Why Krypto’s Dog Cape Almost Didn’t Make It to the Superman Movie
Superman Team Debates Krypto’s Iconic Dog Cape
The upcoming Superman movie is not just about the Man of Steel himself but also highlights the bond between Superman and his loyal super-powered dog, Krypto. However, bringing Krypto to life on the big screen came with some unexpected challenges, especially when it came to his signature cape.
- Insights into Krypto’s design inspiration
- The challenge of adapting Superman’s cape for a dog
- Krypto’s rich comic book history and upcoming movie debut
- Details about the new book on the film’s making
Designing Krypto: From Rescue Dog to Superdog
Visual effects supervisor Stephane Ceretti revealed in an exclusive excerpt from the soon-to-be-released Superman: The Art and Making of the Film book that the team took inspiration from director James Gunn’s own rescue dog, Ozu. Gunn humorously calls Ozu “the world’s worst dog,” which helped shape Krypto’s personality and look.
The Cape Conundrum
The biggest hurdle was figuring out if Krypto should wear a cape just like in the comics — and if yes, how it should move and look. Ceretti explained:
“We really harnessed the look of the cape from the costume of Superman, the type of fabric that Judianna (Makovsky, Costume Designer) used. We worked with them to figure out how to translate the cape from a human body to a dog. Obviously it’s very different as a human is standing so the cape kind of rolls down the shoulders and then becomes a free-flowing thing. When it’s on the dog it’s laying on the back of it, so it’s a different vibe in terms of the way it looks.”
He added:
“But we still tried to kind of really work on our simulation and how to control it to keep that same feel of the kind of folds and quality of the cape that we have on the back of David, to try and translate it on the back of the dog which is very different. The gravity is in a different direction in that case, so it was a little tricky to keep them consistent with the two, but they have to feel like they come from the same idea.”
Krypto’s Legacy and Upcoming Adventure
Krypto the Superdog was originally created by writer Otto Binder and artists Sy Barry and Curt Swan, making his debut in 1955’s Adventure Comics #210. Over the decades, Krypto has been involved in numerous adventures alongside heroes like Superman, Superboy, Supergirl, and others.
Now, fans will get to see Krypto’s biggest adventure yet when he joins Superman on the big screen in DC Studios’ Superman, hitting theaters on July 11.
For those interested in a deeper dive into the making of the film, the book Superman: The Art and Making of the Film will be released on November 18.
