James Gunn’s DCU is taking a hundred strides, and it’s great to see so many projects in active development, much less releasing in the near future. Supergirl is following Superman this summer, for instance, with a Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, releasing in summer 2027, demonstrating that there is no time being wasted in putting out content that, alongside Creatures Commandos and Peacemaker, will continue to build a massive DCU portfolio.
Supergirl will be fascinating because it’s the first DCU project to be released that isn’t directed by James Gunn, and it’s already a mixed bag. For one, since Supergirl is an adaptation of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the movie’s visuals don’t hold a candle to those of the comic book. This hasn’t done Jason Momoa’s Lobo reveal any favors, either, and the movie itself being his first impression in the DCU risks being unflattering as a result.
Jason Momoa’s Lobo is Divine Providence
Jason Momoa has expressed how Lobo has been a dream role to play for him since before he was cast as Aquaman in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. Indeed, there aren’t many other actors who’d embody the spirit and look of Lobo as inherently and accurately as Jason Momoa—down to the devilish grin—with Aquaman being the out-of-left-field role, ironically.
In fact, every DCU casting thus far has been inspired between Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane and Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart/Green Lantern. So, to finally see Jason Momoa as Lobo is a godsend, and he could end up being the DCU’s own Deadpool. Unfortunately, his first appearance could be soured with it being in Supergirl.
Supergirl Lives in Superman’s Shadow
Supergirl framed in light
Depending on how the movie is received, especially with how poorly Lobo’s scene seems to be lit, Supergirl could be make or break for Lobo. It’s unknown if Lobo is going to have a big role to play in the larger DCU mythology beyond Supergirl, to be fair, though it could dampen how special his DCU entrance is if the movie doesn’t exceed expectations.
In particular, Supergirl’s visuals aren’t anywhere near as whimsical, vibrant, or fantastical as those in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Rather, Supergirl is presumably electing to inherit Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’s story alone, and is instead adopting a grungy, sci-fi aesthetic and tone akin to Guardians of the Galaxy.
This doesn’t mean Supergirl will be bad based on these choices, and it could look slightly different by the time that the movie is released in theaters. Of course, the visuals for what looks like Krypton—perhaps even Kandor, which may have been shrunk and bottled by Man of Tomorrow’s Brainiac—are superb, and only a sliver of the movie has been shown via Supergirl’s reveal trailer.
Nonetheless, Lobo’s own reveals, no matter how spectacular Jason Momoa’s performance turns out to be, are unremarkable. Obscured in grainy darkness, it’s difficult to discern any granular details in Lobo’s character design for the split-second that he occupies in the trailer.
This is seemingly the actual choice of lighting for this scene, too, as another glimpse of it was shared via a short clip posted by James Gunn on Twitter/X:
Lobo’s Tease is Likely All It is
In all likelihood, Lobo might not be in Supergirl for longer than a couple of minutes. Jason Momoa has stated that Lobo only appears briefly in Supergirl, and so, without a massive role in Supergirl as a major antagonist or unlikely companion, there’s a chance that Lobo is only going to be around for a set-piece action sequence.
If done well, Lobo’s cameo should leave audiences wanting to have seen more of him. If both he and Supergirl are unmemorable or lackluster, it could have an impact on how Lobo is perceived or how Lobo’s character development will be considered in the DCU.
Otherwise, Lobo could turn out to be one of the best parts of Supergirl, bolstered by an excellent Jason Momoa performance and the anticipation audiences have after seeing him and James Gunn hype his casting up for so long. Lobo could be the reason why someone is interested in seeing Supergirl, after all, and how he’s depicted in the movie will at least be a more faithful adaptation of the comic book character than Supergirl is of the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic.
Superman chose not to paint a broader portrait for the DCU and only focused on Metropolis, with a tiny bit of Smallville represented in a quick moment of rest and recovery at the Kent farm. Supergirl couldn’t be more opposite—with Kara Zor-El being a foil to her idyllic cousin, as well—as a cosmic journey.
This cosmic journey will provide a perfect backdrop for an interstellar mercenary like Lobo, and, with any luck, both he and the movie won’t be letdowns. It isn’t looking as promising as it could be due to divisive choices in terms of lighting and visuals, but only time will tell how Supergirl is received and what the ramifications of its story and characters are in the DCU.
Release Date
June 26, 2026
Director
Craig Gillespie
Writers
Ana Nogueira, Otto Binder, Tom King, Al Plastino, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Bilquis Evely
Matthias Schoenaerts
Krem of the Yellow Hills
Eve Ridley
Ruthye Mary Knolle
