DC’s hopes of building momentum after Superman have hit an unexpected roadblock, as early reactions to Supergirl spark a wave of criticism and divide audiences.
Despite strong anticipation following her scene-stealing cameo in Superman, Milly Alcock’s debut as the iconic heroine is drawing mixed reviews, with critics branding the film “ugly” and “flat” while also taking issue with Supergirl’s characterization.
Highlights
- Early reactions spark debate as Supergirl struggles to impress critics.
- Milly Alcock faces renewed scrutiny amid controversy surrounding the film.
- Fans clash over who should shoulder the blame for the disappointing response.
The reactions follow months of scrutiny surrounding Alcock’s casting, with the actress enduring persistent criticism and commentary about her appearance long before the film’s release.
Milly Alcock's Supergirl fails to take off after scathing early reviews
Image credits: Warner Bros.
Ahead of its June 26 release, early reactions to Supergirl surfaced online. The film follows Kara Zor-El as she embarks on an interstellar journey to save her beloved dog from a grim fate.
Several critics took issue with the film’s storytelling and visual style, with a Times reviewer calling Milly's modern take on Supergirl a “Gen-Z malcontent.” Similarly, a critic for The Independent described it as “visually ugly and dispiriting girl-power disappointment.”
Image credits: David Jon/Getty Images
In another negative review for Variety, the reviewer called the sci-fi film “so flat it’s super-horrendous.” Most reviews argued that the film suffered from messy CGI-driven action sequences while praising Alcock’s performance.
Reflecting the mixed response, the film debuted with a 58% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. That places it well below last year’s Superman, which launched the DCU reboot and currently holds an 83% approval rating.
Supergirl star Milly Alcock faces brutal backlash on social media
Image credits: Warner Bros.
In the months leading up to the film’s release, Alcock became the target of intense criticism across social media. She was heavily criticized for her comments about “Christian” dads after expressing her views on online trolls.
More recently, Alcock has been mocked over her appearance, with one viral meme comparing her to Cha-ka from the 1974 series Land of the Lost. Another widely shared post compared the Australian actress to Sid, the villainous child from Toy Story.
Image credits: David Jon/Getty Images
Some X users also described the House of the Dragon alum’s involvement as the reason for their lack of interest in Supergirl.
One user wrote, “It is in the best interest of my mental health to just avoid seeing her at all costs.”
Following her red carpet appearance at the film’s world premiere, Alcock also faced backlash over her teeth.
“They’re gonna bully her into getting veneers, and then they’re gonna shame her when she does,” another fan said, defending the actress.
Fans debate who is responsible as Supergirl faces box office challenges
Image credits: Warner Bros.
After the poor critical reception of Supergirl surfaced online, reports of a weak box-office debut emerged. According to Deadline, the film is expected to gross somewhere close to $50 million at the domestic box office.
However, those figures won’t be enough to dethrone Toy Story 5 from the top spot, which is expected to make $88 to $96 million in its second weekend. As a result, the DCU movie, which reportedly cost $170 million to produce, appears set for a modest start at the box office.
Image credits: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
The disappointing reviews quickly sparked debate online over who was responsible for the movie’s struggles. On X, some users blamed director Craig Gillespie, while others argued that Ana Nogueira’s script was responsible for the negative reviews.
However, many fans ultimately pointed to DC Studios co-head James Gunn, arguing that the film’s creative decisions fell under his leadership.
“James Gunn is the boss. He will take all the credit for the DCU's successes and, therefore, must also take credit for its failures,” one person commented.
Supergirl releases in theaters on June 26, 2026.