Supergirl Early Screenings Raise Concerns: Weak Villain Could Undercut Milly Alcock’s DCU Debut as Lobo Gets Only Two Fights
Supergirl’s test screening reportedly left audiences underwhelmed: a thin villain, a divisive Milly Alcock debut, and even Jason Momoa’s Lobo couldn’t ignite real buzz—though a few bright spots suggest it’s not a total loss for James Gunn’s DCU.
Supergirl just went in front of a test audience, and the early chatter is not exactly victory laps. Mixed is the kind word. There are highlights, but a few core pieces reportedly aren’t clicking yet.
"Early word from a recent Supergirl test screening suggests the film failed to generate strong enthusiasm, though reactions stopped short of calling it a complete miss."
That line comes from a post on X by Cosmic Book News on December 18, 2025. As always with test screenings: tiny sample, unfinished cut, grain of salt. Still, here’s what people in the room say stood out.
What the test screening reportedly showed
- Overall reaction: not great, not a disaster. The audience didn’t light up, but it wasn’t a walkout scenario either.
- Pacing was flagged as a problem. The movie apparently struggles to keep momentum.
- The main villain is described as underwhelming, which is not great news for a character launch.
- Jason Momoa’s Lobo shows up, but only for two fight scenes, and he’s not the big bad.
- Milly Alcock, as Kara Zor-El, is the bright spot. Even when scenes or story beats don’t land, people say she does.
Milly Alcock keeps doing the thing
If you watched House of the Dragon, you know the deal. Alcock played young Rhaenyra across seven episodes back in 2022 and made a serious impression. After she was cast as Supergirl in James Gunn’s DCU, fans were amped to see what she’d do with it. Early word says she delivers: strong presence, emotionally locked-in, and generally the performance that pops even when other elements wobble.
About that Lobo cameo
Yes, Jason Momoa appears as Lobo, but temper expectations. He’s reportedly in two fight sequences total and isn’t the primary antagonist. If you were hoping this was a stealth Lobo showcase, that’s not what this cut sounds like.
Is Gunn’s DCU in trouble?
No. One uneven test screening doesn’t equal a franchise crisis. Gunn is building a new continuity from the ground up; that takes time. Think about how Marvel’s Eternals landed: a stumble, not a collapse. If Supergirl’s villain is soft and the pacing is choppy, that’s fixable stuff, especially if your lead works. Alcock being a standout gives the movie a real foundation. Maybe not a blow-the-doors-off debut, but not an all-out faceplant either.
Supergirl is currently dated for June 26, 2026 in the U.S.
What do you make of these early reactions? If you’re in the bag for Alcock’s take, does a so-so villain dampen your hype?