DC Studios has officially released the first teaser trailer for ‘Supergirl’, and it marks a bold new chapter, not just for the DC Universe, but for the superhero genre as a whole. Following her debut performance in ‘Superman’ earlier this year, Kara Zor-El, played by Milly Alcock, is finally given the limelight.
And it’s clear that James Gunn’s vision for this Supergirl is bruised, brilliant, and unapologetically raw. This is not what the Kara fans have been brought up with. It is a Supergirl who was molded by trauma and who is prepared to make her own identity. And judging by the reaction to the trailer, viewers are more than willing to welcome her.
Milly Alcock’s ‘Supergirl’ Mixes Rage, Heartbreak And Heroism
Based on the critically acclaimed comic book Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the film adapts the story of a world-weary Kara who reluctantly joins forces with a young alien girl, Ruthye Marye Knoll, on a cosmic journey fueled by revenge and justice. Director Craig Gillespie applies his trademark grounded-but-chaotic style to the movie, and the trailer is a perfect representation of it. During the trailer preview event, Alcock confessed to the surreal burden of seeing herself on the big screen as Supergirl.
Related: Milly Alcock’s First Look As ‘Supergirl’ Teases DCU’s Most Radical Reinvention Yet
“It’s so weird… in the best way,” she confessed with a laugh. But this Kara is not entering into a legacy; she is rewriting it. Gillespie ensured that it was not a conventional superhero narrative. “She’s got a lot of baggage and demons,” he shared. “It’s very different from where Superman is in his life.” The film is characterized by that emotional complexity. Rather than a young, optimistic Supergirl, Kara Zor-El is angry, weary, and lonely.
It is exactly what DC Studios desires to venture into as James Gunn reinvents the DC Universe. And according to his remarks, Gunn was aware that Alcock was the one long before development even commenced. “I remember saying, ‘That little girl from House of the Dragon, she’d be great as Supergirl.” She entered the audition room several years later and proved him right. Moreover, it’s clear ‘Supergirl’ will be unlike anything DC has ever done before.
‘Supergirl’ Is The Embodiment Of The New DCU Vision
James Gunn emphasized that the film represents a turning point for the DCU, not because it brings back a classic character, but because it reinvents what DC superheroes can be. This version does not attempt to be flawless. “So many times female superheroes are so perfect; she’s not that at all,” Gunn said. “She’s very imperfect, just like male superheroes have been allowed to be for years.”
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That simple statement echoes throughout the event. Kara is permitted to be imperfect, to be angry, sarcastic, guarded. She gets to be messy and make mistakes. And Gillespie leaned into that freedom. He disclosed that Gunn allowed him to make the film like a graphic novel of its own. “He said, ‘This is your vision. Take it and do what you want with it.’” Such creative freedom is uncommon for superheroes as they tend to adhere to strict patterns. However, ‘Supergirl’ is seeking to combine cosmic adventure with dark humor, emotional grit, and the rough edges of a space western.
