Milly Alcock, James Gunn, and director Craig Gillespie reveal behind-the-scenes details of DC Studios’ Supergirl in support of teaser trailer release.
Anticipation is building for Supergirl, the upcoming DC film, as it just released the first teaser trailer. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Tom King and Bilquis Evely, the movie promises a gritty, flawed, and deeply emotional take on Kara Zor-El, an approach that has DC fans buzzing with excitement. DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn has championed this project, greenlighting it instantly upon reading Ana Nogueira’s “fantastic” script, noting the importance of strong writing at the studio.
The film’s momentum was recently highlighted in a press conference featuring the movie’s lead, Milly Alcock (as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl), and director Craig Gillespie. Moderating the discussion was James Gunn, who revealed that he had been interested in this unique version of the character from the moment the graphic novel was first published.
He specifically had Alcock in mind for the role, calling this Supergirl a “rock and roll Supergirl,” but emphasized she still had to earn the part through auditions. The conversation offered a thrilling tease of the film’s tone, the character’s dark journey, and how this version of the Kryptonian heroine will stand apart from her famous cousin, Superman.
Supergirl Q&A with the Filmmakers and Star
Why Supergirl and This Creative Team?
James Gunn: “Why Supergirl? Why now? Why Craig? Why Milly? And the reasons are various, but the main one is when Ana Nogueira wrote the Woman of Tomorrow script, it was fantastic. And at DC Studios, we care most about the writing. And so we just instantly greenlit the movie… Craig is one of my favorite directors, has been for a long time. He directed I, Tonya, which was my favorite movie from that year, but also many other movies that I enjoyed. And so when he threw his hat in the ring to direct this film, we were more than interested and now here we are.”
What Excited Craig Gillespie and What Challenges Did He Face?
Craig Gillespie: “It’s twofold for me. One, when I heard that James and Peter were taking over DC, I was very interested because I love James’s work. I love the tone… And the idea that they were going to now take over the studio felt like a huge opportunity. And then the script came along and Ana’s script was so good. And the tone of it, it was the first time I’ve actually read a superhero script for me that I could understand the tone and what to do with it… the script goes to some very dark and hard places for the character. And I felt like you guys would double down on that. Milly, tonally, was perfect for it.”
Describing Supergirl in Comparison to Superman
Milly Alcock: “Supergirl, compared to Superman, she’s had a completely different upbringing. She was brought up on a planet that was dying. Everyone that she’s ever known and loved is dead. So that creates a very cynical, tough… She doesn’t trust a lot of people. She’s got a wall up. She’s got a very big wall up and she’s very skeptical of people. And Clark is the opposite of that. He’s very overtly trusting. He expects the good in people… Kara never pretends. If she’s not feeling well, you will know. She doesn’t have a facade, which is really refreshing actually to play.”
What Aspect of Kara’s Inner World Resonated with Milly Alcock?
Milly Alcock: “Kara doesn’t want to be a hero. And I think that there’s a similarity between my own personal experience being an actor and being able to empathize with having to step up to a certain role and a certain kind of external expectation because you feel like you don’t deserve to. And I think that I could resonate with that. I was like, ‘She has to kind of be the hero of her own story.’ And I think that a lot of us struggle to do that and to feel worthy of that. That is my answer.”
What Does This Supergirl Represent for a New Generation?
Milly Alcock: “I think that what Supergirl represents for young women, especially, is that you can be flawed, that you can be openly… and you don’t have to be perfect in order to come to some internal self-resolution. I think that we’re kind of thrusted upon this narrative, especially women, that you have to be perfect in every aspect of your life. And I think that Kara is someone who so beautifully leans into her flaws. And I think that’s really special.”
What Defines Supergirl as a Unique Hero?
Craig Gillespie: “I think it’s the fact that she’s an anti-hero. What I loved in the story is she doesn’t want the role. When we meet her, she’s, in a very hard way, running away from it and in her own space. And she gets dragged very reluctantly into the world of having to be a superhero. The way she handles that, the way that she deals with it and the way that she finds herself through that story is really fascinating and it’s incomplete, which I love as well.”
What Will Surprise Fans of Superman (2025) About This Film?
Craig Gillespie: “It’s completely different. It’s very different tonally. And what I loved when we met and I said, ‘How much do I have to adhere to Superman in that world?’ And he was like, ‘We’re approaching this like everyone is its own graphic novel. You get to put your stamp on it and your style and your vision.’… Plus, are we allowed to say this? The whole movie takes place in outer space.”
On the Return of Krypto
James Gunn: “Yeah, [Krypto’s] returning… He’s not a good dog. He’s a terrible dog. He continues to be a terrible dog. The difference is Kara loves him as a terrible dog… Whereas he gets on Clark’s nerves. But maybe he’ll get better. Never.”
About Supergirl
Supergirl, DC Studios’ newest feature film to hit the big screen, will be in theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures, starring Milly Alcock in the dual role of Supergirl/Kara Zor-El. Craig Gillespie directs the film from a screenplay by Ana Nogueira.
Alcock stars alongside Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, and Jason Momoa.
DC Studios heads Peter Safran and James Gunn are producing the film, which is based on characters from DC, Supergirl based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. 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.
DC Studios Presents a Troll Court Entertainment Production, The Safran Company Production, A Film by Craig Gillespie, Supergirl, which will be in theaters and IMAX across North America on June 26, 2026, and internationally beginning 24 June 2026, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Supergirl comes to theaters everywhere on June 26, 2026.
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