Colossal’s Ben Lamm On Return of Dire Wolves, George R.R. Martin, Superman, and More

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As a movie critic, I’ve been captivated by the remarkable revival of an ancient species – the Dire Wolves – masterfully brought back from extinction by the visionary team at Colossal Biosciences. This week, they unveiled their first trio: Remus, Romulus, and Khaleesi, who have already left a significant impact on us all. Their grand entrance was further enriched by an enticing photograph of them seated majestically on Game of Thrones’ legendary Iron Throne.

Intrigued, I had the privilege to converse with Colossal’s Co-Founder and CEO, Ben Lamm, about their groundbreaking work with Dire Wolves and their commitment to preserving the endangered Red Wolf from extinction. Additionally, we discussed George R.R. Martin‘s first encounter with these magnificent creatures, and the buzz surrounding James Gunn’s upcoming Superman project.

Initially, Colossal initiated the study by isolating DNA from two significant sources: a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old inner ear bone. From this initial step, the team has amassed about 500 times more data about Dire Wolves compared to what was previously known, by reanalyzing old samples and uncovering new ones. Despite the vast amount of information gathered, there are still several unexpected findings that have emerged during this process.


Lamm stated that while it was already known they were white, there were some aspects that remained unknown. Although we can determine their whiteness from the genome sequences, we can’t predict the exact appearance. We could identify their fur type, but only after engineering the fur did we discover what their actual fur texture would be like. Interestingly enough, it appears they have a mane-like structure, resembling a wolf-lion hybrid.

Lamm commented, “We were surprised by how intensely golden-yellow their eyes seemed. While many wolves have yellow eyes, these were particularly stunning. As they moved, you could see their muscular structure clearly. Their fur isn’t typically described this way, but in the right light, it appears almost iridescent, which is quite fascinating. What really caught my attention was their thickness – both structurally and physically. To top it off, they had this magnificent mane. It was truly awe-inspiring.

During their grand entrance, not only did the three Direwolves appear, but there was also an iconic image showcasing the Iron Throne. This spectacular scene can be attributed to the acclaimed filmmaker, Peter Jackson, who is known for his work on The Lord of the Rings.

Peter Jackson acquired the real Iron Throne, which was located in Dallas. I managed to snap some pictures of this exciting find. We decided to place it on the throne since it seemed fitting, like cradling a newborn. Just as you’d soothe a baby with a feeding, they become drowsy and fall asleep. Our placement on the Iron Throne was our tribute to the fans,” Lamm explained.

Jackson was the one who connected Lamm with Martin, setting up an extraordinary encounter when Martin first met the Dire Wolves. Jackson arranged a phone call between the two, but Martin had no idea what Lamm intended to disclose. “I told him, I’m not asking for money or involvement. I just feel morally obligated because Dungeons and Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and other games have Dire Wolves in them, and you popularized the name,” Lamm explained.

Lamm mentioned, “I displayed it to him, and he asked in disbelief, ‘Are those genuine Dire Wolves? They aren’t computer-generated images?’ Upon closer inspection, he took off his glasses, tears filled his eyes. He exclaimed, ‘This is remarkable!’ I invited him to meet them personally. So, he agreed under a very unusual non-disclosure agreement. He subsequently flew out to the ecological preserve. He’s among the few who have visited this place, and upon seeing the Dire Wolves, he was overwhelmed. He held Romulus and his wife and others also had the opportunity to see them. It was at that moment he shared with me a profound statement: ‘I write about magic, but you have truly created magic.’

Currently, Colossal has bred three Dire Wolves, but he’s also successfully produced four Red Wolves. If ongoing talks prove successful, Colossal might spearhead the effort to remove the Red Wolves from the endangered species list.

In summary, in addition to creating three Dire Wolves, we also produced four Red Wolves. This is part of our strategy to match each de-extinction attempt with species preservation efforts. Currently, there are only about 15 Red Wolves left in the wild, and around 100 in captivity and breeding programs. However, the crucial point is that we have just 15 wild ones. To expand their genetic diversity, we generated three new founder lines for the Red Wolves, which means that out of our four Red Wolves, three come from these newly created lines. This increases the genetic diversity of the red wolves by a significant 25%.

Although efforts have been made to preserve the Red Wolf, it remains endangered. Interestingly, while working on resurrecting Dire Wolves, they discovered a new cloning technique using specific blood cells. This breakthrough has led to numerous advancements and could significantly influence the de-extinction process for the Red Wolf as well.

Through a novel approach, we’ve created technology capable of cloning from endothelial progenitor cells found within the bloodstream. This technology, if utilized for Red Wolves, could potentially remove them from the endangered species list in just six months. The success rate for species to be taken off the endangered list is only 3%, often due to political reasons rather than genuine recovery. It’s disheartening that the Red Wolves haven’t been saved yet, which is why we are actively working towards their preservation. It’s an exciting endeavor!

In regular cloning methods, you extract pieces of skin from an animal after anesthetizing it. However, we focus on cells known as Endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPCs). We’ve been working with these cells for our Dire Wolf project and discovered they could also be effective for Red Wolves. The best part is that we can collect a simple blood sample, making the process non-invasive. This not only helps us in our efforts to clone them but also supports our biobanking initiatives as we can store the remaining blood in a biobank, effectively creating a genetic backup. Lamm finds this Dire Wolf project fascinating and believes it’s leading to groundbreaking advancements.

Now, it’s not right for me to let this conversation with Lamm pass without diving into some geeky topics, one of which is the highly anticipated (and sometimes controversially discussed) Superman from James Gunn and DC Studios. We touched on Superman’s role in Lamm’s comic book history before, and he’s eagerly awaiting the unique aspects of the Man of Steel that will be showcased on the big screen for the first time.

I’m really thrilled about something! You see, when Marvel announced Guardians of the Galaxy, many people thought it was an odd and foolish decision. However, James Gunn proved them wrong, he absolutely nailed it. In fact, Guardians 1 is my second favorite movie ever, surpassed only by Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Lamm explained.

In my opinion, the new Superman trailers have sparked a range of responses, but I firmly believe that the creator has an uncanny knack for striking the perfect balance. To put it simply, just like a loyal dog, he doesn’t know when something is amiss, yet he stands by your side with unwavering devotion. That’s exactly what this Superman reboot under James Gunn seems to embody. The Krypto scene in particular, I found, adds a touch of humanity to the character.

In a painful situation, it’s amusingly ironic that the dog tends to leap onto you. We’ve all had experiences where our pets have leaped on sensitive areas of our bodies causing intense discomfort, or they jump on us when we’re already hurting, and it can be quite genuine. It’s humorous because it’s a relatable situation. Indeed, I’m quite enthusiastic about the topic, Lamm stated.

Lamm commented on the abundance of Batman and Superman stories we’ve seen. He’s particularly fond of Zack Snyder’s dark take on Superman, especially ‘Man of Steel’. Although he appreciates the originality, he also enjoys the broader approach. The exciting part is seeing lesser-known characters like Krypto make their way into films, which some might find daring, and James Gunn has shown that courage to include them in his movies.

What are your thoughts on the comeback of the Dire Wolves, and what would you like to see Colossal Biosciences venture into next? You can discover more information about the return of the Dire Wolves on the official Colossal Biosciences website right here.

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2025-04-10 05:17