Hollywood wanted another win from comic book fans. Instead, it delivered a project that failed exactly the way many expected. Supergirl debuted this weekend and quickly stumbled with both critics and audiences. That was not bad luck. That was the result of clear, avoidable choices.
It started with the source material. Woman of Tomorrow, written by Tom King, was always a niche take on a niche character. They may have poorly adapted the source material to film, but building a major release around a version of Supergirl unfamiliar to most casual fans, narrowed its audience before release day even arrived. This weekend’s outcome reflected that. Ticket sales lagged and interest never materialized.
The tone of the movie pushed things further in the wrong direction. The film leaned into off-putting content that turned audiences away. Krypto peeing on Superman’s symbol made it into the final product. Kara eating alien dung was not cut. She murders at the end, which was a major point of contention in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. But these were not isolated moments. They defined the experience. James Gunn has a penchant for leaning into gross, bathroom humor and body horror, so instead of presenting our hero, the filmmakers chose shock value, and moviegoers responded by tuning out.
The visual style added to the problem. The final film appeared washed in a yellow, murky filter that made everything feel grimy. It did not look polished or cinematic. It looked unpleasant. The merchandise also drew backlash. The so-called “superhero cup” sparked confusion and criticism. It was unclear in design and uncomfortable in presentation. Even David Corenswet showed visible disinterest during promotion, which only reinforced the negative perception.
The character itself failed to connect. Supergirl has never held the same cultural weight as Superman. That reality did not change here. You still could not mention Supergirl without invoking Superman. The reverse remained untrue. This version of Kara, portrayed as drunk, messy, edgy, and uninterested in being a hero, gave audiences even less reason to invest. The result was predictable. People stayed away.
Despite repeated failures, Hollywood continues reshaping established heroes into something unrecognizable. Super strength here was replaced with dysfunction. Heroism was replaced with reluctance. This film followed that pattern and the studio paid the price. Families did not show up. Parents did not embrace this version of Kara as a role model. Why would they?
The timing made the failure more damaging. The new DCU was still trying to establish trust with audiences. This was the second of its early offerings. Now, instead of building momentum, it has created doubt. The studio’s murky, offbeat take on a secondary character did not inspire confidence. It weakened the foundation before it could even settle.
The press cycle did not help. Milly Alcock’s promotional appearances were marked by missteps and mixed messaging. Instead of clarifying the film’s vision, the marketing added confusion about it being ‘woke’ (it wasn’t). When a project already struggles with identity, that kind of rollout only accelerates the decline.
In the end, the outcome matched the warning signs. The filmmakers did not understand the character. The writer did not create a good story. The producers did not understand the audience, or even how to present the film. Hollywood should not be surprised, though because this result was clearly evident from the very beginning.
***
English (US) · 