Supergirl is finally taking flight in the new DCU. Warner Bros set “Supergirl : Woman of Tomorrow” for 26 June 2026, with Milly Alcock wearing the S and Craig Gillespie directing from a script by Ana Nogueira. The film was announced as part of DC Studios Chapter One on 31 January 2023, and it sits alongside “Superman” as a core pillar of James Gunn’s reset.
Context matters. This Kara Zor El is drawn from the 2021 to 2022 comic miniseries by Tom King and Bilquis Evely, an eight issue space saga that reshaped her voice. The DCU plan positions a tougher Supergirl beside a hopeful Superman, with David Corenswet leading “Superman” in 2025 and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Whether Alcock appears there first has not been confirmed, but the runway is clear.
What James Gunn changes for Supergirl in the DCU
The DCU approach reframes Kara as a survivor who grew up far from the comforts that shaped Clark Kent. That contrast is baked into the slate revealed in 2023, when James Gunn underlined the tonal split between the cousins. Expect a Supergirl who has seen loss, crossed deep space, and makes harder calls without losing the core compassion fans expect.
The source blueprint is crucial. “Woman of Tomorrow” follows Kara on a cosmic journey alongside Ruthye, a young alien out to find a killer. It reads like a space western, intimate in voice yet sprawling in scale. For audiences burned by continuity whiplash, this is a clean page that connects directly to the DCU spine rather than retrofitting old threads.
There is also a practical change. This Supergirl will not continue the versions seen on The CW or in “The Flash” from 2023, where Sasha Calle debuted as Kara. Fresh timeline, new cast, and one consistent studio banner under DC Studios.
Cast, director, release date : the Supergirl movie at a glance
Here is the quick snapshot that fans keep searching for.
- Title : “Supergirl : Woman of Tomorrow” inspired by the 2021 to 2022 eight issue comic
- Lead : Milly Alcock as Kara Zor El announced in January 2024
- Director : Craig Gillespie confirmed in 2024
- Screenplay : Ana Nogueira attached in November 2023
- Release date : 26 June 2026
- DCU timeline tie in : part of Chapter One revealed on 31 January 2023
From comic book to screen : why “Woman of Tomorrow” matters
The 2021 to 2022 miniseries did something deceptively simple. It let Kara leave Earth, meet Ruthye, and track a murderer across hostile worlds. No city skyline. No team up crutch. Just character, choices, and consequences. For a screen adaptation, that reduces continuity baggage and gives the film a clear emotional engine.
Milly Alcock’s casting in January 2024 brought the right age profile to match a DCU that starts earlier in these heroes’ lives. The performance brief is not the invincible icon first. It is the traveler who earns that icon status scene by scene. Craig Gillespie’s filmography on character forward stories like “I, Tonya” and “Cruella” signals a tilt toward personality and momentum rather than pure spectacle.
A practical upside shows up in scheduling. With “Superman” dated for 11 July 2025 and filming through 2024, “Supergirl” can roll after those stages lock, keeping visual continuity intact and avoiding the missteps that come when different units build the world in isolation.
Timeline and what to expect next for the DCU
DC Studios unveiled 10 projects on 31 January 2023 under Chapter One titled “Gods and Monsters”. That slate included “Superman”, “The Authority”, “The Brave and the Bold”, “Supergirl : Woman of Tomorrow”, “Swamp Thing”, “Creature Commandos”, “Waller”, “Lanterns”, “Booster Gold”, and “Paradise Lost”. One connected universe, shared casting, one creative map.
Production wise, “Superman” began shooting in 2024 to make the 11 July 2025 date. “Supergirl” then targets the 26 June 2026 launch, with script work and design pipelines moving through 2024 into 2025. The order sets up an organic on ramp for Kara, whether that is a brief appearance or just narrative handshakes across films.
What about the story on screen. Expect the core “Woman of Tomorrow” spine to stay intact, trimmed to a two hour feature while keeping the Ruthye partnership and the journey element. The big swing is tone. A grounded road movie in space that lets Kara be fierce and tender without the noise of a crowded crossover. That is the gap the DCU intends to fill, and the one fans have been asking for since 2021. If the team sticks to the book’s clean lines and commits to character first, the result could definitly land with both new viewers and long time readers.