Supergirl – First Trailer Review – Not amused?

The first official trailer for Supergirl – the sequel to 2025’s Superman – is finally here, and honestly, my reaction is mixed. There’s a lot in the film itself that looks promising, but the trailer doesn’t quite deliver the impact it needed.

For a project that continues the foundation laid by Superman, this first look feels surprisingly short and light. It’s not that the images are bad – far from it – but they don’t deliver the dramatic punches you’d expect from a first major DCU episode that will be released to a large audience. We barely get a half-second glimpse of Jason Momoa’s Lobo, and while he shouldn’t be the center of attention, ending on a solid five-second moment with him would have been a perfect closer.

The film is based on Woman of Tomorrow, the graphic novel that reimagines Supergirl as a messy, emotionally battered young woman struggling with trauma, attitude issues, and depression. The trailer captures that tone: she’s powerful but unrefined, angry and far from being “Supergirl” in the iconic sense yet. Millie Alcock, however, looks fantastic in the role: she embodies this raw, raw version of Kara perfectly. And of course, the inclusion of Krypto is always a win.

James Gunn may be overseeing the DCU, but this film isn’t his creation: he didn’t write or direct it. Instead, Supergirl is in the hands of Craig Gillespie, whose work on Me, Tonya and various emotional series (Pam & Tommy, among others) shows that he knows how to tell grounded, character-driven stories about complicated women. Pair that with a strong female writer, and the creative backbone of this film feels rock solid.

That’s why it’s a bit disappointing that the trailer doesn’t reflect the behind-the-scenes assets. The ingredients are all there: a great director, a strong screenwriter, a promising protagonist, Momoa in a role he seems born for, Krypto being great as always. The film looks to absolutely shine in IMAX, and visually it seems to be aiming for something bold.

Plus, since this is a continuation of the first storyline in the new DCU, there are hints of bigger things – perhaps a tease of Brainiac, and it wouldn’t be shocking if Superman made an appearance, alongside how Supergirl appeared in Superman.

People love tearing down comic book movies now, especially with fatigue setting in and comparisons to the golden ages of The Dark Knight or Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. But the reality is that these unique films don’t happen every year. With the sheer volume of superhero content, not everything can be a grand slam. Sometimes “solid and promising” is enough – and Supergirl seems to have the potential to be just that.

So, even though the trailer didn’t totally win me over, that doesn’t mean the movie won’t. The basic elements are solid, and if the final product lives up to the talent behind it, Supergirl could be a big step forward for the DCU, even if the first trailer didn’t bring the thunder.

Published by Budding film critic

Hello guys and girls. For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved movies, pop culture, and anything geek and nerd related. So I decided to start writing down my thoughts about the things I love. Just an aspiring film critic, trying to make it. See you soon. View all posts by Wannabe Movie Critic