DC’s long-awaited Supergirl is hitting theaters under a cloud of controversy after the film’s star, Milly Alcock, slammed her online critics as “Christian dads.”

Starring 26-year-old Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin and fellow survivor of Krypton, Supergirl is the character’s first standalone film since 1984 and a key chapter in James Gunn’s new DC Universe.

But instead of generating excitement for the heroine’s long-awaited return, the movie is making headlines for an entirely different reason.

Poor Projections

The stakes are particularly high for DC Studios. Beyond introducing one of the franchise’s most recognizable heroes to a new generation of moviegoers, Supergirl also serves as another major test of Gunn’s long-term vision for the DC Universe following 2025’s Superman.

According to early industry tracking from Box Office Theory, Supergirl is shaping up for a modest debut by superhero standards, with projections currently placing its opening weekend in the $47 million to $65 million range. If those estimates prove accurate, the film’s domestic run could struggle to reach the heights usually expected from a major DC release.

The outlet also estimates a worldwide total of roughly $350 million.

Stiff competition

For most films, those numbers might appear respectable. For a superhero blockbuster carrying a reported $245 million budget that includes production and marketing costs, however, the picture is more concerning.

Industry estimates suggest the film would likely need to generate at least $425 million globally just to break even, meaning current projections leave little margin for success.

The financial picture becomes even more challenging when looking at the competition. According to Box Office Theory, Supergirl is set to arrive just one week after Disney’s Toy Story 5, which is currently tracking for a massive $130 million to $160 million domestic debut and a potential North American run of up to $600 million. With a major family blockbuster already dominating theaters, the DC film could face an uphill battle for audience attention.

Star slams Christian dads

As debate around the film’s commercial prospects intensified, attention quickly turned to comments made by the Aussie actor during a May 20 interview with Variety.

While discussing the pressures of leading a major superhero franchise, the star of House of the Dragon addressed the online criticism she has received, which she said “broke my heart.”

“Simply existing as a woman is something that people comment on. We have become very comfortable having this weird ownership of women’s bodies,” Alcock told Variety.

“I didn’t even say ‘men’ — I said ‘people!’” she added.

Expanding on that point during the interview, she suggested much of the backlash comes from social media users who create an “unhealthy relationship with a person.”

She said the criticism comes from “a lot of people whose profiles have no photo, who are burner accounts.”

“Or someone’s name and then ‘Dad of four, Christian,’ which is hilarious to me. But I mean, whose opinion do you really care about? If you’re pissing the right kind of people off, you’re doing OK.”

‘Ticking off the right people?’

The comment quickly spread across social media platforms, where many users interpreted it as dismissive of a segment of the audience superhero studios typically hope to attract.

As criticism mounted, some users began linking the controversy directly to the film’s early box-office prospects.

On X, one user wrote: “First time in years I get excited about watching a movie in theatres and the main actress just pours down a bucket of ice cold water to extinguish the fire. Can’t just shut up, can they.”

Another argued that Alcock’s comments targeted an audience that should be central to the film’s success.

“Ticking off the right people? Dads with daughters ought to be their primary target demographic.”

Others questioned whether actors should weigh in on topics that could alienate potential moviegoers before a film’s release.

“Studios are going to have to start signing contracts with their lead actors and actresses to stop them from tanking their multi-million dollar projects with their unsolicited political opinion. Nobody is going to see this,” a third user wrote.

Will you be watching Supergirl when it hits theaters, or have Milly Alcock’s comments put you off the film? Let us know where you stand in the comments and share this story with friends and family to keep the conversation going!

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