Milly Alcock’s ‘Supergirl’ Reign Hits a Rocky Patch, But Her Next Chapter Is Already Being Planned
‘Supergirl’ arrived in theaters this summer carrying a lot of hope for the still young DC Universe, positioning Milly Alcock as the newest face of Kara Zor-El after her brief cameo in ‘Superman’ last year. The film leaned into a darker, more personal story, pulling Kara into a revenge quest alongside a grieving teenager named Ruthye, all set against the backdrop of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebuilt DCU.
Audiences and critics went in curious to see whether the franchise could recreate the goodwill ‘Superman’ generated just one year earlier. That goodwill has proven hard to replicate. ‘Supergirl’ has stalled at a disappointing 100 million dollars worldwide after a steep drop off during its second weekend in theaters, a sign the film has not connected with mainstream moviegoers the way Warner Bros. had hoped.
Because of that soft box office run, the film’s path to digital is reportedly moving up. DC’s ‘Supergirl’ is set to land on Digital HD on July 28, 2026, letting fans buy or rent it through platforms like Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, Vudu and Google Play Movies. That timeline would put the movie’s home release just over a month after it left theaters, a notably quick turnaround for a major studio tentpole.
Multiple reports note that Warner Bros. and DC Studios have not officially confirmed the July 28 date, but it lines up with the usual pattern for a theatrical run that has struggled to hold onto ticket buyers. For comparison, ‘Superman’ followed a nearly identical path last year, hitting digital storefronts just 35 days after its own theatrical premiere despite performing far better with audiences and critics.
The financial picture behind the scenes only adds to the pressure. With DC Studios potentially losing as much as 150 million dollars on the film, breaking even is no longer realistically on the table, and the movie’s production budget has been estimated between 170 million and 186 million dollars. That kind of shortfall puts extra weight on the DCU’s next entries to prove the shared universe can still draw crowds.
Beyond the numbers, ‘Supergirl’ still carries plenty of talent and pedigree behind it. The film was directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira, adapting the comic ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ by Tom King and Bilquis Evely, and its cast includes Eve Ridley as Ruthye, Matthias Schoenaerts as Krem of the Yellow Hill, David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham as Kara’s parents, and Jason Momoa stepping into the long awaited role of Lobo.
Whether ‘Supergirl’ finds a second life once it hits digital shelves remains to be seen, especially with DC’s Chapter One slate still unfolding around it. For now, fans hoping to revisit Kara’s journey at home won’t have to wait much longer, with a purchase or rental window potentially opening before July is even over.
Do you think ‘Supergirl’ will find the audience at home that it couldn’t quite hold onto in theaters?
