James Gunn Gives Adorable Tribute to His Rescue Pup Who Inspired Krypto in ‘Superman’ at Puppy Bowl

As the NFL world locks eyes on the Kansas City showdown against the Philadelphia Eagle, a fluffier, tail-wagging battle is unfolding on Animal Planet’s annual Puppy Bowl—a pint-sized Super Bowl, but with puppies stealing the spotlight. Meanwhile, in a plot twist worthy of a superhero flick, Superman director and DC co-chief James Gunn has already claimed victory in the cutest way possible. Paying tribute to his rescue dog—the real-life inspiration behind Krypto in the upcoming Superman, starring David Corenswet—Gunn has officially won the Puppy Bowl before the first whistle even blows.

The Super Bowl may crown a champion by the night’s end, but Gunn is already hoisting the trophy in the league of adorable tributes.

James Gunn’s Puppy Bowl show-stopper with Superman’s Krypto inspiration

James Gunn recently made a heartwarming appearance in an Animal Planet promotional, honoring his rescue dog, Ozu, who inspired Krypto in Superman. Gunn and Ozu’s presence aimed to promote the adoption of over 120 rescued and shelter dogs participating in Puppy Bowl. “He became the inspiration for a character in the film that I can’t wait for you to meet, Superman’s best friend, Krypto,” Gunn said of Ozu, who changed his life from the very first wag. 

In the promo, Gunn lounges on the couch with his rescue pup, Ozu, reminiscing about the day he brought him home. The Superman director knew that every pup at the Super Bowl had a bit of Krypto in them–equal parts mischievous and lovable. “Krypto has all the powers of Superman and is as lovable and mischievous as many of the irresistible pups we see today,” Gunn shared. Meanwhile, the Superman social media team joined the fun, rolling out a Krypto-themed teaser to hype up the hunt for the Puppy Bowl XXI champ.

Before this, James Gunn also went into further detail about adopting Ozu, which reportedly happened shortly after Superman took flight in his scripts.

How did James Gunn’s Ozu inspire Superman’s Krypto?

James Gunn shared a first look at Krypto in Superman in October to commemorate Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, sponsored by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. And back then, Gunn went into detail about the touching story of how he met Ozu. “Krypto was inspired by our dog Ozu, who we adopted shortly after I started writing Superman,” Gunn wrote on X and Threads. Ozu allegedly was rescued from a hoarding situation, stuck in a backyard with 60 other dogs. 

Not habituated to human touch or humans, for a matter of fact, Gunn recalled how Ozu destroyed everything in proximity, laptops, furniture, you name it. It got him thinking about how difficult life could get if Ozu had superpowers, and thus came Krypto in Superman. Gunn was all set for this Puppy Bowl flight, and now that it has soared past the biggest night in puppy sports, all that remains is its grand touchdown on the screens this upcoming July.

What do you think of James Gunn and Ozu’s special appearance in the Puppy Bowl promo? Let us know in the comments below!