The Girl of Steel makes her first appearance in James Gunn’s newly rebooted DC Universe.
Making way for a new era, James Gunn’s Supergirl trailer officially went live on Dec. 11 and quickly flew off to positive reviews. The film is set for release on June 26 and stars Milly Alcock as Supergirl, alongside her canine companion, Krypto. The storyline will follow Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s comic adaptation of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which marks the first solo Supergirl film since 1984.
Alcock’s portrayal of Supergirl looks promising, offering a unique, edgy, and refreshing take on the character compared to past iterations, highlighting her past and exploring the dark impact of Krypton’s fall. She will play a “messy,” imperfect, morally grey hero. She’ll be far different from her cousin Superman, who seeks the good in others. However, rather than adopting an optimistic tone, the trailer presents a gritty, rebellious, and vengeful girl who faces inner grief and challenges her inner strength to become a hero.
The trailer opens with her dog Krypto urinating on a newspaper in the early morning, waking Supergirl with the line, “You managed to get on the paper this time.” It then cuts to her boozy, yet combative, adventures, filled with laser eye explosives and enigmatic fight scenes. In addition to the action, grounded moments highlight her grief and bond with Krypto, creating a balance between high thrills and emotional depth.
In our first glimpse, we see that Milly’s presence is strong, making a strong first impression on Supergirl. In the trailer, audience members can find brief moments of vulnerability and a rigid attitude toward authority, hinting at a girl in unremarkable grief, yet seeing all she has to continue her quiet strength forward with her people no longer around, only Superman.
Visually and tonewise, the trailer screams James Gunn, with ’80s touches like Blondie’s “Call Me,” styled imagery, and a sarcastic, witty delivery from the main character that brings some nostalgia for Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy. However, the characters are vastly different; both Supergirl and Quill are shaped by profound familial loss and grapple with questions of belonging—along with, of course, an exceptional taste in music. Fans are going to love this one if the trailer is any indication. In addition to the positive reception and success of Superman, Supergirl appears in high pursuit to continue in James Gunn’s new DC era. The trailer suggests an emotionally complex, stylistically bold direction that promises to give comic readers what they really desire to see—characters within the pages of their comics come to life on the big screen.
Rating: 10/10
