Warner Bros Will Prioritize Supergirl Over Superman For The DCEU, per Forbes

Warner Bros. has decided to give Supergirl the movie spotlight it usually reserves for her cousin Superman, Forbes reports.

This move was first mentioned in the Hollywood Reporter piece that uncovered the tense working relationship between Man of Steel star Henry Cavill and Warner Bros., leading to rumors that Cavill will step down from the role of Superman.

At the time, Warner Bros. responded in the most politically correct way possible.

“We have a great relationship and great respect for Henry Cavill that continues to remain unchanged. Additionally, we have made no current decisions regarding any upcoming Superman films.”

Meanwhile, Henry Cavill himself responded with a bizarre Instagram post.

It’s been impossible to know what exactly triggered the tension between the actor and studio, both have remained tight-lipped, but it’s rumored it all began with negotiations over a cameo in the upcoming Shazam.

Screenwriter and Forbes contributor Mark Hughes claims that not only will this Supergirl movie actually happen, but that it will release in 2021. Later on Twitter, he clarified that this is a tentative date and that, while it hasn’t been confirmed, he believes “it’s almost surely going to happen.”

To be fair, the move does make sense, the last three movies featuring Superman haven’t endeared him to the audience as other incarnations have done in the past.

Soaring higher. #Supergirl has been renewed for another season! pic.twitter.com/jVgKUNP6nX

— Supergirl (@TheCWSupergirl) January 31, 2019

Critics, such as William Bradly in an essay for the Los Angeles Review of Books, characterized Zack Snyder’s handling of the character as “self-pitying, self-centered, and not a lot of fun,” more in common with an Ayn Rand hero than with the DC Comics character.

It’s not like Superman hasn’t enjoyed his time in the spotlight, he has featured in 12 feature films and seven live-action TV shows, the most out of any superhero, despite being one of the most fantastical.

Supergirl, meanwhile, just has a long-forgotten movie, a guest spot in Smallville, and a successful CW TV show that was just renewed for a fifth season.

Though, technically, Supergirl has already appeared in the DC Extended Universe, just not in any of the films.

Zack Snyder and David S. Goyer wrote a Man of Steel prequel comic book to promote the movie. In it, a young Kara Zor-El (Supergirl’s Kryptonian name) crash lands on Earth thousands of years before the events of the film.

The ending of the comic implies that she triggered the alarm that sets the events of the plot in motion, something the movie left otherwise unexplained.

In the actual movie, her ship is found and used by her descendant, Clark Kent. The scene in which Superman first enters the ship has a close-up shot of an empty stasis pod, possibly foreshadowing Kara’s official introduction.

Warner Bros. has yet to confirm or deny Forbes‘ report.