The DCU got off to a strong start with Creature Commandos and Superman, with the latter helping to restore confidence in the brand and lay the groundwork for a new shared universe spearheaded by James Gunn and Peter Safran.
With that in mind, expectations for Supergirl were always going to be high, not just as the second film in the franchise, but as a key test of whether DC Studios can maintain its initial momentum.
However, in the months leading up to release, several decisions surrounding the film—from marketing and adaptation choices to press tour handling and broader franchise positioning—have left some fans questioning whether that momentum has been fully capitalised on. While none of these concerns is a deal-breaker on its own, together they've led to a lack of excitement and split the opinions of fans.
Here are the five main reasons why some fans are beginning to worry about Supergirl ahead of its release this weekend...
5. DC Studios Hasn't Done Enough To Protect Milly Alcock
Milly Alcock is a relative newcomer, and despite being a lead in House of the Dragon's first season, Supergirl is by far her biggest project yet. Unfortunately, DC Studios has not done enough to protect and prepare the actress for such an intense press tour (especially when interviewers are ready and waiting with "gotcha" questions, such as those about Supergirl's sexuality).
At a time when it takes very little for social media users to turn on someone—particularly women, unfortunately—Alcock has come under fire for acknowledging that there are sexists "fans" out there and shrugging off the idea of speaking to the actresses who played Supergirl before her.
Even at the movie's world premiere, Alcock admitted to having never watched the 1984 Supergirl movie, which, after also saying she hasn't watched Wonder Woman, has been perceived as a lack of love for the genre (on the plus side, reactions suggest she's a highlight and perfectly cast as the hero).
That's hardly the end of the world—few actors are fans themselves—but quotes like these create headlines and engagement-farming X posts that have painted Alcock as an unlikeable figure in the same vein, rightly or wrongly, as Snow White star Rachel Zegler. With a little media training, DC Studios could have done more to avoid handing bad-faith trolls easy ammunition before Supergirl has even reached theaters.
4. A Missed Trick With Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow
Tom King and Bilquis Evely's Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is the Maid of Might's most critically acclaimed comic, and was teased as the basis for the Supergirl movie. Now, though, it's easy to see why the "Woman of Tomorrow" subtitle was ultimately dropped.
While this movie is still very loosely based on King and Evely's breathtaking cosmic adventure, something seems to have been lost in translation. This cosmic road trip has lost its eye-popping visuals and is being compared to Mad Max and, in a less flattering manner, James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy movies.
1:1 comic book adaptations are rare, but DC Studios inadvertently set a false expectation that this movie would stick far closer to the comic than it actually has. In his six-minute DCU slate announcement, Gunn said the studio would be turning King and Evely's Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow into "a big, epic, science-fiction film," not the gritty, scaled-down version the first reactions have promised.
That doesn't mean Supergirl won't be a good movie, but the disconnect between what fans expected and what DC Studios has delivered has left some readers worried that one of DC's most beloved modern comics has been adapted in name only.
3. DC Studios Isn't Capitalising On Superman's Success
Superman wasn't a complete home run, but it was 2025's highest-grossing superhero movie, even if Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps received slightly better reviews. Crucially, it restored a lot of faith in the DC brand after several years of disappointing misfires.
Delivering a hopeful, optimistic take on the Man of Steel after Zack Snyder and Henry Cavill's moody interpretation, it felt very much like DC Studios was on the right track with fans and casual moviegoers alike. However, Supergirl hasn't capitalised on Superman's success, and doesn't feel like an essential next chapter in Gunn's widely touted "Superman Saga."
While DC Studios has made a point of including David Corenswet's Superman in trailers and clips—spoiling almost the entirety of his cameo—it feels more like a cheap bid to boost interest instead of a meaningful way of telling fans that this movie matters.
By selling Supergirl as a standalone cosmic adventure that just so happens to feature Kara Zor-El, this doesn't feel like a launching platform for a new franchise; just something to fill the gap between Superman and Man of Tomorrow. Beyond a cameo, DC Studios has missed an opportunity to strike while the iron was hot and further establish the interconnected world promised when the DCU was first announced.
2. The Trailers Weren't Good
A trailer sets the tone for everything that follows, and DC Studios has dropped the ball in arguably all but this movie's final sneak peek. The teaser was criticised for looking dull and uninspired, so the next effort upped the contrast in a bid to convince fans that Supergirl would be as visually stunning as the comic that's inspired it.
Whether that adjustment reflects the final look of the film or is a marketing choice, the campaign hasn’t fully convinced fans that Supergirl will deliver the same level of visual ambition as the source material that inspired it.
Trailers have also recycled a lot of the same footage, suggesting there's just not that much to the movie. That may not be a fair assumption, but it doesn't feel like we'll be surprised by, well, anything this weekend. Then, there's the Lobo of it all.
The news that Jason Momoa would play the character was met with a great deal of positivity from fans. What we didn't expect was for him to just play Aquaman with a different look and motorbike (the "yee-haw" persona doesn't really line up with the comics). His inclusion in this movie also feels a little out of place, and does Supergirl a disservice by suggesting Kara needs him to drum up interest.
1. A Bad Choice For The DCU's Second Movie?
After launching the DCU with Superman, many fans naturally expected DC Studios to quickly follow up with its other cornerstone heroes, Batman and Wonder Woman. The decision to place Kara Zor-El front and centre with Supergirl has proven surprisingly divisive, and has been perceived by some as an attempt to ride Superman's coattails rather than delivering an essential DCU story.
Positioning a lesser-used but still recognisable hero early in the slate could be viewed as a bold attempt to expand the universe beyond the usual Trinity. In theory, it signals confidence that the DCU doesn’t need to rely solely on Batman and Wonder Woman to carry its cinematic future.
However, not everyone is convinced it’s the right call. Superman successfully reintroduced audiences to a brighter, more optimistic version of the DC universe, and some fans feel that momentum should have been immediately reinforced by another heavy-hitter before branching out. In that context, placing Supergirl so early risks feeling like a detour instead of a direct continuation of the franchise's newfound momentum.
There’s also the question of franchise identity. Superman established a clear tone and direction, but following it up with a cosmic, road-trip-style Supergirl story is a major tonal shift, and does little to establish what this world is. DC Studios would have benefitted from going down the Iron Man-Thor-Captain America: The First Avenger route.