James Gunn Confirms New DCU Movie To Hit Theaters After Superman Has Changed Title

James Gunn, co-head of DC Studios, has renamed the upcoming Supergirl film, starring Milly Alcock, from Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow to simply Supergirl.

In a Rolling Stone interview, Gunn confirmed the change, saying, “I think it’s just called Supergirl.” The decision aligns with his choice to shorten his Superman film’s title from Superman: Legacy to Superman, reflecting his dislike for the common superhero title format of “Name: Subtitle.”

Gunn explained that the Superman subtitle felt backward-looking, which didn’t fit the forward-thinking vision for the new DC Universe (DCU).

“Even though I was the one that gave it that title, I just wasn’t sure. First of all, I’m sick of the superhero title, colon, other-name thing. And then also it seemed to be looking back when we’re looking forward,” he said. After team discussions, the simpler title won out, and Supergirl followed suit.

The film, inspired by Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s comic, follows Kara Zor-El on a galactic quest for revenge. Ana Nogueira wrote the script, with Craig Gillespie directing.

The cast includes Alcock as Supergirl, alongside Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, and Emily Beecham. Filming ran from January to May 2025 in England and Scotland, with a theatrical release set for June 26, 2026, as part of the DCU’s “Gods and Monsters” chapter.

Gunn also shared insight into his planning process, describing a “premortem” meeting held months before filming to identify potential pitfalls. “It’s usually about a couple months before shooting, and you go, hypothetically, ‘If it’s an epic disaster, what are the things that we’re doing today that are going to cause it to be an epic disaster?’” he explained. This approach helped refine decisions like the title change.

Originally planned in 2018 under the old DCEU, Supergirl featured Sasha Calle in The Flash (2023). After Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios in 2022, they rebooted the project, announcing the new version in 2023. Alcock was cast in early 2024, with Gillespie joining soon after.

Gunn’s decision to streamline the Supergirl title makes sense—it’s clean and puts the focus on the hero. Dropping subtitles avoids the cliché superhero movie trend and signals confidence in the character’s standalone appeal.

The premortem process shows he’s thinking critically about quality, which bodes well for the DCU. I’m excited to see Alcock’s take on Supergirl, but I hope the story balances its revenge plot with heart. What do you think about the title change and the new DCU direction? Share your thoughts in the comments below!