Not all superhero movies are created equal. While there are critically-acclaimed blockbusters like Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight,” there’s also epically-bad films like Joel Schumacher’s “Batman & Robin.” Time, critics, and audiences will decide where the new 2026 “Supergirl” movie lands on this spectrum, but it may interest some fans to know that this superhero already got one movie that both critics and audiences loathed.
Way back in January 2024, we revealed that Milly Alock is cast as the lead for DC’s next “Supergirl” movie, which is still slated for a summer 2026 release. But this isn’t the first time DC’s heroine made it to the big screen. While Supergirl has appeared in a variety of “Superman”-based television shows — including 2001’s “Justice League” and her own 2015 TV series on The CW, wherein she was played by Melissa Benoist — “Supergirl” also had a movie in 1984, directed by Jeannot Szwarc and starring Helen Slater.
Panned by audiences and critics, we can nonetheless tell you where it’s streaming if you want to check it out for yourself — just don’t be surprised if you find that the reviews were right. For DC movies and television shows, there’s still plenty of DC Universe release dates to arrive in 2026, but Supergirl fans can get a quick fix with something campy before the 2026 version sees release.
1984’s Supergirl may have been hit by Kryptonite
While the 2026 version of “Supergirl” is directed by Craig Gillespie — who astute moviegoers may recognize as also having directed “I, Tonya,” a film about figure skating champion Tonya Harding starring Margot Robbie — the film also stars Eve Ridley, Matthias Schoenarts, and Emily Beecham alongside Milly Alcock. However, before the “House of the Dragon” star donned the cape, “City Slickers” star Helen Slater was first filling Supergirl’s boots.
The 1984 version of “Supergirl” stars Slater as Kara, a resident of Argo City posing as Linda Lee, the cousin of Clark Kent — aka Superman. Her mission is to recover the Omegahedron — a device capable of creation — which has been taken by a witch (Faye Dunaway). In addition to Dunaway and Slater, the film also stars Peter O’Toole, Peter Cook, and Brenda Vaccaro. Currently, the film holds a 19% Tomatometer score and a 26% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes. In a 1984 review for Globe and Mail, critic Jay Scott wrote, “‘Supergirl’ is made by people who can make a woman fly halfway around the globe and can’t get a plot to walk around the block.”
For those that are curious, “Supergirl” is currently streaming on HBO Max, though it’s also available to rent through Amazon Video and Apple TV. As of now, you’ll have to wait until the June 26, 2026 release date to see if Milly Alcock can pull off the role. However, if you don’t think the schlockiness of 1984’s “Supergirl” is going to feed your superhero appetite, maybe Netflix’s gritty version of “The Avengers” may wet your whistle.
