Many actors have starred in at least one superhero movie, and there are a handful who’ve lent their talents to both a Marvel and a DC cinematic offering. Then there’s David Dastmalchian, who’s starred in numerous Marvel and DC movies and TV shows, both live-action and animated, over the years, starting with making his film debut in The Dark Knight. You might also remember him as Polka-Dot Man from 2021’s The Suicide Squad, where he was directed by James Gunn. With Gunn now writing Superman: Legacy after previously turning down the opportunity to make a Superman movie, Dastmalchian has picked a specific role he’d like to play in this project, and it sounds amazing.
Following his appearances as Kurt in the first two Ant-Man movies and an episode of What If… ?, David Dastmalchian is back in the Marvel Cinematic Universe spotlight, but this time as Veb, one of the Quantum Realm denizen shown in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. While speaking with the actor about his new MCU role, CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell asked Dastmalchian what role he’d like to play in the DC Universe shared continuity, which will launch in the near future as Chapter One, a.k.a. Gods and Monsters. Dastmalchian stated that he’d be game to tackle Krypto the Superdog in Superman: Legacy, saying:
Oh, that's such a great question. You know, I always feel like there is a place in the world of Superman… there is a dog that is a very important part of Superman's journey. Depending on which comic books that you've read or you are familiar with, right? Now that I've had this experience with mocap (for Ant-Man), I feel like that heart and that grit and that bond and that kind of emotion that you have to evoke through something that isn't human could be a really good fit for me. So James, when you read this article, just know I'm ready to put on the collar at any time. … I don't know if he sees Dave Dasmalchian as his Krypto, but I'm going to throw my hat into the proverbial dog bowl.
While certainly not on the same level of popularity as characters like Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, Krypto has gotten a lot of attention outside of the comics, including leading his own animated series and appearing alongside Joshua Orphin’s Conner Kent in Titans. I would, of course, be remiss if I also didn’t mention DC League of Super-Pets, which starred Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Superman’s canine friend. At this point, the next logical step is for Krypto to be featured in a live-action Superman movie. What’s even better is that one of the stories inspiring Superman: Legacy is All-Star Superman, and Krypto appeared in the sixth issue.
So, James Gunn, if you’re reading this, not only is it worth considering including Krypto the Superdog, but know that David Dastmalchian is game to tackle the role and has experience performing non-humanoid characters via motion-capture. Even if that doesn’t happen, with Dastmalchian having already contributed to Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and the DC Extended Universe, it’s only appropriate that a role be found for him in the DC Universe, Superman-related or otherwise. Dastmalchian’s other DC credits include playing Abra-Kadabra in The Flash TV series, Dwight in Gotham and Calendar Man in Batman: The Long Halloween, and he’ll soon be heard as Grendon in the next direct-to-video animated DC movie, Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham.
For now, you can see David Dastmalchain’s Veb on the big screen in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. HBO Max subscribers can easily find nearly all of the actor’s past DC work, though if you’d like to stream his episodes of The Flash, you’ll need a Netflix subscription. Superman: Legacy is lined up on the upcoming DC movies slate for a July 11, 2025 release.
