Superman Will Play A Major Role In Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl

The marketing for Superman has taken an adorable turn. James Gunn announced via his socials that this year’s Puppy Bowl will feature a Krypto’s Super Play of the Game Award.

James Gunn Has A Personal Connection To The Award

During the announcement, Gunn explained that his dog, Ozu, served as the inspiration for the DCU version of Krypto.

Hey, everybody, James Gunn, here. And this is my best buddy, Ozu. You might recognize him, or, at least, feel his spirit, because he was the inspiration behind Krypto, Superman’s loyal superdog, in my upcoming Superman film. What you may not know is Ozu is a rescue, and adopting him was one of the decisions I’ve ever made. That’s why we’re excited to celebrate all the amazing dogs out waiting for their forever homes. And what better way to do that than by tuning into this year’s Puppy Bowl and witnessing puppies, from rescues across the country, compete for Krypto’s Super Play of the Game Award. The Puppy Bowl airs
February 9th
, only on
Animal Planet
.

Traditionally, Krypto had been depicted as a larger dog, like a Labrador Retriever. In Gunn’s film, Krypto’s a smaller, wiry-haired breed—just like Ozu.

Gunn had previously explained more of Ozu’s background. “Ozu, who came from a hoarding situation in a backyard with 60 other dogs and never knew human beings, was problematic, to say the least. He immediately came in and destroyed our home, our shoes, our furniture—he even ate my laptop… I remember thinking, ‘Gosh, how difficult would life be if Ozu had superpowers?’ —And thus Krypto came into the script and changed the shape of the story, as Ozu was changing my life.”

I imagine that Clark and Krypto might have a similar dynamic in Gunn’s movie. The two are initially at odds, but, over the course of events, bond and become dependent on each other. We already saw in the initial trailer how an injured Superman asks Krypto to take him home.

When Does Superman Release In Theaters?

Superman releases on July 11, 2025. Though, a lawsuit may stop its release in certain major markets, like Britain and Canada.

Is The Puppy Bowl As Adorable As It Sounds?

Yes.