Everything We Know About the DCU's 'Woman of Tomorrow' Adaptation

Kara Zor-El will be making her return to the big screen in the film Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. The film will be a part of the new DC Universe, taking place in Chapter 1, titled “Gods and Monsters.” Led by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Peter Safran (Aquaman), DC Studios will be resetting their franchises in a new direction that is heavily based on the comics that made the brand a household name in the first.

With Superman set to mark the start of a new universe, it’s only fitting that Superman’s cousin will soon follow in his footsteps and continue his legacy. Here’s everything we know about the epic adventure Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

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Who Is Supergirl?

Making her debut in Action Comics #252, Kara Zor-El, cousin of Kal-El, has been a staple of DC Comics since 1959. While her more famous relative was destined for greatness, Kara never wanted to be a hero. Her dream was to live a peaceful life on Argo City, but with Krypton’s impending doom, Kara’s parents put her in an emergency pod and sent her to Earth, the same planet as her infant cousin Kal-El.

Kara lost everything the day Krypton was destroyed, and then she woke up on earth with the power of a deity. Unfortunately for Kara, things take an even weirder turn as she quickly discovers that she wakes up decades after Krypton imploded, and her infant cousin is now over a decade older than her.

Kara struggles to adapt to her new reality fully. While Clark was able to have a normal life, she witnessed the destruction of her entire planet and must grapple with that along with her new powers. This is the key difference between Superman and Supergirl, leading to a slew of unique stories starring the Girl of Steel.

Kara eventually takes on the superhero mantle, leading to her becoming a member of the Justice League, a Red Lantern, and a part of the Legion of Superheroes. Supergirl’s strength doesn’t simply come from the Earth’s yellow sun, but also the strength found within.

What Is ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ About?

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will adapt the Tom King graphic novel of the same name. In that story, Kara Zor-El travels across the galaxy to celebrate her 21st birthday with her loyal companion, Krypto the Superdog. She ends up meeting a young woman named Ruthye who is on a quest for revenge. She wants to hunt down the man who killed her father. Unfortunately, Kara is on a planet with a Red Sun, rendering her powerless, but that doesn’t stop her from doing the right thing.

Together, Ruthye and Kara travel across the galaxies to find the murderer and will take down anyone who stands in their way. Woman of Tomorrow is a character study of Kara Zor-El and shows her bravery, toughness, and also her insecurities making it one of the most powerful stories to come from DC Comics over the last few years. You can check out the story by purchasing the graphic novel linked below.

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Who Stars in ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’?

Previously, Supergirl was played by Helen Slater in the 1984 movie Supergirl. Over three decades later, Melissa Benoist took up the mantle in the CBS series (later moved to The CW) Supergirl. Benoist would become the actor most associated with the character, having played her for nearly a decade and becoming a central figure in Arrowverse alongside Stephen Amell’s Green Arrow and Grant Gustin’s The Flash. Most recently, The Flash and Supergirl teamed up once again on the big screen, where Kara was played by Sasha Calle.

Initially, three actresses had already tested for the role. Milly Alcock (The House of the Dragon), Emilia Jones (CODA), and Meg Donnelly (The Winchesters, Legion of Superheroes) auditioned for Supergirl, with Alcock being the one to don the cape moving forward. Joining Alcock in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is Eve Ridley as Ruthye, and Matthias Schoenaerts has been cast as the film’s villain. While the character has not been officially named, we can assume that Schoenaerts plays a version of the graphic novel’s big bad, Krem.

On January 30, 2024, Gunn praised Alcock, saying:

Strangely, Milly was the FIRST person I brought up to Peter for this role, well over a year ago, when I had only read the comics. I was watching House of the Dragon & thought she might have the edge, grace & authenticity we needed for the DCU’s Supergirl. And now here we are. Life is wild sometimes.

When describing their version of Kara Zor-El, Gunn said:

“Superman was sent to Earth, and, and he was raised by incredibly loving parents, whereas Kara was in Krypton, she was on a piece of Krypton that drifted away from the planet, and lived there for the first 14 years of her life among [a] horrible situation where she watched everybody around her die. So she’s a much harsher and more f—ked up Supergirl than we’ve been used to this far.”

The latest addition to the film’s cast is none other than Jason Momoa as Lobo. In the previous DC continuity, Momoa was famous for his role as Aquaman, starring in two solo outings and both cuts of Justice League. Since the launch of DC Studios and the rebooted continuity, this allows the actor to swap over to the rugged bounty hunter, who will no doubt butt heads with our beloved Kryptonian. Momoa shared the news on his Instagram with this simple post:

Does ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ Have a Release Date?

Supergirl on the cover of Woman of Tomorrow comic — Image via Bilquis Evely/DC Comics

Supergirl flies into theaters on June 26, 2026. The film will be the second film in the DCU and the third film under the DC Studios banner. Super/Man: A Christopher Reeve Story and James Gunn‘s Superman are the first films from the new studio. Pre-production on Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is set to start in January 2025.

Who Are the Creatives Behind ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’?

custom image of Supergirl against a comic background, by Jefferson Chacon — Image by Jefferson Chacon

Of course, James Gunn, Peter Safran, and Tom King are attached to the project. Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) will direct the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow film, and Gunn confirmed that Ana Nogueira had written the script. He posted on Threads praising her work, saying:

A hearty public welcome to Ana Nogueira to the DC Studios family. Ana is an amazing writer whose screenplay adaptation of Woman of Tomorrow is above and beyond anything I hoped it would be. We’re excited to be moving forward on this unique take on Supergirl in this beautiful, star-spanning tale.