Milly Alcock's 'Supergirl' soars into theaters this Friday, June 26, with a punk rock attitude and a Blondie soundtrack. Director Craig Gillespie reveals that Debbie Harry's anthem 'Call Me' served as the perfect theme for the Kryptonian heroine, who is portrayed as headstrong, rebellious, and far from the squeaky-clean optimist of tradition.
Gillespie, known for his work on 'I, Tonya,' explains that Blondie's aesthetic and punk attitude naturally fit the character. 'There's something about them,' he says in an interview from Los Angeles. The film, based on Tom King's 2021-22 comic series 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,' follows Kara Zor-El as she navigates grief and intergalactic adventure.
A Jaded Superheroine
James Gunn, who overhauled DC's film slate, describes Alcock's Supergirl as 'much more jaded' than Superman. 'Superman was raised by loving parents on Earth, but Supergirl watched everyone she loved perish on Krypton,' Gunn notes. This backstory informs her character, who wears a Blondie T-shirt instead of the traditional 'S' emblem.
Alcock, 26, best known for her role in 'House of the Dragon,' embraced the character's flaws. 'She's messy and extremely flawed,' Alcock says. 'Supergirl understands that most of us exist in a grey area.' The actress prepared with a playlist of punk bands like Amyl and the Sniffers and Fontaines D.C., as well as Radiohead's 'In Rainbows.'
Plot and Cast
The story begins with Kara on an intergalactic bender after her cameo in last year's 'Superman.' She is reluctantly forced into heroism when a teenager named Ruthye (Eve Ridley) seeks revenge on the bandit Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts). When Krem poisons her dog Krypto, Kara must track him across the galaxy, even to planets where she loses her powers.
Jason Momoa appears as the alien bounty hunter Lobo, adding to the film's star power. Gillespie praises Alcock's performance, noting her reckless and sassy fight sequences. 'She doesn't seem to be aware that she doesn't have powers in some fights,' he says with a laugh.
The film also explores Kara's bond with Krypto, her super-powered dog. 'Krypto is terribly behaved, but he's a symbol of everything she's lost,' Alcock explains. 'Anything that jeopardizes him is unthinkable.'
'Supergirl' opens in theatres June 26.
