Can there be a Superman without a Krypto? Elizabeth Tulloch gives her thoughts on why the beloved pooch has become so ingrained in the iconic hero’s mythos.
Krypto the Superdog made his long-awaited return to the silver screen in Superman. This marks the first time the iconic mutt has appeared in a live-action film adaptation of the character, and the second time he has appeared in a theatrical release since 2022’s DC League of Superpets. Though, despite how sparse adaptations have been, it seems as though fans all agree that he’s a core part of the Man of Steel’s pantheon.
Heroic Hollywood recently got to speak about this mindset with Elizabeth Tulloch, who played Lois Lane on the CW series Superman and Lois. The actress is currently assisting Milk Bone with their ongoing Superman campaign, with Krypto having become the face of their beloved treat over the past few months. When asked why the superdog has become so integral to the character’s identity, Tulloch remarked that it’s simply because people love dogs.
“I think it’s just, you know, part of this, you know, I know they’ve changed it. It used to be truth, justice and the American way. Now it’s truth, justice, and a better tomorrow, but it does feel like, you know, the kinda all all-American thing is to…we’re dog lovers.”
“And, I was bummed that we didn’t introduce Krypto until later on. You know, basically, the series finale. We had the golden retriever version of Krypto. But I’ve heard that this Krypto and Gunn’s version is very much front and center and and is gonna be very much beloved with the fans.”
“And when they reached out to me about doing this screening, there’s gonna be over 40 dogs there. So I think it’s gonna be really fun watching the movie with Krypto on screen with all of these dogs. And, I’m told there will be little Superman capes for them, so I think it’s gonna be really cute.”
Elizabeth Tulloch’s Krypto Regrets
For her partnership with Milk Bone, Elizabeth Tulloch hosted a dogs-only screening of the new Superman movie. While Krypto was sadly too busy to make an appearance, it seems as though the capricious canines had one super night laid out for them. It was an event that seemed to make up from the lack of interaction Tulloch had with Krypto in Superman and Lois, with the actress expressing her disappointment in not being able to act alongside the hound.
“I didn’t even get to work with him, but I heard that the golden retriever that we cast was really, really friendly. And then there were very funny stories about the day when Clark has a heart attack and falls on the street in Smallville when he’s older…that it was very hard to get that scene because the golden retriever, every time Tyler would fall, the golden retriever would just pounce on him and start licking his face and slobbering all over him.”
“So I’m like, oh, I should’ve just gone to work that day just to watch that. If I’d known it was gonna be that, I probably would have. But, I, yeah, I was bummed that I didn’t get to work with the dog myself as a huge dog lover.”
Luckily for Elizabeth Tulloch, it seems as though Krypto is here to stay on the silver screen. While the dog is set to make his debut in Superman, the pup is set to make his return in the upcoming Supergirl movie, due out next year. While his safety is far from guaranteed in the film, here’s to hoping that the superdog continues trucking on for years to come!
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