Supergirl Set to Premiere on HBO Max

DC Studios and Warner Bros. brought Supergirl to theaters earlier this year as the second installment in James Gunn’s emerging cinematic DC Universe. Despite featuring a strong lead and a narrative drawn from one of the character’s most acclaimed comic arcs, the film struggled to achieve significant critical and commercial success, wrapping up its theatrical run with a global box office total of just $126 million.

Now, it’s been confirmed that Supergirl will be available for streaming on HBO Max next week.

The film stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, the titular hero, who finds herself on a quest to track down the villain Krem of the Yellow Hill after he poisons Krypto. Along the way, Kara meets Ruthey, a young girl seeking vengeance for her father’s death at Krem’s hands, which adds a personal stake to their mission.

Drawing inspiration from True Grit, the story takes this unlikely duo on a galaxy-spanning adventure fueled by their shared desire for revenge. Directed by Craig Gillespie and penned by Ana Nogueira, the film is based on the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic series by Tom King, who has been chosen by Gunn to help shape the future of the DC Universe.

Supergirl will officially start streaming on HBO Max on September 10.

While Milly Alcock delivers a commendable performance as Kara, the film’s overall narrative and execution leave much to be desired. It opened to a disappointing $38 million, reminiscent of the lackluster debut of Joker: Folie à Deux. A review pointed out that, “where Gunn’s Superman set a high bar for weirdness and unexpected reimaginings of familiar characters, Supergirl strolls under that bar without ever coming close to touching it.” This suggests that while the DCU may be carving out its own identity, it hasn’t yet reached the boldness or challenge that Superman hinted at.

Despite the film’s lukewarm reception, Milly Alcock is set to reprise her role in Superman: Man of Tomorrow, scheduled for release on July 9, 2027. She will join a growing cast that includes returning members from Superman and the cinematic debut of Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, who is currently featured in the Lanterns TV show.

Craig Gillespie did read Woman of Tomorrow and incorporated some visual elements, but that was never the primary focus of his DCU film.