Super dogs

(L to R) Kevin Hart as Ace the Bat-Hound and Dwayne Johnson as Krypto in Warner Bros.' 'DC League of Super-Pets.'

Can there be too much Batman? It’s a theory that Warner Bros. seems committed to testing, though given what it means for new animated outing ‘DC League of Super-Pets’, we’re not complaining. Because what it means is… Keanu Reeves is now Batman.

While the latest live-action example of the Caped Crusader has only just hit theaters thanks to ‘The Batman’ (which opened with a successful $134 million at the domestic box office), we’re already facing the prospect of two veteran Cowl-wearers coming back later this year in ‘The Flash’, which features both Ben Affleck’s DCEU Bruce Wayne and Michael Keaton, from 1989’s ‘Batman’ and 1992’s ‘Batman Returns’ suiting up thanks to Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen and his multiverse-traversing powers. (Keaton is also playing Batman in ‘Batgirl’).

Yet ‘Super-Pets’ promises something different all together, a Bats who is more in line with, say, Will Arnett’s LEGO Batman. The new animated movie’s spoofy take on the character finds him moodily reflecting on how he’s all alone before rattling off a laundry list of supporting characters, including loyal butler Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, his tech team and even “whoever Morgan Freeman played” (which would be gadget developer Lucius Fox in Christopher Nolan’s Bat-trilogy, in case you forgot).

It's Batman’s tragic past that helps him bond with Ace (voiced by Kevin Hart), as they share their stories and find common ground.

Still, Batman isn’t the focus of the movie – nor are any of the human (or alien) members of the Justice League. See, ‘Super-Pets’ focuses on Krypto (Dwayne Johnson) Superman’s (John Krasinski) faithful, powerful canine best pal.

When the League members are kidnapped by a scheming Lex Luthor (Marc Maron), it’s up to Krypto and a rag-tag group of animals granted special abilities in a strange accident to save the day. Ace the future Bat-Hound is turned seemingly indestructible, while the gang also includes Melton the speedy turtle (Natasha Lyonne), PB the pig (Vanessa Bayer) who can inflate herself, and Chip the squirrel (Diego Luna), blessed with the power to shoot electricity from his hands.

Things don’t exactly go smoothly at first – in true Johnson and Hart buddy comedy fashion, there is much bickering back and forth about Krypto’s unwavering loyalty to Superman, while earlier trailers have also focused on Ace getting into scrapes (and surviving because of his newfound abilities). And, because this is a kids’ movie about animals, there are the requisite pee jokes.

Other voices in the movie include Kate McKinnon, Ben Schwartz, Thomas Middleditch, Dascha Polanco, Jameela Jamil and David Pressman.

Jared Stern and Sam Levine are the directors here, working from a script by Stern and John Whittington that promises to be a family friendly superhero tale in the way that ‘The Batman’ never really could be.

It’ll be fun to see how Reeves’ Caped Crusader fits into the pantheon and how he gets judged against the approximately 73 actors who have played the role in the past.

‘DC League of Super-Pets’ will fly/hop/leap tall buildings to get into theaters on May 20.

Krypto and Superman flying

(L to R) Dwayne Johnson as Krypto and John Krasinski as Superman in Warner Bros.' ‘DC League of Super-Pets.'

DC League of Super-Pets

"Sit, stay, save the world."
73
PG1 hr 45 minJul 29th, 2022
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