DC Studios just confirmed its plans for Supergirl on 2026's Super Bowl weekend, and those who followed the road to Superman will be familiar. As DC Studios set out to relaunch the DCU under James Gunn last year, many expected the blue brand to break the Warner Bros. mold of avoiding the Super Bowl last February with a new Superman trailer. Sadly, that wasn't the case, as Superman's only appearance on 2025's big game weekend came at the Puppy Bowl.
As reported by Variety, DC Studios will be absent from this year's Super Bowl LX, but will return to tease Supergirl at the Puppy Bowl once again. The decision is a logical one as the event airs on a Warner Bros. Discovery-owned network, Animal Planet, and, much like Superman, Krypton will prominently feature in Supergirl.
The Puppy Bowl is an annual event that airs on Animal Planet on Super Bowl Sunday, with adoptable canines playing in a miniature stadium across a three-hour special to raise awareness for animal shelters and encourage pet adoption.
This year's Puppy Bowl and the next look at Supergirl will take place on Sunday, February 8, with kick-off between Team Ruff and Team Fluff, featuring over 150 adorable puppies, slated for 2 p.m. ET / 11 p.m. PT on Animal Planet.
Kara Zor-El herself, Milly Alcock, introduces the Supergirl / Puppy Bowl collaboration in a new video. The dogs who will be featured in the Puppy Bowl will be battling for the coveted Lombarky Trophy!
DC Studios' Super Bowl absence shouldn't come as any surprise, as Warner Bros. rarely cashes out the event's high price tags, which Variety reported stretched up to $10 million this year for a 30-second spot.
The blue brand made a rare appearance at the 2023 Super Bowl to showcase The Flash, clearly not to its box office's benefit, as the speedster flick failed to gain momentum, bringing in only $271 million worldwide and becoming a historic flop.
Super Bowl LX looks set to be in a superhero drought as Marvel Studios is reportedly joining DC Studios in sitting out the big game, pushing back the predicted release for Spider-Man: Brand New Day's trailer.
What Will DC's Supergirl Show at 2026's Puppy Bowl?
If last year's Puppy Bowl is anything to go off, fans should temper expectations for Supergirl's presence. For Superman, DC Studios brought mostly already-revealed footage, a new peek at Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner, and a special message from James Gunn and his rescue dog, Ozu, to promote the event and dog adoption.
After David Corenswet's Superman was launched into conflict with Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor, in part to rescue Krypto, Milly Alcock's Supergirl will face a similar journey in 2026. DC Studios previously confirmed that Krypto is in grave danger in Supergirl, putting him at the heart of yet another DCU flick.
For those not looking to wait until June 26 to discover the fate of DC's superdog, the Woman of Tomorrow comic already revealed what happens to Krypto when all is said and done, provided the live-action adaptation stays the course.
The Puppy Bowl could truly feature anything from Supergirl, but the most likely bets are several new shots of Krypto, possibly along with another message from James Gunn or Milly Alcock to highlight the cause of dog adoption.
