In a recent Threads post, director James Gunn detailed the story behind Milly Alcock’s casting as the new face of Supergirl in the DC Universe.
Alcock of HBO’s ‘House of the Dragon’ recently emerged as the frontrunner in a competitive selection process before eventually securing the Supergirl role. However, it turns out she was actually the first name in Gunn’s mind:
“In case you missed this exciting news yesterday. Strangely, 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. I was watching ‘House of the Dragon’ & thought she might have the edge, grace & authenticity we needed for the DCU’s Supergirl. And now here we are. Life is wild sometimes.”
So, Gunn’s interest in Alcock was sparked by her performance in ‘House of the Dragon’ as Rhaenyra Targaryen. This later led to Alcock’s casting after a series of screen tests, where she outshone other contenders, including reported runner-up Meg Donnelly.
Who Were Other Actresses Considered For the Role?
Emilia Jones was previously approached for the role, but she declined the opportunity to screen test. This narrowed the choices to Alcock and Donnelly. The final decision was made following auditions in Atlanta, overseen by Gunn and DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran.
Alcock’s debut as Supergirl is anticipated in Gunn’s ‘Superman: Legacy,‘ which is slated for release on July 11, 2025. The film stars David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
Following this, Alcock will take the lead in ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,‘ a solo feature inspired by Tom King’s 2022 comic book series, with illustrations by Bilquis Evely. The project’s director has yet to be announced.