James Gunn Breaks Down DCU’s ‘Supergirl’ & Teases Why She Might Shock Us: “She’s Kind of a Mess”

James Gunn, who leads DC Studios and is directing the new Superman movie, has revealed some cool details about the upcoming Supergirl, played by Milly Alcock. This version of Kara Zor-El won’t be the cheerful cousin of Superman living on Earth like we’ve seen before. Instead, Alcock’s Supergirl will be out in space, dealing with her own battles.

In a recent chat with ComicBook, Gunn shared that this Supergirl’s story is much darker and tougher than past versions. He called her “kind of a mess” because she grew up surrounded by the ruins of Krypton, unlike Superman who had a happy, stable childhood.

Gunn also mentioned that while the movie might show flashbacks to Krypton, the main focus is on how the planet’s destruction shaped Kara’s life.

He said, “Clark really does have sort of this really happy childhood. I mean, he had parents who loved him in an easy-going upbringing, and it makes him the least dysfunctional of superheroes in so many ways. And Supergirl, especially the DCU Supergirl, she’s kind of a mess. I mean, she’s, she’s had real issues growing up. And it is based on the comic where she watched person after person after person dying in front of her as her piece of the planet disintegrated.”

Back in January 2023, Gunn and producer Peter Safran announced their plan for the new DC Universe, starting with Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. One of the films is an adaptation of the comic Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely. Gunn described this movie as a “big science fiction epic film” that will show a tougher, more serious Kara Zor-El than we’ve ever seen before.

Tom King, the writer of the comic, is also helping write the overall story for the new DC Universe.

When the film was announced, copies of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow quickly sold out both in stores and online. Gunn said he’s working with DC Comics publisher Jim Lee to make sure more copies get printed soon so fans won’t have to wait too long.

This new take on Supergirl looks like it will give fans a deeper, more intense story about Kara Zor-El, making her a key figure in the DC Universe with a journey full of emotion and challenges.

This information was revealed during James Gunn’s interview with ComicBook.

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