Dean Cain portrays the mayor of Dunedin in a film about a robotic dog

DUNEDIN — Dean Cain is best known for portraying the man of steel in the series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

Soon, he’ll also be known as the mayor of Dunedin.

Well, the cinematic mayor.

Next week, Cain will be in Dunedin to portray the city’s mayor in the movie R.A.D.A.R.: Adventures of the Bionic Dog.

“Who is better to be mayor than Superman,” said Tony Armer, the St. Petersburg-Clearwater film commissioner. “It’s a family friendly, fun kids adventure film.”

According to online casting calls, R.A.D.A.R.: Adventures of the Bionic Dog, is about a mad scientist who invents a “Remote Activated Doubloon Acquiring Rex” dog to find pirate treasure off the coast of Florida. But the dog develops emotions, befriends a boy and helps him find the gold. The mad scientist, played by St. Petersburg’s Paul Wilson, then seeks to get the dog and the treasure from the boy.

“Anytime you play a bad guy, as an actor it’s a gift,” Wilson said. “To do it in your hometown and be able to go home and sleep in your own bed is a dream.”

Filming begins April 6 and will continue through the end of the month in Dunedin and Safety Harbor.

It could receive a $120,000 production incentive from Pinellas County, Armer said.

But, in return, besides spending money on Pinellas cast, crew and locations, the fictional story must take place in the real city of Dunedin to promote the area.

“It’s part of what we’ve been doing with projects that come here and want an incentive,” Armer said. “We like them to add a marketing component.”

The movie is produced by Marty Poole, who made two Bernie The Dolphin films in Pinellas. Each follows siblings who a dolphin separated from his family.