James Gunn’s Supergirl Called A ‘Pricey Risk’: Warner Bros. Nervous?

James Gunn’s Supergirl Called A ‘Pricey Risk’: Warner Bros. Nervous?

Warner Bros. may be keeping things quiet for now, but a new industry take suggests the studio still has real concerns about Supergirl.

Puck News previously flagged Supergirl as one of the red flags on Warner Bros.’ 2026 slate. Now the same outlet is escalating that view, describing the DCU movie as one of the studio’s “pricey risks.”

That’s not the kind of label you want attached to a superhero movie that’s supposed to help carry the future of James Gunn’s DCU.

Puck Previously Flagged Supergirl As A Red Flag

This isn’t the first time Puck has thrown up warning signs about Supergirl.

In earlier reporting about Warner Bros.’ upcoming slate, Puck grouped Supergirl with Clayface as titles that would not define the studio’s year. The point was clear: Warner Bros.’ success in 2026 would depend more on its bigger filmmaker-driven releases than on these DC projects.

That already suggested muted expectations.

When a studio’s upcoming comic book movies are talked about that way, it means they are not being treated as major must-hit events.

Now Supergirl Is Being Called A “Pricey Risk”

Puck’s latest comment came while discussing the collapse of The Bride!, the Maggie Gyllenhaal movie that opened to a disastrous $7 million domestically against a reported budget of around $92 million.

While mocking Warner Bros.’ attempt to downplay the failure, Puck noted that the studio still has several expensive films on deck that come with serious risk. Supergirl was singled out by name.

Puck wrote: “Despite Warners’ successful run in 2025, that’s certainly an optimistic statement for a studio with a bunch of pricey risks like Supergirl, Tom Cruise’s Digger, and J.J. Abrams’s The Great Beyond on its ’26 slate.”

Puck is essentially signaling that Warner Bros. sees Supergirl as a financial risk, not a sure thing. It isn’t being framed as a breakout hit. It’s being treated like a movie that could just as easily disappoint.

Warner Bros Has Reason To Be Nervous

The concern makes sense.

Supergirl has already faced backlash tied to the trailer, criticism over the tone, and questions about how closely it actually sticks to the Woman of Tomorrow source material.

Reports surrounding the movie have also been messy, with rumors about changes to Krem, concerns over the villain, and a general feeling that the film is leaning too hard into the same offbeat formula audiences have already started pushing back on.

There is also the bigger issue hanging over all of this: Gunn’s Superman did not perform like the massive worldwide reset Warner Bros. likely wanted.

Supergirl now faces even more pressure, especially as another female-led superhero movie following box office failures like The Marvels and Madame Web.

Marketing Looks Ready To Ramp Up In April

Even though things have been relatively quiet lately, that likely won’t last much longer.

DC has already teased that Supergirl will take over Superman Day, which points to a marketing push beginning in April. That makes sense, as Warner Bros. will need to start shaping the narrative around the movie sooner rather than later.

The problem is that if the buzz stays weak or the reaction turns negative again, the studio could end up pouring more attention onto a movie the industry is already describing as risky.

Release Info

Release date: June 26, 2026

Director: Craig Gillespie

Writer: Ana Nogueira

Cast: Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, Jason Momoa

About Matt McGloin

Matt McGloin is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Cosmic Book News, the independent entertainment news site he founded in 2008. He covers movies, comics, TV, video games and pop culture and has reported major industry scoops over the years, including revealing the Avengers: Endgame title ahead of its official announcement. Through Cosmic Book News, he helped Marvel Comics promote Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova through exclusive previews, artwork, and interviews, with the site also quoted in solicitations and on comic covers. He also reported on Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again retooling before it was later confirmed by the trades.

Recommended

Supergirl Now Faces Feminist Backlash Over Milly Alcock Comments
Supergirl Now Faces Feminist Backlash Over Milly Alcock Comments
Supergirl Box Office Tracking Points To Worst-Case Scenario
Supergirl Box Office Tracking Points To Worst-Case Scenario
Frank Grillo Wraps Man of Tomorrow: ‘Going To Be F—ing Dynamite’
Frank Grillo Wraps Man of Tomorrow: ‘Going To Be F—ing Dynamite’
Supergirl Trailer Line Sparks Snyder vs. Gunn Debate As DC Fans Clash
Supergirl Trailer Line Sparks Snyder vs. Gunn Debate As DC Fans Clash
Zack Snyder Doubles Up On Henry Cavill’s Superman As SnyderVerse Momentum Builds
Zack Snyder Doubles Up On Henry Cavill’s Superman As SnyderVerse Momentum Builds
‘Michael’ Nears $800M As Zack Snyder’s Global DC Appeal Looks Even Stronger (Report)
‘Michael’ Nears $800M As Zack Snyder’s Global DC Appeal Looks Even Stronger (Report)