DC Confirms 2026’s Supergirl Movie Will Fix Superman 2025’s Villain Issue

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The new Supergirl film from DC Studios is sidestepping a common issue with Superman movies. Director James Gunn introduced several villains in Superman, such as Lex Luthor (played by Nicholas Hoult), The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría), Ultraman (David Corenswet), and arguably, Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo). While Superman was largely well-received, some viewers felt it missed a chance to feature more alien adversaries, considering the wide range of villains available in Superman’s history.

At first, launching the new DC Universe with both a Superman and Supergirl movie so close together seemed like an odd choice. However, DC Studios now appears to be taking a different approach with Milly Alcock’s version of Supergirl (Kara Zor-El). They’re basing her story on the Woman of Tomorrow comics, and the film will follow her on a grand, space-based adventure after she retrieves Krypto, Superman’s dog, from her cousin.

DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran has praised the upcoming Woman of Tomorrow as a fresh and innovative approach to introducing Supergirl, before detailing how the film will address a long-standing issue with Superman’s villains – as revealed in the official artbook for the 2025 blockbuster.

As a huge fan of comics, ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ was a story our team was really excited about bringing to life. We all just loved it! It felt like the perfect way to show audiences a fresh, completely different side of Supergirl – one they hadn’t seen before.

Safran highlighted the difference between Superman and Supergirl, explaining that after the first DCU movie, which was grounded on Earth, the next film needed to explore space and other planets.

We really liked how grounded the first ‘Superman’ movie was, so it was exciting to explore a much bigger, space-based story in the sequel.

When audiences were introduced to David Corenswet as Clark Kent, his initial challenges included battling Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, along with two of Luthor’s creations: a Superman clone called Ultraman and a villain enhanced with nanites known as the Engineer. The next story, based on the Man of Tomorrow storyline, will see Superman facing a different kind of threat: the alien Brainiac.

I’ve always loved how Supergirl really broke new ground. By embracing the ‘space adventure’ format, it did something Superman never could: it allowed the show to pit its Kryptonian hero against a villain who was also an alien. It created a totally unique dynamic I found really compelling!

On June 26, 2026, Supergirl, played by Milly Alcok, will go head-to-head with Krem of the Yellow Hills, portrayed by Matthias Schoenaerts, in a storyline adapted from Woman of Tomorrow. Krem, a dangerous pirate and assassin from another planet, becomes Supergirl’s enemy after he poisons Krypto and kills Ruthye Marye Knoll’s father. This tragedy brings Supergirl and Ruthye together as they seek justice against Krem.

The show will also feature Lobo, played by Jason Momoa, as a recurring villain. Lobo is a powerful bounty hunter who travels the galaxy on his futuristic motorcycle, the Spacehog, and is strong enough to challenge even Supergirl.

One of the heads of DC Studios suggested that Krypto, Superman’s dog, will play a significant part in the upcoming DC Universe, especially connecting the stories of Superman and Supergirl. Safran called Krypto a crucial element, explaining that he’s key to setting up the major events of the planned 2026 Superman movie.

Krypto is a key element that ties the Superman and Supergirl stories together. He’s hugely important to Superman’s story and actually starts the events of Supergirl’s. This connection makes it easier for viewers to transition between the two films.

Supergirl Is Exactly What DC Studios Urgently Needs

Fans of the DC Universe are excited to see Supergirl join the action. The story will reportedly focus on the Green Lanterns investigating a mystery on Earth, described as a murder taking place in the American Midwest. This investigation will then uncover an ancient, terrifying presence. While it involves superheroes, the story seems to be starting with a relatively realistic and grounded premise.

As a lifelong cinema devotee, I have to say the upcoming DCU lineup feels a little…off. It seems like they’re steering away from classic superhero narratives, and honestly, it’s a bit disappointing. Take the new HBO show, for instance. They’re doing a true crime docuseries with Jimmy Olsen versus Gorilla Grodd! While that sounds interesting, most of us are probably hoping to see Grodd battling his classic foe, The Flash. It just feels like they’re missing opportunities for the stories we really want to see.

DC Studios seems to be doing well, as shown by their willingness to take risks on unique projects like a Clayface series or a show about Jimmy Olsen. However, they also need to balance those creative ventures with more traditional superhero stories – something the DC Universe currently lacks.

Of all the upcoming DC Studios projects, Supergirl seems to be the most straightforward superhero movie. While other films are experimenting with wild ideas or team-ups with many heroes, Supergirl appears to be a classic story of a hero fighting evil in space.

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2026-01-15 08:06