She got here, she stumbled, she conquered. Transient as it’s, Milly Alcock’s Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, arguably has the most effective cameo in James Gunn’s “Superman.” It is also the proper method to tee up the character’s solo DC Universe film, which is heading our means in 2026. Certainly, audiences most likely weren’t anticipating Alcock’s Lady of Metal to indicate up in Gunn’s movie the best way she does, and it is completely good. The truth is, primarily based on that scene alone, this daring author feels courageous sufficient to say that “Supergirl” isn’t solely shaping as much as match the standard of Gunn’s huge blue blockbuster, nevertheless it’s believable Kara might but outdo her Kryptonian cousin’s first big-screen outing within the DCU.
In comparison with Kal-El, a fella extra highly effective than a locomotive and candy sufficient to rescue a squirrel in the course of a city-shattering battle, does Alcock’s cape-wearing alter-ego have what it takes to offer us top-of-the-line comedian guide movies in latest reminiscence? Properly, judging by its supply materials (Tom King’s distinctive comedian guide “Supergirl: Lady of Tomorrow”) and the whole lot else we all know in regards to the “Supergirl” film thus far, there are 5 stable causes to assume the DCU’s Kara will fly simply as excessive as its Man of Metal — beginning with the truth that it is drawing inspiration from among the best Westerns ever and coating them with house mud.
Supergirl is True Grit in house…with dragons
Maybe the largest and most essential factor that units “Supergirl” aside from “Superman” is that it is adapting a narrative that is actually out of this world but nonetheless feels near house. Launched from 2021-2022, “Supergirl: Lady of Tomorrow” performs like an amalgamation of “True Grit” and “Shane” whereas packing an emotional punch to match them each. King’s yarn follows the courageous however naive Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley within the “Supergirl” movie), who’s on the hunt for her father’s killer, Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts). Over the course of her journey, she ultimately crosses paths with Kara, one of many final Kryptonians and, in essence, the Rooster Cogburn (or Shane, take your decide) of this story. Attributable to occasions this author is not going to reveal, Kara agrees to affix Ruthye on her mission to make sure that justice is served and the farmer’s daughter will get her man, even when it kills her.
It is by no means a stretch to match “Lady of Tomorrow” to “True Grit” particularly. Not like Kal-El, Kara is a worn-down warrior whose twenty first birthday is interrupted by Ruthye, which leads to the pair enterprise a quest that pits them towards pirates, dragons, and otherworldly beasts on their method to monitoring down Krem. It is by way of these epic chapters, although, that “Lady of Tomorrow” tells a narrative that is maybe extra human than the one from Gunn’s “Superman” regardless of happening among the many stars. The large query, nonetheless, is whether or not Alcock is as much as the duty … as a result of if she is, she would possibly find yourself cementing her place as one of many best big-screen heroes in latest reminiscence.
Supergirl may flip Milly Alcock into the subsequent nice feminine motion hero
The deeper you get into King’s award-winning story, the extra you see echoes of flicks that includes the most effective feminine heroes in movie historical past. Actually, “Lady of Tomorrow” brings the likes of “Mad Max: Fury Street,” “Aliens,” and “The Lengthy Kiss Goodnight” to thoughts due to its model of Kara, a personality who’s gone by way of an entire lot in her life by the point we meet right here.
This additionally speaks to the bittersweet divide between Kara and Kal-El. Whereas she would possibly look youthful than Superman, Supergirl was a young person when Krypton fell and, as such, is haunted by the reminiscence of this disaster, which King elegantly revisits by way of flashbacks that includes Kara’s household. It is this heart-wrenching backstory that, mixed with Alcock’s efficiency, has the potential to make the DCU’s Supergirl an icon for a brand new age, much more so than David Corenswet’s tackle the Man of Metal.
As Gunn defined to ScreenRant, Alcock’s Kara is a “complete mess,” which is commonly the case with the most effective heroes and guardians. Her ingesting is as intense as her foul language at instances, she’s reluctant to let Ruthye in emotionally. (We would dare say she’s extra just like a sure “man of adamantium” than the one fabricated from metal.) The excellent news, happily, is that she’ll even have her emotional assist animal companion to assist her on her journey.
Supergirl will characteristic much more Krypto
Whereas it’d’ve appeared like little greater than a humorous cameo, there’s an entire lot extra to Kara’s look in “Superman” than initially meets the attention. Given the whole lot we all know thus far about “Supergirl” and the comedian it is adapting, we will assume director Craig Gillespie will retain among the core parts of King’s award-winning story, which embody Kara and Ruthye being accompanied by Kara’s loyal canine Krypto. Final seen wrecking store and rugby tackling Kara, the lovable super-dog really performs a big function in King’s comics and may need audiences much more involved for the beloved pup’s security than they have been in “Superman.”
The Chewie to Kara’s Han Solo, Krypto is already shaping as much as be a significant participant in the way forward for the DCU due to his involvement in “Superman” and “Supergirl.” In that sense, he may find yourself turning into the franchise’s (four-legged) reply to Clark Gregg’s Agent Coulson from the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, sprinting, flying, and barking his means by way of quite a lot of completely different chapters in Gunn’s “Gods and Monsters” narrative. However whereas Kara’s lovable and massively unruly fur-buddy might function the connective tissue between the DCU’s first two motion pictures, “Supergirl” may even introduce a perfectly-picked veteran of the now-defunct DC Prolonged Universe as an entire new (and much-anticipated) character.
Supergirl will lastly give us Jason Momoa as Lobo
Based on Gunn himself, when the announcement was made the previous “Guardians of the Galaxy” director was getting the keys to the DCU, one of many first folks to drop him a textual content was a star who had his eyes on a beloved anti-hero particularly. Very quickly in any respect, phrase obtained out that Jason Momoa is setting down his trident as Aquaman from the DCEU and choosing up a monstrous cigar as the dreaded bounty hunter Lobo within the DCU – and his first contract may come at Kara’s request.
That is the place Gillespie’s “Supergirl” seems to take a big detour from King’s supply materials, as Lobo would not seem in “Lady of Tomorrow.” On the identical time, King has stated he initially pitched his comedian as a Supergirl/Lobo story. In his personal phrases:
“That guide started as me pitching a Lobo/Supergirl guide, and it was my editor[s], Brittany Holzherr and Jamie Wealthy, who have been like ‘No, take Lobo out and make Supergirl the Rooster Cogburn character.'”
The hope, then, is that Momoa’s scenes as Lobo will not find yourself distracting from the fantastic relationship that blossoms between Kara and Ruthye on the story’s method to its highly effective ending. We’re all for Momoa taking over a task meant for him, so, ideally, Lobo will function the LaBeouf to Kara’s Cogburn on this intergalactic “True Grit.” Simply because he is the primary man, that does not imply Lobo needs to be right here. The movie is known as “Supergirl,” in spite of everything.
Supergirl has the potential to be DC’s one-woman Guardians of the Galaxy
By the point “Supergirl” rolls round, audiences ought to already be accustomed to seeing DCU characters in outer house due to HBO Max’s “Lanterns” collection, which is able to see Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler reporting for obligation as Inexperienced Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan. As soon as their case is closed, we’ll get to comply with Kara on an journey that sends her throughout the photo voltaic system (and flying whereas beneath the affect).
Whereas there’s not essentially a direct connection between these tales, it is affordable to imagine each “Lanterns” and “Supergirl” will do their half to take the DCU deeper into the cosmos, very similar to Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” did for the MCU. In some ways, although, it will be particularly essential for “Supergirl” to stay the touchdown on this respect. In spite of everything, as beloved as Melissa Benoist’s tackle Supergirl was in The CW’s TV collection of the identical identify, the character’s earlier big-screen iterations have not gotten as a lot love. Let’s not overlook, it is solely been a number of years since Sasha Calle’s Kara obtained the quick finish of the cape in 2023’s “The Flash,” which proved to be one of many DCEU’s greatest business misfires.
Luckily, the longer term’s trying brilliant for Alock’s superhero. Whereas Superman was a comparatively secure character to usher within the DCU in theaters, the franchise may do with a extra daring, rough-around-the-edges hero with a coronary heart of gold, and that appears like a job for Supergirl. Up, up and away you go, Kara.
“Supergirl” arrives in theaters on June 26, 2026.
