Why Did James Gunn’s Superman Remove An Action Scene Featuring Krypto & Ultraman?(Photo Credit –YouTube)
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James Gunn’s Superman hits theaters next week, but one scene won’t make the cut. It has been reported that a moment showing Ultraman punching Krypto the Superdog was removed after testing poorly with early audiences. This is Gunn’s first outing at DC after finishing his Marvel run with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and expectations are high.
The new Superman won’t be flying solo either as the film introduces a fresh take on the Man of Steel surrounded by several heroes and villains, with familiar names like Lois Lane and Lex Luthor appearing alongside lesser-known characters.
Krypto has shown up often in trailers, which clearly means the pooch is more than a simple sidekick. However, in one version of the film, he was caught in a fight scene that sparked a strong negative reaction from early viewers. During test screenings, the crowd didn’t take kindly to seeing the Kryptonian pup take a hit from Ultraman.
Actors María Gabriela de Faría and Sara Sampaio, who play the Engineer and Eve Teschmacher, confirmed the decision to remove the scene during a recent interview with Jake’s Takes. They said the moment, though brief, crossed a line with viewers, even if it was meant to highlight Ultraman’s cruelty.
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Sampio stated, “They actually cut a worse scene from [the movie]. Me and Nick [Hoult] were a little bit pissed about it, but it’s okay. Well, they cut Ultraman punching Krypto because, apparently, it did really bad in the test screening.”
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Krypto The Superdog Still Plays A Major Role in Superman
The response wasn’t surprising at all, as characters like Krypto carry a kind of untouchable loyalty in the eyes of audiences. For animal lovers, harming a dog on screen, even in a comic book universe filled with fights, explosions, and all sorts of destruction, tends to land badly.
Besides, this isn’t the first time Gunn has handled animal characters. His Guardians films featured Rocket Raccoon’s grim backstory, but there was always a deeper emotional reason behind the violence. But Superman’s world plays differently.
Despite all the fuss, Krypto stays part of the action even without that particular moment. One trailer already shows him defending the Fortress of Solitude before being captured by Luthor’s crew. According to the actors, Krypto does more than bark and run around. He gets in on the fight, taking on super-powered enemies like the Engineer. But in the final cut, viewers won’t see him taking a direct hit from Ultraman because that punch got axed to avoid backlash.
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Superman drops on July 11 and is already being called one of the summer’s biggest releases. It’ll need more than nostalgia and explosions to match or beat films like The Batman. James Gunn is betting that with vulnerability and character depth, a healthy dose of action, and with Krypto’s safety from punches, the odds might be in his favor.
