James Gunn Reveals How His Rescue Dog Inspired Krypto in Superman

Published: June 20, 2025

James Gunn, the writer and director of the upcoming Superman film, has revealed that his rescue dog Ozu was the inspiration behind Krypto, Superman's canine companion.

Gunn adopted Ozu around the same time he started working on the Superman script. The director tells PEOPLE that Ozu's mischievous behavior and his ability to tear up the entire house led him to think, "What if he had superpowers? We'd be screwed." And thus, the filmic Krypto was born. Gunn shares that Ozu's antics gave the script an unusual aspect that made it fun to write.

Ozu's Connection to Krypto

Gunn first teased Ozu's connection to Krypto on Instagram in October 2024, where he shared that Ozu came from a hoarding situation in a backyard with 60 other dogs and never knew human beings. He wrote that Ozu was problematic to say the least, and that he immediately came in and destroyed their home, shoes, furniture, and even ate his laptop.

Gunn adds that it took a long time before Ozu would even let them touch him. However, Ozu's inspiration for the Superman story didn't stop with the script; the dog also served as the visual inspiration for the character.

Gunn shares that they captured Ozu's body and used it as the model for Krypto, just changing the color of his fur. They also used hundreds of video references for the way Ozu played and fought and bit his feet for Krypto's on-screen actions.

Ozu's Bark of Approval

Ozu even gave his bark of approval for Krypto's look. According to Gunn, the rescue dog loves to bark at almost any animal that appears on screen, but "he seems to attack himself as Krypto most of all."

While Ozu still has plenty of energy, he has made huge strides from the overwhelmed dog Gunn and his family first met.

Gunn adds that Ozu loves his 13-year-old cat, Emily, who has been around dogs all her life and really hasn't paid them much attention, but for some reason, she puts up with Ozu and loves to play with him.

Ozu's Connection to Krypto

Ozu's Bark of Approval

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