Milly Alcock's portrayal of Supergirl in the upcoming DC film presents a hero who is “extremely flawed” and operates in moral grey areas, according to director Craig Gillespie. Unlike her cousin Superman, this Kara Zor-El is “messy” and doesn't always handle situations the right way, Alcock explained.
A Grittier, Punk-Inspired Superhero
Gillespie, who directed the film, revealed that he envisioned Supergirl as headstrong, rebellious, and foul-mouthed from the moment he read Ana Nogueira's script. He chose Blondie's punk anthem “Call Me” as her potential theme song, noting that the band's aesthetic fits naturally with the character's attitude.
“Blondie is a band whose aesthetic and punk attitude just fit so naturally with Supergirl,” Gillespie said in an interview from Los Angeles. “There's something about them.”
A Jaded Origin Story
Writer-director James Gunn, who oversaw DC's new interconnected superhero slate, described Alcock's Supergirl as “a much more jaded character” compared to Superman. While Clark Kent was raised by loving parents on Earth, Kara witnessed the destruction of Krypton and everyone she loved.
“Superman is a guy who was sent to Earth and raised by loving parents, whereas Supergirl, in this story, she is a character who is raised on a chunk of Krypton. She watched everybody around her perish in some terrible way,” Gunn said.
Costume and Character Choices
Throughout most of the film, which opens in theaters June 26, Alcock's Kara wears a Blondie T-shirt instead of the traditional Superman crest. Gillespie noted that this was the only T-shirt they considered, even before receiving approval. Alcock, best known for playing a teenage Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon, curated a playlist of rock outsiders to channel the character, including Amyl and the Sniffers, Fontaines D.C., and Radiohead's In Rainbows.
Based on the Comics
The film is based on Tom King's 2021-22 comic series Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. It follows Kara as she embarks on an intergalactic bender with her dog Krypto after her cameo in last year's Superman. Having witnessed the demise of her home planet, Kara lacks Superman's altruism. In one scene, David Corenswet's Superman warns her, “I'm just worried that you're not gonna find your stride here if you keep going off-world all the time, Kara. I'm worried you're not gonna find your people.” She replies, “Yeah, well, that's the thing, Clark. I have no people.”
