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Despite the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), the future of DC Comics on the big screen is secure. After all, both Joker and The Batman were bigtime hits even without the context of a larger shared universe.

Moreover, animated films like The Lego Batman Movie and Teen Titans Go! To the Movies prove there’s a future in transforming DC Comics into family-friendly animated movies. DC League of Super-Pets takes this concept further, adding an original character to the canon.  

‘DC League of Super-Pets’ follows a team of super-powered pets

The animated action movie stars Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart as Krypto and Ace, the respective pets of Superman and Batman.

After Superman (John Krasinski) and the Justice League are kidnapped by Lex Luthor (Marc Maron), the pair must assemble a team of super-powered pets to rescue the heroes and restore order. But not all fans remember the source material.

The movie is, in fact, based on a DC Comics title. The Legion of Super-Pets first debuted way back in 1962. The team was eventually removed from the continuity in the mid-’80s, just as DC took characters like Batman in a darker direction. But they returned to the mainline comics in 2017, setting the stage for the development of a film adaptation.

‘DC League of Super-Pets’ created Vanessa Bayer’s character

Most of the animal characters featured in DC League of Super-Pets come directly from the comics. However, the movie does add PB, a pot-bellied pig voiced by Saturday Night Live alum Vanessa Bayer. The character can change her size at will and eventually winds up as Wonder Woman’s (Jameela Jamil) pet by the end of her big-screen debut.

In the comics, Wonder Woman does have a pet, but it isn’t PB. According to MovieWeb, the superhero adopts a flying kangaroo from her homeworld of Themyscira, which she names Jumpa. That character dates back to 1942.

But the filmmakers of DC League of Super-Pets chose to go in a different direction. The exact reason why remains unclear right now.

Will ‘DC League of Super-Pets’ start a new superhero franchise?

A dog has his picture taken in a Superman costume before the start of "DC League of Super-Pets"
DC League of Super-Pets hosts a screening for pets | Henning Kaiser/picture alliance via Getty Images
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Whatever the case may be, PB and her super-powered pet friends could gobble up a ton of money at the box office. The undeniable appeal of Johnson and Hart is a proven draw for moviegoers.

A family-friendly superhero film like DC League of Super-Pets could be the perfect release for children in the middle of the summer. In fact, it could lead to a franchise. DC Comics certainly won’t deny moviegoers a sequel following this unconventional superhero team if they turn out for this first outing.

Upcoming DC Comics releases include Johnson’s own Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the sequel to 2019’s Shazam! But don’t be surprised if a DC League of Super-Pets comes together soon after the movie’s release.

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