Krypton Showrunner Says Series Will Explore Role Of Religion

The world of Krypton will be a fully-fleshed-out one when the series comes to Syfy next year, and [...]

By Russ Burlingame

The world of Krypton will be a fully-fleshed-out one when the series comes to Syfy next year, and that means an exploration of the role of religion in the world's caste system, politics, and ultimate demise, according to showrunner Cameron Welsh.

There have been only passing references to Kryptonian religion in the various live-action iterations of Superman's mythology, from Superman: The Movie to Man of Steel to the Supergirl TV series, but it seems the religion and mythology of Krypton will loom large in a series that acknowledges, but does not star Superman.

"The world of Kandor in our show is a theocracy, and the religious guild is very powerful," Welsh said of Krypton's culture in the show. "The political landscape is turbulent; there's a very rigid class divide, and there's the rankles district, and there's the guided area — that's the science guild, the religious guild, the House of Zod or the House of El. There's a class divide and a big part of that class divide is religion."

Welsh said that Raoism is the dominant religion in the show — not surprising, given that it has always been portrayed as the primary and/or official religion of Krypton.

In World of Krypton, a 1980s comic from John Byrne and Mike Migola, Krypton's religious sects were part of a larger civil war that touched on cloning controversies that would eventually lead to the denizens of a technologically-advanced world being unable to leave, even as their planet died around them.

One religious leader, who would come to be known as just The Cleric, would be introduced during Superman's self-imposed exile in space, and would bring with him a history lesson about Krypton's final days as well as a mighty weapon, which he presented to Superman, saying that as the last Kryptonian, he was the device's rightful owner.

That device, known as The Eradicator, has played a role in dozens of stories in the years since it was first introduced.

Set two generations before the destruction of the legendary Man of Steel's home planet, KRYPTON follows Superman's grandfather (Cameron Cuffe, "The Halcyon") — whose House of El was ostracized and shamed — as he fights to redeem his family's honor and save his beloved world from chaos. Based on DC characters, KRYPTON is from Warner Horizon Scripted Television and is executive produced by David S. Goyer ("Man of Steel," "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," "The Dark Knight" trilogy) through his Phantom Four banner. Damian Kindler ("Sleepy Hollow") will serve as executive producer and showrunner.

In addition to Cuffe, KRYPTON stars Georgina Campbell ("Broadchurch"), Elliot Cowan ("Da Vinci's Demons"), Ann Ogbomo ("World War Z"), Rasmus Hardiker ("Your Highness"), Wallis Day ("Will"), Aaron Pierre ("Tennison") with Ian McElhinney ("Game of Thrones").

The pilot teleplay was written by Goyer and Kindler, from a story by Ian Goldberg ("Once Upon a Time," "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") & Goyer, with Colm McCarthy ("She Who Brings Gifts," "Peaky Blinders") serving as director and co-executive producer. KRYPTON is based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, published by DC.

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