Barbie: Why Greta Gerwig Should Direct DC’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

Barbie has become nothing short of a cultural phenomenon, with the film on track to earn a billion dollars at the global box office, and its impact on viewers continuing to be felt. The Barbie movie is easily the splashiest project yet for director and co-writer Greta Gerwig, and now that the film is out into the world, there’s a lot of eagerness to see what she’ll do next. Based on recent comments, it sounds like Gerwig might work on (once the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes are over) two films adapting Chronicles of Narnia for Netflix, but there’s no telling if and how those will become a reality.

If Gerwig’s filmography — and particularly her work on Barbie — prove anything, there is another upcoming high-profile project that she would be a great fit for: DC’s forthcoming Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow movie.

What Is Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow About?

Woman of Tomorrow, DC’s eight-issue comic miniseries from Tom King and Bilquis Evely, takes the status quo of Kara Zor-El / Supergirl into a new territory. Part sword-and-sorcery epic, part interplanetary road trip, the story follows Kara’s efforts to protect and avenge a young girl named Ruthye across the cosmos. In the process, Kara comes to terms with her own self-worth and status as a superhero — something she feels shut out of on Earth, thanks to the prominence of Superman and Superboy. 

A Woman of Tomorrow movie was confirmed to be in the works this past January, in the first wave of movies and Max-exclusive shows shepherded by DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran. Details surrounding the film adaptation have been scarce ever since, although King being a part of Gunn and Safran’s “writers room” for the DC Universe does hint at the movie potentially being very faithful to its source material.

Why Should Greta Gerwig Direct Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow?

For starters, Gerwig’s work on Barbie showcased her ability to oversee something refreshing in this current film world — over-the-top practical effects. From the impossibly-detailed designs of Barbieland, to the classic Hollywood tactics used for the journeys in and out of the Real World, Barbie set a precedent that Gerwig’s future blockbuster work (and honestly, large swaths of the CGI-heavy film industry) can easily follow suit on. While we’ll have to wait and see how Gunn’s Superman: Legacy establishes the aesthetic for the cosmos of the DCU, Evely’s work on the Woman of Tomorrow comics takes things to an even more colorful and fantastical direction. It’s easy to imagine Gerwig having an inspired approach to bringing those alien worlds to life onscreen, probably with a fair amount of practical effects to boot.

And when you take one look at Gerwig’s filmography — which, in addition to Barbie, also includes 2017 indie darling Lady Bird and 2019’s beloved adaptation of Little Women — reveals some commonality with Woman of Tomorrow. Each of these three films have become touchstones for their honest representation of womanhood and girlhood, to the point where a passionate third-act monologue on the topic has become a welcomed trope. Regardless of how you personally felt about Barbie, the film provoking a weeks-long conversation about feminism and patriarchy (and helping younger viewers begin to grapple with both concepts) is something notable. In the hands of Gerwig, Woman of Tomorrow could profoundly tackle Kara’s personal feelings about her Kryptonian heritage and her role as a superhero — without softening her or turning her very real anger into a sort of caricature.

While Woman of Tomorrow will be the latest of several live-action takes on the maid of might, Gerwig could have just the right touch to make it something extraordinary — and she’s already expressed a desire to work in the superhero space, depending on the project. Plus, as Gunn, Safran, and Warner Bros. Discovery work to establish this newer, more accessible DCU, having a title card proclaiming one of their projects is from “The Director of Barbie” would definitely be a major flex.

Would you want to see Greta Gerwig direct Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!