James Gunn Says ‘Supergirl’ Won’t Be a Straight Comic Adaptation

James Gunn has confirmed that the upcoming Supergirl movie will not be a strict copy of the comic book that inspired it. The DC Studios co-head spoke about the project while sharing his excitement for the film and its lead actress. His comments come as fans continue to look for clues about what kind of Supergirl story the new DC Universe will tell.

Gunn said the movie takes ideas from the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic by Tom King and Bilquis Evely, but the film goes its own way.

He described the project as a space-based story with a big scope and strong emotion. While talking about the film, Gunn praised Milly Alcock’s performance. “I love Milly Alcock in the movie. It’s a space fantasy which is, like Guardians in a way, but based on the Tom King book. It doesn’t follow it religiously, but it has a lot of the core of that there.” These comments are the main source of information for the update.

Supergirl is the second movie in the new DC Universe. It is directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira. Alcock plays Kara Zor-El, a young version of the character who is still finding her place in the universe. The cast also includes Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, and Jason Momoa. Gunn and Peter Safran are producing the film through DC Studios.

The movie focuses on Kara as she travels through space and becomes involved in a violent mission driven by revenge. Her journey begins during a personal milestone and quickly turns dark after a tragic event. The story aims to show a rougher and more emotional side of the character compared to past versions.

This project has been in some form of development for several years. Earlier plans started under the old DC Extended Universe, and Supergirl appeared briefly in The Flash in 2023, played by Sasha Calle. After Gunn and Safran took over DC Studios in late 2022, the film was reworked to fit the new DC Universe. The updated version was officially announced in early 2023.

Filming began in early 2025 and wrapped a few months later. Production took place in England and Scotland. Supergirl is set to be released in U.S. theaters on June 26. It will be part of the first chapter of the DC Universe, titled Gods and Monsters.

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