{"id":733381,"date":"2026-06-29T18:58:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T18:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/733381\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T18:58:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T18:58:11","slug":"we-found-the-44-rejected-needle-drops-for-supergirl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/733381\/","title":{"rendered":"We Found the 44 Rejected Needle Drops for \u2018Supergirl\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

DC<\/a>DC<\/a>That acoustic cover of \u201cThe Middle\u201d may have been a bad choice for the climactic scene of \u2018Supergirl,\u2019 but there were 44 worse ones. Here they are.\"\"DC\/Getty Images\/Ringer illustration\"\"<\/a>By Daniel Chin<\/a>June 29, 5:17 pm UTC \u2022 9 min<\/p>\n

Supergirl opens with a literal needle drop: Krypto the Superdog bumps into a record player and accidentally fires up \u201cThis Summer\u201d by Sleigh Bells as a morning reveille for a hungover Kara Zor-El. The song provides a window into Kara\u2019s chaotic lifestyle as Krypto prances to the tune through the mess of her spaceship and pees on a newspaper bearing Superman\u2019s face. But the introduction also foreshadows the musical moment that has come to define Supergirl\u2019s shaky opening days in theaters<\/a>: the already notorious needle drop in the film\u2019s climactic action sequence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As young Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley) stands in a crowded field of enemy Brigands, time slows down and a cover of Jimmy Eat World\u2019s \u201cThe Middle\u201d<\/a>\u2014performed by Kelty Greye and KidMotel\u2014begins to play. Ruthye watches in awe as Supergirl (Milly Alcock) picks off the pirates one by one, all on her own, while the song\u2019s somber acoustic guitar is joined by strings and then drums.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The needle drop has been roasted by the internet. My colleague Joanna Robinson dubbed it the \u201cworst needle drop in cinema history<\/a>,\u201d and she\u2019s hardly the only one<\/a> (even at The Ringer<\/a>) who feels that way. The folk rendition is a bizarre table setter for the film\u2019s most pivotal fight scene, and the tonal shift it creates is distracting enough to pull viewers out of the crucial moment. It\u2019s also another prime Hollywood example of a track whose on-the-nose lyrics<\/a> wink at the audience.<\/p>\n

Yet what\u2019s stuck with me over the few days since I saw Supergirl is not the baffling song choice itself but what director Craig Gillespie said about the painstaking process of picking it, which he specified was \u201cprobably the biggest discussion.\u201d In an interview with Rolling Stone<\/a>, Gillespie explained that \u201cthere were probably about 45 songs that went against that scene\u201d before DC Studios cohead James Gunn made the final selection. (You either die a needle-drop hero<\/a>, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Forty-five songs. Evidently, 44 candidates were worse fits than that cover of \u201cThe Middle.\u201d I desperately needed to find out what those alternatives were, so I obsessively scoured the web to investigate. When I came up empty, I flew out to Southern California, sneaked onto the Warner Bros. studio lot, and went dumpster diving for anything that could clue me into the thinking behind that fateful decision. And in a stroke of miraculous sleuthing, I finally found it. I\u2019m thrilled to share the very real, totally legit list of 44 needle drops that didn\u2019t make the final cut of Supergirl, along with some insightful production notes that explain the logic behind each rejected song suggestion. Let\u2019s dive in.<\/p>\n

\u201cDie With a Smile<\/a>\u201d by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga<\/p>\n

Supergirl is like a duet between Ruthye and Kara. Their worlds have both ended\u2014yet they\u2019ve still found each other, and they\u2019re smiling through the pain and death in their lives. Google AI also says that this was the most popular song of 2025, so it\u2019s a win-win.<\/p>\n

\u201cSupergirl!<\/a>\u201d by Krystal Harris<\/p>\n

A song ready-made for our new Supergirl. Maybe Sabrina Carpenter could cover it?<\/p>\n

\u201cAmerican Girl<\/a>\u201d by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers<\/p>\n

Superman fights for \u201ctruth, justice, and the American way.\u201d His cousin does, too. Let\u2019s get patriotic.<\/p>\n

These lyrics are perfect for the wicked Brigands:<\/p>\n

Out of the blue came a kill-crazy crew
Whose motto was stomp on the weak
With bones in their hair
They was hungry as bears
And their leader was king of the freaks
They was … Space Pirates
The lowest scum of the yellow sun<\/p>\n

It always helps to remind the audience who our hero is fighting.<\/p>\n

\u201cCreme<\/a>\u201d by Jack Harlow<\/p>\n

We could use an anthem for Krem of the Yellow Hills that would give him some personality. The \u201ccr\u00e8me de la cr\u00e8me\u201d that Jack Harlow speaks of may serve that purpose. Audiences love a little wordplay.<\/p>\n

Ruthye has been chasing revenge from planet to planet, but Kara is helping her see that Krem\u2019s death wouldn\u2019t heal her. She should\u2019ve stayed home and stuck with the rivers and lakes she was used to.<\/p>\n

Ruthye\u2019s family is gone, which extinguishes the life she always knew. Krypton\u2019s destruction was the actual end of Kara\u2019s world. In this sequence, Ruthye is watching explosions and so much death around her as Kara destroys their enemies\u2014and she feels fine.<\/p>\n

Ruthye misses her family, while Kara misses her parents and her entire planet. Yet they\u2019re still moving forward, one step at a time. But, yes, we\u2019ll probably need to find a replacement for Diddy.<\/p>\n

We could make Kara and Ruthye the next iconic duo. Kara fighting off every Brigand and saving Ruthye from danger is like one giant \u201cI got you, babe.\u201d<\/p>\n

I mean, how perfect are these lyrics?<\/p>\n

I’m more than a bird, I’m more than a plane
I’m more than some pretty face beside a train
And it’s not easy to be me
I wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
‘Bout a home I’ll never see<\/p>\n

They don\u2019t even say \u201cSuperman\u201d in the song, so we can just swap in \u201cgirl\u201d wherever they say \u201cman,\u201d and we\u2019ll be set.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Lonely<\/a>\u201d by Bobby Vinton<\/p>\n

Such a heartbreaking song that could capture Ruthye and Kara\u2019s shared loneliness. The slow swell of the piano may be able to drive that point home. Let\u2019s check whether Akon can do a remix.<\/p>\n

Happy, yet with a sadness underneath the surface. Kara parties through the pain. She\u2019s our loneliest girl.<\/p>\n

Sometimes you need to just hold the audience\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cHallelujah<\/a>\u201d cover by Jeff Buckley<\/p>\n

If Watchmen can make \u201cHallelujah\u201d sexy, we can make it badass.<\/p>\n

Sun is crucial to Supergirl\u2014especially the yellow kind. Audiences might get confused by the green sun being bad for Kara and the yellow sun being good, so backing up the final fight with this hopeful classic could clear up any mix-up.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Sign<\/a>\u201d by Ace of Base<\/p>\n

Kara is becoming the sign in Ruthye\u2019s changing life, and Ruthye is becoming the sign in hers, too. It also sounds like the singer is saying, \u201cI saw the sun,\u201d which works even better for us!<\/p>\n

Forget the Timbaland synths; let\u2019s slow this jam down and focus on those Gregorian chants. The lyrics sort of work here\u2014\u201cYou were my sun, you were my earth\u201d\u2014and Kara and Ruthye have cried a river of tears. \u2019NSync did wonders for Deadpool & Wolverine, so maybe JT can do the same for us.<\/p>\n

\u201cSave Me<\/a>\u201d by Queen<\/p>\n

The way this song starts off slow and gradually builds fits our slo-mo action. And we see Ruthye get saved, from her perspective\u2014she might as well be shouting to Kara, \u201cSave me!\u201d<\/p>\n

Everybody loves ABBA, and the DCU will be the home of \u201980s hits, one needle drop at a time. Ruthye is teaching Kara how to love and feel again.<\/p>\n

We need the audience to really feel the girl power of this scene. It\u2019s spunky, upbeat, and fun, just like our Kara. This may be our winner! Actually, scratch that. We just heard that Marvel beat us to the punch<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Marvel doesn\u2019t have everything, though. Not anymore. Because we have James Gunn. We could take a victory lap and pair this scene with a medley of some of the greatest hits of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies to really stick it to the MCU.<\/p>\n

This could be the right time to remind the audience why Supergirl is doing all of this: Krypto. And New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown gave this song a jolt of new energy this summer when his team won the NBA championship<\/a>\u2014let\u2019s capitalize on it.<\/p>\n

Better yet, let\u2019s really let the dogs out. Nobody barks like DMX. Let\u2019s look into replacing his voice with Krypto\u2019s barks, too, but tastefully.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBad Blood<\/a>\u201d by Taylor Swift, featuring Kendrick Lamar<\/p>\n

For all the Swifties and Kendrick Lamar fans, who loved this collaboration in 2014. Bonus points for the lyrical synergy of Ruthye and Kara having bad blood with Krem and the Brigands.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuperfly<\/a>\u201d by Curtis Mayfield<\/p>\n

Our Supergirl is about to fly around to save the day, and she\u2019ll look damned cool while doing it. But what if we strip out the funk, insert an orchestra or a children\u2019s choir, and really make this epic?<\/p>\n

Another classic. Let\u2019s look for a way to make it a little edgier for the modern audience. Kara and Ruthye have only just met, but there\u2019s a love and a bond there that will last forever.<\/p>\n

Kara just wants to have fun, and what\u2019s more fun than beating some Brigands to a bloody pulp to this pop anthem?<\/p>\n

Our data shows that people have done a complete 180 on Nickelback and the band is cool again?<\/p>\n

\u201cMy Hero<\/a>\u201d by Foo Fighters or \u201cHero<\/a>\u201d by Enrique Iglesias<\/p>\n

There are so many \u201chero\u201d songs to choose from. Maybe we could cut a few different versions of this scene and distribute them to different demographics across the world. People loved that in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This song strikes the balance of somber and powerful that we\u2019re looking for. If you ignore all the bits about the messy relationship, some of these lyrics really work from Ruthye\u2019s tortured perspective: \u201cJust gonna stand there and watch me burn? \/ Well, that’s all right because I like the way it hurts \/ Just gonna stand there and hear me cry?\u201d<\/p>\n

And there\u2019s even a reference to Superman and Lois Lane! Let\u2019s check to see whether we can change the names to \u201cSupergirl\u201d and \u201cJimmy Olsen.\u201d If there\u2019s anyone who can find a new rhyme in there, it\u2019s Eminem.<\/p>\n

\u201cSave Me<\/a>\u201d by Remy Zero<\/p>\n

Nostalgia is having a moment right now. Smallville<\/a> fans will love this.<\/p>\n

\u201cFly Away<\/a>\u201d by Lenny Kravitz<\/p>\n

Ruthye wants to fly away from her worries, just like Kara. She\u2019ll witness Supergirl\u2019s flight in all its glory.<\/p>\n

\u201cHigher<\/a>\u201d by Creed<\/p>\n

Ruthye has dreamed of escaping her current nightmare. She\u2019s dreamed of going higher, to a place above her pain\u2014and Kara can take her.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust the Two of Us<\/a>\u201d by Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers<\/p>\n

We might want to hold on to this song for a tender Kara-Krypto moment, but this scene is just our two girls against the world.<\/p>\n

The camera spins around Ruthye as she watches Kara fight the Brigands. The music could be a clever nod to that dynamic.<\/p>\n

This all started with Kara\u2019s 23rd birthday, and as she tells Ruthye at the end of the movie, she never got the chance to finish her celebration. Perfect time for a callback.<\/p>\n

We could slow this one down and give the audience a cheekier birthday tune. Go Kara, it\u2019s your birthday.<\/p>\n

Kara is the last daughter of Krypton. And even if Ruthye isn\u2019t the only girl left on Maypole, Supergirl makes her feel that important.<\/p>\n

Wow, there are a lot of songs about Superman, aren\u2019t there? We can just replace the lyrics with \u201cSupergirl\u201d and reclaim this one for Kara.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuperman<\/a>\u201d by Lazlo Bane<\/p>\n

Better yet, we can use this one as is, because Kara\u2019s no Superman\u2014she\u2019s Supergirl. Plus, Scrubs is back<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cCreep<\/a>\u201d by Radiohead<\/p>\n

The outsider anthem for our favorite outsider Kryptonian. Kara hasn\u2019t found a home since she left Argo City, and she feels like she doesn\u2019t belong anywhere. We could even repurpose that acoustic version<\/a> from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 that was used to capture Rocket\u2019s tragic past. James won\u2019t mind. Let\u2019s have him look at all these options and pick the perfect song that everyone will love!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Daniel Chin<\/p>\n

<\/a>Daniel writes about TV, film, and scattered topics in sports that usually involve the New York Knicks. He often covers the never-ending cycle of superhero content and other areas of nerd culture and fandom. He is based in Brooklyn. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"DCDCThat acoustic cover of \u201cThe Middle\u201d may have been a bad choice for the climactic scene of \u2018Supergirl,\u2019…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":733382,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[88,206],"class_list":["post-733381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-movies","tag-entertainment","tag-movies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=733381"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733381\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/733382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=733381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=733381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=733381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}