One of the many titles announced for the DC Universe's first slate delivers an intergalactic take on True Grit starring Supergirl.
After plenty of speculation over what the future of DC films would be like under James Gunn and Peter Safran, fans got a clear look into what lies ahead with the announcement of several in-development films. This includes Superman: Legacy, The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Swamp Thing. What stands out about most of these films is how they connect to a specific comic run as opposed to being inspired by numerous titles.
Woman of Tomorrow, for instance, is the same name as Tom King, Bilquis Evely, Matheus Lopes and Clayton Cowles' 2021 run of Kara Zor-El's space adventure. While this is a sci-fi story, the comic also has western roots as it homages the novel turned film True Grit (via SyFy and ScreenRant). Because of this, Woman of Tomorrow can deliver one of DC's most beautiful films in this genre-blending epic.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow Is True Grit in Space
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is about a young alien, Ruthye, asking a reluctant Kara Zor-El to help her hunt down the man who killed her father and exact revenge. This premise is similar to Charles Portis' novel True Grit, which was later adapted into two films in 1969 and 2010. Like Woman of Tomorrow, True Grit is about a young woman, Mattie Ross, who seeks out the man who murdered her father with the help of Marshal Rooster Cogburn, a tough veteran with a massive body count.
The similarities between these two titles are undeniable, especially regarding the framing mechanism of True Grit and Woman of Tomorrow. In both cases, the stories are told from the perspectives of the young women who seek out these legendary fighters to aid in their revenge. Both also tell their stories decades after their life-changing journeys.
Along with that, the characterization of Kara falls in line with that of Rooster Cogburn, especially in the 2010 version. While Kara's characterization has varied over the years, Woman of Tomorrow depicts her as a woman haunted by her past and with a bitter personality; however, she still has a strong moral compass and a heroic heart.
This also seems to be the vibe the DCU is going for. As Gunn promised in a video announcement, this Kara is from Krypton; therefore, for over a decade, she was in a horrific situation where everyone she knew and loved died. In Gunn's words, this is a "much harsher and more 'f-ed up' Supergirl," which aligns itself with King and Evely's depiction.
DC's Space Western Is Perfect for the Big Screen
Comics encompass a wide range of themes, settings and genres. DC, for instance, has not shied away from science-fiction, horror, fantasy or westerns. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is proof of that. Meanwhile, the prior DC Extended Universe films primarily stuck to classic superhero fare. While horror, sci-fi and fantasy elements were present, they didn't push genre boundaries too often. In fact, even when these films dealt with aliens, the primary stories were grounded on Earth.
That can change with Woman of Tomorrow. This is a space epic divorced from Earth. While Kara's time on Earth does impact her character, Woman of Tomorrow is restricted to the confines of space -- even more so than one of the most popular intergalactic superhero adaptations, Gunn's own Guardians of the Galaxy. With that in mind, a film of this nature has no choice but to embrace the endless possibilities of science fiction.
As for the western themes of Woman of Tomorrow, those can be embraced in a way that the former DCEU has never dared to tackle. For comic heroes in film, this is a largely untapped genre, with Logan being one of the few adaptations to lean into its western roots. Westerns deliver morally gray, complex heroes, and seeing Supergirl in this light will be game-changing. Plus, westerns are well-known for how cinematic they are, given the landscapes explored in these films, so applying that same scale to the intergalactic setting of Woman of Tomorrow will hopefully make this film visually unlike any other DC film before.
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