Updated

Updated · Forbes · Jun 25

Supergirl Lands 57% Rotten Tomatoes Score, Raising Doubts About James Gunn's DCU Oversight

Updated

Updated · Forbes · Jun 25

Supergirl Lands 57% Rotten Tomatoes Score, Raising Doubts About James Gunn's DCU Oversight

Q: Why was 'Supergirl' greenlit when James Gunn cancelled other DC projects due to script issues?

“Supergirl” was greenlit because James Gunn and DC Studios believed its script met their standards at the time, even though Gunn had halted other projects whose scripts he felt were not ready or did not fit the broader DCU plan. Publicly, Gunn has said DC projects would only move forward with “fully developed” and “rock solid” scripts. In the case of “The Authority,” he later explained that the script was “not quite there” and also did not work well within the larger DCU, both creatively and practically. “Supergirl,” by contrast, appears to have cleared that internal bar. Gunn strongly praised writer Ana Nogueira’s screenplay, calling it “incredible” and saying it exceeded his expectations, which helps explain why he approved it and later entrusted her with other major DC projects. The key issue now is not why it was approved, but whether that judgment was correct. “Supergirl” was Gunn’s first major DCU film that he neither wrote nor directed, making it an early test of his oversight rather than his own filmmaking. Its weak reviews and modest box-office outlook have led critics to argue that the script was not as strong as Gunn believed, creating tension with his “quality first” promise. So the answer is straightforward: “Supergirl” was greenlit because Gunn and Peter Safran were satisfied with it at approval stage. The backlash stems from the gap between that internal confidence and the film’s eventual critical reception.

3 articles · Updated · Forbes · Jun 25

Supergirl opened to a 57% Rotten Tomatoes score from nearly 150 critics, a sharp drop from Superman's 83% and an early setback for the rebooted DC Universe.
Box office tracking looks weak as well, with the film seen struggling to reach about $300 million—roughly half of what Superman made and low for a modern superhero release.
That has shifted scrutiny onto James Gunn's role as DCU architect, especially because Supergirl was his first major DCU film he neither wrote nor directed.
Gunn's own superhero record remains strong, with most of his directed or written projects scoring above 80%, but critics are now questioning his judgment on greenlighting and staffing outside projects.
The broader verdict on the DCU is still premature: upcoming tests include Lanterns, Clayface and, later, Gunn's own Superman sequel, which will better show whether Supergirl was a one-off miss.