With the arrival of Superman in 2025, the first feature in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s reimagined DC Universe, audiences witnessed more than just the rebirth of an iconic hero. In the film’s final moments, a new presence stole the spotlight: Kara Zor-El (aka Supergirl), played by Milly Alcock. Her surprising introduction—complete with an insult directed at her cousin Kal-El, a quick retrieval of Krypto, and an abrupt exit—lasted a mere 12 seconds, yet it became one of the most talked-about elements of the movie.
According to DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran, that brief cameo resonated loudly with audiences. “Every time we’d screen the movie… when she appears, everybody’s reaction was always so effusive.” Despite her minimal screen time, post-screening data made one point unmistakable: moviegoers wanted more Supergirl. “She was one of the top things that people wanted more of,” Safran confirmed in an exclusive conversation with CBR.
They will soon get their wish. Supergirl’s story continues in 2026 with a high-octane, interstellar action-adventure directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya). The first official trailer has already debuted, teasing a narrative that departs boldly from Clark Kent’s grounded, human-centric journey.
From the start, Gunn and Safran identified Kara’s fundamentally different perspective. “He was raised by loving parents on Earth when he was a baby. She spent the first 18 years of her life watching her planet die,” Safran explained. That trauma shapes Kara’s worldview—and the tone of her film—giving audiences a protagonist forged in harsher circumstances than her cousin.
The creative team initially announced the project as an adaptation of Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s critically acclaimed Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. In the comics, a grief-consumed young woman named Ruthye enlists Supergirl’s help on a vengeance-driven, cosmic odyssey. While the film will take cues from the source material, it is not a one-to-one translation. The trailer confirms the introduction of a character absent from King’s original story: Lobo, portrayed by Jason Momoa. After years of openly campaigning for the role, Momoa finally joins the DCU in a part Safran calls a “perfect fit.”
Gunn and Safran also emphasized that casting Milly Alcock was equally serendipitous. Gunn recalls knowing “from the moment she first auditioned” that Alcock possessed something extraordinary. His wife, Jennifer Holland, read opposite Alcock during screen tests, creating emotionally charged scenes that left the creative team stunned. Safran went even further: “We cried… it was such a beautiful scene. It was just so obviously her.”
As DC builds its future, that sense of synergy—between character and actor, between film and comics, between creators across mediums—is central to the strategy. Safran pointed to the success of both the Absolute comics line and experimental projects like The Penguin, emphasizing that DC’s divisions now operate as one creative ecosystem. “What we’re doing… increases the audience’s enthusiasm for all things DC.”
The early results are promising. According to Safran, DC now occupies several top spots in the comics market—an improvement from just a few years ago. The momentum generated by Superman appears to be lifting the entire brand.
With Supergirl set to hit theaters on June 26, 2026, Gunn and Safran remain confident that audiences are about to discover just how compelling Milly Alcock’s take on Kara Zor-El can be. As Safran put it: “They’re going to know her.”
