The most recent DC Comics release has been James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. While its financial success is questionable, fans and critics loved it. Sadly, that also happened to be the last DC project of 2021.
Next year, however, DC's slate is set to pick up. From The Batman, Black Adam, The Flash, and more—2022 is stacked. But there's one film many probably aren't thinking about: DC League of Super-Pets.
The movie will be Dwayne Johnson's second in the DC world next year. However, instead of playing a violent anti-hero, he'll be playing Krypto, the dog of Superman. Alongside him will be Kevin Hart's Ace, Batman's dog.
Fans can now feast their eyes on new photos as well as additional information about what's in store for next year.
DC League of Super-Pets To Save the Day
DC League of Super-Pets director and screenwriter Jared Stern sat down with Entertainment Weekly to discuss the upcoming animated film, which follows the pets of everyone's favorite DC Comics superheroes.
Stern wanted the threat these pets face to be "a real serious superhero threat," despite the heroes of the piece being a group of animals. More uniquely, the director made a point that he wanted the problem to be something which "uniquely [could] only be solved by a group of pets:"
"I wanted it to be a real threat that you felt lived up to not just a goofy movie, but a real serious superhero threat — but also one that uniquely can only be solved by a group of pets... I really wanted people to come away from this movie feeling like animation is a technique and not a genre. I wanted them to feel like, 'That was a really great superhero movie and it had everything I love in a superhero movie: It had great action, was really fun.'"
As for where Stern got the idea in the first place? Well, it came to him after volunteering with his wife at a rescue shelter.
After seeing a group of unadopted pets who had been there a while, the director noted that "they seemed so powerless:"
"They seemed so powerless... I don't know why, but I thought, 'What if those pets had powers?'"
Most of the film is about Dwayne Johnson's Krypto leading a league of super-pets––but at the heart of the story is his relationship with Ace, Bruce Wayne's dog.
Stern noted that "it's a buddy story about those two guys:"
"It's a buddy story about those two guys... [Krypto] flies above the streets, Ace is from the streets. He's a shelter pet and so he knows a little bit more about being a regular dog. Their dynamic is figuring that out and butting heads in that way."
The cast of the film includes Natasha Lyonne as Merton the turtle, Vanessa Bayer as PB the pig, Dwayne Johnson as Krypto, Diego Luna as Chip the squirrel, and Kevin Hart as Ace.
The film is set to hit theaters on May 20, 2022.
Kryto & His Animal Justice League
While DC League of Super-Pets certainly isn't at the top of most people's most anticipated films next year, at the very least, it seems like it will be a fun watch. The Rock is almost always a good time, and pairing him with a comedic talent such as Kevin Hart can only mean loads of laughs.
The real question is what other superheroes' pets there will be? Merton the turtle is probably The Flash's––it would be too big a missed opportunity if they weren't. The others are a little harder to place.
With Batman and Superman having pets, it's probably safe to say that Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Cyborg will all get their own animal companions as well. There are plenty of other potential names, however, like Martian Manhunter or Shazam.
It's a mystery that is certain to keep fans up at night, at least, until the film comes out next year on May 20.
