Test screenings are vital for movies, and help a filmmaker and studio figure out what audiences are and aren't responding to. When Sinners was first shown to audiences in late 2024, it had a nearly three-hour runtime and received low scores. Ultimately, the finished cut was critically acclaimed and won Oscars.
There's been chatter about Supergirl test screenings taking place since last year. Most have skewed negative, but looking closer at the reactions, it sounds like a good, not great, movie that sees Milly Alcock and Jason Momoa shine as the Woman of Tomorrow and Lobo.
World of Reel has a solid track record of test-screening leaks and reports today that Supergirl has been screened at least eight times, more than any other studio film from the past decade. At least three different endings have been used, with the latest version running for around 1 hour and 50 minutes, with a more prominent role for David Corenswet's Superman.
The site reiterates that Alcock's Supergirl remains a highlight, but the reactions have been consistently mixed: "not disastrous, but not glowing either." The report adds, "several sources mention that the action sequences don’t quite land...and that the main villain, Krem, feels underwhelming."
Tom King and Bilquis Evely's Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is a visual delight, with bright colours and sweeping cosmic landscapes. The Supergirl teaser trailer featured far murkier visuals, but there may be a reason for that.
"Tonally, the movie is said to be darker and more character-driven than traditional superhero fare," the site explains, "leaning heavily into Kara’s emotional trauma and moral ambiguity rather than lighthearted heroics. She’s described as jaded and at times reckless."
In terms of music, even with the movie on its third composer, it sounds like we should expect Guardians of the Galaxy-style needle drops. It's unclear how involved DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has been with Supergirl, but both the sets and character designs we've seen wouldn't look out of place in that Marvel Studios franchise (Krem of the Yellow Hills has been compared to Taserface).
Supergirl's latest cut supposedly had a space Western vibe with "a more episodic, planet-hopping structure," but whether DC Studios has now finally figured out how to make the movie work or is scambling to salvage it remains to be seen.
It's possible that test screening reports are being blown out of proportion, but if Supergirl doesn't deliver, it could be a big problem for Gunn and Peter Safran. Hopefully, this is much ado about nothing.
Supergirl, DC Studios' newest feature film to hit the big screen, arrives in theaters worldwide next summer from Warner Bros. Pictures, and stars Milly Alcock in the dual role of Supergirl/Kara Zor-El. Craig Gillespie directs the film from a screenplay by Ana Nogueira.
When an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice. Alcock stars alongside Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, and Jason Momoa.
The film is executive produced by Nigel Gostelow, Chantal Nong Vo and Lars P. Winther. Behind the camera, Gillespie is joined by director of photography Rob Hardy, production designer Neil Lamont, editor Tatiana S. Riegel, costume designer Anna B. Sheppard, Visual Effects Supervisor Geoffrey Baumann, and composer Ramin Djawadi Junkie XL Claudia Sarne.
Supergirl arrives in theaters on June 26, 2026.