Taking to Vero following the release of yesterday's new Justice League trailer, filmmaker Zack Snyder shared some new details on his vision for the DCEU. In Man of Steel, Clark Kent finds a Kryptonian ship with a number of pods in it, though eagle-eyed fans were quick to spot that one of them was open.
A tie-in comic appeared to confirm that it was Supergirl who made a home for herself on Earth thousands of years before Kal-El's arrival, with one fan theory suggesting that she might be the "first" Amazon (meaning Wonder Woman is actually a descendent of a Kryptonian).
Snyder didn't elaborate on that specific point, but he did confirm that Superman might not be the only Kryptonian on Earth.
"That’s kind of an open-ended...if you study 'Man of Steel', and even in this film, there’s reference to the open sleeping créche which is, when they walk by it on the scout ship when they’re bringing Superman’s body into, bringing it back to life, there’s a sequence where they’re doing that through same hallway Kal-El went through when he first came into the scout ship."
"And there’s a moment when he wipes the dust off one of the sleeping crèches and sees this, sort of, Kryptonian inside," Snyder continued. "Now, next to that crèche there’s an open crèche that just looks like someone clearly got out of that. Who that is remains a mystery to this day."
It seems unlikely Justice League will address this mystery, but we're clearly going to get another tease. Whether the truth about this Kryptonian being on Earth is ever tackled in a future movie (or HBO Max series) largely depends on whether Snyder is given the chance to return to the DC Extended Universe!
Click on the "Next" button below to check out 10
possibilities for Supergirl in the DCEU moving forward!
10. A Supporting Character In Superman & Lois
While it's possible Supergirl will end with Kara Danvers' death, there are ways the door could be left open for the hero to remain part of this small screen shared universe. For example, if Melissa Benoist is willing, why not have her occasionally pop up in the upcoming Superman & Lois?
Just like the Man of Steel once made his presence felt in Supergirl, their roles could now be reversed, with the experienced Kara showing up to help her cousin when he faces particularly huge threats.
Superman & Lois will almost certainly put the focus primarily on Clark Kent and Lois Lane's world, but there's no reason at all to think Kara can't pay the occasional visit to Smallville/Metropolis.
9. Superman And Supergirl Share The Big Screen
Rumour has it that Henry Cavill has signed a new deal with Warner Bros. to reprise the role of Superman on the big screen, potentially in a trilogy of movies (along with a number of cameos).
We can only hope that pans out, but if and when it does, why can't he bring Supergirl along with him? The Man of Steel sequel revolving around him training his young cousin would be a blast, especially if she's inexperienced and trying to come accustomed to her strange new home.
This is a dynamic that's been explored in the comic books on a number of occasions, but not really on screen (well, aside from Smallville). They could even be teamed up for the entire trilogy!
8. An Alternate Universe Supergirl (Power Girl)
The Earth-2 version of Supergirl, Power Girl is a character we've never seen receive the spotlight in a live-action project. Part of that could be down to her risqué costume, but slightly less revealing versions have been used to great effect over the years, so that really shouldn't matter too much.
Now that Kara Danvers is done in The CWVerse, the character could be freed up to appear in shows like Titans and Doom Patrol, or even on The CW thanks to the Flash's exploration of the Multiverse.
Superman meeting a version of his cousin from another reality would be fun to watch play out, and this would obviously give Warner Bros. the opportunity to recast the character. If Darkseid is responsible for destroying Power Girl's world, then perhaps she could warn Superman of the oncoming threat?
7. Her Own Supergirl Movie Franchise
Why not?
There were rumblings a while ago that Warner Bros. had big plans for Supergirl on the big screen, though it seems those plans were paused as soon as Henry Cavill started talking to the studio again.
In all honestly, there's absolutely no reason why both characters can't coexist in separate film franchises, with potential crossovers (like the one mentioned above) a definite possibility. The character can definitely hold her own on screen, though, and as we'll soon address, there are a huge number of different directions Supergirl could be taken down in a solo outing like this.
6. Guest Appearances In Future CWVerse Events
Assuming the Girl of Steel is still alive at the end of Supergirl (let's just assume she heads off into outer space to search for her fellow Kryptonians), then she could and should return to The CWVerse.
Rather than making regular appearances in Superman & Lois, Kara Danvers could be utilised in a more impactful manner, returning for the odd cameo or a supporting role in whatever form the next Crisis on Infinite Earths event takes. That would be a great use of the hero moving forward.
Again, this hinges on how interested Melissa Benoist would be, but it's a solid possibility for Supergirl.
5. A New Actress Takes Over The Role
Melissa Benoist has done a great job as Kara Danvers since Supergirl first launched, but if she's ready to move on from the role and explore a different career path, then The CW may need a replacement.
While it would be a little strange to see Supergirl suddenly have a completely different appears - this would be a major casting change - it could work if the network is looking to keep the hero around. Some fans won't be happy, of course, and Benoist will be hard to replace, but it's certainly an option.
Of course, if giving Kara Danvers a new face isn't feasible, there's another approach The CW could take...
4. Head Down The "Ryan Wilder" Route
Ruby Rose shocked everything when it was revealed she had decided not to return as Kate Kane in Batwoman's upcoming second season. Initially, it looked like The CW was planning to recast the role, bringing in a new actress and simply picking up where they had left off.
It's hard to imagine fans finding fault with that, but the decision was ultimately made to have a newly created character take over the mantle in the form of the so far mysterious "Ryan Wilder."
While it's a little trickier to replace a hero as powerful as Supergirl, who's to say there's not another female Kryptonian on Earth looking for the chance to follow in her idol's footsteps? While resurrecting the show is unlikely given the ratings decline, this subplot could be explored elsewhere.
3. Supergirl Replaces Superman In The DCEU
We're all hoping Henry Cavill returns as Superman, but with the actor playing coy whenever he's asked, and Warner Bros. still not weighing in, we have to accept that he may not make a return.
If that does prove to be the case, then the void can definitely be filled by Supergirl in the solo movie we talked about a little earlier. While Warner Bros. couldn't just magically replace the Man of Steel, it could be revealed that she's now protecting Earth in his absence, with even some of Kal-El's supporting characters - Lois Lane, for instance - factoring into her story somehow.
This certainly wouldn't be ideal as it would hurt to lose Cavill's Superman, but the DC Universe deserves some sort of Kryptonian hero, and Kara is a pretty damn good alternative to her cousin.
2. A Prequel Set On Krypton
A Man of Steel tie-in comic (and the movie itself) heavily implied that Supergirl arrived on Earth alongside a number of Kryptonians thousands of years ago, so how about telling their story?
We could begin on Krytpon itself, exploring what that planet was like before it was destroyed. From there, Supergirl could arrive on an Earth vastly different to today's, becoming a hero to the people who inhabited it at the time, and possibly even facing someone like Vandal Savage in his early days.
A movie like this could even span hundreds or thousands of years, and the potential for time-hopping sequels is massive. This would be very different, but that might be no bad thing for the character.
1. Join The Justice League
Right now, the Justice League franchise has something of an uncertain future. The 2017 movie was a critical and commercial disappointment, but if The Snyder Cut is a hit, Warner Bros. could choose to return to that well, regardless of whether it's on HBO Max or in theaters down the line.
Regardless, Supergirl joining a new iteration of the League - alongside heroes like Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern - would be a blast, and a great way to reintroduce the character to fans.
This team deserves the spotlight, and with the right creative team working behind the camera, there's no reason to suspect that it would be anything other than awesome...Supergirl would be a bonus!