Supergirl reportedly had competing cuts from director and DC Studios amid creative differences

Creative disagreements between DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran and Supergirl director Craig Gillespie reportedly led the studio to test two competing versions of the film just months before its theatrical release. According to a report, the decision came after internal test screenings raised concerns about the movie's reception.

Citing multiple sources, the report claims that Gunn and Gillespie were not fully aligned on the film's creative direction. While some insiders described the disagreements as a normal part of the filmmaking process, others suggested the differences were significant enough to require the studio to develop an alternative version of the movie.

DC Studios reportedly recut Supergirl after mixed test screening scores

The report states that concerns about Supergirl surfaced as early as the fall of 2025, only a few months after principal photography wrapped in May. Following a lukewarm internal screening in December 2025, DC Studios reportedly commissioned its own edit of the film with assistance from writer Jeremy Slater, whose credits include Moon Knight and Mortal Kombat 2.

Between December 2025 and March 2026, Supergirl reportedly underwent at least four test screenings. Early audience scores hovered in the low 70s on a 100-point scale, prompting the studio to evaluate two separate cuts—one assembled by Gillespie and another overseen by DC Studios.

While the specific changes between the two versions remain undisclosed, the report says Gillespie's cut ran approximately 11 minutes longer and devoted more screen time to the film's villain, Krem, played by Matthias Schoenaerts.

According to reports, the two edits were screened against one another, with the studio's version narrowly outperforming the director's cut by just two points. That version ultimately became the theatrical release.

“It was great to have more of a director than a studio head. You can just roll the sleeves up and have a healthy debate about the tiniest things... music choices... that sort of push and pull," Gillespie said about working alongside Gunn in an earlier interview.

The report also claims that after DC Studios settled on its preferred edit, Gillespie could still propose changes but would need to actively lobby for any further revisions to the film. While neither DC Studios nor Gillespie has publicly commented on the reported creative differences, the behind-the-scenes details offer a glimpse into the decision-making process surrounding one of the DC Universe's most closely watched releases.

What is Supergirl about?

Supergirl follows a traumatised Kara Zor-El, played by Milly Alcock, on an interstellar quest for vengeance alongside Krypto the Superdog. The film has been adapted from the Woman of Tomorrow comics.

Unlike Superman, who arrived on Earth as an infant and grew up viewing his extraordinary abilities as a responsibility to protect humanity, Kara Zor-El's childhood was shaped by tragedy. Raised on the Kryptonian colony of Argo, she witnessed those around her slowly succumb to the effects of kryptonite radiation.

The traumatic experience left her with a far more cynical outlook, and she often escapes to planets orbiting red suns, where her powers are suppressed so she can drink and avoid the burdens that come with being Kryptonian.

That attitude is evident when Ruthye Marye Knoll, a young girl left orphaned after her family is murdered by the ruthless outlaw Krem of the Yellow Hills, asks Kara for help in seeking justice. Initially, Kara refuses to get involved but everything changes when Krypto, her loyal canine companion, is struck by a poisoned dart linked to Krem, and the villain steals Kara's spacecraft. Determined to save Krypto and recover the antidote, Kara reluctantly sets off on a mission that soon becomes much more than a personal quest.

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