During the early days of Warner Animation Group, Stern pitched the film in 2012, after working in an animal shelter, where he noticed how older animals were less likely to be adopted and wondered about the idea of those pets having superpowers. He was hired to write and direct a film about DC'sLegion of Super-Pets in July 2018. Sam J. Levine and Patricia Hicks joined the project in January 2019 as co-director and producer, respectively. Johnson was signed on to voice Krypto in May 2021, while other main cast members were confirmed to join the voice roles by June 2021, including Hart, McKinnon, Krasinski, Bayer, Lyonne, Luna, Maron, and Reeves. The inspiration for the film's animation style came fromArt Deco architecture and illustratorJ.C. Leyendecker. The animation was provided byAnimal Logic.
DC League of Super-Pets premiered at the AMC The Grove inLos Angeles, California on July 13, 2022, and was released in the United States on July 29. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and grossed over $207 million worldwide on a $90 million budget.DC League of Super-Pets was the last film to be produced and released by Warner Animation Group before the animation studio label folded into Warner Bros. Pictures Animation in 2023.[5]
Meanwhile, Lulu, aguinea pig test subject from LexCorp sent to the shelter who is blindly loyal to Luther, reels in a piece of orange kryptonite with her own tractor beam, which gives hertelekinesis and allows her to escape the shelter, setting it ablaze while doing so. Unbeknownst to her, everyone else in the shelter also gains superpowers: Ace is now super-strong and nigh-invulnerable; PB, apotbellied pig, can change size; Merton, a nearsightedturtle, becomes super-fast; and Chip, a paranoidsquirrel, gainselectrokinesis. Using their new powers, they escape the burning shelter. While at home, Superman and Krypto have an argument when the former plans to propose marriage to Lois. However, Clark is captured by Lulu when she weakens him with kryptonite. Krypto tries to save him, but loses his powers after unknowingly eating a tiny shard of a green kryptonite hidden inside a piece ofJarlsberg cheese. Later, Krypto comes across the shelter pets, who agree to help him.
Meanwhile, Lulu recruits a group of guinea pigs, captures the Justice League, and heads to Stryker's Island to free Luthor. The shelter pets try to stop her, but fail miserably; in the process, Lulu taunts Krypto about Clark's engagement plans and even shows him the engagement ring. They regroup in theHall of Justice, where Ace reveals to a distraught Krypto that he used to have owners as a puppy: a family with a toddler. One day, when the wandering toddler was about to fall down a flight of steps, Ace bit her arm to pull her to safety. Upon seeing the bite-marks, the parents assumed Ace attacked her and sent him to the shelter, though Ace stands by his actions and ideals. Encouraged, Krypto leads the pets to LexCorp. While there, akitten named Whiskers, (who Lulu rescued from the shelter after she set it ablaze the night she and the others gained their powers) who can now create weapons at will, attacks them, but the team traps her. At Stryker's Island, the shelter pets confront Lulu, but put themselves in prison cells when she threatens to kill Krypto. Lulu frees Luthor, who then betrays her and locks her in his cell while freeingMercy Graves. Lulu breaks out easily and decides to destroy the Justice League and Luthor herself.
The Kryptonite shard passes through Krypto's system, restoring his powers. He breaks himself and the other super pets out of prison, and attempts to free the Justice League, but Lulu launches them into space along with Luthor, betraying her remaining henchmen while doing so. In order to stall Krypto, she attempts to kill Lois. However, the other super pets rescue the Justice League while Krypto saves Lois and defeats Lulu, but she absorbs the orange kryptonite, becoming a mutatedkaiju-sized version of herself. The League and the pets team up to stop her, but she gains the upper-hand. Realizing Lulu has become too powerful, Krypto decides to use the "Solar Paw Punch", a move that can defeat any supervillain, but will kill the user. The attack causes a massive explosion that knocks the kryptonite out of Lulu's system, causing her to lose her powers and return to normal size while Krypto accepts his fate. Ace uses his invulnerability to save him. Shortly after, Lulu's redeemed henchmen, Mark and Keith, trap her in a hot dog stand for her crimes and betrayal.
In the aftermath, Krypto allows Clark to marry Lois. The shelter pets, Mark, and Keith get adopted by the rest of the Justice League: Ace by Batman, PB by Wonder Woman, Merton by The Flash, Chip by Green Lantern, Mark by Cyborg and Keith by Aquaman. Sometime later, the pets have formed their own superhero team called the "League of Super-Pets".
In amid-credits scene, Luthor is still trapped in his prison asking any passing super-animals to free him, without success. Meanwhile, Lulu is freed by Mercy, who adopts her. In apost-credits scene, Krypto and Superman encounterBlack Adam and his dog, Anubis, but Krypto tricks them into flying toPluto.
Vanessa Bayer as PB, apotbellied pig who gains the ability to change her size in scale after coming in contact with the orange Kryptonite and is a major superhero fan, but mostly idolizesWonder Woman, whose pet she becomes later.[6][7]
Thomas Middleditch as Keith, a whiteguinea pig who was recruited by Lulu who was empowered by orange Kryptonite where he possesses cryokinesis (laterhydrokinesis after Lulu smashes him against Mark). He later becomesAquaman's pet and joins the team.
Ben Schwartz as Mark, a brownguinea pig who also was recruited by Lulu who was empowered by orange Kryptonite where he possessespyrokinesis. He later becomesCyborg's pet and joins the team.[14]
Busy Philipps as Foofy Dog, a dog that interacts with Krypto in the park.
Dan Fogler as Carl, Patty's assistant who constantly tries to hit on her.
Fogler also plays Pilot
Fogler also voices Racer
Winona Bradshaw as Whiskers, a kitten with weapon abilities who tries to kill the Super-Pets for Lulu as a thank you for rescuing her. She appears later in a mid-credits scene where Luthor is still trapped in the park as she passes by him.
David Pressman as aWelsh Corgi waiting outside the shelter with Krypto, who later gains size manipulation and aDoctor Manhattan inspired appearance.
Jared Stern as a guy in a bathtub whose bath keeps getting disrupted by the animals.
Stern also voices JLA Hotline
Michelle Morgan as the A.I. for Lex Luthor's Mech Suit
Amanda Ames as Guinea-Pigasus, a guinea pig who was recruited by Lulu and empowered by Orange Kryptonite, which gave her the wings and hindquarters of a bird.
In July 2018,Jared Stern was hired to write and direct an animated film aboutDC'sLegion of Super-Pets.[24] In January 2019, it was announced that Sam J. Levine would serve as co-director with Stern, and that Patricia Hicks had signed on as producer.[25] The film was pitched by Stern in 2012, during the early days of theWarner Animation Group.[26]
Stern developed a pitch for the film after working in an animal shelter, where he noticed how older animals were less likely to be adopted and wondered "what if those pets got superpowers?".[30] Stern was originally unsure what DC characters he was allowed to incorporate in the film, though he added Luthor after the character was suggested by DC. This led to the concept of the villain, Lulu, being a guinea pig, as Stern felt "guinea pigs are someone who would have a chip on their shoulder" due to them being used as test subjects, and Lulu being Lex's test subject served as a parallel with Krypto and Superman's relationship.[26]
According to Stern, DC executives suggested adding satirical jokes regarding their properties, which Stern felt allowed the film to make fun of the characters while portraying them respectfully.[26] Stern said the humor regarding DC characters was meant to be rooted in the film's focus on pets, such as portraying Superman as a dog owner or Batman as "a guy who really could use a pet".[26] Early drafts for the movie had Ace in a more prominent role, but his role was changed to co-lead once the filmmakers concluded the focus for the film should be on Krypto's relationship with Superman.[26]
The animation was provided byAnimal Logic inSydney andVancouver, which also provided animation for theWarner Animation Group'sThe Lego Movie series.[31] Approximately 70 animators worked on the film. Animators worked on the film for 2 years, as well as an extra 3–4 months after the film's release date was delayed by a year.[30]
The film's art style was inspired byArt Deco architecture and illustratorJ.C. Leyendecker, as well as the Art Deco style from the originalSuperman comics.[32][30] Stern wanted the characters and environments to have both visible brushstrokes and "chunky heroic shapes".[30] Character designers Mayumi Nose and Matt Williamês drew inspiration from theSuper Friends animated series and Superman comics from theSilver Age of Comic Books for the designs of the characters, while still having a comedic edge to them.[30]
The artists aimed for the film's visuals to reflect the optimistic tone from theSuperman comic books, while also being relatable and cartoonish.[32] In order to accomplish this, they had the visuals to be mainly vertical and have a "painted feel".[32] The artists were influenced by theSuperman comics from theGolden Age of Comic Books, particularly in those comics' painting style.[32]
Also included is the original ballad "Count On Me", written and produced by Jeremy Silver and performed by Jac Ross.[39][40] The song plays during an emotional flashback montage sequence where Ace used to have an idyllic home life with a family.
On May 24, 2022,Warner Bros. Consumer Products andDC Comics announced the release of merchandise inspired by the film in collaboration withFisher-Price. The products include apparel, pet accessories, toys, collectibles, costumes and furniture.McDonald's also announced that their Happy Meals would have toys based on the film.[42]
In January 2019, the film was scheduled to be released on May 21, 2021.[25] The release date was later pushed back to May 20, 2022, in favour ofThe Matrix Resurrections, another WB film starring Reeves.[43] It was then pushed back to July 29, 2022 (taking the release ofBlack Adam, which also stars Johnson), among other films from Warner Bros. getting pushed due to production delays.[44][45]DC League of Super-Pets premiered in Los Angeles on July 13, 2022.[46] This was the final production under the name Warner Animation Group before the studio's rebranding in June 2023.[47]
It was eligible to become available onHBO Max and/orpremium video on demand on September 26, 2022, under a plan announced byWarnerMedia in 2021, though subsequent announcements by new parent companyWarner Bros. Discovery suggest that streaming timing will be considered on a "case-by-case" basis going forward; it eventually became available on digital on August 23, 2022, and available on4K,Blu-ray, andDVD beginning on October 4, 2022,[48][49] along with the official announcement that the film would be available on HBO Max on September 26, 2022.
An edited 10-minute version of the film was released in 4D in 2023.[50]
DC League of Super-Pets grossed $93.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $113.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $207.6 million.[3]
In the United States and Canada,DC League of Super-Pets was released alongsideVengeance, and was projected to gross $25–30 million from 4,300 theaters on its opening weekend.[2] The film made $9.3 million on its first day, including $2.2 million from Thursday previews.[51][52] It went on to debut to $23 million, topping the box office, though coming in below expectations.[53][54] The film made $11.2 million in its sophomore weekend, finishing second behind newcomerBullet Train.[55] In its third weekend it made $7.1 million, staying in second place.[56]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 72% of 150 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Although it never quite soars,DC League of Super-Pets is a more than satisfactory diversion for families in search of four-legged fun."[57]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 56 out of 100, based on 28 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[58] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale, while those atPostTrak gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars.[53]
Nell Minow writing forRogerEbert.com praised the "lively" voice talent, and called the script "smart, exciting, and very funny".[59] Reviewer Dwight Brown wrote, "It doesn't break the mold. However, it is sly, wicked and so much fun. Kids will laugh at the antics. Adults will chuckle when they hear the puns, jokes, catty remarks and doggy banter."[60]Peter Travers ofABC News wrote that while the movie "is not a revolution in animation. It gets the fun done for family audiences."[61] Clarisse Loughrey ofThe Independent criticized its "limited imagination", adding: "The film is desperately craving an angle—one that certainly can't be fulfilled by the fact all the pet ownership jokes have already been used up by theSecret Life of Pets series."[62]
In August 2022, following the positive financial and audience reception, Johnson stated that the film was intended to be the first installment of a newfranchise.[73]
A video game based on the film titledDC League of Super-Pets: The Adventures of Krypto and Ace was announced duringDC FanDome, and was released on July 15, 2022.[74]
DC League of Super- Pets: The Great Mxy-Up is a tie-in comic taking place after the events in the movie, featuringMr. Mxyzptlk.[75]
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