WARNING: This article includes SPOILERS from Superman.James Gunn explains how Milly Alcock’s Supergirl fits into the DC Universe in comparison to David Corenswet’s Superman. As 2025 brought the Man of Steel back to the big screen through Gunn’s Superman movie, the DCU installment had one big surprise for fans, with Kal-El not being the only famous Kryptonian to get the spotlight this summer.

After mᴀssive rumors that she would be showing up in the film, Alcock’s Kara Zor-El officially made her 2025 debut as part of the Superman movie cast, as Supergirl was one of the film’s special cameos. With Kara showing up drunk at the Fortress of Solitude to pick up her dog, Krypto, this marks the first time the Kryptonian cousins have been properly seen together in any cinematic depiction.

During an exclusive interview with ScreenRant’s own Ash Crossan, Gunn addressed Supergirl’s cameo in Superman, and how this sets things up for Alcock’s upcoming DCU movie in 2026. In this conversation, Gunn delved into why the DCU’s version of Supergirl starts out so different to Superman, and how their backgrounds define their early stories in the franchise.

ScreenRant: Obviously it’s quite a contained story, but we do see Krypto is a mess… and belongs to another mess, which is Supergirl.

James Gunn: That’s right.

ScreenRant: Is that the version of Supergirl we’re going to meet in the next film?

James Gunn: Yeah, that’s her. She’s a mess. She’s a total mess. I mean, I think as we learn, she’s had a completely different background from Superman. A much more difficult background. He’s had this wonderful upbringing by these two parents that loved him and were very healthy. And her background was much different than that. And she’s ended up different than her cousin.

What James Gunn’s Supergirl Comments Mean

With the Supergirl movie being based on the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic, Gunn’s Superman film is already lining up with the source material, as seen with Alcock’s cameo appearance. The interesting way the Girl of Steel is introduced through Superman serves as a solid starting point for her eventual growth both in Supergirl, and other DCU projects that she shows up in down the line.

What is also clear through Gunn’s Supergirl and Superman comments is how the DCU is allowing a very different take on Kara to be explored, in comparison to past live-action versions of her. While Clark got to have an wholesome upbringing on Earth, the Supergirl movie will explore how challenging it was for Kara not to have that same opportunity.

Our Take On James Gunn’s Supergirl Comments

Gunn’s explanation about where the DCU is going with Kara makes Alcock’s Supergirl movie even more interesting, while also showing how it will be completely different to Superman. Fans have now gotten a taste of the DCU’s Girl of Steel in Superman, but there is a lot to look forward to with Alcock’s solo film, especially given that it is to be set in space.

After what the DCU audience got to see in Gunn’s movie, it will also be fun to see how vastly different Krypto’s dynamic with Supergirl is, in comparison to his relationship with Superman. With both of the Kryptonian icons in the DCU after the Superman movie, time will tell what is next for the two DC cousins in Gunn’s franchise.