Comic book readers love the Last Daughter of Krypton for many reasons, but for fans, her heart-wrenching origin story and fiery personality play a substantial role. Unlike her Earth-raised cousin Clark Kent, Kara Zor-El is truly the last Kryptonian. She alone carries the culture, language and memory of Krypton with her. As such, she’s often a misunderstood character both within the DC Universe and in the general public’s perception. Why? Well, she isn’t Superman.

That’s about to become clear to everyone who sees Supergirl, the cosmic superhero adventure that’s landing in theaters this week.

Supergirl is the first live action movie about Kara Zor-El since 1984—yes, it’s been over 40 years. It was directed by Craig Gillepsie and written by Ana Nogueira, and is based on Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely. If you’ve read the comic, you already know one important thing about the film—it’s a very different movie than Superman. Gillespie’s film is a gritty space adventure that explores trauma, grief and identity as Kara embarks on an intergalactic journey with a young girl named Ruthye, who is on a quest for vengeance after losing her entire family.

“We get to see [Kara’s] origin story, so we get to see all the trauma that she’s been through, and all the set of very particular unfortunate circumstances that she's been given,” Alcock shares. “And through the guise of seeing another young woman who reflects her own set of unique and unfortunate circumstances, she’s able to heal herself through that. I don't think we have ever gotten an opportunity so far to see Supergirl, or really any kind of female superhero, in that very flawed light.”

“We catch her off planet, which is really cool,” adds Nogueira. “We catch her under a red sun, which is a very cool way to see Supergirl or Superman—to just see them being fully human. I think that it’s that humanity and that vulnerability that carries her through the movie in a way we haven't seen before, even when she is powered up.”

In preparing for the role, Alcock clearly did her homework. The actress loves the character and the graphic novel that the movie is based on.

“Kara’s spirit shines so much in this film, and it was kind of all on the page for me,” she says. “Working through the lens of, ‘Okay, well, this is a comic book adapted to a screenplay and now I play the part,’ you kind of search for the humanity within this person, and you use her as your anchor point to really ground you. And we were just given such a beautiful body of work to work off of. Ana’s amazing script, but also Tom King [and Bilquis Evely]’s graphic novel holds that heart and that spirit really beautifully.”

Ana Nogueira (left) with Executive Producer Chantel Nong Vo

So, what went into adapting such a well-known and critically acclaimed comic? After all, most superhero movies pull from a variety of comic book storylines to create their own original story. For Supergirl, the key was remaining faithful to the spirit of the material while also recognizing they’re two different mediums and formats, which require different things.

“I try to adapt the feeling,” Nogueira explains. “You have to take how you felt about a certain moment in a comic and say, ‘Okay, what would give the same feeling if it was in a movie?’ I want that same feeling, but I can’t use [the specific] situation that they put together.”

Kara is often compared to her cousin, Clark Kent, as the definitive example of what a superhero should be, and what a Kryptonian should be. But that’s never been all that fair. Kara has had a much more challenging life and will always be vastly different from him. Her history growing up on Krypton and the trauma of losing her entire world shapes who she is. She’s angry, she’s sad and she’s a bit of a mess. But she’s just as much a hero, even if she didn't want to be.

“I think that there was a lot in the comic that was really useful,” says Nogueira. “And then, I think there was just a lot in the lived experience of being a messy [young woman], which is something I lived through. A messy girl who loves her dog is very relatable for me.”

Adds Alcock, “I think that Kara is such a beautiful example of the human experience, in the way that we kind of all have these very contradictory feelings about something and towards something, and our reactions sometimes don't reflect what we know we should do. I think that makes her such an exciting and compelling character to watch on screen. I just adored playing with her because of that.”

Kara is an incredibly human character, despite her alien origins. Supergirl is a celebration and a love letter to the imperfect and flawed aspects that make us human, through an adventurous and super-powered lens. It’s a reminder that all of us, even the most lost and conflicted, have the capability to step up and do great things when the need arises. Most of all, for Kara’s many fans who have been eagerly waiting for her return to the big screen, it’s a reason to once again look up.

And in this case, to definitely look out!
 

Supergirl, directed by Craig Gillespie from a screenplay by Ana Nogueira and featuring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, is in theaters Friday. Get your tickets now.

Sami DeMonster writes about superheroes, horror and sci-fi for DC.com and reviews comics every week on social media. Follow her at @samidemonster on Instagram and Substack.