Krypto the Superdog steals every scene in Superman, making him perhaps the film's true star. This mischievous yet heroic canine with superpowers torments Superman as often as he saves him. Has Krypto now become more popular than Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, or even Superman himself? I can confirm one thing: after seeing the film over the weekend, my kids only wanted to talk about Krypto.
Krypto's impact on audiences appears even greater than anticipated. According to The Wrap, citing data from the dog training app Woofz, Google searches for "adopt a dog near me" skyrocketed 513% after Superman's release last weekend. Searches for "rescue dog adoption near me" also surged by 163%.
Other related Google searches saw significant, though smaller, increases. "Adopt a puppy" rose 31%, and The Wrap reported specific interest in Krypto's breed, with searches for "adopt a schnauzer" jumping 299%. (Krypto's exact breed remains a mystery—he is, after all, a CGI alien. Has no one asked writer-director James Gunn for clarification yet?!)
What is well-known is the inspiration behind Krypto: Gunn's own adopted dog, Ozu. Gunn explains that after rescuing the one-year-old Ozu, who had minimal prior human contact, the dog proceeded to destroy his house—chewing furniture and even biting his feet. This experience sparked an idea: what if Ozu had superpowers? Thus, Krypto and the core direction for Gunn's Superman were born.
Responding to news of the Krypto-inspired spike in adoption interest online, Gunn posted on social media: "This film has brought me so many blessings; this might be the greatest one."
Warning! Spoilers for Superman follow:
