Craig Gillespie Says SUPERGIRL's MAN OF STEEL-Like Ending Was Exactly What James Gunn Wanted

When Supergirlhit theaters, one of the big talking points was its ending. It immediately drew comparisons to Man of Steel, with both films putting a Kryptonian hero in a position where taking a life becomes the only option.

According to directorCraig Gillespie, though, there was never any uncertainty about how the movie would end because James Gunn had already made up his mind.

Speaking with Collider, Gillespie explained that Gunn had complete confidence in the ending from the very beginning, even when discussions came up about filming an alternate version just in case.

“It was amazing because that was something James [Gunn] felt very strongly about, and it was in the script. There were conversations leading up to that day of, like, ‘Do we shoot a backup version?’ And every time, it would come back, like, ‘Nope. Just go with that.’

“To have that kind of confidence that we wouldn’t be in a test screening and suddenly they’re like, ‘Ooh, yeah, we completely misread that,’ was amazing. It was never debated. It was something that we stayed true to, and James was 100% behind it all the way through.

“Knowing that that was our North Star, and that they were willing to go that far with the film, gave you license for so many other things.”

The comparison to Zack Snyder's Man of Steel is easy to understand. That film famously ends with Henry Cavill's Superman killing General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, to prevent even more innocent lives from being lost. It sparked years of debate among DC fans.

Supergirl arrives at a similar destination, but from a different angle. Kara Zor-El stops Ruthye, played by Eve Ridley, from killing Krem, portrayed by Matthias Schoenaerts, refusing to let her friend carry the emotional weight of revenge. Kara then takes that burden onto herself by killing Krem instead.

Gillespie believes the decision fits perfectly with Kara's journey throughout the film. “She’s come from trauma. She’s come from loss. She’s come from seeing a lot of suffering, and never being discussed that this is going to be her role in life…Everything about it stayed true to that logic, and that was the emotional journey that she was on.”

Whether audiences embrace that explanation is another story. Personally, I thought the ending fell flat, not because of Kara's decision itself, but because the movie never earned the emotional payoff.

The storytelling leading up to that moment felt uneven, making it difficult to become invested in the characters or the conflict. By the time Kara made her choice, it should have landed with real emotional weight, but instead it came across as hollow. The concept had potential, but the execution didn't give the moment the impact it needed.

That's a shame because the idea itself is compelling. Supergirl shaped by unimaginable trauma making an impossible choice is fertile ground for a powerful character moment. Unfortunately, the film never fully builds the emotional foundation necessary to make that decision resonate.

Still, it's interesting to hear there was never any studio hesitation about the ending. In an era where superhero movies are often reshaped through additional photography and audience testing, Gunn apparently trusted the story enough to stick with his original vision from script to screen.

Led by Milly Alcock,Supergirl is the second theatrical release in the new DC Universe and is now playing in theaters.