Supergirl
Truth. Justice. Whatever.
- Rating
Movie Details
About the Film
Supergirl is a 2026 superhero film directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira. Milly Alcock stars as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl, with Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet, and Jason Momoa in supporting roles.
The film is based primarily on Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the 2021–2022 DC Comics miniseries written by Tom King and illustrated by Bilquis Evely. It takes Kara away from the familiar setting of Earth and follows her through a space-based adventure involving Ruthye Marye Knoll, Krem of the Yellow Hills, and the bounty hunter Lobo.
This version of Kara has experienced the destruction of Krypton firsthand. She grew up on Argo City, a surviving fragment of the planet, before being sent to Earth with her dog, Krypto. Her experiences have given her a very different outlook from her cousin Clark Kent, who was raised on Earth after being sent away from Krypton as an infant.
By the time of the film, Kara is 23 and has taken on the identity of Supergirl, but she has not settled into life on Earth. Her travels eventually lead her to Ruthye and a mission that forces her to confront questions of revenge, loss, and responsibility.
Plot Summary
Kara’s story begins with the destruction of Krypton. Her parents, Zor-El and Alura, escape with other Kryptonians to Argo City, which is separated from Krypton by a force field.
Years later, Kryptonite radiation begins affecting the city and its inhabitants. Alura dies from the exposure, and Zor-El sends Kara to Earth with Krypto.
There, Kara meets her cousin Kal-El, who has grown up as Clark Kent and become Superman. Kara eventually becomes Supergirl, but unlike Clark, she does not build a permanent life on Earth. She spends much of her time traveling between planets.
During one of these trips, Kara meets Ruthye Marye Knoll. Ruthye’s family has been killed by Krem of the Yellow Hills, the leader of a group known as the Brigands. She wants Kara to help her find Krem and take revenge.
Kara initially refuses to get involved. That changes when Krem attacks her ship and poisons Krypto. The poison will kill him unless Kara can obtain an antidote that Krem possesses.
Kara and Ruthye set out after Krem, taking them across several planets and into conflict with the Brigands and other threats. Lobo, an alien mercenary and bounty hunter, also becomes involved in the pursuit.
What begins as Ruthye’s personal quest gradually becomes a test for Kara. As she tries to help Ruthye while saving Krypto, Kara is forced to confront her own experiences with loss and decide how far she is willing to go in pursuit of justice.
Main Characters
Kara Zor-El / Supergirl
Milly Alcock plays Kara Zor-El, the film’s central character.
Kara’s experiences on Argo City and the loss of Krypton have shaped her differently from Superman. She remembers the world she lost and has spent much of her life searching for where she belongs.
Her travels through space reflect that uncertainty. Rather than remaining on Earth, Kara moves between planets and lives a more unsettled life. Her journey with Ruthye becomes an important step in deciding what kind of hero she wants to be.
Ruthye Marye Knoll
Eve Ridley plays Ruthye, a young girl whose family is killed by Krem of the Yellow Hills.
Ruthye’s determination to find Krem drives the main story. She wants revenge, while Kara initially tries to keep her from pursuing it. Their relationship develops as Kara takes responsibility for helping Ruthye deal with the consequences of her choices.
Ruthye is one of the film’s main connections to Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and retains a central role from the comic’s story.
Krem of the Yellow Hills
Matthias Schoenaerts plays Krem, the leader of the Brigands.
Krem is responsible for the deaths of Ruthye’s family and becomes the target of her pursuit. His possession of the antidote to Krypto’s poison gives Kara a personal reason to find him as well.
Superman
David Corenswet plays Clark Kent / Superman.
Clark is Kara’s cousin and an important part of her story. Their different experiences of Krypton and Earth help explain why they have developed different approaches to life and heroism.
Superman has established his life on Earth, while Kara’s experiences have left her less settled and more connected to the loss of Krypton.
Lobo
Jason Momoa plays Lobo, an alien mercenary and bounty hunter who becomes involved in Kara and Ruthye’s pursuit of Krem.
Lobo is not part of the published Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow miniseries, although he was included in Tom King’s original concept for the story before being left out of the comic.
Comic Book Connection
The film’s main comic-book source is Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, written by Tom King and illustrated by Bilquis Evely. The miniseries was published in 2021 and 2022.
The movie carries over several of the comic’s central elements, including Kara, Ruthye, and Krem, as well as the basic premise of Kara becoming involved in Ruthye’s search for revenge. The space-based setting is also an important part of the adaptation.
The film does not directly reproduce the comic, however. Its story was reworked for a feature film, with changes to the structure and the way several events unfold.
One significant change involves Krem. In the film, Kara ultimately kills him, while the comic handles the conclusion of Ruthye’s revenge story differently.
Lobo is another difference between the two versions. Although he was part of King’s early concept, he does not appear in the published miniseries. The film instead incorporates him into Kara’s pursuit of Krem.
The adaptation retains the comic’s focus on Kara as a character dealing with loss and the consequences of revenge. Rather than presenting her simply as Superman’s cousin, the story gives her a separate journey and a conflict of her own.
Production and Development
Supergirl followed an earlier attempt to develop a standalone film about the character. Warner Bros. began developing a Supergirl project in 2018 as part of the DC Extended Universe. That version was eventually abandoned as DC Studios moved toward a new cinematic universe under James Gunn and Peter Safran.
The new film was announced in January 2023 as an adaptation of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Ana Nogueira was hired to write the screenplay, Milly Alcock was cast as Kara in January 2024, and Craig Gillespie later joined as director.
Principal photography began in January 2025 at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden and in London, with additional filming in Scotland. Production concluded in May 2025.
The filmmakers approached the movie as both a superhero film and a science-fiction adventure. Much of the story takes place away from Earth, with Kara traveling between different planets and encountering a range of alien characters and environments.
DC Universe Connection
Supergirl is part of the new DC Universe and follows Superman (2025) within the franchise’s early continuity. It belongs to Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
Milly Alcock’s version of Supergirl was introduced in Superman before receiving her own feature film, while David Corenswet returns as Superman. Their relationship provides one of the film’s clearest links to the wider DCU.
Krypto also connects the two films. After appearing in Superman, the dog becomes central to the story here when Krem poisons him, giving Kara a reason to pursue Krem alongside Ruthye.
The film also expands the DCU’s cosmic side through Lobo and its various alien settings. Kara’s story therefore operates independently of Superman while still establishing her as part of the same cinematic universe.
The film is separate from The Flash (2023), which featured Sasha Calle as Supergirl within the previous DC Extended Universe. Milly Alcock’s version belongs to the newer DCU continuity.
