DC’s newest superhero is finally here. Supergirl premiered in Brooklyn on June 22, 2026, and opens wide in US theatres on June 26 in IMAX. It’s the second film in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebooted DC Universe, and it’s been one of the most anticipated superhero releases of the year. Here’s a complete breakdown of the budget, the cast, the salaries, and what to expect.
Supergirl Movie Budget: What’s Confirmed and What Isn’t
This part got complicated.
Forbes reported that Supergirl has a $200 million budget, slightly below the Superman movie’s reported $225 million budget. That number spread quickly online.
But James Gunn was quick to dismiss it. When a user asked Gunn on Threads if the figures were valid, the director and co-CEO of DC Studios responded with “Not even a little bit true.”
Most reliable estimates since then put the net budget at around $170 million, positioning it as the second film in Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
That’s actually a smart financial move. A more conservative budget means a lower bar to clear for profitability, giving the film room to breathe as a standalone debut for a character who hasn’t had her own film in over 40 years.
Supergirl Cast Salary: What We Actually Know
Exact salaries are never officially confirmed for DCU films, but the structure of how DC Studios pays its talent follows a fairly recognizable pattern.
Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl is the lead, and this is her first time fronting a major studio film. After her breakout performance in House of the Dragon as Rhaenyra Targaryen, Alcock was cast in January 2024 to debut in the first DCU film Superman before leading her own standalone. For debut leads in new DCU franchise entries, base salaries typically fall in the mid-six figures with contractual increases built in for future appearances.
James Gunn, speaking on The Howard Stern Show, called Alcock “the best bit of casting I’ve ever done in my entire life,” adding that he thinks she’s “absolutely stunning in the movie.” That level of public confidence from the studio head suggests Alcock’s long-term deal with DC is significant.
David Corenswet as Superman reprises the role he debuted in the 2025 Superman film. Corenswet appears in a supporting capacity here. Based on the industry standard for DCU ensemble roles, his appearance likely commands a flat appearance fee rather than a full lead salary.
Jason Momoa as Lobo is a notable addition that wasn’t widely reported ahead of the trailer. Momoa joins the cast alongside Matthias Schoenaerts as Krem of the Yellow Hills, Eve Ridley as Ruthye Marye Knoll, David Krumholtz as Zor-El, Emily Beecham as Alura In-Ze, and Ferdinand Kingsley as Elias Knoll. Momoa, as an established DCU veteran, would command a premium appearance fee.
Matthias Schoenaerts as Krem of the Yellow Hills plays the film’s primary villain — a space pirate described as needlessly cruel and physically imposing. Supporting villain roles in major studio superhero films of this scale typically earn between $1 million and $3 million, depending on screen time and profile.
What the Film Is About
In the film, Kara Zor-El celebrates her 23rd birthday by travelling across the galaxy with her dog Krypto. Along the way, she meets the young Ruthye Marye Knoll and encounters a tragedy that leads her on a murderous quest for revenge.
Director Craig Gillespie has described it as an “anti-hero story” where Kara has “demons and a lot of baggage” — quite different from how we meet Superman in his origin story.
The film is based on the 2021–22 comic miniseries Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely, with the screenplay written by Ana Nogueira.
Box Office Outlook
By June 20, box office projections for Supergirl had fallen to $40 million for the opening weekend — lower than the DCEU film The Flash, which opened at $55 million in 2023.
Supergirl is being released the week after Toy Story 5 and just a couple of days before Minions 3, meaning it faces serious competition from family animation on both sides.
That said, if the true budget is closer to $170 million, Supergirl could get away with coming in much lower than Superman’s $619 million worldwide and still be considered a commercial success.
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In May 2026, Safran confirmed that Alcock’s Supergirl would have a major role in the future of the DCU beyond her return in the Superman follow-up film Man of Tomorrow, scheduled for 2027.
Supergirl is clearly being built as a cornerstone character for DC’s next decade. Whether the opening weekend reflects that ambition or not, the long-term plan for Kara Zor-El appears firmly in place.
Supergirl opens in US theatres on June 26, 2026.