Oh my. Supergirl is shaping up to be quite a disaster. Not only did it start off with paltry numbers, but the second week drop is looking to be around 70%-80%. Ouch. And of course, the behind-the-scenes bullshit between James Gunn and director Craig Gillespie is starting to come to light, and suggests this movie was doomed months ago.
According to THR’s report, DC Studios co-chief James Gunn and Supergirl director Craig Gillespie clashed over “creative differences” up until the film’s release. Multiple test screenings were held with multiple cuts, one from Gunn and another by Gillespie (reportedly 11 minutes longer with more of the villain, Krem) but the test scores kept slipping, with one reporting that the highest score achieved was a 70, which ain’t great.
Shooting wrapped in May 2025, and by then all involved knew Supergirl wasn’t going in the right direction. After a mediocre test screening in December 2025, the decision was made by Gunn and DC Studios, who “took charge of the post-production to make its own cut.” Jeremy Slater, who worked with Gunn on DC’s shelved adaptation of The Authority, was hired to help out with reshoots and rewrites. Original writer Ana Nogueira was also involved, with a major point of contention being the climactic fight scene, which as I noted in my review, was “meh”. The music was also a sore spot, with three different composers brought in at different stages.
The decision was made to go with Gunn’s cut of Supergirl for the theatrical release, which featured his abundant use of cool needle-drops at key moments. To be fair, Gillespie is known for that stuff, too, so those dunking on Gunn for it should spread the wealth a bit. The point is that Supergirl was in turmoil almost from the beginning, and it reiterates my original point that this movie shouldn’t have been made right now while the DCU is still in its formative stages. You can watch my commentary on the subject below.
