'Super Pets' Movie In Development, Because DC Is Willing To Try Anything At This Point

DC and Warner Bros. are willing to try anything when it comes to their superhero themed movies at this point. So with that spirit in mind, the powers-that-be are planning a Super Pets movie, an animated film about the pets of various DC characters. The LEGO Batman Movie and The LEGO Ninjago Movie writer Jared Stern will write and direct. 

We all know that things haven't been going so smoothly for the live-action DC/Warner Bros. films. But they've fared a bit better with their animated films, like The LEGO Batman Movie, and Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, which garnered some surprisingly positive reviews. Perhaps sensing that animation is the way to go, Warners and DC have decided to make an animated Super Pets movie. Collider says Jared Stern, who wrote The LEGO Batman Movie, will write and helm the animated feature.

Super Pets have their origin in the comic Legion of Super-Pets, which featured Beppo, a monkey from Krypton; Comet the Super-Horse, a former centaur-turned-horse that can fly; Krypto, aka Superdog; Proty, a "shapeless mass of protoplasm capable of taking on any shape or form"; and Streaky the Supercat. There were other animal characters over the years as well, including Bat-Cow, which is exactly what it sounds like – a cow owned by Batman (note to Warner Bros.: please just make an entire movie about Bat-Cow. I will watch it).

The Legion was created by Jerry Siegel and Curt Swan and made its first appearance in Adventure Comics #293 1962. There was also a Super Pets animated series, which included these characters, and more, including my personal favorite – Ace the Bat-Hound. Here's a clip from the animated series.

It's unclear if the film will draw on the comic, the animated series, or try something new entirely. While I'm sure this is going to be a very kid-centric film, and will thus not appeal to me in the slightest, I'm all for Warner Bros. and DC trying new, strange, lighthearted stuff in an attempt to find their groove. The dark and brooding world of their live-action films had a hard time picking up steam. Light and fun seems to be the new goal here. Even the upcoming live-action DC films – Aquaman, Shazam!, and Wonder Woman 1984 – are clearly leaning more towards the light than the dark.

There's no release date for Super Pets yet, so please set yourself a Google notification so you can know the second one is announced. This is important.