Supergirl Gets Surprisingly Candid Review From DCU Star Ahead Of Superman Sequel Return

The DC Universe put the spotlight on a different Kryptonian hero this summer. In 2025, David Corenswet brought the Man of Steel back to theaters as he became the latest actor to take on Superman in James Gunn's blockbuster installment. But the DCU's Chapter 1: "Gods and Monsters" is just getting started, as Kara Zor-El was given her own movie in 2026. As it has been a few months since Supergirl arrived in theaters, Neva Howell, who plays Ma Kent in the DCU, responded to a user on X about what people thought about Kara's summer adventure. The actress stated, "I personally enjoyed the performances of Milly Alcock and Jason Mamoa. I agree with many that Krem did not have strong impact. For me, personally, the LONG, chaotic fight scenes in dimly lit areas were not my favorite." Following the Supergirl ending, the response to Milly Alcock's DCU feature was met with mixed reception, as the film is sitting at 53% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is based on 372 submitted reviews. The project has 72% for its audience score on the Popcornmeter. In ScreenRant's Supergirl movie review, Molly Freeman gave it a 6/10, calling the Craig Gillespie-directed installment "it was never going to be the same as Superman – nor should it, because she's a very different, thornier character – it does feel like Hollywood has entered some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy." Freeman added, "Because there have been so many bad or poorly received female-led superhero movies, it seems like they can't seem to get it right, even now, even with Supergirl.​​​​​​​" Metropolis · Daily Planet Edition Superman Trivia Challenge Before he was Clark Kent, Superman was born Kal-El on a distant planet doomed to destruction. His parents Jor-El and Lara placed him in a rocket ship as an infant, sending him across the cosmos to Earth. What is the name of Superman's home planet? A Thanagar B Krypton C Apokolips D Oa ✓ Correct! Krypton was a scientifically advanced planet that exploded due to its unstable core. Jor-El, Superman's father, was the only scientist who foresaw the catastrophe and managed to save his son by launching him toward Earth in a small spacecraft. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Krypton. Thanagar is Hawkman's homeworld, Apokolips is Darkseid's domain, and Oa is the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps. Krypton's destruction is the defining event of Superman's origin story. Superman's greatest love is a fearless, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who works alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet. She's known for her relentless pursuit of the truth and for being one of the few people who sees both the hero and the man. Who is she? A Diana Prince B Lana Lang C Lois Lane D Cat Grant ✓ Correct! Lois Lane has been Superman's primary love interest since her debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. A brilliant investigative reporter, she's as iconic as Superman himself — tough, smart, and unafraid to chase the biggest stories in Metropolis. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lois Lane. Diana Prince is Wonder Woman, Lana Lang is Clark's high school sweetheart from Smallville, and Cat Grant is a gossip columnist at the Daily Planet. Lois Lane is Superman's iconic partner. Despite being nearly invulnerable under Earth's yellow sun, Superman has one famous weakness — a radioactive mineral from the remnants of his destroyed homeworld. Exposure to it drains his powers and can even kill him. What is this substance called? A Kryptonite B Vibranium C Nth Metal D Red Sun Ore ✓ Correct! Kryptonite is the irradiated remnants of planet Krypton. Green Kryptonite is the most common and deadly variety, but there are many other types — Red Kryptonite causes unpredictable behavior, Gold Kryptonite can permanently strip his powers, and Blue Kryptonite affects Bizarro. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Kryptonite. Vibranium is from Marvel's Black Panther universe, Nth Metal is tied to Hawkman, and Red Sun Ore isn't a real DC substance. Kryptonite is the iconic green-glowing mineral that is Superman's ultimate weakness. In 1978, a then-unknown actor donned the cape and made the world believe a man could fly. His portrayal of Superman became the gold standard for superhero films and he starred in four Superman movies. Who is this legendary actor? A Henry Cavill B Brandon Routh C Tom Welling D Christopher Reeve ✓ Correct! Christopher Reeve's portrayal in Superman: The Movie (1978) is widely regarded as the definitive live-action Superman. His performance perfectly balanced the heroic confidence of Superman with the endearing clumsiness of Clark Kent, setting the template every Superman actor has followed since. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Christopher Reeve. Henry Cavill played Superman in the DCEU starting with Man of Steel (2013), Brandon Routh starred in Superman Returns (2006), and Tom Welling played young Clark in TV's Smallville. Reeve was the original big-screen Superman. Superman's greatest enemy isn't a superpowered alien — he's a brilliant, ruthless human billionaire who believes Superman is a threat to humanity's potential. This bald-headed genius has been Superman's archenemy for over 80 years. Who is he? A Brainiac B Lex Luthor C Darkseid D Doomsday ✓ Correct! Lex Luthor is the ultimate foil to Superman — where Superman represents hope and selflessness, Luthor represents ambition and ego. Despite having no superpowers, his genius-level intellect and vast resources make him Superman's most persistent and dangerous adversary. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lex Luthor. Brainiac is an alien android who collects cities, Darkseid is the god-like ruler of Apokolips, and Doomsday is the monster who famously killed Superman. But Lex Luthor is the definitive archenemy — Superman's dark mirror. After crash-landing on Earth as a baby, Kal-El was found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a kind farming couple. They raised him with strong moral values in a small rural town. Where did Clark Kent grow up? A Gotham City B Metropolis C Smallville, Kansas D Coast City ✓ Correct! Smallville, Kansas is the quintessential American small town where Jonathan and Martha Kent raised Clark with heartland values of honesty, compassion, and humility. It's the foundation of who Superman is — not the powers from Krypton, but the character instilled by his Kansas parents. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Smallville, Kansas. Gotham is Batman's city, Metropolis is where Clark moves as an adult to work at the Daily Planet, and Coast City is Green Lantern's home. Smallville is where the Kents raised Clark on their farm. As Clark Kent, Superman disguises himself as a mild-mannered reporter working at Metropolis's most famous newspaper, alongside Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen. Their editor-in-chief Perry White runs the newsroom. What is the name of this newspaper? A Daily Planet B Daily Bugle C Metropolis Star D Gotham Gazette ✓ Correct! The Daily Planet, with its iconic globe on the rooftop, is one of the most recognizable fictional newspapers in pop culture. Working there gives Clark Kent both a cover identity and a way to stay informed about threats to the city and the world. ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is the Daily Planet. The Daily Bugle is Spider-Man's Marvel universe newspaper, the Metropolis Star and Gotham Gazette are lesser DC publications. The Daily Planet — with its spinning globe — is Superman's journalistic home. This Kryptonian military commander was banished to the Phantom Zone for treason before Krypton's destruction. He escaped and came to Earth seeking vengeance, famously demanding that others 'Kneel before' him. His iconic portrayal by Terence Stamp cemented him in pop culture. Who is this villain? A Bizarro B Parasite C Metallo D General Zod ✓ Correct! General Zod is one of Superman's most terrifying foes because he has all of Superman's powers but none of his morality. Terence Stamp's portrayal in Superman II (1980) made 'Kneel before Zod' one of the most quoted villain lines in film history. Michael Shannon later reimagined the role in Man of Steel (2013). ✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is General Zod. Bizarro is a flawed clone of Superman, Parasite drains powers through touch, and Metallo is a cyborg with a Kryptonite heart. General Zod is the Kryptonian military leader whose cry of 'Kneel before Zod!' echoes through decades of Superman stories. Mission Complete Your Kryptonian Record Are you the Man of Steel — or still stuck in a phone booth? Despite its box office result, the House of the Dragon alum is set to come back to the DCU as Alcock's Supergirl is confirmed for Gunn's Man of Tomorrow , which will bring DC's Brainiac to life on the big screen. Other heroes from the franchise who will also be showing up include Aaron Pierre's John Stewart, Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl, and Xolo Maridueña's Blue Beetle. Alcock broke her silence about showing up in the 2027 entry during an interview with the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, saying how excited she is to be back, "It's hard to code switch, and it's a different environment than the environment that we had on Supergirl. It's a different story, but all of the cast that I've gotten to work with have been super open and really lovely. Like Nicholas Hoult [and] David [Corenswet]. I love [Nicholas]." She also teased working with "[Alan Tudyk], who plays Gary the robot, was also there. He's so funny. Lars [Eidinger, who plays Brainiac], we've had a few people. Yeah. I'm excited. I'm excited to keep doing it. I'm not going to tell you things." Supergirl arrives on HBO Max on September 10, while Man of Tomorrow opens in theaters on July 9, 2027.