Supergirl: Inside the New DCU’s Gritty, Grounded, and “Shocking” Reimagining

Keeping the Streak Alive

Remember earlier this year when Ryan Coogler answered our question during the Sinners junket? We rode that high for a while, fueled largely by KT seeing the movie six times ( four in IMAX). But we’ve had a few swing-and-misses since then with our questions staying firmly at the bottom of the pile.

But this week, we got lucky again.

We submitted a question for the upcoming Supergirl press conference, hoping to break the drought. To our surprise, it happened. It was a genuine thrill to be on the virtual stream and hear James Gunn read out “FYR from Australia” to the room. It’s always a cool moment for an indie pod like ours to get a word in edgewise.

The “Little Blonde Girl” and a Messier Hero

James Gunn hosted the event alongside director Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) and the new Supergirl, Milly Alcock.

The vibe was loose and candid. Gunn shared a funny detail about how he and Peter Safran had their eyes on Milly Alcock before they even officially took the DC Studios job. He admitted they were watching House of the Dragon and he just kept referring to her as “that little blonde girl”.

Beyond the casting stories, the team emphasised that this isn’t the polished Supergirl we’re used to. Gunn praised Ana Nogueira’s script as the best he’d read in a long time, heavily influenced by Tom King’s Woman of Tomorrow graphic novel. Gillespie added that unlike Superman, this version of Kara is “messy,” has “demons,” and is essentially an anti-hero who doesn’t even want the job.

The “FYR Podcast” Question

Towards the end of the session, after fielding questions from Indonesia, Singapore, and China, James Gunn picked up our card.

We asked Milly: “How was it balancing Kara as a strong, powerful figure, but also a young woman navigating the galaxy?”.

Milly’s answer was refreshingly honest. She pushed back on the idea that Kara needs to balance vulnerability with strength, noting that Kara is just unapologetically herself.

She explained:

“I think that the balance is actually between the audience’s expectation of who this person is going to be and how they’re going to have to behave… thematically, the film looks at just the juxtaposition of being a woman and having to [navigate] the standard of what you can and can’t sacrifice.”

The full exchange, being:

James Gunn: Yeah. FYR from Australia must know from Milly, “We’re excited to see Supergirl,” they say. “How was it balancing Kara as a strong, powerful figure, but also a young woman navigating the galaxy?”

Milly Alcock: I think that balancing Kara’s a strong, powerful figure, but also a young woman navigating the galaxy. I think that she doesn’t adhere to that standard of her being a vulnerable woman navigating the galaxy because she’s so… I’m scared of her. She’s so just who she is that I think that she can really hold her own. So I think that the balance is actually between the audience’s expectation of who this person is going to be and how they’re going to have to behave. But thematically, the film looks at just the position of being a woman and having to, the standard of what you can and can’t sacrifice. So I hope that answers your question. I don’t think it does, but I hope it does.

James Gunn: I think you should answer every question like that on the press tour. You should end every question with, “I hope that answers your question.”

What to Expect

It sounds like we’re in for something gritty next year. Milly mentioned training at 5:30 AM for months to handle the stunts (and dealing with plenty of bruises), but Gillespie teased that the effort pays off with an ending that is “very surprising” and “unapologetic”. Gunn even went so far as to call the film “shocking”.

Supergirl hits cinemas next June. We’re just happy to be back in the mix for this one