Supergirl: James Gunn says Milly Alcock was the first person he thought of to play Kara Zor-El in the DCU

Last Updated on April 3, 2024

House of the Dragon actor Milly Alcock is ready to go up, up, and away as Supergirl for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s re-imagining of the DCU. Alcock’s casting as Kara Zor-El (aka Supergirl) for upcoming DC film projects happened yesterday, and since then, fans have been wondering how the actress beat out others for the high-profile part. Thankfully, Gunn shed some light on the subject through his Threads account, saying Alcock was the first person he envisioned as Superman’s Kryptonian cousin.

“In case you missed this exciting news yesterday. Strangely, Milly was the FIRST person I brought up to Peter (Safran) for this role, well over a year ago, when I had only read the comics,” Gunn said on Threads.

“I was watching House of the Dragon & thought she might have the edge, grace & authenticity we needed for the DCU’s Supergirl. And now here we are. Life is wild sometimes,” Gunn added about being dazzled by Alcock’s performance as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen for the Game of Thrones prequel series.

Alcock edged out The Winchesters and Supergirl voice actress Meg Donnelly and CODA’s Emilia Jones for the role. While plot details for Gunn‘s adaptation of Tom King’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow remain a mystery, the limited series with jaw-dropping art by Bilquis Evely has the following synopsis:

Kara Zor-El has seen some epic adventures over the years, but she now finds her life without meaning or purpose. Here she is, a young woman who saw her planet destroyed and was sent to Earth to protect a baby cousin who ended up not needing her. What was it all for? Wherever she goes, people only see her through the lens of Superman’s fame.

Just when Supergirl thinks she’s had enough, everything changes. An alien girl seeks her out for a vicious mission. Her world has been destroyed, and the bad guys responsible are still out there. She wants revenge, and if Supergirl doesn’t help her, she’ll do it herself, whatever the cost. Now a Kryptonian, a dog, and an angry, heartbroken child head out into space on a journey that will shake them to their very core.

King and Evely’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow presents a very different Kara Zor-El than most fans are used to. The story begins with Kara enduring a wicked hangover. As she cusses her way toward sobriety, Kara becomes mixed up in a mission that pushes her powers and heart to the limit.

How do you feel about the future of DCU? How do you think people will react to an edgier Supergirl? Let us know in the comments below.