Milly Alcockis set to debut as Clark Kent’s cousinSupergirlinJames Gunn’s hotly anticipatedSuperman, before starring in her own film,Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. But if you can’t wait that long to see the Woman of Steel in action, Max has you covered. 1984’sSupergirlwill be added to the streamer on June 07, 2025.
The film was a spin-off of theIlyaandAlexander Salkind-producedSupermanfilms starringChristopher Reeve. After the letdown of Superman III,Supergirlwas seen as a way to reset the then-tired franchise. It was directed byJeannot Szwarc(Jaws 2,Santa Claus: The Movie), and based on Superman’s young cousin, who was created byOtto BinderandAl Plastinoin 1959’sAction Comics#252. It was originally intended to feature Reeve’s Superman in a significant role, but Reeve turned the film down:Marc McClure’s Jimmy Olsen is the only character from Reeve’s Superman films that ultimately appears in the film.
What Is ‘Supergirl’ About?
SupergirlstarsHelen Slateras Kara Zor-El, Kal-El’s young cousin; she lives in Argo, a city that survived Krypton’s destruction in a small pocket of space, with her parents Zor-El (Simon Ward) and Alura (Mia Farrow). The city is powered by the powerful and mysterious Omegahedron; when it is accidentally rocketed away from Argo City, the wizard Zaltar (Peter O’Toole) sends Kara to Earth to retrieve it. There, Earth’s yellow sun gives her superpowers like her cousin, and she takes on a similar costumed identity: Supergirl. However, she has to contend with would-be witch Selena (Faye Dunaway), who wants both the Omegahedron and Kara’s love interest, Ethan (Hart Bochner). Along the way, she takes on the alter ego “Linda Lee” and meets both Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane’s younger sister, Lucy (Maureen Teefy).
Despite an energetic performance from Slater, the cheesy and campySupergirlunderperformed with critics and audiences, earning an 8% Rotten score onRotten Tomatoes, and making $14.3 million USD on a $35 million budget. Combined with the disappointment ofSuperman III, the Salkinds subsequently sold the Superman rights to Cannon Films, who promptly killed the series for good withthe ill-fatedSuperman IV: The Quest for Peace. Slater would make several subsequent appearances in DC Comics adaptations: she played Lara, Superman’s Kryptonian mother, onSmallville, and Eliza Danvers, Supergirl’s adoptive mother, on the CW seriesSupergirl.
Supergirl will stream on Max starting August 16, 2025. Until then, the film is available to rent or buy on VOD. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
After losing a powerful orb, Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin, comes to Earth to retrieve it and instead finds herself up against a wicked witch.
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