It’s finally here, the first trailer for Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ next big summer tentpole, Supergirl, and it’s already generating the kind of electric buzz that signals a major shift in the DC Universe. The preview offers audiences their most detailed look yet at Milly Alcock’s bold interpretation of Kara Zor-El, and it’s immediately clear that this is not the Supergirl of past adaptations. This is a heroine shaped by darkness, survival, and a lifetime of trauma, emerging not as a carbon copy of Superman, but as a complicated, raw, and deeply compelling force all her own.
Fans first caught a surprising glimpse of Alcock’s Kara during the closing moments of James Gunn’s Superman, where she stumbles into the Man of Steel’s Fortress of Solitude. That brief appearance raised countless questions, and now, the trailer begins to answer them. From its opening moments, viewers are transported into a world that feels more rugged, chaotic, and emotionally charged than any previous live-action Supergirl project. Kara’s introduction sets the tone: she’s bruised but unbroken, exhausted but unafraid, and carrying the weight of a past she hasn’t fully escaped.
One of the most striking elements of this trailer is the tone. Rather than leaning into the polished, hopeful brightness typically associated with Kryptonian stories, the film opts for something far more textured. Something that feels closer in spirit to the vibrant, misfit-energy of Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy universe. The visuals are colorful yet gritty, blending cosmic strangeness with a lived-in world of scavengers, raiders, and high-octane danger. There’s an almost Mad Max-style rawness to the action sequences, which immediately sets this film apart from other DCU entries.
This version of Supergirl is introduced as a survivor, not a symbol. Raised in a collapsing fragment of Krypton rather than the quiet safety of rural Kansas, Kara’s life is shaped by starvation, violence, and hopelessness. Whereas Kal-El grew up learning to restrain his power and protect others, Kara’s upbringing taught her that survival comes first and mercy is not guaranteed. The trailer doesn’t shy away from her flaws, hinting at her drinking problem and her tendency to lash out, both physically and emotionally. These elements suggest a grounded character exploration, one that digs into the trauma of being sent from a dying world only to arrive on Earth with no guide and no sense of belonging.
Alcock, known for her fierce performance as young Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon, seems perfectly cast for this version of Kara (tough, wounded, noble, and unpredictable). Her Supergirl doesn’t float gently above the world; she crashes into it, literally and figuratively. The trailer shows flashes of her fiery temperament, her distrust of human institutions, and her contempt for being compared to her cousin. “I’m not him,” she snaps at one point, a line that encapsulates the film’s thesis: this Supergirl is done living in Superman’s shadow.
The action sequences reveal a Kryptonian warrior forged in environments far harsher than Earth. Whether she’s barreling through a convoy of desert raiders or going toe-to-toe with monstrous enemies, Kara fights with a ferocity that reflects her past. There’s beauty in her brutality, vulnerability beneath her violence, and a sense that every battle is not just physical but personal.
What Supergirl seems most invested in is answering a core question: Who is Kara Zor-El when she is no longer defined by Kal-El? The trailer makes one thing clear, this is her story. Her trauma, her battles, her growth, and ultimately, her destiny. If the final film fulfills the emotional and visual promises of this first look, Supergirl could become one of the most defining entries of the new DC Universe and a breakout role for Milly Alcock. Supergirl is scheduled to be in theaters on June 26, 2026.