Move over, David Corenswet, there’s a new breakout star in James Gunn’s Superman, and he’s got four legs, a scruffy beard, and a severe case of zoomies. Yep, we’re talking about Krypto the Superdog.
Following the film’s U.S. premiere, the weekend of July 11, Google searches for “adopt a dog near me” skyrocketed by 513%, according to data compiled by the Woofz dog training app. It seems audiences couldn’t get enough of Superman’s caped canine sidekick, Krypto, whose adorably chaotic presence is turning moviegoers into potential dog parents.
The ripple effect didn’t stop there. Searches for “rescue dog adoption near me” climbed 163%, while “adopt a puppy” rose by 31%. Perhaps most telling? A whopping 299% spike in “adopt a schnauzer”—Krypto’s apparent breed mix, a scrappy combo of schnauzer and terrier brought to life via CGI.
Saving the Day, One Shelter Pup at a Time
To keep the momentum going beyond the screen, Warner Bros. partnered with Best Friends Animal Society to cover adoption fees nationwide during the first 10 days of July. Over 450 animals found homes as a result.
Still, Woofz CEO Natalia Shahmetova had a gentle warning for would-be Kryptos-in-training. “The hype will fade, but your dog will stay,” she told The Wrap. “Make sure you’re ready to give them the time, care, and training they need and deserve.”
Krypto’s character was directly inspired by director James Gunn’s rescue dog, Ozu, whom Gunn affectionately calls “the world’s worst dog.” Rescued from a hoarding situation involving 60 other dogs, Ozu came into Gunn’s life as a terrified, bite-happy chaos agent with a taste for designer laptops.
“I was like, ‘Thank God he doesn’t have superpowers,’” Gunn told reporters. That offhand joke turned into inspiration: Ozu was 3D scanned and digitally transformed into the lovable, slightly disobedient Krypto, who ends up fighting alongside Superman in several key scenes.
And yes, there’s even a gut-punch moment where Superman says, “He’s not even a very good dog… but he’s out there alone, and he’s probably scared,” just before heading off to find him.
While the world waits for more Superman sequels, the impact of Krypto is already being felt in real life, one dog search at a time. Whether you’re a comic book fan or just a sucker for a good boy, this is one superhero companion proving you don’t need a cape to change the world.
The Geek is a working screenwriter, director and screenwriting instructor.
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