5 Reasons Why The Supergirl Movie Could Be Better Than Superman

She came, she stumbled, she conquered. Brief as it is, Milly Alcock's Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, arguably has the best cameo in James Gunn's "Superman." It's also the perfect way to tee up the character's solo DC Universe movie, which is heading our way in 2026. Indeed, audiences probably weren't expecting Alcock's Girl of Steel to show up in Gunn's film the way she does, and it's absolutely brilliant. In fact, based on that scene alone, this daring writer feels brave enough to say that "Supergirl" is not only shaping up to match the quality of Gunn's big blue blockbuster, but it's plausible Kara may yet outdo her Kryptonian cousin's first big-screen outing in the DCU.

Compared to Kal-El, a fella more powerful than a locomotive and sweet enough to rescue a squirrel in the middle of a city-shattering battle, does Alcock's cape-wearing alter-ego have what it takes to give us one of the best comic book films in recent memory? Well, judging by its source material (Tom King's exceptional comic book "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow") and everything else we know about the "Supergirl" movie so far, there are five solid reasons to think the DCU's Kara will fly just as high as its Man of Steel — starting with the fact that it's drawing inspiration from some of the greatest Westerns ever and coating them with space dust.

Perhaps the biggest and most important thing that sets "Supergirl" apart from "Superman" is that it's adapting a story that's literally out of this world yet still feels close to home. Released from 2021-2022, "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow" plays like an amalgamation of "True Grit" and "Shane" while packing an emotional punch to match them both. King's yarn follows the brave but naive Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley in the "Supergirl" film), who's on the hunt for her father's killer, Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts). Over the course of her journey, she eventually crosses paths with Kara, one of the last Kryptonians and, in essence, the Rooster Cogburn (or Shane, take your pick) of this story. Due to events this writer will not divulge, Kara agrees to join Ruthye on her mission to ensure that justice is served and the farmer's daughter gets her man, even if it kills her.

It's not at all a stretch to compare "Woman of Tomorrow" to "True Grit" in particular. Unlike Kal-El, Kara is a worn-down warrior whose 21st birthday is interrupted by Ruthye, which results in the pair undertaking a quest that pits them against pirates, dragons, and otherworldly beasts on their way to tracking down Krem. It's through these epic chapters, though, that "Woman of Tomorrow" tells a story that's perhaps more human than the one from Gunn's "Superman" despite taking place among the stars. The big question, however, is whether Alcock is up to the task ... because if she is, she might end up cementing her place as one of the greatest big-screen heroes in recent memory.

The deeper you get into King's award-winning story, the more you see echoes of movies featuring the best female heroes in film history. In point of fact, "Woman of Tomorrow" brings the likes of "Mad Max: Fury Road," "Aliens," and "The Long Kiss Goodnight" to mind thanks to its version of Kara, a character who's gone through a whole lot in her life by the time we meet here.

This also speaks to the bittersweet divide between Kara and Kal-El. While she might look younger than Superman, Supergirl was a teenager when Krypton fell and, as such, is haunted by the memory of this catastrophe, which King elegantly revisits through flashbacks featuring Kara's family. It's this heart-wrenching backstory that, combined with Alcock's performance, has the potential to make the DCU's Supergirl an icon for a new age, even more so than David Corenswet's take on the Man of Steel.

As Gunn explained to ScreenRant, Alcock's Kara is a "total mess," which is often the case with the best heroes and guardians. Her drinking is as intense as her foul language at times, she's reluctant to let Ruthye in emotionally. (We'd dare say she's more similar to a certain "man of adamantium" than the one made of steel.) The good news, fortunately, is that she'll also have her emotional support animal companion to help her on her journey.

While it might've seemed like little more than a funny cameo, there's a whole lot more to Kara's appearance in "Superman" than initially meets the eye. Given everything we know so far about "Supergirl" and the comic it's adapting, we can assume director Craig Gillespie will retain some of the core elements of King's award-winning story, which include Kara and Ruthye being accompanied by Kara's loyal canine Krypto. Last seen wrecking shop and rugby tackling Kara, the lovable super-dog actually plays a significant role in King's comics and might have audiences even more concerned for the beloved pup's safety than they were in "Superman."

The Chewie to Kara's Han Solo, Krypto is already shaping up to be a major player in the future of the DCU thanks to his involvement in "Superman" and "Supergirl." In that sense, he could end up becoming the franchise's (four-legged) answer to Clark Gregg's Agent Coulson from the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, sprinting, flying, and barking his way through a variety of different chapters in Gunn's "Gods and Monsters" narrative. But while Kara's lovable and massively unruly fur-buddy may serve as the connective tissue between the DCU's first two movies, "Supergirl" will also introduce a perfectly-picked veteran of the now-defunct DC Extended Universe as a whole new (and much-anticipated) character.

According to Gunn himself, when the announcement was made the former "Guardians of the Galaxy" director was getting the keys to the DCU, one of the first people to drop him a text was a star who had his eyes on a beloved anti-hero in particular. In no time at all, word got out that Jason Momoa is setting down his trident as Aquaman from the DCEU and picking up a monstrous cigar as the feared bounty hunter Lobo in the DCU – and his first contract could come at Kara's request.

This is where Gillespie's "Supergirl" looks to take a significant detour from King's source material, as Lobo doesn't appear in "Woman of Tomorrow." At the same time, King has said he originally pitched his comic as a Supergirl/Lobo story. In his own words:

"That book began as me pitching a Lobo/Supergirl book, and it was my editor[s], Brittany Holzherr and Jamie Rich, who were like 'No, take Lobo out and make Supergirl the Rooster Cogburn character.'"

The hope, then, is that Momoa's scenes as Lobo won't end up distracting from the wonderful relationship that blossoms between Kara and Ruthye on the story's way to its powerful ending. We're all for Momoa taking on a role meant for him, so, ideally, Lobo will serve as the LaBeouf to Kara's Cogburn in this intergalactic "True Grit." Just because he's the main man, that doesn't mean Lobo has to be here. The film is called "Supergirl," after all.

By the time "Supergirl" rolls around, audiences should already be accustomed to seeing DCU characters in outer space thanks to HBO Max's "Lanterns" series, which will see Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler reporting for duty as Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan. Once their case is closed, we'll get to follow Kara on an adventure that sends her across the solar system (and flying while under the influence).

While there's not necessarily a direct connection between these stories, it's reasonable to assume both "Lanterns" and "Supergirl" will do their part to take the DCU deeper into the cosmos, much like Gunn's "Guardians of the Galaxy" did for the MCU. In many ways, though, it'll be especially important for "Supergirl" to stick the landing in this respect. After all, as beloved as Melissa Benoist's take on Supergirl was in The CW's TV series of the same name, the character's previous big-screen iterations haven't gotten as much love. Let's not forget, it's only been a few years since Sasha Calle's Kara got the short end of the cape in 2023's "The Flash," which proved to be one of the DCEU's biggest commercial misfires.

Fortunately, the future's looking bright for Alock's superhero. While Superman was a relatively safe character to usher in the DCU in theaters, the franchise could do with a more daring, rough-around-the-edges hero with a heart of gold, and that looks like a job for Supergirl. Up, up and away you go, Kara.

"Supergirl" arrives in theaters on June 26, 2026.