42 Years Later, DC Officially Gives Major Hero A Second Chance In 1 Month

1 week ago 19

For nearly 90 years, DC has been a mainstay of superhero storytelling. Hollywood has long wanted to share in the glory of these characters. Following the death of the DC Extended Universe, James Gunn's DC Universe is the latest example of a shared universe being born for heroes and villains to live in, while Matt Reeves pushes forward with his Batman Crime Saga.

When Hollywood branches out beyond Batman and Superman, the movies have turned their attention to a variety of heroes. Aquaman, Shazam, the Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman have each headlined solo franchises with the DCEU. Blue Beetle, Black Adam, and The Flash have received solo films, too. But as 2011's Green Lantern proved, a bad movie can put a hero on the sidelines for years.

A year after launching Superman, DC Studios is spinning out the franchise with Supergirl. Milly Alcock's Kara Zor-El returns to action in exactly one month, on June 26, for a galactic coming-of-age adventure. The movie marks a long-awaited second chance for Supergirl to carry a movie franchise.

Supergirl Is Finally Getting Her Solo Movie Redemption

Long before Alcock became the DCU's Supergirl and made a cameo in Superman's ending, the Girl of Steel was an early beneficiary of her cousin's popularity in theaters. Richard Donner's successful first two Superman movies with Christopher Reeve created interest in bringing Supergirl to the big screen, with a solo film greenlit after Superman II.

This made Supergirl only the second DC character who wasn't Batman or Superman to headline a movie. Unfortunately, Supergirl's release took a hit after the performance of Superman III, resulting in Warner Bros. relinquishing distribution rights. And with the final edit not turning out as well as everyone involved had hoped, critics tore it apart. It only has a 19% on Rotten Tomatoes all these years later, and its box office bombed to the tune of making $14.3 million overall.

After this performance, Hollywood didn't give Supergirl a second thought for decades. 1984's Supergirl made her one of DC's lowest-grossing heroes, and she's held onto that title to this day.

While she went on to have a recurring role in Smallville and later headlined her own series on The CW, she was completely absent from the big screen until 2023, when Sasha Calle played Kara in The Flash. While Superman and Batman have been given multiple opportunities for reinvention after failed iterations, Supergirl has had to wait 42 years to get the same shot.

2026's Supergirl Is Set Up To Be A Success

This wait should deliver much more success for Supergirl. Rather than coming out on the heels of a divisive Superman sequel, Supergirl serves as the follow-up to a well-received reboot of the Man of Steel. The movie can build on the goodwill 2025's Superman generated with audiences and bring the DCU another win under Gunn's leadership.

The prime summer release date in one month has given the superhero movie a chance to fly high during a lucrative time. And with DC keeping Supergirl's budget lower than the average superhero movie, it won't need to have an astronomical box office haul to be considered a financial success. The movie can likely make about two-thirds of Superman's $618.7 million total and still be considered a hit.

By being fiscally responsible with the production, Supergirl has a much easier path to success. The film's marketing has been generally well-received, and DC is sure to launch the campaign into hyperdrive over the next month to boost awareness and excitement. So long as Supergirl is as good as it looks, it should have no trouble finding an audience and redeeming Superman's cousin's legacy on the big screen.