DC Studios and Director Craig Gillespie Clash Over Supergirl Edit

DC Studios co‑heads James Gunn and Peter Safran and director Craig Gillespie reportedly disagreed on the creative direction of the live‑action film Supergirl. After mixed test screenings that scored in the 60s–70s on a 100‑point scale, the studio commissioned its own edit and set up a “bake‑off” against Gillespie’s version. The studio cut, edited by Gunn with Fred Raskin, narrowly outperformed the director’s cut by two points and became the theatrical release.

Gillespie’s version was about 11 minutes longer and gave the villain Krem, played by Matthias Schoenaerts, more screen time. Music cues also differed, with a Jimmy Eat World song used in the final cut instead of a planned cover of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” Fans have begun demanding a “Gillespie Cut,” citing the longer edit as a possible improvement. The film opened worldwide to a disappointing box‑office, earning roughly $85 million against an estimated $180 million budget, prompting studio executives to acknowledge the shortfall while reaffirming confidence in the broader DCU roadmap.