New Supergirl Video Shows Off Fresh Footage From DCU Film (And Confirms a Big Difference From Superman)

Videos by ComicBook.com

Today, DC Studios and Warner Bros. unveiled a behind-the-scenes look at the new trailer, which includes footage from the making of the film as well as interview sound bites from James Gunn, director Craig Gillespie, and star Milly Alcock. “Supergirl was raised on a chunk of a disintegrated planet,” Gunn said. “People were dying all around her. She’s not Superman. And she’s definitely not Clark Kent.”

Alcock explained how Supergirl will stand on its own apart from last summer’s Superman. “Supergirl’s fueled by this pain, fueled by this hurt. I think people are expecting a sidekick film to Superman, like she’s kind of in the periphery of his world. But what they’re actually gonna get is a really kickass Supergirl.” Check out the video in the space below:

Supergirl Is An Important Release for the DCU

After the new DCU canon officially kicked off with the first season of Creature Commandos in late 2024, the franchise had its true coming out party last year when Superman premiered in theaters. Not only did the film earn positive reviews, it was also a sizable box office hit (grossing $618.7 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing comic book movie of 2025), getting the shared universe off to a strong start. As audiences wait to see Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow next year, the onus will be on Supergirl to maintain the forward momentum Superman established, becoming a critical and commercial hit in its own right.

Time will tell how Supergirl fares at the box office (it’s opening at the tail end of a loaded month that also includes Masters of the Universe, Disclosure Day, and Toy Story 5), but DC Studios is doing everything it can to put it in position to succeed. To date, the marketing strategy has been effective; from the very beginning (see: the “Look Out” poster), promotional materials have been highlighting the key differences between Supergirl and Superman, bringing the light the former’s distinct tone and style. While Supergirl has drawn comparisons to James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies, every look at the film thus far has done a good job of showcasing how this won’t be a Superman clone.

It speaks to one of Gunn’s key goals as he develops the DCU. Similar to how the comics experimented with different tones, he wants each movie and TV show to feel unique so the franchise stays fresh. Every project is an opportunity to demonstrate the breadth of storytelling possibilities in this universe, combating any feelings of superhero fatigue that audiences might have. Supergirl is arriving at a fascinating time for comic book adaptations; the Marvel Cinematic Universe has lost some of its luster over the past handful of years thanks to some critical and commercial disappointments, but there remains a large audience for these types of films — especially when they’re of high-quality.

An argument can be made that Supergirl is the perfect choice for the DCU’s second feature. The ties to Superman (Kal-El himself is set to make an appearance) give it enough recognizable elements and iconography to make it seem like a natural continuation of the larger DCU story and connect with general audiences. But through its deep dive exploration into a broken Kryptonian’s psyche and intergalactic zaniness, it won’t come across as a Superman redux or an underwhelming spinoff. Supergirl should be an entertaining blockbuster that finally gives one of DC’s greatest characters the great movie she’s deserved for decades.

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