The comic book genre continues to dominate pop culture, and we were recently treated to a new shared universe thanks to DC co-CEO James Gunn. The new DCU's first slate of projects is titled Gods and Monsters, and Superman marked the first big screen installment. Gunn recently clapped back at a fan about Krypto's name... and he makes a solid point.
James Gunn's Superman was a hit in theaters, and did a bunch of world-building for upcoming DC movies. We were introduced to a live-action version of Krypto, who was arguably the biggest scene stealer in the blockbuster. But over on Threads, a fan took umbrage with the super powered pooch's name, claiming:
Superman's dog being named 'Krypto' is just bad writing. It's like naming your dog 'Eartho'.
Of course, comic book fans will know that this wasn't a name given to the Kryptonian dog by James Gunn. Krypto has a long history in the comics and other media (some of which are streaming with a HBO Max subscription), so it was hardly the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker's decision. But that didn't stop him from debating with that particular moviegoer online.
James Gunn regularly shuts down rumors online, and often communicates with fans directly about his projects. So when he saw this discourse about Krypto's name, he defended DC's writing choice from back in 1955. In his words:
I'd considering naming my dog Eartho if I was stranded on another planet and he was the last memory I had of home.
Mic drop. Rather than being cheesy, Krypto's name was a tribute to the ill-fated planet where Kal-El and his cousin Kara were born. The three of them are some of the few survivors of that world, so giving the superpowered pooch that name feels like a fitting tribute to the countless lives that were lost when the planet exploded.
Criticizing a character's name that was originated decades ago was definitely a bold choice for this particular fan, and I can't imagine how they might feel now that James Gunn has personally responded. Although since Krypto in Superman was inspired by his real-life dog, he's also got a very personal connection to the four-legged hero.
Luckily for fans of Kyrpto, he's already expected to reutrn to the burgeoning DCU sooner rather than later. Supergirl's cameo in Superman revealed he was actually her dog, so he's also going to show up in Milly Alcock's forthcoming blockbuster. And I'm eager to see if the the pooch acts any differently now that he's with his actual owner.
Superman is still in theaters now, and Supergirl is expected to follow suit on June 26 of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list.
