‘Supergirl’ Preview Numbers Show the DCU’s Second Film Is No ‘Superman’
The DC Universe arrived in theaters just over a year ago on the back of enormous momentum, with James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ winning over critics and casual audiences alike. The task of sustaining that goodwill now falls to ‘Supergirl,’ the second installment in Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebooted franchise, directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira. The film stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, who travels across the galaxy on a murderous quest for revenge, supported by a cast that includes Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet, and Jason Momoa.
The story is adapted from Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s acclaimed 2021 to 2022 comic miniseries ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,’ with Alcock having first appeared as the character in a brief cameo at the close of last year’s ‘Superman.’ Expectations for a strong follow-up were real, especially with a promotional machine that included over 80 marketing tie-ins with brands like Ulta, KFC, and Cold Stone Creamery, totaling over $100 million in media value.
The early box office signals, however, have complicated that picture considerably. As reported by The Hollywood Handle, ‘Supergirl’ earned $7.8 million in domestic Thursday night previews, a figure that lands the film in awkward company. For context, ‘Black Adam’ opened its preview night with $7.6 million and ‘Shazam!’ with $9.2 million, two films that struggled to escape the shadow of underperformance within the DC catalog. Adding international markets, the film opened to a combined $13 million globally on its first night, against a reported production budget of $170 million before marketing costs are factored in.
The $7.8 million preview figure caps a steady tracking slide. When forecasts first opened, ‘Supergirl’ was pegged for a $55 million domestic debut, a number that was later walked down to a $50 million to $55 million range and then again to the upper $40 millions. The film is also expected to fall well short of ‘Toy Story 5’ at the domestic and international box offices this weekend, with the Pixar sequel projected to dominate its second frame with an estimated $88 million to $96 million haul.
Critical reception has added pressure to an already difficult launch. ‘Supergirl’ currently sits at 58% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 195 reviews, a notable dip from ‘Creature Commandos’ at 95%, ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 at 94%, and last year’s ‘Superman’ at 83%. While critics have settled into lukewarm territory, regular moviegoers are telling a slightly different story, with the verified audience score holding at 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. Recurring critical weaknesses cited include flat pacing, generic action sequences, underdeveloped visual effects, and tonal inconsistency in the screenplay.
The one area where virtually all critics agree is Alcock herself. The near-universal bright spot in critical notices is her performance, with reviewers pointing to her ability to turn familiar themes of grief and belonging into something affecting and endearing. The consensus among critics is that the film’s biggest problem is not its star, with Alcock appearing ready to carry a franchise while the question remains whether the material around her will eventually rise to meet her.
Next up for DC is the body horror film ‘Clayface,’ which has earned positive buzz online, as well as ‘Man of Tomorrow,’ a sequel to ‘Superman’ that will feature Alcock reprising the role. The franchise road ahead remains open, but how ‘Supergirl’ lands this weekend will say a great deal about audience appetite for the DCU’s expanding ambitions. Whether you think Alcock’s performance alone is worth the ticket price or the script problems are too big to overlook, let us know what you made of Kara Zor-El’s solo debut in the comments.
