Supergirl is paying homage to Christopher Reeve's Superman legacy with one behind-the-scenes costume detail. Almost five decades later, 1978's Superman star Christopher Reeve remains the gold standard for bringing the Man of Steel to the big screen. The late Hollywood legend went on to star in three Superman sequels, while the mythos also spawned 1984's Supergirl spin-off, starring Helen Slater, in which he turned down a cameo. The Girl of Steel has come to screens since then on TV and in other DC movies, but the first Supergirl movie since then is coming to theaters this month from James Gunn's DCU, in which 26-year-old Milly Alcock is wearing the red-and-blue.
During a recent interview with Raiders of the Lost Podcast, the DCU's Supergirl actress, Milly Alcock, revealed that her cape was made "using material from the original Superman cape" that was once worn by Christopher Reeve.
That being said, Superman diehards needn't worry about the fate of Reeve's original suit, as, no, it wasn't damaged to create this new DCU suit, since the crew found "16 meters" of the same material tucked away somewhere:
"So, my cape in this film was remade using material from the original Superman cape from the first [Christopher Reeve 'Superman']. I think they found that there was like 16 meters of that material, so that's in the back of my cape now."
That marks a departure from David Corenswet's Superman, who wore a new material, as the Spanish fabric producer Gratacós confirmed on Instagram that they made the material for his cape with "80 meters of exclusive Gratacós fabric, fully designed in Barcelona and woven in Italy."
Commenting on their involvement in 2025's Superman, CEO Juan Gratacós stated that, "Fabrics have the power to carry stories, and superheroes too." That statement has perhaps never carried as much weight as now, as Alcock jets into theaters with the beginnings of modern superhero filmmaking on her shoulders.
In terms of the in-universe origins for Supergirl's suit, a recent TV spot saw her handed it by her Kryptonian cousin after landing on Earth, as he told her, "I know it's pretty colorful, but that's just so everyone knows we're good."
Just weeks before Supergirl hits theaters on June 26, Corenswet is officially back on a DC Studios set for next July's Man of Tomorrow, in which Alcock will also reprise Kara Zor-El. Fans recently caught their first glimpse of Superman's new suit in set photos, hinting at slight tweaks for his updated look.
How DC Studios Is Still Honoring Christopher Reeve's Superman
The 20th-century super-suit remains an integral piece of Superman filmmaking to this day, as Henry Cavill once did his screentest in a replica of Reeve's costume, while his replacement, David Corenswet, later did the same in his.
DC Studios honored Reeve's legacy by delivering Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story as its historic first release in 2024, before also featuring his son, newscaster Will Reeve, in a special cameo in 2024's Superman.
These tributes mark a major improvement from how the old DCEU decided to "respect" the DC legend's legacy after The Flash sparked controversy by reviving Reeve's Superman with a CGI cameo, only to destroy his universe forever.
Regardless, in the hearts of fans and the soul of the DCU, Reeve's Superman lives on and will continue to for generations to come, as DC Studios seems determined to make it known that the impact those movies had on its modern productions.
