Supergirl Director Addresses Guardians of the Galaxy Comparisons
Given its promise of an unlikely hero, irreverent humor and oldies needle drops, Supergirl has drawn comparisons to James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy at Marvel Studios.
When the official Supergirl trailer dropped in March of this year, many fans couldn't help but draw comparisons to James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy.
The presence of an unlikely cosmic protector (played by Milly Alcock), irreverent sense of humor and oldies needle drop immediately put them in mind of the obscure Marvel team of ragtag do-gooders.
Of course, it stands to reason his style would manifest in Supergirl, considering he now runs DC Studios alongside Peter Safran and set the tone for the newly rebooted cinematic universe with last summer's Superman.
What does Supergirl director think of comparisons to Guardians of the Galaxy?
"I don't think I can avoid it," Supergirl director Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya, Cruella) said of the comparisons in an interview for Empire magazine July 2026 issue. "We're in that arena, but it's a space I've always played in. There's only so many space movies. And we're in the superhero universe, with that dance of humor and darkness and drama, which I love."
Boasting a script from playwright/actress/screenwriter Ana Nogueira (known for playing Penny Ares on The CW's Vampire Diaries), the film draws heavily from the Woman of Tomorrow comic book storyline from writer Tom King and artist Bilquis Evely.
The plot finds Kara Zor-El reluctantly teaming up with a young alien girl named Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley), who seeks vengeance against baddie Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts). Kara's also got a bone to pick with Krem after he poisons her dog, Krypto, and runs off with the antidote.
Aquaman alum Jason Momoa co-stars as motorcycle-riding bounty hunter Lobo, a characters fans have wanted him to play for years. Momoa actively lobbied for what he called "my dream role" in the movie's official production notes.
"I love anti-heroes," he explained. "I love someone who can be both good and bad and lives by a code. I think deep down there’s like a samurai code in him. And obviously I love the dreadlocks, I love the motorcycles, and his foul mouth, how everything about him is just crass, and the fact that he's not afraid to punch everyone in the face and get into a rumble."
David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham play Kara's parents, while David Corenswet returns as Superman.
When does the Supergirl movie release?
Supergirl flies into theaters Friday, June 26. Click here for tickets.
What is Supergirl rated?
The film is rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, action, language, and smoking.
Supergirl is produced by Gunn and Safran. Nigel Gostelow, Chantal Nong Vo and Lars P. Winther are executive producers.
