Warner Bros could lose up to £88 million on its latest superhero blockbuster Supergirl, which has been branded a major box-office disappointment. The big-budget comic-book adaptation, directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin, follows the iconic heroine on a space-faring adventure inspired by the acclaimed Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic series.
Financial Losses and Commercial Struggles
Despite high expectations following the success of 2025's Superman, the film has struggled commercially. According to industry estimates, Supergirl cost around £125 million to produce and opened to around £50 million worldwide. It is estimated that Warner Bros could lose between £73 million and £88 million during its theatrical run.
Criticism of Woke Messaging
Speaking on the Daily Expresso podcast with JJ Anisiobi, TalkTV Breakfast presenter Mark Dolan blamed what he described as Hollywood's obsession with progressive politics. When Anisiobi said the film "has bombed terribly," Dolan responded that the character's "woke" interpretation is "at odds with ordinary people."
He said: "The Hollywood elite are at odds with ordinary people, with the audience. They're all woke progressives... if you ram this progressive agenda down the throats of your hard-working audience... what happens is they get into the theatre and they're being lectured by millionaires. That's what happens with these movies, it's finger-wagging storylines."
Milly Alcock's Controversial Comments
Critics of Supergirl argued that its audience lost interest due to comments Milly Alcock made before its release. In an interview with Vanity Fair a few months before release, she said of the film: "It definitely made me aware that simply existing as a woman in that space is something that people comment on. We have become very comfortable having this weird ownership of women’s bodies. I can’t really stop them. I can only be myself."
After she received criticism, she doubled down, saying: "I didn’t even say ‘men', I said ‘people!’. And they got so angry. I was like, ‘You’re proving my point. You’re proving my point.'" She added that she was happy to have "p***** off" the right people, including those who identify as a "Christian" and "Dad."
Critical Reception and Audience Reaction
Other critics have complained that the film features an underdeveloped villain and makes changes to the beloved comic that inspired it. It has received 54% on Rotten Tomatoes, with one critic summing up: "In the end, Supergirl doesn't know how to be a feminist film, it doesn't know how to be a western, it doesn't know how to be a memorable superhero film, and it doesn't know how to be—simply put—a good film."
