Krypton (TV series)
A prequel series about Superman's grandfather on Krypton.
Krypton is an American science fiction television series developed by David S. Goyer for Syfy. The series focuses on Seg-El, the grandfather of DC Comics superhero Kal-El / Superman, and is set approximately 200 years before the birth of Superman on the fictional planet Krypton. It premiered on March 21, 2018, and was canceled after two seasons in August 2019.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Drama / Science fiction / Superhero
- Based On
- Characters created · Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and characters from DC Comics
- Developer
- David S. Goyer
- Starring
- Cameron Cuffe / Georgina Campbell / Shaun Sipos / Elliot Cowan / Ann Ogbomo / Aaron Pierre / Rasmus Hardiker / Wallis Day / Blake Ritson / Ian McElhinney / Colin Salmon / Hannah Waddingham
- Composer
- Pinar Toprak
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Num Seasons
- 2
- Num Episodes
- 20
- Executive Producer
- David S. Goyer / Cameron Welsh / Damian Kindler
- Producer
- Andjelka Viaislavjevic
- Location
- Belfast, Northern Ireland / Montreal, Quebec, Canada / Serbia
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series follows Seg-El, scion of the House of El, whose family has been ostracized and shamed. Seg fights to redeem his family's honor and save his beloved world from chaos. The story includes characters such as Lyta-Zod, Adam Strange (a human from the future who forewarns Seg of Brainiac), and various members of Kryptonian guilds and houses. Brainiac, an alien android from the planet Colu who collects cities, appears as a primary antagonist, taking over the mind of Krypton's religious figure the Voice of Rao.
The series was developed by David S. Goyer and written and executive produced by Ian Goldberg, with Damian Kindler as showrunner. Filming for the pilot took place in Serbia, and the second season was filmed in Belfast. The show was canceled after two seasons in August 2019, and a planned spin-off based on Lobo was also canceled.
Reader's Guide
Krypton is notable as a prequel to the Superman mythos, focusing on Seg-El, the grandfather of Kal-El. The series aired on Syfy and received mixed to average reviews for its first season, with a 60% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 53 out of 100. The second season saw a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 10 reviews, with critics noting 'Fresh faces, exceptional performances, and a more clearly defined sense of purpose.' The show was canceled after two seasons, and a planned Lobo spin-off was also canceled. The series was made available on DC Universe streaming service, and an after show titled Decrypting Krypton aired on Syfy. A comic book version of Krypton was released for Free Comic Book Day in 2018.
Did You Know?
- Adam Strange was intended by the show's creators to be an LGBTQ+ character, but this was only implied following alleged interference from former DC executive Geoff Johns.
- Regé-Jean Page auditioned for the role of Seg-El but was not cast because a DC executive reportedly believed the character had to resemble Superman actor Henry Cavill.
- A spin-off based on Lobo was announced in June 2019 but was canceled two months later along with Krypton.
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