The cape looked heavy long before anyone yelled, 'Action.' Warner Bros. and DC Studios loaded Supergirl with blockbuster expectations, backed by a reported $170 million budget and another $120 million for marketing. The reward was a $38 million domestic and $68 million global debut. Meanwhile, James Gunn and Craig Gillespie reportedly found themselves circling competing test cuts and stubborn creative disagreements, proving that capes are not the only things stretched thin.

With the box office still chasing its break-even target, the latest reports suggest the production had been trying to survive its own internal battles well before the opening weekend.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the biggest battle surrounding Supergirl was not against Krem. It was over the movie itself. James Gunn and Craig Gillespie reportedly disagreed on the film's creative direction, leading DC Studios to commission a rival studio cut after early test screenings failed to impress. Even superheroes struggle when two captains steer the same ship.

“'They were not creatively aligned' is the polite way of describing things," one insider said while weighing on the situation By late 2025, both the studio and Gillespie reportedly knew the film was not landing as intended. Jeremy Slater joined the post-production effort, the climactic battle was reworked, music choices became another sticking point, and the edit slowly turned into its own superhero crossover.

The drama peaked when DC Studios staged a bake-off between Gillespie's version and its own. Gillespie's cut reportedly ran 11 minutes longer, featured more of Matthias Schoenaerts' Krem, and scored better for pacing, music, and the villain. He even preferred not to read Woman of Tomorrow as he wanted to create his own visual understanding of the film. Yet, the studio's version won by only two test-screening points, hardly the knockout victory anyone wanted, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film eventually reached theaters, but the internal campaign had already been fought. After months spent debating edits instead of celebrating them, Supergirl arrived looking like a compromise, wearing a cape, and even had fans divided over the DCU film. Sometimes the hardest landing happens before the opening weekend gross arrives.

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If DC has one recurring superpower, it is behind-the-scenes drama, and Supergirl just joined Justice League in the club.

Supergirl is giving longtime DC fans an unmistakable case of Justice League déjà vu, and not because of the capes. Both productions reached the same crossroads: disappointing test screenings, executives losing confidence, and post-production turning into a rescue mission. When a studio starts cutting competing versions instead of trailers, the alarm bells are already ringing.

The biggest difference lies in who held the scissors. During Justice League, Warner Bros. executives pushed Zack Snyder aside in favor of a studio-friendly overhaul. With Supergirl, filmmaker James Gunn reportedly found himself overriding fellow director Craig Gillespie to protect a unified DC vision. Different decision-makers, same editing-room battlefield, and unfortunately, remarkably similar box office consequences.

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Would you want to watch a Craig Gillespie version of Supergirl? Let us know in the comments!