We’ve spent the better part of a decade watching DC heroes scowl at the sky and destroy entire city blocks, which is exactly why the upcoming Supergirl feels like such a necessary, high-voltage jolt to the system. With James Gunn now firmly at the helm of the new DC Universe (DCU), the strategy has shifted from “grim and gritty” to something far more vital: character-first storytelling that isn’t afraid to lean into the wacky and weird.
This isn’t just another origin story designed to patch up continuity holes. Gunn’s new direction is all about establishing a distinct, interconnected DNA for the DCU, and Supergirl is being positioned as a foundational pillar rather than a footnote. Where previous films felt like they were constantly looking over their shoulders at Marvel, this new era is leaning into the bizarre, the cosmic, and the emotionally resonant corners of the DC mythos. By focusing on Kara Zor-El’s distinct path, one that is far more fractured and complex than her cousin’s, the studio is finally playing to their strengths.
The plot follows a jaded, hardened Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, who we met briefly at the end of 2025’s Superman. Unlike her cape wearing cousin, Kara remembers the horrific destruction of Krypton and spent her formative years surviving on a drifting fragment of the planet. Now drifting through the cosmos from one drunken night to the next, and struggling with her own sense of purpose, Kara is pulled into a quest for vengeance by a young alien girl determined to hunt down the ruthless mercenary who killed her father.
On their galaxy-hopping odyssey the duo pass plenty of cool sci-fi ships, quirky aliens (with great practical effects), which was such a welcome change from every adventure happening on Earth. Along the way, they cross paths with the chaotic, cigar-chomping bounty hunter Lobo, played by the always excellent Jason Momoa, adding an unpredictable, high-stakes element to their mission of justice. Kara is of course forced to confront her own traumatic past, testing her resolve as she transitions from a cynical drifter into a hero forged by the cold realities of space. What we really loved about this film was the personal story of Kara. The stakes are not world-shattering, Earth-destroying ones and we’re really happy about it.
What makes this iteration so intriguing is its a more grounded, sci-fi-adjacent take on the character that draws heavily from the celebrated comic run, trading the typical “super-heroics” for a space-faring odyssey of vengeance and redemption. It’s exactly the kind of sharp, confident pivot we’ve been waiting for: a film that proves that being a Kryptonian is about more than just wearing a cape and punching meteors away from Earth.
If this is the blueprint for the wider universe Gunn is currently constructing, then the future of DC is looking a lot less gloomy, and a hell of a lot more fun.
– The Plus Ones
