Krypto the Superdog Gets Hero Moment in Superman Trailer

DC Studios has never been afraid to pivot to a bold new future, and the July release of Superman represents another strong step in that direction. A long-rumored and months-hyped reboot from writer-director James Gunn, the film has garnered plenty of attention in its own right, but with the arrival of its first full trailer, superhero fans now have an even stronger reason to get excited.

Expect a new Clark, a pugnacious Lois, a ton of DC heroes and villains, and one hell of a superdog to steal the show. This Superman reboot is going to be a modern one, from Gunn’s acclaimed and character-driven style, but it also has a surprising amount of heart.

It’s Not an Origin Story

Gunn has been careful to make one thing clear: Superman is not just another Clark Kent origin story. He’s addressed this before, but it’s a point worth reiterating, given how many previous Superman reboots have taken this approach. This one won’t, at least not to the same degree.

Instead, the primary focus of Gunn’s Superman is Clark Kent’s internal journey and emotional arc as he grapples with who he wants to be and where he truly belongs. It’s an origin of sorts, one that largely hinges on Clark’s struggle to reconcile his blue-blooded royal status as a Kryptonian with his down-to-earth childhood in Kansas.

Age of Superman: David Corenswet

For the record, the Superman in question is played by David Corenswet, whose past roles in shows like Pearl and Hollywood have built him a unique blend of name recognition and cult credibility, all before now. As for his 25-year-old big-screen superhero, he’s something of a departure from the young, fresh-faced, and oftentimes green-eyed sidekick many earlier incarnations of the character have embodied.

Corenswet’s version is seasoned, more streetwise, and he’s coming to terms with two very different identities. He’s both Clark Kent and Superman, and that duality is at the center of the film, at least as much as it is reflected in his dynamic with Lois Lane.

Rachel Brosnahan of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel fame is Lois. In the trailer, she’s seen running through a trial interview with an imposter version of Superman. The reporter is kitted out in full superhero gear, but he’s also clearly Clark Kent. Their banter is heated, at times snarky and rude, but also flirting and thinly-veiled insults.

The question is: Has Lois figured out Clark’s secret? The debate rages among viewers. Some fans claim Lois already knows who Superman is. Others, like this writer, say the evidence points to her not having a clue. The exchange, and more specifically the actors’ body language and facial expressions, hints at her being unaware. If that’s true, her journey in the film is one of the main reasons why the relationship is the center of this Superman.

Lex Luthor Joins the Man of Steel

Nicholas Hoult is the latest big-name addition to the growing list of talented cast members. The British actor plays Lex Luthor, a character who needs no introduction and is a marquee DC villain. In the trailer, he gets his usual dose of menacing one-liners and corporate intrigue, but he’s not alone.

Sara Sampaio and Terence Rosemore portray Lex’s faithful, and morally ambiguous, lieutenants Eve Teschmacher and Otis, respectively.

Krypto the Superdog Is an Unexpected Star

Wait, there’s more. While Sampaio and Rosemore are not exactly household names, there’s one breakout character that most fans won’t see coming. Superman’s superdog.

Krypto, to be exact. The trailer’s teaser, which dropped back in December 2022, was the first we saw of the white dog, and the iconic shot of him hauling a critically injured Superman to the safety of the Fortress of Solitude was made for social media virality.

The rest of the trailer only upped the ante on the dog’s heroics. Krypto takes on Lex Luthor and the crime-fighting business in the trailer. We also get to see a no-nonsense femme-fatale villain named Angela Spica, aka The Engineer, played by Maria Gabriela de Faria.

Outfitted in black and razor-sharp rotating blades that she conjured from her nanotechnology, she’s a hard-edged action villain with equal measures of brains and brawn. She leads an attack on the Fortress of Solitude in the trailer, and Krypto has his role in stopping her.

Titans from the Sky: Kryptonian Kaiju and More

One of the best parts of the trailer, for this writer at least, is how it sets up an epic ensemble of lesser-known but more than capable DC characters to join the league of standouts onscreen. In the trailer, we’re introduced to Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Anthony Carrigan as element-manipulating Rex Mason/Metamorpho, Isabela Merced as warrior princess Hawkgirl, and Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific.

We also get a sense that we’ll be seeing more than Superman and Lois. Milly Alcock, in the trailer and poster as Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El (AKA Supergirl), will round out this part of the cast.

Parents Jonathan and Martha Kent will be played by Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell, respectively. Another crossover moment for DC fans in the trailer is the appearance of Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. of Creature Commandos fame. Sean Gunn also makes an appearance as Maxwell Lord.

The core elements of Gunn’s Superman reboot are all here: The stacked cast, the modern take, and, perhaps most importantly, the emotional storytelling approach that, from this trailer at least, grounds what is an otherwise typical large-scale superhero blockbuster.

As always, there’s room for humor and small moments, too. The feeling of quiet calm Superman experiences in the final shot of the trailer (Superman lying on his bed, in peace, with a fully-satisfied Krypto resting on his chest) is both simple and effective. It’s that balance that promises to make Gunn’s Superman work in a way that’s a little bit different, and a lot more exciting, than many earlier reboots.