Both James Gunn and Zack Snyder have featured Supergirl in their versions of the DC universe, but their portrayals were quite distinct. This year, Gunn’s DC Universe formally introduced Kara Zor-El with the film Supergirl. Despite the movie not performing well financially, Gunn has stated that Milly Alcock will reprise her role as Kara and remain a key character in future DCU projects.
The DCU’s Supergirl shares many similarities with her comic book origins, though there are some key differences. Like the character in the Woman of Tomorrow comic series that the upcoming Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow film is based on, Kara initially struggles with isolation and alcohol abuse, avoiding both her cousin Superman (Kal-El) and the duties of being a hero. However, by the end of the movie, she chooses to embrace a new life on Earth and become a more optimistic figure.
Milly Alcock’s portrayal of Supergirl is quite distinct from the one seen in Zack Snyder’s DC Universe (DCEU). Although many remember her DCEU debut in the 2023 film The Flash, hints of the character actually appeared earlier. Supergirl was subtly introduced in Man of Steel, and that version of Kara Zor-El differs considerably from the Supergirl we’ll see in the upcoming 2026 series.
Man Of Steel Subtly Introduced Zack Snyder’s Supergirl
Although Supergirl doesn’t make a direct appearance in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, the movie subtly sets up her character for the DC Extended Universe. Early in the film, Clark Kent explores a damaged Kryptonian spacecraft and finds several frozen bodies in pods. One pod is empty, and while the movie doesn’t say who it belonged to, a follow-up comic book revealed that Kara Zor-El – Supergirl – had escaped from it.
A comic book backstory showed that Supergirl’s ship reached Earth long before Superman did. While plans to fully develop this earlier version of Supergirl in the DC movie universe never happened, she was likely still Superman’s cousin. Hints suggest she may have been a member of the Justice Society alongside heroes like Doctor Fate, Atom Smasher, and Hawkman. A childhood drawing by the hero Cyclone depicted Supergirl, indicating she was part of that team.
While we don’t have all the specifics, Zack Snyder’s Supergirl and James Gunn’s version are quite different. Snyder’s Supergirl, played by Milly Alcock, actually came to Earth long before Superman and spent thousands of years in hiding for reasons unknown. Interestingly, she didn’t participate in the battle against Steppenwolf in Justice League, whereas the new Supergirl will team up with Superman to fight Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow.
As a fan, I don’t think we’ll ever truly know Zack Snyder’s plans for Supergirl in the old DCEU. But I’m pretty sure it would have been drastically different from what James Gunn is doing now. I imagine Snyder’s version would have been a lot darker and more intense, and probably wouldn’t have focused as much on Kara connecting with and caring about people, especially considering how her story ended in the recent Supergirl series.
The DCEU Eventually Debuted A Different Supergirl
Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel hinted at the introduction of Supergirl, but she didn’t appear in any DC movies until after he stepped away from directing them. While Sasha Calle played Supergirl in The Flash (2023), her character was different than the one originally planned. Calle’s Supergirl came from an alternate timeline created during the events of The Flash, and wasn’t the Kryptonian whose pod was shown in Man of Steel. Instead, Barry Allen discovered her during his time travel adventure.
While not the first Supergirl in the DC Extended Universe, actress Sasha Calle was intended to have a larger role in future films. However, The Flash movie went through many changes during production, including three different endings. Ultimately, in the final version, Barry Allen resets the timeline, sending Calle’s Supergirl back to her own universe.
Originally, there were plans for Supergirl to team up with either Michael Keaton’s Batman or Henry Cavill’s Superman in future DC movies. One idea involved her becoming a key character alongside Batman, while another would have seen her join Superman in a sequel to Man of Steel. However, those plans were changed when The Flash movie was finalized, and because the DCEU ended soon after, actress Milly Alcock never had the opportunity to reprise her role as Supergirl.
Sasha Calle’s version of Supergirl, while not fully developed on screen, was noticeably different from the one played by Milly Alcock. This was largely because her story took place within the Flashpoint timeline, where she was captured and subjected to harsh experiments by the Soviets. She was also portrayed as more serious and driven, unlike Alcock’s more lighthearted Supergirl. Sadly, with the changes to the DC Universe, we’ll likely never know how Calle’s Supergirl would have compared to the new version, and it remains an unanswered question.
2026-07-21 02:21