Dog Lovers Will Resonate With Supergirl's Mission in New Live-Action Flick

There's been a lot of conversation lately about what it takes to get audiences back into the movie theatre. The recent record-breaking success of "Gen Z-helmed" indie horror flicks, Obsession and Backrooms, has illustrated that established franchises and superhero films are no longer a shoo-in for box office domination.

Instead, there's an appetite for fresh perspectives and genuine emotional stakes, for stories that "reimagine tone and perspective — rather than simply extending the same formula." In that regard, the official Supergirl trailer is particularly promising in its unexpectedly dark approach to cosmic conflict.

Rather than falling back on the traditional world-saving heroics, the new trailer grounds Kara Zor-El’s interstellar quest in something much more intimate: the fate of her dog, Krypto.

The official trailer begins by showcasing Kara's bond with her ride-or-die superpup. We see Kara and Krypto crowd surfing and playing fetch in outer space. Sharing spoonfuls of cereal. Kara declares, "Home is wherever you are, buddy."

Right as you find yourself going aww, the brutal inciting incident hits: Krypto is poisoned. There is an antidote, but Krypto only has three days to live. Such is what sends Kara on a vengeance mission of the utmost urgency. She essentially "goes all intergalactic John Wick" to save her dog.

This plot set-up follows the comic book source material behind the adaptation: Tom King's Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (2022), illustrated by Bilquis Evely. It's certainly a compelling emotional entry point into the second standalone Supergirl live-action film (the first, starring Helen Slater, came out in 1984).

On the whole, the reboot of the DC film universe under James Gunn is a bit of a touchy subject on the internet, I've quickly learned, and I'm not versed enough on the franchise and comic book lore to weigh in decisively on this dog-loving creative decision.

Some reviewers have taken the increasingly Krypto-prominent scripts as a sign that the DCU has "gone to the dogs." Ouch.

Others, however, found the rowdy canine as a welcome scene-stealer in last year's Superman, starring David Corenswet. Modeled after James Gunn's own rescue dog, the mischievous super-powered pup certainly charmed me. Even critics with rather scathing reviews of Superman found themselves singing Krypto's praises. Take, for instance, critic Erik Kain's dog-friendly aside:

I did like Krypto the dog, however. I really liked Krypto a lot. Perhaps the best line in the movie is Clark telling Lois, “He isn’t even a very good dog but he’s out there alone and scared. I have to find him.” It was the one moment I felt anything at all during the film, at least any kind of real emotion. Maybe this should have just been Krypto & Superman, a movie about Supe and his puppy. I’d watch that movie again.

Speaking of reviews, the early reactions to Supergirl, for better or worse, harp on the film's more grungy and angsty tone. Milly Alcock's embodiment of Kara is "as disgruntled and jaded as the most grizzled western antihero."

The film's heavy themes, gritty underworlds, scorched color palette, and band of villains seemingly plucked straight out of Mad Max make this iteration of Supergirl "refreshingly not beholden to the adventures (and movies) that chronicle her goody-two-shoes cousin Superman."

If the trailer is any indication, Kara's arc appears less concerned with living up to a heroic ideal and more preoccupied with the personal stakes of survival, grief, and loyalty. Although I'm increasingly picky about superhero movies, I'm now raring to see Milly Alcock's portrayal of a fierce, sardonic (super)girl whose dog is her north star.

Anyone throwing a dog-friendly watch party?