James Gunn Teases Fan-Favorite DC Character For Superman

For those who aren’t familiar with the character, Krypto is Superman’s loyal pet companion from Krypton. The superhero dog made its comic debut in 1955 and since then has had several iterations with powers similar to those of Superman, with a powerful move, called the solar paw punch. Krypto has been a mainstay in Superman stories for decades and has made a number of on-screen appearances in various shows and films, such as The Adventures of Superboy, Superman: The Animated Series, Krypto the Superdog, and Superman/Batman: Apocalypse among many other titles. 

There were also live-action versions of Krypto in both Smallville and Titans.

James Gunn has a proven track record of bringing beloved comic book animals to life on the big screen such as Rocket Racoon, Cosmo the Spacedog, and even Howard the Duck in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, which makes Krypto in Superman everything but a far-fetched speculation. 

Speculations aside, there hasn’t been any official confirmation from James Gunn regarding Krypto’s inclusion. However, his recent post has sent the fans into a frenzy and this idea might be backed up by a conversation James Gunn had with Star Lord actor Chris Pratt. 

Back in December, James Gunn offered the role of Krypto to Guardians of the Galaxy star, Chris Pratt, stating, “I was hoping I could cast you as Krypto… the Superdog.” Pratt’s playful response — “So it sounds like there’s gonna be a character called Krypto in Superman” — adds fuel to the fire. 

On the other note, James Gunn has previously shut down rumors of Streaky the Supercat appearing in the DC Universe soon, but this hasn’t ruled out Krypto. Unlike Streaky, Krypto has a long history alongside Superman even before their earthly adventures, which makes him a great candidate to be a character in Gunn’s upcoming film. 

James Gunn’s social media post might not be about Krypto after all. Many fans have other speculations. One of them is that the classic S-symbol could be a hint towards the multiverse being a huge part of the upcoming Superman film.

Others believe the S-symbol could be an homage to the iconic design of Superman’s earlier comic appearances. Another interesting theory talks about how the classic S-symbol could appear in a flashback scene. 

Long before teasing the (potentially sign on Krypto’s collar, James Gunn had already released some cryptic teases. 

Back in August Gunn shared a photo of Nora, a real dog serving as the art department’s mascot, sporting a Superman cape. In the back of the picture’s main star were numerous Superman references including Krypto’s first appearance in DC comics.

Superman is scheduled to premiere on July 11, 2025, with David Corenswet as its main star, alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane.