Superhero icon Superman's canine companion, Krypto, draws inspiration from real-life sources.
In the highly anticipated new "Superman" movie, Krypto, the super-dog, is making a triumphant return to the silver screen. But behind the scenes, it's the real-life rescue dog, Ozu, who has played a pivotal role in bringing Krypto to life.
James Gunn, the movie's director, adopted Ozu shortly after he started writing the script for "Superman". The process of creating Krypto's 3D image began with cameras capturing angles of Ozu from all sides, creating a detailed 3D scan of his body. This scan formed the basis for the CGI Krypto, which was modified with white fur to fit the comic book's traditional look but retained Ozu's distinctive crooked ear and scrappy personality.
Gunn explained that adopting Ozu while starting the Superman script inspired the character of Krypto, reflecting how the dog's unruly energy added a fun and unusual element to the story. Ozu's real-life antics, such as biting feet, provided extensive video references for Krypto's on-screen movements and mannerisms. However, a trained canine actor named Jolene performed the actual movements on set.
Ozu, who came from a hoarding situation with 60 other dogs and initially had problems adjusting to human interaction, was problematic at first, destroying furniture, shoes, and even eating Gunn's laptop. But over time, he allowed Gunn and his team to touch him, and his personal pet videos, including footage of him playing with his cat, served as the basis for some of Krypto's movements onscreen.
Krypto, as portrayed in the movie, serves as a funny foil to Superman's kind and composed comportment. Supergirl, played by Milly Alcock, asked Superman to watch over her dog Krypto while she was off catching a buzz in outer space. But there is no information provided about Supergirl's dog Krypto owning any superpowers in the movie.
The "Superman" movie is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, and it's worth noting that one of the visual effects companies that worked on Krypto also created Rocket Raccoon from the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films. The "Supergirl" movie is currently in post-production, and Krypto will be seen on the silver screen again next year in a feature-length "Supergirl" film.
In summary, Ozu’s 3D body scan and behavior footage formed the foundation for Krypto's digital character, blending real-life inspiration with CGI and live-action canine performance to bring the super-dog to life on screen. The result is a Krypto that is unruly, lacking training, and full of character, just like the real Ozu.
In the movie's production, James Gunn's adoption of Ozu, a rescue dog with distinctive characteristics, not only inspired the creation of Krypto but also formed the basis for the CGI Krypto's appearance and mannerisms. Ozu's playful antics, including biting feet and various other mischiefs, served as extensive video references for Krypto's on-screen behaviors, making the super-dog a humorous contrast to Superman's composed demeanor.
