DC Studios has a major summer movie on the horizon with “Supergirl,” arriving a year after “Superman” pulled in $624M worldwide, including a $125M domestic opening, becoming 2025’s biggest superhero movie and giving James Gunn and Peter Safran some much-needed breathing room.
The question now is whether “Supergirl” can continue that momentum. However, forecasts from Box Office Theory currently predict a domestic debut between $47M and $65M, putting it somewhere between “The Marvels” territory and “Black Adam,” which opened to $67 domestically.
“Supergirl,” which opens June 26, 2026, is squeezed between several major family blockbusters, including “Toy Story 5,” “Minions & Monsters,” and Disney’s live-action “Moana.” However, the main issue surrounding the film is that the marketing campaign simply hasn’t generated much excitement. That softer buzz has fueled concerns that the movie could either emerge as a modest performer or become one of the summer’s bigger disappointments.
Notice how Superman is heavily featured in recent promotional material for “Supergirl,” despite the character reportedly only having a cameo role in the film — that’s Warner Bros. trying to play it safe.
Then there are the internal issues that have reportedly plagued the production. “Supergirl” has undergone at least ten test screenings — an unusually high number for a modern studio blockbuster — with DC Studios reportedly experimenting with three different endings, multiple edits, and expanded appearances from Superman. Furthermore, reactions to the film have been mixed, with Milly Alcock consistently earning praise for her performance, while criticism has focused on the action scenes and Matthias Schoenaerts’ villain, Krem.
“Supergirl” has also cycled through three composers — including Ramin Djawadi, Tom Holkenborg, and Claudia Sarne. Tonally, the movie is described as darker and more character-driven than a typical superhero film, with a “space western” vibe and music choices reminiscent of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” while Jason Momoa’s brief turn as Lobo has reportedly tested well with audiences.
Listen, this film has tested over ten times, so I imagine it’s either not very good or Warner Bros. is heavily reworking it to find the perfect version. Or maybe the truth lies somewhere in the middle. It’s very hard to tell because the edit reportedly keeps changing from screening to screening.
Directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira, the film represents another major test for DC Studios’ long-term theatrical strategy. Ticket sales are expected to begin tomorrow, so we should soon get a clearer picture of whether “Supergirl” will hurt DC Studios’ momentum or help carry it into next year’s “Superman: Man of Tomorrow.”
Not more than 24 hours later, Guy Ritchie’s role offer to Markle has now reportedly been withdrawn. The story goes that they don’t want her in the show anymore “after intense backlash in the U.K.”