Warner Bros’ new superhero release, Supergirl, is coming under fire from an unexpected direction, as Variety published a harsh review tearing into the film’s script, tone, and performances.

The criticism arrives just days before its worldwide release, and the verdict is overwhelmingly negative, as reported by Breitbart.

Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman described the DC Studios project as “super-horrendous,” going so far as to call it “the worst script I can remember.”

#Supergirl is a “super-horrendous” comic book movie “with the worst script I can remember,” reads Variety’s review from @OwenGleiberman.

James Gunn said he wasn’t going into production on any movie until the script was rock-solid. For that was the overriding problem with the… pic.twitter.com/K5ekfDMpKw — Variety (@Variety) June 24, 2026

His review paints a grim picture for Warner Bros and director Craig Gillespie as anticipation for the film continues to plummet.

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According to Gleiberman, the film’s attempt at a rebellious “punk rock attitude” comes off as “pretentious” and “cringe.”

He wrote that the entire movie “thinks it’s ‘punk rock,’” and that this self-conscious style undermines any emotional engagement.

Supergirl introduces Kara Zor-El, played by Milly Alcock, but Gleiberman dismissed the character’s portrayal as uninspired.

Instead of a bright and hopeful heroine, he said Alcock’s Supergirl is “an interplanetary drunk in a Blondie T-shirt, bopping from one arid dystopia to the next.”

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His sharp tone underscored how far he believes the film strays from its DC Comics roots.

He also criticized the film’s villain, Krem of the Yellow Hills, portrayed by Matthias Schoenaerts.

Gleiberman called the character “an overly derivative Mad Max reject,” mocking the claim that Krem possesses “the strength of 10,000 men” and adding, “we’d be happier if he had the magnetism of one interesting one.”

Regarding the screenplay, Gleiberman declared bluntly that “the movie has no story.”

He elaborated that the plot feels shallow and directionless, driven by motivations he found neither deep nor logical. Though he avoided revealing specific plot spoilers, he summarized it as “full of action yet numbingly flat.”

The review grew more pointed as Gleiberman turned his attention toward DC Studios co-head James Gunn, who previously emphasized that strong scripts would be at the heart of his rebooted comic book universe.

Despite Gunn’s promises, Gleiberman concluded that Supergirl falls victim to the same weak screenwriting that plagued earlier superhero franchises.

“What has he done in his second DC outing? He’s given us a comic-book movie with the worst script I can remember,” he wrote.

Gleiberman also criticized the film’s visual design, saying the heavy use of computer-generated aliens made audiences “feel trapped in a Muppet movie.”

He described the production as “poised between sodden spectacle and snark,” suggesting that neither the visuals nor the tone worked as intended.

Even Craig Gillespie, the film’s director, did not escape the critic’s disapproval. Although Gillespie earned acclaim for I, Tonya and Cruella, Gleiberman expressed disbelief that he “could churn out a piece of product this generic in its action and its attitudinizing.”

He lamented the loss of Gillespie’s “barbed humanistic wit,” speculating within the review that Gillespie may have believed the movie’s Mad Max-inspired setting would subvert superhero tropes.

The review’s closing line was especially scathing:

“It’s all so desperate to be ‘punk rock.’ But Supergirl is a punk crock.”

The remark neatly summarizes Gleiberman’s take that the film’s attempt at attitude feels artificial rather than edgy.

Adding to the gloomy outlook, financial analysts already anticipate a disappointing box office debut for Supergirl.

Early projections suggest an opening weekend of around $39 million, far below expectations for a movie reportedly budgeted at $250 million. Industry reports have described those numbers as “not good at all.”

With prominent Hollywood media outlets now panning the film before release, Supergirl faces a steep uphill climb to win audiences or critics.

If Variety’s prediction holds, it could mark one of the toughest starts yet for James Gunn’s ambitious DC Studios overhaul.

For Warner Bros, the negative press signals potential trouble for the new direction of its superhero universe—beginning with what was meant to be its boldest female-led franchise entry.

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