‘Superman’ Test Screening Audience Reacted Negatively to One Scene, So James Gunn Cut It

The new Superman movie is almost here, but one scene didn’t make the final cut. According to the stars of the film, a moment involving Krypto, Superman’s dog, was removed after it didn’t sit well with test screening audiences.

James Gunn, who directed Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy films, is now kicking off his new DC Universe with Superman. The movie features a new version of the Man of Steel, played by David Corenswet, along with several heroes and villains.

Familiar characters like Lois Lane and Lex Luthor appear, but Krypto has also had a big presence in the trailers.

In a recent interview with Jake’s Takes, María Gabriela de Faría, who plays the villainous Engineer, and Sara Sampaio, who plays Eve Teschmacher, talked about a scene that was cut. It involved Ultraman, a twisted version of Superman, punching Krypto.

Sampaio said the moment didn’t test well with audiences, so it was taken out. The full exchange went like this:

“They actually cut a worse scene…” Sampaio said.
“That’s right. That’s right,” Faría added.
“Me and Nick [Hoult] were a little bit pissed about it, but it’s okay,” Sampaio continued.
When asked what was removed, she revealed: “Well, they cut Ultraman punching Krypto. Because, apparently, it did really bad in the test screening.”
Faría chimed in, “It’s not okay. You can’t punch a dog… Okay. No, I did not punch the dog. The dog attacked me first.”

While it’s not unusual for James Gunn’s movies to show harsh moments involving animals, as seen in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, those scenes usually serve a deeper emotional purpose. This scene seemed more like a sudden punch in a fight, which may have felt too harsh or upsetting for the audience.

Even though that particular moment was cut, Krypto will still be part of the action. Faría confirmed that the superdog attacks her character, so fans can expect to see Krypto in some fight scenes. It just looks like none of those moments will involve him taking a direct hit from Ultraman.

Superman is starring David Corenswet as Clark Kent and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. It will be the first film in the new DC Universe, launching DC Studios’ Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. The story follows Superman as he tries to balance his Kryptonian roots with his life on Earth. Filming took place in Norway, Georgia, and Ohio, and the movie is set to release on July 11, 2025.

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