One Of James Gunn's First Ideas For A DC Film? A KRYPTO THE SUPERDOG Movie With SUPERMAN As A Side Character

One Of James Gunn's First Ideas For A DC Film? A KRYPTO THE SUPERDOG Movie With SUPERMAN As A Side Character

Before taking the gig to help The Suicide Squad, James Gunn has revealed that he briefly developed a Krypto the Superdog movie that had Superman as a supporting character.

By MarkJulian - Jul 18, 2025 04:07 PM EST
Filed Under: Superman
Source: Happy Sad Confused Podcast

In a new interview with Happy Sad Confused podcast host Josh Horowitz, Superman director James Gunn is shedding new light on the first ideas he developed for Superman.

Back in 2018, Warner Bros. approached Gunn to helm Superman, and when he seemed hesitant, the studio counteroffered the Suicide Squad sequel.

Gunn told Horowitz that he was even hesitant to take the sequel on and first spent some time developing three different ideas before eventually giving WB a yes.

One idea was, of course, the Suicide Squad follow-up up but the second idea was actually a Krypto movie where Superman was not the main focal point.

"I actually took three different DC ideas and wrote them out and started playing with them and one of them I'll reveal for the first time, was a Krypto movie, that had Superman chasing after Krypto. I didn't really remember [that fact] until just this moment. Krypto was front and center, and Superman was a supporting character, yeah."

This revelation will likely be welcome ammunition for viewers who felt the film relied too heavily on Krypto, reinforcing claims that the superpowered pup took too much of the spotlight from Superman himself.

But perhaps the most intriguing reveal from Gunn was what he wouldn't reveal about the third idea. It seems Gunn thinks he should keep this idea to himself for the time being, as he told Horowitz that he'd share the idea with him off-camera.

When asked to specifically reveal the third idea, Gunn replied, "That one, I better not say because it's complicated. I'll tell you afterwards. But for the Suicide Squad, I like to make sure I have the whole, central core of the story before I agree to do something."

Based on previous interviews with Gunn, it seems safe to say that the third idea was either a Batman movie, as Gunn has repeatedly stated that the Dark Knight is his favorite character.

Or it was a Wonder Woman movie- a prospect that would definitely fit the description of being complicated, considering there seems to have been some miscommunication between Gunn, Peter Safran, and Gal Gadot- who thought she would be making the leap from the DCEU to the DCU as the Amazonian princess.

In a now infamous interview, Gadot stated, "I had a meeting with (DC Studios CEOs) Peter Safran and James Gunn, and they both told me that they're going to develop a third Wonder Woman with me. They said, 'You're in the best hands, you've got nothing to worry about.' Time will tell."

Fast forward to now, and it appears either Gal Gadot misunderstood the outcome of that meeting or James Gunn and Peter Safran were simply placating her while waiting for existing contracts and rights to expire before moving ahead with a complete reboot of the character. A Wonder Woman reboot is now said to be fast-tracked at the studio.

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MarkJulian
MarkJulian - 7/18/2025, 4:45 PM
"That's the film he ended up making."

User Comment Image
OrgasmicPotatoe
OrgasmicPotatoe - 7/18/2025, 5:05 PM
@MarkJulian - No, that was a Justice Gang movie featuring Krypto ! Do try and pay attention !
Feralwookiee
Feralwookiee - 7/18/2025, 6:29 PM
@MarkJulian - Exactly.
I never thought I'd live to see a Superman movie where he's a side character who loses every fight he's in and has to be rescued by a cartoon dog, but here we are.

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dragon316
dragon316 - 7/18/2025, 7:31 PM
@Feralwookiee - how many times have Superman lost fights in comics and cartoons to be saved his teammates , special suit , help from his parents , using phantom zone gun
1stDalek
1stDalek - 7/18/2025, 4:48 PM
Interesting given we did get an animated Krypto film, where Supes only has a bit role, the year after his Suicide Squad came out.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 7/18/2025, 4:59 PM
@1stDalek - yeah , I wonder if that was one reason he didn’t do it.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 7/18/2025, 6:56 PM
@1stDalek - that's where the idea needs to stay
RockReigns
RockReigns - 7/18/2025, 4:48 PM
That would’ve been dog poop.

Off topic slightly, I can’t wait to see Momoa’s Lobo after this reaction to him.

“Lobo is so freaking awesome. Jason Momoa is so… oh my god yeah. […] Lobo is great.” - James Gunn
28ClungesLater
28ClungesLater - 7/18/2025, 4:49 PM
😐🤨😑😩😫

User Comment Image

Lol
JobinJ
JobinJ - 7/18/2025, 4:58 PM
Got this new DC universe is so goddamn corny
RockReigns
RockReigns - 7/18/2025, 5:02 PM
@JobinJ - superhero’s in general are corny. That’s what makes it so good.
amesjazz
amesjazz - 7/18/2025, 5:08 PM
@RockReigns - They don't have to be though. I do not mind superhero flicks being light and fun but most filmmakers use the "don't take it so seriously" too often as crutch to be lazy.
Matchesz
Matchesz - 7/18/2025, 5:03 PM
We literally had this already, Gunn really just wants to make cartoons
Pictilli
Pictilli - 7/18/2025, 5:08 PM
Love James Gunn! Hail DC
Wallywest001
Wallywest001 - 7/18/2025, 5:09 PM
It's true, take Krypto out of this movie and Superman dies, twice lol
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 7/18/2025, 5:10 PM
Isn't that what we got?
RacialPowerman
RacialPowerman - 7/18/2025, 5:30 PM
Dogs are for people who need to feel love no matter what,it's co-dependency.
AnthonyVonGeek
AnthonyVonGeek - 7/18/2025, 5:31 PM
Gunn be like “see I’m not a creep tweeting pedo stuff anymore. I wanna make cutesy movies for children”
JayTweIve
JayTweIve - 7/18/2025, 6:09 PM
@AnthonyVonGeek - Stay triggered
Feralwookiee
Feralwookiee - 7/18/2025, 6:33 PM
@AnthonyVonGeek - User Comment Image
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 7/18/2025, 5:32 PM
I think Krypto was fun in Superman and I like how Clark ultimately uses his unruliness to his advantage but I wouldn’t want a live action film centered on him so I’m glad this didn’t happen.

Intrigued to know this “complicated” third idea he had though…

While I doubt this was it , I still think it would be/have been fun to see Gunn do a Blue & Gold film!!.

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DocSpock
DocSpock - 7/18/2025, 5:46 PM

What a terrible idea. Someone should break one of Gunn's fingers every time he says this.

Maybe it's 20 minute animated short for kids. Like the Baby Groot shorts or something.

JayTweIve
JayTweIve - 7/18/2025, 6:02 PM
"This revelation will likely be welcome ammunition for viewers who felt the film relied too heavily on Krypto"

Huh? He was barely in the movie.

Though i'm sure the braindead rage-babies are delusionally acting as if he had equal screentime to Superman like it was a Deadpool/Wolverine team-up.

Reagrdless, a Krypto focused story like that can be done, but it would need to be either an animated movie, a series of shorts, or a miniseries.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 7/18/2025, 6:10 PM
@JayTweIve - I think they have said Krypto is getting animated shorts so perhaps they use this idea there.
ziexxx
ziexxx - 7/18/2025, 6:02 PM
Yeah well... he kind of did make it a lot about Krypto...
DannyBrandy20
DannyBrandy20 - 7/18/2025, 6:11 PM
It was clear in Superman
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 7/18/2025, 6:51 PM
In Gunn you simp

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