Ethan Carter
As one of the standout films of the weekend, audiences are buzzing about Supergirl, sharing their opinions on its unique take. Director Craig Gillespie and writer Ann Nogueira have engaged with the media to discuss the film’s production journey. Initially announced as an adaptation of Bilquis Everly and Tom King’s acclaimed graphic novel Woman of Tomorrow, the final product deviates significantly, prompting the two creatives to clarify some major alterations made during the filmmaking process.
In a pivotal moment, after defeating Krem of the Yellow Hills and convincing Ruthye not to take revenge on the man who destroyed her family, Kara ultimately confronts and defeats him herself. This marks a stark departure from the comic narrative, where Krem remains imprisoned in the Phantom Zone for years until an elderly Ruthye confronts him. Nogueira shared with Entertainment Weekly that this alteration was part of her original vision for the film, which received approval from producers James Gunn and Peter Safran. She emphasized the necessity of having Kara take decisive action, recalling her statement: “We have to kill the guy, and we can’t let the little girl do it.” She noted that Kara’s final lines to Krem—‘This is for my dog’ and ‘This is for what you did to that little girl’—serve as a powerful encapsulation of the film’s themes.
Now back in Metropolis, Supergirl is set to make an appearance in the upcoming 2027 film Man of Tomorrow. For Nogueira, Kara’s decision to kill Krem illustrates her desire to define herself independently from Superman. She conveys a personal moral compass that guides her actions, stating, “I have my own morality and sense of goodness. I don’t follow a rule you have—I chart my own path and determine when it’s right to remove someone from existence. I know this is the right thing to do.” With formidable foes like Lex Luthor and Brainiac appearing in Tomorrow, and one of them having harmed her dog in Superman, it seems likely Kara may face more moral dilemmas in the future.
Kara’s act of killing Krem has emerged as one of Supergirl’s most contentious moments, especially before an even more controversial scene: a slow-motion sequence featuring Kara battling Krem’s forces, set to a cover of Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” by Kelty Greye and KidMotel. When Rolling Stone inquired about the song choice, Nogueira noted that there were “a lot of options” considered for this pivotal moment, with Gillespie mentioning that they had narrowed it down to 45 potential tracks. “I have to give James [Gunn, producer] credit for that one,” he remarked. “That was probably the biggest discussion, and it came down to the very last week.”
Nogueira mentioned that an alternative song was almost selected for that action scene but remained tight-lipped about which track was the runner-up. Gillespie hinted that the other candidate was “a remix of a classic,” emphasizing that its orchestration added a unique beauty to the scene.
It may take some time before Warner Bros. reveals the mystery song that was considered. In the meantime, share your thoughts on what track you would have chosen for Supergirl and how you feel the film compares to the Woman of Tomorrow comic.
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Daniel Mercer
