5 Movies To Watch If You Like Supergirl

The burgeoning DC Universe started off strong with 2025's "Superman," introducing a world where metahumans are a part of daily life. However, the ending of James Gunn's "Superman" introduces the titular character's cousin, Kara (Milly Alcock), who's technically Krypto's owner. She's a party girl, and for anyone confused why she's that way, all would be revealed in "Supergirl."

Despite being the second cinematic chapter of the DCU and riding high on the success of "Superman," "Supergirl" bombed at the box office. However, it received a new life on HBO Max following its theatrical run. Arriving on the streamer on September 10, it's remained one of the platform's most-watched movies for a while. People who didn't turn out to theaters to see it are finally giving it a shot, and there's a good chance quite a few are now permanent Supergirl fans.

Once you're done watching "Supergirl," you may wonder what similar superhero fare is out there. Or maybe you want a movie that pretty much provided the blueprint for "Supergirl." Either way, there's no shortage of films like "Supergirl" to watch when you want to see good triumph over evil.

It should come as no surprise that if you enjoyed "Supergirl," you should also give 2025's "Superman" a chance if you haven't already. It's the first solo Superman movie since 2013's "Man of Steel" starring Henry Cavill, who reprised the role in "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" and "Justice League." That iteration was dark, brooding, and dealing with a world scared of his presence. Director James Gunn took the character back to his more earnest heroic roots with a film that truly captures the spirit of the Last Son of Krypton.

When "Superman" begins, superheroes, villains, and monsters have been around for a while. Most everyone loves Superman (David Corenswet) except Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), who reveals a message from Superman's parents that he was sent to Earth to conquer it. The public turns on him, and Kal-El has to figure out who he truly is. 

Both "Superman" and "Supergirl" see their titular Kryptonians struggle with their identities following the destruction of their homeworld. Superman was guided by his biological parents before realizing that his Kansas upbringing is what made him who he is. Meanwhile, Supergirl was older when leaving Krypton and harbors more depression about the life taken from her. The two begin their respective films with very different attitudes, but come to the same realization: There's more to learn, give, and love than what they originally thought.

"Supergirl" is based on the graphic novel "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow" by Tom King. King has stated that "Woman of Tomorrow" drew a great deal of inspiration from the classic 1969 Western "True Grit," which received a remake in 2010 from the Coen Brothers. You can have your pick of which "True Grit" to watch, but the Coens' version is one of the rare cases where a remake is actually superior to the original. 

"True Grit" follows 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), who hires a drunken lawman, Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), to track down the man who killed her father. Similarly, "Supergirl" follows Ruthye (Eve Ridley), who hires a drunken Kryptonian, Kara Zor-El, to track down the man who killed her family. Both stories focus on themes of revenge, specifically how it erodes the soul of the person chasing it. Mattie and Ruthye both want their own forms of justice, and their worldviews get contrasted with someone who knows better than anyone just how cruel society can be. 

The comparisons to "True Grit" are even more pronounced in "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow." The "Supergirl" movie changed quite a bit from the comics, including having Ruthye narrate the story years in the future, mirroring Mattie's own narration. While there are plenty of movies to watch after "Supergirl," it would be worthwhile to see how it compares to the direct source material. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe waited over a decade into its tenure to give audiences its first female-fronted superhero flick, "Captain Marvel." It was worth the wait, and viewers couldn't wait much longer to see how Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) would factor into "Avengers: Endgame." The DCU made its second film ever led by a woman, and there are a surprising number of similarities outside of the lead's gender. 

Both films focus on immensely powerful figures in their respective universe. Additionally, both women are haunted by their past, and significant portions of their stories are told via flashbacks that help inform why they are who they are in the present. These are women who are struggling to pin down their identities. Captain Marvel is a victim of gaslighting from the Kree empire, while Supergirl doesn't know where she belongs in the universe now that Krypton is destroyed.

Both heroines have immense power, but they're unsure of the best way to wield it. And through their journeys, they realize what they should've done this entire time. The universe can be a cold, unfeeling place, but that doesn't mean they have to get lost in it. 

James Gunn directed the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy for the MCU before jumping ship and spearheading the new DC Universe. As such, many have been quick to note similarities between the humor of "Guardians" and what's been shown in recent DCU projects, even those Gunn didn't direct. Before "Supergirl" landed in theaters, there were numerous comparisons to "Guardians" despite the film being helmed by Craig Gillespie. And it's not hard to see why.

Both movies are cosmic journeys separated from Earth. And both have protagonists who like listening to pop songs on their portable cassette players, offering an easy way to include copious needle drops that accompany the action sequences. But above everything else, "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Supergirl" have dark truths underneath all the humor and silly alien designs.

Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) was taken from his home right as his mother died, and carries that pain with him. Supergirl remembers what it was like to be shipped away from the final remnant of Krypton, and carries the burden of being one of the last Kryptonians out there. There's a lot of fun to be had with these movies, but they also hit at some hard themes of finding a path forward after enduring immense hardship. 

Prior to "Supergirl," the closest the superhero genre ever came to adapting "True Grit" was 2017's "Logan." This was (at the time) the finale for Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, one of the most popular X-Men around. It's set in a dystopian future where most mutants have been wiped out, and Logan oversees the safety of a young girl, Laura (Dafne Keen), and takes her to a safe haven where she'll be protected from nefarious forces.

In this case, Logan himself is the embittered, ailing lawman who's had everything taken away from him. He's lost most of the people he's ever cared about, but gets another lease on life when he realizes this young girl needs him. Unlike "Supergirl" or "True Grit," Laura isn't out for revenge; she was merely dropped in a world that's openly hostile to her kind. 

And just as it's worthwhile to compare "Supergirl" to its source material, it's fascinating to watch "Logan" after reading the "Old Man Logan" comic series from writer Mark Millar and artist Steve Mcniven. Both movies are great examples of how to take a comic series with a lot of moving parts and simplify them into a two-hour adventure on the big screen. But while "Logan" ends on a dour note with Wolverine finally dying, "Supergirl" concludes more hopefully where Kara Zor-El is set up to have a larger, more optimistic role in future DCU projects.