Supergirl has been positioned as a fun space adventure in the DC Universe. Frankly, it’s precisely the change that DC needed following Zack Snyder‘s DCEU, aka the Snyderverse.
When Snyder started the DC Extended Universe, he immediately set a darker tone for superheroes in 2013’s Man of Steel. The DCEU represented the antithesis of Marvel’s quirky and upbeat stories. While the movies suffered with critics, the darker tones saw financial success for movies like Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Suicide Squad.
The DCEU had several movies with lighter tones, most notably Wonder Woman. However, the grittiness and edginess of the DCEU eventually ran its course.
Fast forward to James Gunn‘s arrival and Superman, one of the decade’s more optimistic superhero movies. That hopeful approach has also found its way into Supergirl, which stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl.
Why Supergirl and the DCU should be having more fun after the Snyderverse
The Supergirl trailers have positioned Kara as a wisecracking superhero with punk rock characteristics. Kara drinks a lot, practices sarcasm, and loves to joke around. While Kara will eventually need to get serious to battle Krem of the Yellow Hills, her quippy tone is a refreshing change for DC.
Supergirl has drawn comparisons to Guardians of the Galaxy, one of Marvel’s most beloved movies. Gunn told Rolling Stone in 2025 that Supergirl is a space adventure, just “like Guardians.” The Supergirl trailers have channeled the spirit of Guardians with notable needle drops, clever jokes, and jam-packed action sequences.
Supergirl should embrace the Guardians comparisons. DC is ushering in a new era that essentially rejects the Snyderverse. While the repetitive edge of the Snyder eventually felt like a slog, the new DCU can bring excitement with more hope and optimism. Positioning Supergirl as an action-comedy is a step in the right direction.
Originally reported by Dan Girolamo for SuperHeroHype.
