Director Craig Gillespie knew quickly that Supergirl was the DC film he wanted to make. The filmmaker behind I, Tonya, Cruella, and Dumb Money steps into the new DC Cinematic Universe with Supergirl, starring Milly Alcock in the dual role of Kara Zor-El and Supergirl. Written by Ana Nogueira, the Warner Bros. Pictures release marks the character’s inaugural flight into the new DCU and introduces a very different kind of hero.
Kara is the cousin of Kal-El, better known as Superman, but she is not simply a reflection of him. Headstrong, worldly wise, and often reckless, this Supergirl carries a brand of heroism that is truthful, relatable, and very much on her own terms. When a ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion and begins an interstellar journey that forces her to balance vengeance with justice while trying to save the life of her best friend, Krypto.
The film stars Alcock alongside Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet, and Jason Momoa. DC Studios heads Peter Safran and James Gunn produce.
Gillespie spoke about entering the DCU, working with Alcock, and finding a Supergirl who is rough around the edges, emotionally guarded, and unapologetically herself.
What excited you about taking on a film inside the new DC Universe?
The idea of being able to come in under the umbrella of DC with James and Peter, I couldn’t have been more excited. I love James’s work. I’ve been a big fan for a long time. The tonality that he uses in his work I very much relate to, and he’s a filmmaker who takes chances and isn’t shy about that.
When I first met with James, he said they want to approach each film like its own graphic novel, with its own illustrator and writer. They’re all very distinctive in the comic book world. When they sent this script to me, I read the first two scenes, and I was in. There were such extremes that happened in the opening of the movie, and that tone out of the gate made me want to read the rest of the script.
It delivered all the way to the final scene. It leaned into the trauma, the emotion, and the choices these characters make that are not necessarily what the audience has seen before. I knew coming in under James and Peter’s leadership that they wouldn’t shy away from that.
What was it like watching Milly Alcock become Supergirl?
I’m so excited about the film. It’s been a journey, finding the character of Supergirl, and Milly ultimately just became more and more kickass as the process went on. She has this strength about her, and she’s not afraid to show her vulnerability.
Her interpretation of Supergirl, and what we’ve done with her, is very rough around the edges and unapologetic. It’s funny for sure, but it’s not the comedy that we’re necessarily used to in superhero films. It was exciting to explore that and keep her in this incredibly grounded place, to lean into what she is going through emotionally.
It’s uncompromising, and I’m so happy with where we ended up and the way Milly has been able to bring her to life. It’s unapologetic in the best way.
Who is Kara Zor-El when we meet her in this story?
This is very much a story of self-discovery and taking responsibility. Kara has been put into a situation that she didn’t ask for. She almost wants to run away from it, and it’s not until she faces her own trauma, and sees what Ruthye is going through, that she begins realizing perhaps she has to be accountable for herself.
She has to practice what she preaches and partake in life. She’s running away from a lot of things she doesn’t want to deal with and using having a good time to escape. She’s not sure what her role is in this universe. She has these powers and this opportunity, but Superman has a very strong footprint on Earth.
She wants to be her own person and figure out what her rules are, which are not necessarily in line with how Superman sees things.
How would you describe Milly’s performance across the shoot?
This was a four-and-a-half-month shoot, and Milly is in nearly every scene. It is also a very physical role. Every morning, she got up an hour and a half early and trained for the physical work of the day because she had to stay in shape for all of that. It was interwoven through the whole shoot.
But it was also the poise and focus she brought every day. There’s a lot of action in this, but the moments between her and Ruthye, when she gets to talk about her backstory, she does it in such a beautifully delicate way because she is carrying a very guarded person as a character.
Those moments could come in the middle of this long, physical shoot and be an intense three or four page scene, and she would be so present and nuanced with it, perfectly in character for what Supergirl’s history has been.
Those were always the most exciting moments for me, with Eve, the moment with her father, David Krumholtz, and then her mother as well, Emily Beecham. They were such powerful emotional scenes, with the added complexity of being guarded. It was very tricky to strike that balance of emotion and restraint. And she was beautiful.
What separates Kara from Clark?
Supergirl has everything Superman has. Laser vision, supersonic hearing, she can fly incredibly fast. She’s also great with hand-to-hand combat when she wants to get down and dirty. She’s very physical. She can defy space.
And I like to say, in the best way, she gives zero f**ks.
She stands by what she believes, and she’s unfazed and uncompromising. Even when Clark goes up against her and starts to impose his belief system on her, she stands up for what she believes in.
Clark has his adopted family and is very much rooted in that upbringing, where everything was idyllic and beautiful, and he was wonderfully nurtured. Kara saw a lot of hardship. She came from a very loving family, but around her, there was a lot of chaos, so she has a very different point of view on what the world is and how to deal with it.
When she’s not within a yellow galaxy, she basically has the powers of a human, which can become very dire. But it doesn’t affect her attitude, which is what I love. To look at her on a red planet, you would think she still has the power because of the way she carries herself and the way she interacts with people.
She’s fearless whether she has the power or not. I love that quality about her.
What kind of heroism does this film explore?
This Supergirl is not trying to be anyone’s idea of perfect. She is not always nice. She is not always polished. She does not always make the safest choice. But there is truth in her. There is conviction. There is a person trying to figure out how to do good when her own pain keeps getting in the way.
That was very exciting to me because it opens up a different emotional space for a superhero movie. Kara is not simply learning how to use her powers. She is learning how to live with herself, how to be accountable, and how to choose justice when vengeance feels easier.
Supergirl will be released in theaters and IMAX across North America on June 26, 2026, with international release beginning June 24. The film is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
The Geek is a working screenwriter, director and screenwriting instructor.
REELated:
“Why is he in his underwear?” First clip from Supergirl
