DC Studios executive James Gunn went above and above in his search for a new Supergirl before deciding on Milly Alcock to play the role in the impending movie "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow."
According to sources, Meg Donnelly was among the performers that were flown to Atlanta by Gunn and co-CEO Peter Safran for traditional on-screen auditions for the "Superman: Legacy" production. Atypically for a superhero audition (though Jamie Dornan once wore a fake Superman costume to his disastrous audition for 2013's "Man of Steel"), the actors also wore the Supergirl outfit and boots.

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Alcock was initially drawn to Gunn after witnessing her portrayal of Rhaenyra Targaryen in HBO's "House of the Dragon." Donnelly, however, made it a tight race and had the benefit of having portrayed Kara Zor-El/Supergirl in a number of animated films from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, including "Legion of Super-Heroes" from the previous year.

In the end, Gunn wanted to depart from earlier portrayals of the Girl of Steel, especially the enduring Melissa Benoist-led CBS/CW series. She wanted to create a more edgy and less sincere version of the legendary superheroine. In the latest version, Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog embark on a galactic journey to celebrate Supergirl's 21st birthday. She encounters Ruthye, a young woman, along the road and ultimately embarks on a deadly revenge mission.

"Milly was the FIRST person I brought up to Peter for this role, well over a year ago, when I had only read the comics," Gunn said in response to questions on Threads on Tuesday. As I saw "House of the Dragon," I believed she may have the sincerity, grace, and edge we required.

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The project has had numerous false beginnings. Simultaneously with the nearly completed "Batgirl" movie being shelved as a tax write-off after Warner Media and Discovery merged, the studio also secretly ended development on a Supergirl feature. After making her debut in the previous year's "The Flash" film, Sasha Calle—who plays Kal-El's caped cousin—was expected to receive a spinoff starring Ezra Miller.

On Supergirl, Gunn and Safran began from scratch after assuming control of DC in 2022. The screenplay is being written by Ana Nogueira ("The Vampire Diaries"), and in the upcoming weeks, DC plans to appoint a director.