DC League of Super-Pets (2022): the DC animated film explained
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DC League of Super-Pets is the animated film that gave Superman's dog his first big-screen starring role. Released in 2022, it tells what happens when the Justice League is captured and all that's left to save them is a band of shelter animals. In this article you'll discover: who made the film, the story without spoilers, the original and French voices, what it really takes from the comics, its box-office results, and from what age to show it. By the end, you'll know if it deserves a family night.
The essentials
- Original title: DC League of Super-Pets
- Directed by: Jared Stern and Sam Levine
- Release: July 27, 2022 in France, July 29 in the United States
- Original voices: Dwayne Johnson (Krypto), Kevin Hart (Ace), Kate McKinnon (Lulu)
- Budget / box office: about $90M for $207.5M worldwide
- Audience: family film, fine from age 6
📋 Contents
Who made the film
DC League of Super-Pets, original title DC League of Super-Pets, is directed by Jared Stern and Sam Levine, from a screenplay by Jared Stern and John Whittington. The production brings together Warner Animation Group, DC Entertainment and Seven Bucks Productions, Dwayne Johnson's company.
That last detail explains a lot: the actor doesn't just voice Krypto, he produces the film. The idea of a feature devoted to the animals of the DC universe had been close to him for years.
The film opens July 27, 2022 in France and July 29 in the United States, in midsummer, in a family slot.
It's the first DC animated film devoted to these characters, though they've existed in the comics since the 1950s. Our feature on the Legion of Super-Pets covers that publishing history.
The story, no spoilers
The starting point is simple: Krypto, Superman's dog, shares his master's life in Metropolis and hates having to share it with Lois Lane. When the entire Justice League is captured, he's the one who has to organize the rescue.
Problem: Krypto finds himself stripped of his powers at the worst moment. So he has to lean on a band of shelter animals who have just gained some — a dog named Ace, a pig, a turtle and a squirrel.
Facing them, an unexpected opponent: Lulu, a lab guinea pig who belonged to Lex Luthor, who sets up her own conquest plan. Our portrait of Lex Luthor recalls how much this kind of failed experiment is part of his daily routine.
The film then delivers what the genre promises: learning powers, squabbles, rescuing the Justice League. The machinery is classic, the execution brisk.
The voices, in English and in French
| Character | Original voice | In brief |
|---|---|---|
| Krypto | Dwayne Johnson | Superman's dog, hero of the film |
| Ace | Kevin Hart | a shelter dog, a lovable bundle of nerves |
| Lulu | Kate McKinnon | Lex Luthor's guinea pig turned villain |
| Superman | John Krasinski | the master, captured from the start |
| Batman | Keanu Reeves | in a cameo, with the expected self-mockery |
| Chip | Diego Luna | the squirrel of the gang |
The French version also has a few familiar names: Muriel Robin voices Lulu, the singer Soprano voices Chip the squirrel, and the host Denis Brogniart voices Lex Luthor.
This kind of cast — stars in the original, known personalities in the French version — has become the norm for family animated films. It also explains part of the film's promotion in France.
For kids, the French version does the job perfectly; fans of the original dub will lose Kevin Hart's inflections, which carry a good share of the gags.
What the film really takes from the comics
Superhero animals are not a 2022 invention. Krypto appears as early as 1955, and DC published for years the adventures of a real team: Krypto the dog, Beppo the monkey, Streaky the cat and Comet the horse.
The film departs on one essential point: its companions are not those historic characters, but a new band, created for the occasion. Only Krypto and the general idea come from the comics.
Ace, on the other hand, does exist in the DC universe: he's Batman's dog, who appeared in the late 1950s. The film makes him a very different character, but the name didn't come from nowhere.
Our article on Krypto traces the full story of the super-dog, from his first appearance to recent versions, and our feature on the Legion of Super-Pets details the members of the original team.
The film's Krypto versus the comics one
The 2022 Krypto is funny, talkative and jealous. The comics one rarely speaks, and his characterization varies a lot by era: adventure companion in the 1950s and 1960s, almost feral in some modern stories.
The common point remains the power. Krypto is Kryptonian: under a yellow sun, he has the same abilities as his master, as explained in our article on the yellow sun and the red sun. A dog that flies and shoots beams is exactly what the canon says.
James Gunn's 2025 film has put Krypto front and center again, in yet another version: undisciplined, intrusive, and happily destructive. Our analysis of theSuperman 2025 review comes back to that presence.
Three versions therefore coexist without getting in each other's way: the faithful comics companion, the 2022 comic hero, and the unmanageable 2025 dog.
Critical reception and box office
The film's figures
Reviews were fair without enthusiasm: about 70% positive on Rotten Tomatoes, 56 out of 100 at Metacritic, and 3.4 out of 5 on average at AlloCiné. The most frequent complaint is the very mapped-out machinery of the script.
The acknowledged strengths are elsewhere: the animation is careful, the pace holds, and the Justice League cameos amuse parents as much as kids.
In the history of Superman box office, this result puts the film well behind the major live-action films, as shown by our ranking of Superman movies box office.
From what age to watch it?
It's probably the most accessible DC film for young kids. No dark scenes, no death on screen, humor that reads from age six, and animal characters you can spot at once.
A few threatening stretches can startle the youngest — the villain is genuinely menacing in the last act — but nothing beyond what a classic family animated film offers.
For a child discovering the universe, it's also an excellent way in: they'll meet Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Lex Luthor without needing to know their stories.
Our list of Superman series offers other landmarks for choosing films and series by the children's age.
What to watch next?
If the film clicked with the kids, two obvious follow-ups. My Adventures with Superman offers a colorful, light version of the hero, aimed at young viewers. On the toys and humor side, our feature on LEGO Superman lists the films and sets devoted to the character.
For parents curious to go back to the sources, the 1950s and 1960s comics can be hard to find in print today, but our Superman comics guide lists the collections available.
DC League of Super-Pets doesn't reinvent anything, and that's not the goal. It's an effective family film that finally gives a lead role to the most likable character in the Superman universe — a dog that flies. For a first family meeting with the DC universe, it's the best starting point available.
FAQ — Frequently asked questions
What is the film's original title?
DC League of Super-Pets. It is directed by Jared Stern and Sam Levine, from a screenplay by Jared Stern and John Whittington.
When was it released?
July 27, 2022 in France and July 29, 2022 in the United States and Quebec.
Who voices Krypto?
Dwayne Johnson in the original, who also produces the film with his company Seven Bucks Productions. Kevin Hart voices Ace, Kate McKinnon the villain Lulu.
Do Krypto's companions exist in the comics?
Not in this form. The historic comics team brings together Krypto, Beppo the monkey, Streaky the cat and Comet the horse. The film's companions are created for the occasion, except for the name Ace, Batman's dog.
Was the film a success?
A modest success: about 207.5 million dollars worldwide on an estimated 90 million budget, with fair reviews and nothing more.
From what age to watch it?
From age six without trouble. It's the most accessible DC film for young kids, despite a few threatening stretches in the last act.
Conclusion
DC League of Super-Pets did what seventy years of comics never did: put Superman's dog into popular culture. The film is not a masterpiece, but it's generous, funny, and perfectly calibrated for a family night.
To place this film among the others, see our guide: what order to watch the Superman movies.
Its 207.5 million dollars at the box office and its fair reception make it an honest success. Above all, it prepared the ground: three years later, Krypto was flying again, this time in live-action.
To go further, our article on Krypto traces the character's story since 1955, and our feature on the Legion of Super-Pets presents his original companions.