Supergirl's HBO Max Debut Overtaken by 28-Year-Old Fantasy Classic

A year after launching, Warner Bros.' DC Universe faces an uncertain future. The superhero franchise has no sure thing to rely on in the next few months, with the mid-budget, horror-adjacent Clayface lined up as its next installment. Hopes are higher for next year's Man of Tomorrow, which will bring back David Corenswet as the well-liked Superman introduced in last year's film. Unlike that movie, directed by James Gunn and presented as an alternative to Zack Snyder's comparatively dour Man of Steel, the DC Universe's second installment was largely rejected by audiences and critics. The film recently debuted on HBO Max following a PVOD window, but its initial performance seems to have been unremarkable. Thankfully, Lanterns has inspired some hope through its streaming success and strong critical response.

The movie in question, of course, is Supergirl. Directed by Craig Gillespie, it features Milly Alcock in the titular role, with Jason Momoa making his DCU debut as Lobo. Momoa famously played Aquaman in the previous iteration of the franchise, the DC Extended Universe. Supergirl was always a difficult sell, but DC Studios co-CEOs Gunn and Peter Safran appeared to overestimate the project's worth. It cost a massive $186 million to produce but grossed only $126 million worldwide. Along with the He-Man reboot Masters of the Universe, it is the biggest sci-fi bomb of the year so far.