DC Studios announced plans to adapt Tom King and Bilquis Evely's Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic book when DC Studios launched at the start of 2023.
That version of the story is a visually breathtaking epic about revenge, though its core theme is actually about moving past vengeance and choosing mercy. Unfortunately, Craig Gillespie's big-screen adaptation was a rather bland retelling that, coupled with Ana Nogueira's screenplay, misinterpreted the comic's ending and delivered a Guardians of the Galaxy-like basic revenge tale.
Now, a previously unseen promo image from Supergirl features Milly Alcock recreating the iconic Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow cover. Sword in hand and standing in front of a colourful intergalactic backdrop, this shot of the Maid of Might offers a glimpse at what might have been for the DCU movie.
Had it stuck closer to the source material, Supergirl may well have soared as high as Superman before it. Unfortunately, the movie didn't connect with audiences or comic book fans for the most part.
Supergirl has 53% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 72% Audience Score on the "Popcornmeter." The second DCU movie grossed $126 million on a reported $180 million production budget with a marketing spend of approximately $100 million.
There won't be a Supergirl sequel, but Millie Alcock is set to reprise the role in next July's Man of Tomorrow movie. James Gunn has said the Superman follow-up focuses primarily on Clark Kent and Lex Luthor, so her screen time may be limited.
Check out this newly revealed Supergirl promo image in the X post below.
In its inaugural flight into the new DC Cinematic Universe, Supergirl reveals the origin of the interplanetary nomad Kara Zor-El, a.k.a. Supergirl, cousin of Kal-El, better known as Superman. Headstrong, worldly-wise, and often reckless, Supergirl exudes a brand of heroism all her own—truthful, relatable, and always on her own terms.
But when an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion. Together they undertake an epic, interstellar journey, struggling to balance their need for vengeance with the pursuit of justice—and to save the life of Kara’s best friend, her dog Krypto. Ultimately, Supergirl will prove that doing good can be tough... and it doesn’t always have to be nice.
Supergirl stars Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet, and Jason Momoa. The film is written by Ana Nogueira and directed by Craig Gillespie. DC Studios heads Peter Safran and James Gunn produced the film.
"Bad writing, gratuitous cameos, and uninspired visuals take us back to the bad old days of the DCEU in Supergirl," we wrote in our review, "a showcase for the super-talented Milly Alcock, but Kryptonite to anyone who likes good superhero movies."
Supergirl is now available on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. It's also streaming on HBO Max.