James Gunn’s Milly Alcock Set Photo Gives Away More About Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow Than You Think

DC Studios co-head James Gunn recently shared the first set photo from Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and it wasn’t much to go on. Or was it?

True, Gunn’s pic keeps plenty about the upcoming DC Universe blockbuster under wraps. We don’t get a look at star Milly Alcock’s Supergirl costume; heck, we don’t even see the House of the Dragon veteran’s face! Similarly, the set itself is out of focus. So, all we’ve got to work with is Alcock sitting with her back to us in an S-shield-branded chair, in front of a bunch of blurry lights and props.

On the face of it, that’s basically nothing. But take a closer look and you’ll discover that James Gunn’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow photo gives away more about the movie than is immediately apparent.

DC’s Live-Action Supergirl Is Blonde Again

Let’s start with Alcock’s hair (or wig, whichever applies). It’s blonde – ostensibly an obvious creative decision by director Craig Gillespie and his crew. After all, the classic Kara Zor-El incarnation of Supergirl is blonde in every permutation of DC Comics continuity. The majority of Kara’s multiversal variants (as well as many non-Kara alternate reality Supergirls) are fair-haired, too. And this is likewise true of every live-action Supergirl, from Helen Slater to Melissa Benoist – except one.

Related: James Gunn Reveals First Look at Milly Alcock’s Supergirl

Sasha Calle’s alternate timeline Kara Zor-El in 2023’s The Flash sports a head of close-cropped black hair. It’s not a big deal – if anything, it cements her status as that universe’s Superman substitute – but more than a few DC purists objected to the change. So, with his Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow set photo, Gunn is subtly signaling that the post-Flash, revamped DCU will restore Kara’s signature flowing blonde locks.

A Bar From the Comics Will (Probably) Show Up in the Movie

Supergirl’s hairstyle isn’t the only thing Woman of Tomorrow will carry over from its DC source material, either. Based on Gunn’s behind-the-scenes snap, it seems the movie will also feature at least one location from the original Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow miniseries. Squint at the lower third of the set photo, and you’ll make out what looks like a bar and bar stools. These details, coupled with the orange and teal lighting, bear a striking resemblance to a deep space watering hole in Woman of Tomorrow #2.

Related: Former Supergirl Actress Was Hurt By Recasting

This in turn strongly implies that Gillespie’s film will restage writer/artist team Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s bar fight scene from the comics. Here, Supergirl and her young companion Ruthye Marye Knoll grab a drink and a bite to eat when a vengeful alien pulls a gun on them. Kara effortlessly takes down her would-be killer without leaving her seat – a bad-ass bit of action that should translate well on the big screen. Which brings me to my final takeaway from James Gunn’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow set photo…

This Really IS a Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow Adaptation

Plenty of superhero movies are named after comics they don’t directly adapt. DC Studios’ rival, Marvel Studios, has notable form in this respect; the likes of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Daredevil: Born Again, and Avengers: Infinity War have little to do with the comic book storylines whose names they carry. So, when Gunn first announced that Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow would take its cues from King and Evely’s 2021-2022 miniseries, plenty of DC fans (including me) took it with a grain of salt.

Related: Fans Split Over ‘Obnoxious’ Supergirl Casting After Jason Momoa’s Double DC Roles

But between the casting of Eve Ridley as Ruthye and Matthias Schoenaerts as baddie Krem of the Yellow Hills, and now the likely inclusion of the bar scene, it sure seems like Gunn means it when he describes the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comics as the template for the upcoming film. Sure, some things will be different – for example, Jason Momoa’s Lobo cameo is a movie-only detail – but the overall story should stay the same.

That’s nice to know – and it makes me really excited for whatever Supergirl photo Gunn posts next!

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow soars into cinemas on June 26, 2026.