James Gunn discusses Supergirl movie title change as he formally acknowledges a shift in the title of the upcoming film, signaling a broader evolution for DC Studios’ cinematic approach. The announcement comes as Gunn continues to shape the studio’s future, with Supergirl set to debut in next year’s Superman film before headlining her own movie.
Fans Detect Title Update as Gunn Opens Up About Film’s New Direction
Comic book enthusiasts quickly speculated on recent signaling from James Gunn, who began referring to Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow simply as Supergirl across social channels. As anticipation swirled online, Gunn addressed the question directly in an interview with Rolling Stone about the forthcoming Superman movie. After a thoughtful pause, Gunn stated,
“I think it’s just called Supergirl.”
—James Gunn, DC Studios Co-Chair.
Pressed further about his involvement with the Supergirl production, Gunn downplayed his active role on set, reflecting on his earlier participation. He explained,
“I mean at the very beginning, but I’ve been pretty busy, as you might imagine. I was really involved at the script stage, but then [director] Craig [Gillespie] has just been such a great partner. He’s just been doing his thing. You never know how something cuts together, but right now it looks amazing. It’s really cool stuff.”
—James Gunn, DC Studios Co-Chair.
The Reason Behind Dropping Subtitles from DC Films
Gunn’s reflections extended to the broader DCU slate, drawing parallels to the earlier retitling of Superman: Legacy. He described the creative decision-making process that led him to streamline titles, underscoring his dissatisfaction with the colon-and-subtitle tradition in superhero cinema. As part of the development process, Gunn and his team hold what he referred to as a “premortem”—a meeting intended to identify potential pitfalls before production commences. In his words,
“I’m always cutting. ‘Legacy’ was really — we do something called a premortem,”
—James Gunn, DC Studios Co-Chair.
“A premortem is you get together with your group that’s doing the project. It’s usually about a couple months before shooting, and you go, hypothetically, ‘If it’s an epic disaster, what are the things that we’re doing today that are going to cause it to be an epic disaster? Everyone here can speak freely.’”
—James Gunn, DC Studios Co-Chair.
In reflecting on issues that arise during such sessions, he shared,
“The things you find on other productions are the things that people are whispering. ‘Oh, God, I don’t know why they cast that actor — he doesn’t fit the role.’ Or, ‘The production designer’s never on time.’ One of the things I brought up was, it was called Superman: Legacy. Even though I was the one that gave it that title, I just wasn’t sure.”
—James Gunn, DC Studios Co-Chair.
He further detailed his reasoning for eliminating subtitles, conveying his fatigue with certain naming conventions, and the need for forward-looking branding:
“First of all, I’m sick of the superhero title, colon, other-name thing,”
—James Gunn, DC Studios Co-Chair.
“And then also it seemed to be looking back when we’re looking forward, even though it does have to do with legacy in the movie itself. And everybody was like, ‘Oh, yeah, no, change it.’”
—James Gunn, DC Studios Co-Chair.
Wonder Woman, Batman, and the DCU Creative Landscape
As the conversation broadened to other iconic DC characters, Gunn contrasted the relative creative challenges of Batman with the opportunities presented by Wonder Woman. He noted the frequency of Batman stories in comics and adaptations, while Wonder Woman offers more room for fresh exploration. In Gunn’s assessment,
“Wonder Woman I think is actually easier for me, because there haven’t been so many infinite portrayals of Wonder Woman — definitely not in movies, but really anywhere — that there have been of Batman,”
—James Gunn, DC Studios Co-Chair.
“Every single Batman story has been told. It seems like half the comics that have come out of DC over the past 30 years have Batman in them.”
—James Gunn, DC Studios Co-Chair.
Gunn also confirmed ongoing progress on a new Wonder Woman script in the interview, reinforcing DC Studios’ commitment to broadening its cinematic universe, which remains subject to scrutiny as Batman’s cinematic path remains a sticking point.
What to Expect from Supergirl and the Future of DCU Titles
Supergirl, as reimagined in the coming film, will first appear in Superman before leading a standalone narrative inspired by Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow series. The upcoming movie will also introduce Jason Momoa as Lobo, signaling a major DCU role for the actor and character. Meanwhile, the drive to simplify titles now appears set across the slate, as Gunn has hinted that The Brave and the Bold may not be the final title for Batman’s next film either. Of note, Superman: Legacy and Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow were previously the only movies in the DCU with subtitles at announcement.
With Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow debuting in theaters on June 26, 2026, James Gunn’s openness about title shifts and creative strategy underscores ongoing transformation within DC Studios. The approach reflects both creative preferences and a desire to set a new tone for the franchise, marking another pivotal moment for the evolving DC cinematic universe.
