Original 'Supergirl' star Helen Slater speaks out on new movie
Original 'Supergirl' star Helen Slater speaks out on new movie
Brendan Morrow, USA TODAYThu, July 2, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC
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Helen Slater, for one, wasn't let down by "Supergirl."
The actress, who played the title hero in the original 1984 "Supergirl" movie, has weighed in on the new DC film starring Milly Alcock, which has faced a wave of negative headlines after a poor opening weekend at the box office.
Slater, 62, told The Hollywood Reporter she disagrees with critics on the movie.
"I loved the new 'Supergirl' film," she said. "I thought Milly Alcock was astonishing – fierce, strong and great comic timing!"
Slater previously shared support for Alcock when the "House of the Dragon" actress' casting as Supergirl was announced, posting on Instagram in 2024, "Congratulations to the luminous Milly Alcock, the next Supergirl! DC universe awaits you! You will be AMAZING!!"
'Supergirl' disappoints at the box office in big setback for DC
The 1984 version of "Supergirl" was the first major live-action film starring the character of Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin, and it hit theaters on the heels of the first three "Superman" movies with Christopher Reeve. The movie was a box office disappointment, only grossing $14 million. Reviews were also negative, with film critic Roger Ebert calling it an "unhappy, unfunny, unexciting movie."
"Supergirl" never received a sequel, though Slater remained involved with DC in the decades to come with roles on "Smallville" and the "Supergirl" TV series. The 2023 DC movie "The Flash" also brought back Slater's Supergirl for a cameo alongside numerous classic heroes.
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'Supergirl' film box office performance
Like the original, the latest "Supergirl" movie has thus far been a box office disappointment for DC. It debuted under expectations with a $37 million opening weekend domestically, a much lower start than 2025's "Superman," which opened to $125 million.
Why 'Supergirl' star Milly Alcock feels right as 'unconventional' hero
DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran acknowledged to The New York Times that the film failed to meet expectations but downplayed speculation that the DC Universe franchise could be in trouble as a result. In 2022, Safran was hired alongside James Gunn to launch a new series of interconnected DC movies, which began with 2025's "Superman" starring David Corenswet.
"While 'Supergirl' didn't meet our box office expectations, it's just one component of a broader, long-term strategy at DC Studios that we remain confident in," Safran told the Times.
"Supergirl" has also received a mixed reception among critics and audiences, earning a 55% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an average grade of B- among moviegoers polled by Cinemascore. This is considered a poor Cinemascore grade for a tentpole summer movie.
Alcock, though, has been widely praised for her performance as Supergirl, even in reviews that were otherwise negative. And regardless of if "Supergirl" gets a sequel, she'll be sticking around in the DC Universe: Alcock has already been confirmed to be returning as Kara in 2027's "Man of Tomorrow," a sequel to "Superman" with Corenswet back in the lead role.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Supergirl' movie – Helen Slater gives verdict on Milly Alcock
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
