Milly Alcock’s ‘Supergirl’ Finally Gets an HBO Max Release Date After a Rocky Box Office Run
DC Studios’ rebooted cinematic universe has moved fast since James Gunn and Peter Safran took the reins, quickly following up 2025’s “Superman” with a female-led solo adventure the following summer. That kind of rapid turnaround was meant to signal confidence in the franchise’s new direction, giving Milly Alcock’s Kara Zor-El her own spotlight barely a year after her introduction.
“Supergirl” soared into theaters on June 26, marking DC Studios’ second entry in its rebooted “Gods and Monsters” chapter. The film followed Kara as she reluctantly teamed up with an unlikely companion to confront a ruthless adversary, all while trying to protect those closest to her, including her beloved dog Krypto.
That theatrical run has now officially wrapped, and the film is heading to streaming. DC Studios’ “Supergirl” will make its global streaming debut exclusively on HBO Max on September 10, with an HBO linear television premiere following on September 12, according to Deadline.
The streaming arrival comes after a notably rough summer at the box office for the film. According to Jingletree, “Supergirl” finished its theatrical run with just $126 million worldwide, a steep shortfall against reported production and marketing costs that reportedly reached around $290 million combined.
The film’s opening weekend set the tone for that disappointing trajectory, debuting to $37.1 million domestically from 3,600 North American theaters before falling a punishing 77 percent in its second weekend. That drop-off effectively ended any realistic chance of a theatrical rebound, standing in sharp contrast to “Superman’s” much stronger $618 million global haul from the previous summer.
Critical reception landed somewhere in the middle as well, with reviews praising Alcock’s performance while expressing disappointment that the film didn’t quite live up to Gunn’s earlier “Superman” installment. ScreenRant’s review specifically highlighted Alcock’s ability to convey vulnerability in Kara’s grief over her parents and her dog Krypto, even while noting the film overall felt like a letdown given how quickly DC managed to deliver a female-led solo movie compared to other franchises.
Directed by Craig Gillespie from a script by Ana Nogueira, “Supergirl” is based on Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s “Woman of Tomorrow” comic series. The film’s HBO Max debut will also include an American Sign Language version, performed by Catalene Sacchetti and directed by Jonaz McMillan, streaming simultaneously with the standard release, according to Vital Thrills.
Alcock leads the cast alongside Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, and Emily Beecham, with David Corenswet reprising his role as Superman and Jason Momoa making his DCU debut as bounty hunter Lobo. The film’s synopsis frames Kara as headstrong and often reckless, embodying a distinct brand of heroism built around being truthful and relatable rather than conventionally “nice.”
With its theatrical chapter now closed, “Supergirl’s” arrival on HBO Max gives Warner Bros. and DC Studios a chance to reach the significant portion of fans who skipped the film in theaters altogether. The streaming debut follows the film’s earlier home video release, which hit 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD formats on September 8 with more than 90 minutes of behind-the-scenes bonus content.
Given how quickly DC Studios has been moving to expand its rebooted universe, “Supergirl’s” streaming performance could carry real weight in shaping how the studio approaches future spinoffs and solo projects.
Will you watch Supergirl now that it's streaming on HBO Max?
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