Finally, the day that every DC fan was waiting for has arrived. At last, we got our first look into James Gunn’s vision for Superman – and it’s looking rather promising so far. Gunn appears inclined to pursue a more hopeful and idealistic version of the Man of Steel, which is something that the DC Multiverse could use more of, coming from the Snyderverse‘s cynicism.
One thing is clear – fans love the new Kryptonian to bits. No, I’m not talking about David Corenswet’s Superman; we all know the star of the teaser trailer is Krypto. I mean, did you see his little red cape? That dog is doing the real heavy lifting for James Gunn’s Superman, and I’m pretty sure Warner Bros. is counting on that. They’re about to sell a lot of Krypto toys.
Gunn is a master of turning lovable animals into complex characters. We saw what he did with Rocket Raccoon and his furry friends in the third Guardians of the Galaxy film. That must have been the first time an entire theater shed a tear for an otter. Considering Gunn based Krypto on his own dog, Ozu, it would be safe to say he has a soft spot for Superman’s canine pal.
If there’s one thing studios love, that’s mascots – and it already looks like Krypto will become this movie’s Grogu. Recently, we’ve seen Marvel fans falling in love with Jeff the Landshark thanks to Marvel Rivals, so it’s high time that DC gets its own lovable doggy. Krypto is here to fill that power gap.
Again, I believe we can predict Warner Bros’ marketing ploy by looking at how Grogu (aka ‘Baby Yoda’) took over the internet. Long before the first season of The Mandalorian finished airing, the adorable green baby had eclipsed Din Djarin in every popularity contest. You could see Grogu’s cute green face plastered on everything, from lunchboxes to Funko Pops and even breathing plushies. Krypto is about to become the next Baby Yoda – it’s just a matter of time – and they’re about to sell a ton of toys.
In a sense, the fact that we’re discussing the possibility of a cure dog being the face of the next Superman movie speaks volumes about the direction in which Gunn is taking the franchise. Coming from the dreary and hyperrealistic Snyderverse, Gunn’s hopeful and colorful DCU feels like a breath of fresh air, especially now that the MCU is becoming overwhelmingly convoluted.
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Speaking of cute mascots, remember Baby Groot? Gunn made sure the youngest member of the Guardians of the Galaxy spent as much time under the spotlight as possible, and the result was an internet sensation that still produces Disney+ specials. Much like Groot, Krypto doesn’t need to say much (or anything at all, really) to steal the show.
Mascots like Krypto offer that emotional connection that makes us realize that, at its core, Superman isn’t just an all-powerful alien – he’s just a guy who happens to be an all-powerful alien. He loves dogs just as much as any other farmer from Kansas, and Gunn’s trying to showcase that with Krypto in this film.
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One thing is for sure: Krypto the Superdog is about to become the biggest canine superhero in either cinematic universe. Sorry, Dogpool, there’s a new alpha in town, and he’s got a cape to prove it.
Tell us, will you be purchasing Krypto, the dog toys?
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