Supergirl director Craig Gillespie has hinted at the movie's true genre, and it's a unique distinction from the rest of the DCU. The upcoming superhero movie stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin, who goes on her own off-world adventure with a young companion, Ruthye (Eve Ridley), to rediscover the meaning of being a hero. While Superman and Supergirl share a symbol, DC Studios is ensuring that Gillespie's superhero film differs significantly from last summer's Superman.
One way in which the movie will be distinct is its genre. While previous reports had likened the upcoming DC film to a "space adventure" in the vein of Guardians of the Galaxy, new quotes from Gillespie reveal that Supergirl draws on the Western genre as well. Speaking to Fandango, Gillespie revealed that while Supergirl is still set in a sci-fi environment, it shares some western tropes, including the "frontier" on the "fringe of the galaxy" and "characters that are almost like outlaws."
"They're going on this journey and they're going to sort of the fringe of the galaxy. They're going where there's a lot of misfits and there's a lot of planets that are right like on the edge and kind of in that frontier kind of way that you get in a Western. So they're turning up in places that are off the grid a little bit and having to work that in, and characters that are almost like outlaws in a way, and Lobo fits well into that as well."
The DCU has yet to tackle the western, with past projects delving into adult animation (Creature Commandos) and black comedy (Peacemaker), or more traditional superhero fare with Superman. However, the DCU continues to expand into new genres, with 2026's Clayface and Lanterns broaching new territory for the superhero cinematic universe, and now Supergirl is playing a part in that expansion as well.
Trailers for Supergirl thus far have shown off a distinctly sci-fi, action-packed story. Compared to Superman, the film spends much more time off-world, following Supergirl and Ruthye on an adventure across the galaxy where they encounter various aliens and new planets. They'll also encounter Jason Momoa's Lobo, an intergalactic bounty hunter, and Krem of the Yellow Hills, the villain who leads the Brigands, both of whom share similarities with Western stereotypes.
While the film certainly maintains an element of space adventure, the added layer of being a Western also makes complete sense for the story.
Supergirl will be released in theaters on June 26, 2026. Milly Alcock, Jason Momoa, Eve Ridley, Matthias Schoenaerts, and David Corenswet make up the cast of the movie.
Supergirl's Western Tone Makes Complete Sense
The news that Supergirl is more of a space western won't be all that surprising to readers of the comic it is inspired by: Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Tom King's comic was often compared to True Grit upon its release, as it follows many of the same tropes: a jaded older mentor traveling with an optimistic young companion to seek revenge for their family.
Unit publicist Sophie Scott reinforced this notion, revealing (via ComicBook.com) that the True Grit undertones in Supergirl are "very evident in our film:"
"It's Supergirl's movie, but they are travel buddies. It's very much the Tom King comic, as some of you may know, was inspired by True Grit, the Western. And I think that model is very evident in our film."
True Grit is a highly regarded story, so seeing its premise play out in a new way through Supergirl will hopefully garner similar results for the DC Studios film.
As the DCU continues to expand and assemble a roster of characters, it hasn't been afraid to embrace new genres, pairing each character with a suitable tone. Unlike Superman's optimism, Supergirl is far more cynical, having endured Krypton's destruction. In fitting with the Western genre, her morality and jadedness will be tested on her journey, and the result will be important in setting her up for future DCU appearances.
