DC’s New Supergirl Actor Needs To Break A Frustrating 7-Year Game Of Thrones Trend

Milly Alcock is an excellent choice for the role of Kara in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and her appearance could break an old Game of Thrones trend.
Milly Alcock from the Game of Thrones franchise has been cast in the DCU as the eponymous star of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and her arrival could break a surprising trend. Alcock is the latest actor confirmed to be starring in the DCU, and joins David Corenswet as one of its most prominent figures with reports suggesting she may even appear alongside the Superman actor in Superman: Legacy. As lesser-known actors, the roles could be career-defining depending on how successful the DCU becomes.
Best known for her role as Rhaenyra Targaryen in the Game of Thrones spin-off series House of the Dragon, Alock is an excellent choice for the role of Supergirl whose experience in the fantasy franchise can translate well to the big screen. She is the latest in a long line of Game of Thrones stars to star in superhero movies, which includes her House of the Dragon co-star, Matt Smith. Yet Matt Smith is one of the starkest examples of an undesirable superhero trend surrounding Game of Thrones stars and their roles in the realm of stars.
Many Game Of Thrones Actors Have Been In (Divisional) Superhero Movies
Matt Smith plays Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon, and, along with Milly Alcock, is one of its biggest highlights. Yet he also starred as Milo/Lucien in the maligned Sony movie Morbius. In fact, lambasted DC and Marvel movies and shows often star Game of Thrones stars, including X-Men: Dark Phoenix’s Sophie Turner, Secret Invasion’s Emilia Clark, Justice League’s Ciaran Hinds, and Eternals’ Richard Madden and Kit Harrington. Jason Momoa’s Aquaman was a DCEU highlight, but his sequel bombed, adding to what could be considered a Game of Thrones curse.

In most cases, however, the Game of Thrones actors aren’t to blame for superhero flops. Pedro Pascal’s role as Maxwell Lord in Wonder Woman 1984, for example, was an unifying highlight of the otherwise divisive DCEU movie. Other Game of Thrones stars also had minor roles in otherwise great movies, like Natalie Dormer’s Private Lorraine in Captain America: The First Avenger. Yet the trend for Game of Thrones actors in more major roles is quite stark. Thankfully, Milly Alcock stands in good stead to break it.
Milly Alcock’s DCU Supergirl Role Can Break The Game Of Thrones Trend
Milly Alcock’s casting as Kara Zor-El was met with a lot of enthusiasm from prospective fans. Her tenure as the young Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon saw her embody the role of a fiercely independent princess whose single-minded intention to sit on the Iron Throne despite her gender was praised, with Alcock proving that she could capably portray a powerful character like Supergirl. Considering Rhaenyra was so well-received by audiences and critics alike, there’s every chance this success can be replicated in Alcock’s portrayal of Kara Zor-El.
The similarities between the characters are also quite stark. Both are exceptionally powerful characters, harbor a certain superiority over humanity, lead double lives as they adopt a more “acceptable” public persona, and kick back against the concept of being secondary to a male counterpart. In fact, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is already being set up as one of the DCU’s more serious outings (though with plenty of lighter elements) as it delves into Kara Zor-El’s psyche as she turns 21.
How The DC Universe’s Supergirl Setup Hints It Will Break GOT’s Unfortunate Trend
The comic with which Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow shares its name is only a few years old but is one of DC’s best outings for the iconic superhero. In it, Kara Zor-El turns 21 and wishes to experience what it’s like to get drunk after confronting an existential crisis. Due to her Kryptonian constitution, this requires her to visit a planet with a red sun to weaken her. She then proceeds to become embroiled in a quest for vengeance with Krypto the Superdog along for the ride after a space pirate murders the father of an alien girl.

It is an almost ridiculous premise, but one that gives way to a deep and touching narrative. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is already an acclaimed DC comic, but the premise alone is a positive sign for the movie. Off-the-wall adaptations are James Gunn’s bread and butter at this point, with this movie stoking ample excitement for what to expect in the DCU as it flies in the face of the DCEU’s bleaker depictions of DC heroes. This, along with Alcock’s talent, is a great sign that the Game of Thrones curse could be about to end with Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.