The Craig Gillespie-directed film, starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, marks the second theatrical installment in James Gunn and Peter Safran‘s rebooted DC Universe.
Supergirl Opens to a Much More Divided Critical Response
When “Superman” premiered in 2025, it quickly established momentum for DC Studios’ new cinematic universe by earning a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and securing the site’s Certified Fresh designation. Critics largely embraced David Corenswet‘s performance as Clark Kent, the film’s optimistic tone, and its balance of spectacle and emotion, even as some reviewers argued that its story tried to juggle too many characters.
“Supergirl” has not enjoyed the same critical consensus. The picture is currently placed well below its predecessor and signaling a much more mixed response from reviewers. While audience scores have not yet been established, the early critics’ rating has already sparked comparisons with the strong debut of Gunn’s first DCU feature.
Directed by Gillespie from a screenplay by Ana Nogueira, “Supergirl” follows Kara Zor-El as she embarks on a revenge-driven journey across the galaxy after meeting the young Ruthye Marye Knoll. The film adapts elements of Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s acclaimed “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” comic and stars Milly Alcock alongside Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, Corenswet himself, and Jason Momoa.
Unlike the hopeful tone that defined “Superman,” the new movie centers on a version of Kara shaped by the trauma of growing up on a fragment of the destroyed Krypton before arriving on Earth. That darker approach was a key part of DC Studios’ creative vision for the character, positioning “Supergirl” as a distinctly different chapter within the expanding franchise.
With its theatrical release set for June 26, the picture now faces the challenge of determining whether moviegoers will respond more positively than critics. As only the second film in the rebooted DC Universe, its box office performance and audience reception will be closely watched as indicators of whether James Gunn’s broader franchise can maintain the momentum established by “Superman.”
