcoming DC movies . With the DCEU (which is streaming with a Max subscription ) officially over, fans are looking to what co-CEO James Gunn is creating with the new DC Universe. Lucky for us, Gunn shared the first look at Krypto in Superman , and the sweet story behind the dog’s inspiration.

What we know about Superman is limited, but it'll kickstart the new universe. While fans are still waiting to learn more about its first slate of projects titled Gods and Monsters , we've been treated to a fun update about Gunn's movie. The filmmaker took to Instagram to share the first look at Krypto the Superdog, and the sweet inspiration behind the puppy character. Check it out below:

I'm not crying, you're crying. While Krypto has a long history on the page (as well as animated projects like DC League of Super-Pets , see our review here) we haven't seen the character on the big screen in live-action. And aside from the character's history in the comics, James Gunn 's version of Krypto will be inspired by his own dog Ozu.

Gunn shared this sneak peek at Superman 's Krypto with his whopping 2.8 million followers on Instagram. He regularly uses social media to shut down rumors , and communicate directly with the fandom. And that includes the story of adopting Ozu, and how his own pooch inspired the character of Superman's dog.

As James Gunn shared, he adopted his dog while writing Superman, saving it from a dangerous situation in its former home. But he continued to love Ozu, with the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker claiming that his dog "changed his life." And that love inspired a furry character in his forthcoming DC blockbuster.

If Krypto in Superman was inspired by Ozu's adjustment to living with James Gunn, I have to assume that the superpowered pooch might be causing some chaos for David Corenswet's Clark Kent . A dog with the zoomies is one thing, but a dog with zoomies who is capable of flying and using super speed is another matter entirely.

Kryto is just one of the many iconic DC characters who will be factoring into the action of the Superman movie. A variety of other heroes will be joining Superman , including Hawkgirl, Mister Fantastic, Metamorpho, and Green Lantern Guy Gardner. It's currently unclear how these characters will factor into the movie's story, but their varied skillset will presumably help make the action sequences all the more thrilling.

All will be revealed when Superman finally arrives in theaters on July 11th. For now, be sure to check out the 2025 movie release dates to plan your other trips the movies in the New Year.