James Gunn under fire as Supergirl script is slammed, testing his storytelling is king promise

The latest Supergirl film is out and, well, the knives are already well and truly out for James Gunn. If you recall any of his big talk about never starting production without a ‘rock-solid’ script at DC Studios, you’re not the only one. Those grand pronouncements have come home to roost, because critics have wasted no time digging them all up now the reviews have landed.

Out the Gate: Critics Hammer the Script

The first batch of responses has been... let’s say, less than glowing. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman barely pulled his punches, labeling Supergirl ‘super-horrendous’ and going as far as calling it ‘a comic-book movie with the worst script I can remember’. That’s not exactly light criticism. After the review embargo dropped on 24 June, the Rotten Tomatoes score settled at a fairly uninspired 57%. That’s basically an open invite for DC’s detractors to pile on, and pile on they have.

Others joined the chorus. Alison Willmore over at Vulture wrote off the film as ‘an aggressively minor movie’ that, in her view, ‘doesn’t know what to do with’ its lead character. The folks at Associated Press weren’t convinced either, saying the film ‘struggles to match Kara’s punk-rock energy with an equally spirited supporting cast and story’.

Gunn’s Old Promises Dragged Back Up

Now, here’s where things get a bit brutal. Last year, as DC shuffled its slate and delayed The Authority, Gunn hopped on Threads to reassure everyone: 'We won’t green light a film until we have a finished script we’re happy with.' He doubled down: 'It’s always gonna be quality first no matter what.'

As if that wasn’t enough, Gunn did the press rounds in 2023 talking up his creative vision. In a video interview, he declared: 'Storytelling is 100% king.' Apparently, each DC project’s format should be dictated by exactly what the story needs. In an extra-awkward moment, his on-record praise for The Flash – he called it ‘one of the best superhero movies I’ve ever seen’ – has also resurfaced.

What’s Actually Happening with Supergirl?

• Screenplay: Ana Nogueira
• Director: Craig Gillespie
• Main Cast: Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, with Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, and Jason Momoa rounding out the leads
• Release Date: 26 June (second film in Gunn’s new DC Universe)
• Opening Weekend Box Office Prediction: $80m-$90m worldwide (according to ComicBookMovie)

To top it all off, Alonso Duralde at The Film Verdict called Supergirl a 'shambolic affair, cursed with underwhelming action and forgettable antagonists.' The running theme? Everyone is putting the blame squarely on the story, structure, and, for better or worse, the script.