# Supergirl (2026 film)
**Supergirl** is a 2026 American superhero film directed by [Craig Gillespie](https://www.edgepedia.org/craig-gillespie) from a screenplay by Ana Nogueira, starring [Milly Alcock](https://www.edgepedia.org/milly-alcock) as Kara Zor-El, the [DC Comics](https://www.edgepedia.org/dc-comics) heroine also known as Supergirl. Produced by DC Studios and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the second theatrical release in the DC Universe (DCU) franchise, following 2025's *Superman*, and adapts the 2021 comic miniseries *Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow* by Tom King and Bilquis Evely.[1](https://www.supergirlmovie.com/synopsis/) • [2](https://au.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-features/supergirl-interview-making-of-screenwriter-director-97720/) • [3](https://lsf.go.id/film/supergirl/1226)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | June 26, 2026 in North American theaters and IMAX; internationally from June 24, 2026; streaming on HBO Max from July 28, 2026[1](https://www.supergirlmovie.com/synopsis/) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/supergirl_2026) |
| Director and writer | Craig Gillespie; screenplay by Ana Nogueira[1](https://www.supergirlmovie.com/synopsis/) |
| Lead cast | Milly Alcock (Kara Zor-El/Supergirl), Matthias Schoenaerts (Krem), Eve Ridley (Ruthye Marye Knoll), Jason Momoa (Lobo), David Krumholtz (Zor-El), David Corenswet (Superman)[5](https://www.dc.com/movies/supergirl-2026) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/supergirl_2026) |
| Source material | The 2021 miniseries *Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow* by writer Tom King and artist Bilquis Evely[2](https://au.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-features/supergirl-interview-making-of-screenwriter-director-97720/) |
| Franchise position | Second DCU film, after *Superman* (2025), in the Chapter One: Gods and Monsters slate[3](https://lsf.go.id/film/supergirl/1226) • [6](https://thedirect.com/article/supergirl-movie-2026-genre) |
| Box office | $37 million domestic and $67 million worldwide opening weekend; $72.3 million total US gross against a budget reported in the $180 million range[7](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/news/supergirl-box-office-bomb-dc-studios-38132/) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/supergirl_2026) |
| Reception | 52% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (380 reviews) and 72% on the audience Popcornmeter; a Metascore of 50 from 56 critic reviews[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/supergirl_2026) • [8](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/supergirl-2026/) |
## Spoilers
### Premise and cast
The film follows Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin, who survived the destruction of Krypton before coming to Earth. When a ruthless adversary strikes close to home, she reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an interstellar journey of vengeance and justice.[1](https://www.supergirlmovie.com/synopsis/) In practice, the story pairs Kara with Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley), a young girl seeking revenge on Krem ([Matthias Schoenaerts](https://www.edgepedia.org/matthias-schoenaerts)), a space brigand who slaughtered her family, a dynamic carried over from the source comic.[2](https://au.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-features/supergirl-interview-making-of-screenwriter-director-97720/) • [9](https://www.timeout.com/movies/supergirl-review-2026)
Alcock's Kara is introduced as a hard-partying foil to her virtuous cousin: when the film opens she is celebrating her 23rd birthday by bar-hopping across planets with her dog Krypto, far from a yellow sun, where her powers do not work.[10](https://www.boston.com/culture/movie-reviews/2026/06/26/supergirl-movie-review-2026/) • [9](https://www.timeout.com/movies/supergirl-review-2026) [Jason Momoa](https://www.edgepedia.org/jason-momoa) plays the bounty hunter Lobo, his first appearance as the character, and [David Corenswet](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-corenswet) reprises his Superman role.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/supergirl_2026) • [11](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/supergirl-first-reviews/) The supporting cast includes [David Krumholtz](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-krumholtz) as Kara's father Zor-El and Emily Beecham.[5](https://www.dc.com/movies/supergirl-2026)
## Production
[James Gunn](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-gunn), who became co-head of [DC Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/dc-studios) with [Peter Safran](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-safran) in 2022, has said he was interested in adapting *Woman of Tomorrow* with Milly Alcock as Supergirl even before taking the job, and commissioning the adaptation was among his first moves after taking creative control.[12](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/dc-movies/james-gunn-says-he-was-interested-in-adapting-woman-of-tomorrow-with-milly-alcock-as-supergirl-even-before-deciding-to-take-over-as-co-ceo-of-dc-studios/) • [2](https://au.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-features/supergirl-interview-making-of-screenwriter-director-97720/) Ana Nogueira wrote the screenplay, a holdover from earlier plans for a standalone Supergirl film in the previous DC film continuity.[13](https://arstechnica.com/culture/2026/07/review-supergirl-is-not-the-disaster-its-low-box-office-suggests/) Gunn and Safran produced, with Nigel Gostelow, Chantal Nong Vo, and Lars P. Winther as executive producers; the crew included cinematographer Rob Hardy, production designer Neil Lamont, editors Tatiana S. Riegel and Fred Raskin, and composer Claudia Sarne.[1](https://www.supergirlmovie.com/synopsis/)
Gillespie said his first instinct on joining the project was visual: he wanted a space that audiences had not felt before, and he developed imagery of the [Underworld](https://www.edgepedia.org/underworld) before returning to the comic's artwork.[2](https://au.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-features/supergirl-interview-making-of-screenwriter-director-97720/) The film is set almost entirely in space, touching down on Earth only briefly, with a shabby, lived-in science-fiction look that reviewers compared to Gunn's *Guardians of the Galaxy* films.[14](https://apnews.com/article/332acfc623b84c1512a319f70fb5c6d5)
## Release and box office
*Supergirl* opened in North America on June 26, 2026, two days after its international debut, and was the second DCU film after *Superman* (2025).[1](https://www.supergirlmovie.com/synopsis/) • [3](https://lsf.go.id/film/supergirl/1226) Its opening weekend grossed $37 million in North America and $67 million worldwide, well below expectations for a summer tentpole; *Variety* reported that the film was bracing for a $100 million loss, noting that its breakeven point was lower than typical for its size because the cast and creatives had no backend deals.[7](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/news/supergirl-box-office-bomb-dc-studios-38132/) Its total US gross reached $72.3 million, and it moved to streaming on [HBO Max](https://www.edgepedia.org/hbo-max) on July 28, 2026.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/supergirl_2026) [Ars Technica](https://www.edgepedia.org/ars-technica)'s review argued the film was better than its box office suggested, but that being a good rather than great movie was insufficient in an oversaturated superhero market.[13](https://arstechnica.com/culture/2026/07/review-supergirl-is-not-the-disaster-its-low-box-office-suggests/)
## Reception
Critics were split, with Alcock's performance the most consistent point of praise. The film holds a 52% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes from 380 reviews, against a 72% audience score, and a Metascore of 50 on Metacritic, labeled mixed or average.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/supergirl_2026) • [8](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/supergirl-2026/) Rotten Tomatoes' critics consensus credits Alcock with bringing a swagger to Kara Zor-El in an otherwise familiar origin story.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/supergirl_2026) Positive reviews highlighted her screen presence; IndieWire wrote that she found both the human dimension and the charisma to make Kara worth rooting for, and the [San Francisco Chronicle](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-francisco-chronicle) praised how her performance carried the film's final impression.[8](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/supergirl-2026/) • [15](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/movies/supergirls-rotten-tomatoes-score-is-way-worse-than-superman-despite-milly-alcocks-gritty-performance)
Negative and mixed reviews targeted the storytelling rather than the star. [The Atlantic](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-atlantic) called the film a misfire that aimed for darkly cynical but felt anonymous, and criticized Schoenaerts's villain as anonymous glowering.[16](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/06/supergirl-movie-2026-review/687712/) Variety's Owen Gleiberman wrote that the film plods along, poised between sodden spectacle and snark, while TheWrap judged it a competent continuation of the DCU that is not as well made as *Superman*.[8](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/supergirl-2026/) The Associated Press found much to like, including the production design, needle drops, and Seth Rogen voicing a tiny alien co-pilot, but concluded the film did not match Kara's punk-rock energy.[14](https://apnews.com/article/332acfc623b84c1512a319f70fb5c6d5)
## Place in the DCU
*Supergirl* was the fifth release in the Chapter One: Gods and Monsters slate and the second DCU film, and it marked the first DCU theatrical release not written or directed by Gunn himself.[6](https://thedirect.com/article/supergirl-movie-2026-genre) • [17](https://thedirect.com/article/james-gunn-dcu-switching-genres) Alcock's Kara had debuted with a brief cameo at the end of *Superman* (2025), making this her first full outing as the character.[10](https://www.boston.com/culture/movie-reviews/2026/06/26/supergirl-movie-review-2026/) • [11](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/supergirl-first-reviews/) The film's commercial performance was followed closely as a test of the franchise: it became the DCU's first rotten-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes, and the next DCU release, the horror film *Clayface*, debuted to a higher score later in 2026.[18](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/dc-movies/clayface-debuts-to-better-rotten-tomatoes-score-than-supergirl-as-james-gunn-calls-working-with-director-a-pleasure/) Nogueira was subsequently engaged to write other DC projects, and Gunn has said the film was never intended as a direct adaptation of *Woman of Tomorrow*, which is why the title dropped the subtitle.[19](https://www.gamesradar.com/upcoming-dc-movies/)
## References
1. [Supergirl | Official Movie Site, Warner Bros.](https://www.supergirlmovie.com/synopsis/)
2. [Inside the Making of 'Supergirl', Rolling Stone Australia](https://au.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-features/supergirl-interview-making-of-screenwriter-director-97720/)
3. [Panduan Film - Lembaga Sensor Film (Indonesian film censor board)](https://lsf.go.id/film/supergirl/1226)
4. [Supergirl (2026) | Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/supergirl_2026)
5. [Supergirl (2026) | DC](https://www.dc.com/movies/supergirl-2026)
6. [DC Announces 2026 Supergirl Movie's Unsurprising Genre, The Direct](https://thedirect.com/article/supergirl-movie-2026-genre)
7. ['Supergirl' Braces for $100 Million Loss, Variety Australia](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/news/supergirl-box-office-bomb-dc-studios-38132/)
8. [Supergirl Reviews | Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/supergirl-2026/)
9. [Supergirl review, Time Out](https://www.timeout.com/movies/supergirl-review-2026)
10. [Review: 'Supergirl' is a hero in search of a better movie, Boston.com](https://www.boston.com/culture/movie-reviews/2026/06/26/supergirl-movie-review-2026/)
11. [Supergirl First Reviews: A Superb Milly Alcock Stands Out in Uneven Entry in the DCU, Rotten Tomatoes](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/supergirl-first-reviews/)
12. [James Gunn says he was interested in adapting Woman of Tomorrow even before taking over as co-CEO of DC Studios, GamesRadar+](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/dc-movies/james-gunn-says-he-was-interested-in-adapting-woman-of-tomorrow-with-milly-alcock-as-supergirl-even-before-deciding-to-take-over-as-co-ceo-of-dc-studios/)
13. [Review: Supergirl is not the disaster its low box office suggests, Ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/culture/2026/07/review-supergirl-is-not-the-disaster-its-low-box-office-suggests/)
14. [Movie Review: Supergirl is a blast, but the movie doesn't match her punk-rock spirit, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/332acfc623b84c1512a319f70fb5c6d5)
15. ['Supergirl's' Rotten Tomatoes score is way worse than 'Superman', Tom's Guide](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/movies/supergirls-rotten-tomatoes-score-is-way-worse-than-superman-despite-milly-alcocks-gritty-performance)
16. [Supergirl Crashes and Burns, The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/06/supergirl-movie-2026-review/687712/)
17. [James Gunn's DCU Is Officially Switching Genres This Year, The Direct](https://thedirect.com/article/james-gunn-dcu-switching-genres)
18. [Clayface debuts to better Rotten Tomatoes score than Supergirl, GamesRadar+](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/dc-movies/clayface-debuts-to-better-rotten-tomatoes-score-than-supergirl-as-james-gunn-calls-working-with-director-a-pleasure/)
19. [Upcoming DC movies and TV shows: Every DCU title coming soon, GamesRadar+](https://www.gamesradar.com/upcoming-dc-movies/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Science fiction and fantasy films (individual works)*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license