The latest film from the “DCU” movie universe, Supergirl, launches in less than a week, with Milly Alcock taking on the role of Kara, cousin of Kal-El. She was first introduced in a very fun scene in last year’s Superman film, and there are many people looking forward to seeing it.
However, in some of the more toxic areas of the Internet, people aren’t so enthusiastic. In fact, take a look in certain online social media places and there are a ton of sexist and misogynistic comments about Milly Alcock, the movie, and even Milly’s appearance. “She doesn’t smile!” they say. Some have even compared her appearance to a character from Mad Max. None of those things are true, by the way.
This bad behavior was made even worse when former Superman actor Dean Cain admitted he “laughed,” and then went on to follow one of the main misogynist grifters one could find on X. Why is it necessary for an actor to insult another actor like that? Would Dean like it if people called him names? Probably not. (And be the better person – don’t do it.) I know some complained about the media coverage — but the point was that what Dean Cain said about her was bad and it should be discussed. That is news.
Some of the people and outlets posting rage bait and doom and gloom repeatedly have their reasons: If you pay for a blue check on X and get engagement, you can get paid for what you post, so if someone posts something infuriating that gets a lot of replies, they get a lot of money for it. Some are angry that the Zack Snyder “Snyderverse” films are dead, and blame James Gunn and anything peripheral to him for it… even though Gunn is not director of the movie, so that does about as much good as attacking James Wan and Aquaman for how awful Batman v Superman was. Some of these people will complain about any social commentary that they don’t agree with; there’s a throughline between the Supergirl haters and those who’d complain that someone ate their comm badge on Starfleet Academy, for example. And finally, there are the folks who took issue with Milly Alcock’s “Dad of four; Christian” comment, that the haters of the film usually have profiles that say things like that. She’s not wrong. One of the most toxic online posters about Supergirl literally says “I became a #1 bestselling author by standing for Christian values” in his profile. His “Christian values,” by the way, are not Christian at all, if one looked around this profile. He spews racism, homophobia, hate, and misogyny like there’s nothing else in the world. Milly Alcock was not attacking Christians with her post.
Just today, there have been completely fabricated “online reactions to a Supergirl screening” from people with only 120 social media followers that have no basis in reality. Or, those who did post positive reviews are getting attacked by the opposition, claiming they are “shills” and lying. Sometimes a movie is a movie, and people have different opinions. I mentioned earlier that I didn’t like Batman v Superman; for others, it’s their favorite film. So, differences of opinion happen. I do still resent it, though, that even back then there was a group of fans insisting that every negative review of BvS was “paid for by Marvel.” If that’s the case, where is my check?
The Internet has also been a place for hit pieces about how Supergirl will “flop.” Maybe it will. We’ll know in a week or so. But, the reasons for posting such things are mostly, again, wishful thinking from the crowd still butthurt that Starfleet Academy had a gay Klingon in it. They’ll find something new to grift their hate on in a few weeks, anyway.
I have not seen Supergirl yet, and I won’t see it until opening night like almost everyone else in the world can. Who knows, maybe I won’t even like it. But I think it deserves a fair shot going in next week. A friend told me his teenage daughter is looking forward to it. Honestly, her opinion matters more than mine or any random neckbeard on the Internet’s opinion would. I do worry that the negativity surrounding the film has killed some of my excitement, and worry that others have had that same feeling, but hopefully, we can fly above and just enjoy the film. Supergirl hits theaters June 26.
Disclaimer, but necessary to mention: Those who have followed KryptonSite for 25 years know that in my younger days, I posted some things that I saw as “jokes,” primarily age-related, that might have read as pretty awful. I apologize for that, and I have apologized for that. It isn’t funny to look back at, and it wasn’t funny then.
KET
May 6, 2016 at 4:15 am
The difference between The Wrap’s click-bait speculation piece and Deadline’s article is that Deadline actually had reasonable substance in its expose instead. The Supergirl show lost its California tax credits, which is why there’s a major budgetary concern. However, moving to Vancouver might not be a safe haven for the show’s current budget crisis either, since the BC government just voted to reduce its film production tax subsidies from 33 to 28 percent. This change in the tax law takes effect in October, and will likely affect EVERY TV and film currently in production.
But as far as that BS over The CW, it still isn’t going to happen. At the end of the day, Supergirl is still the #1 new drama of the season for CBS, and they’re simply not going to give away their most high profile rookie show.
bbussey
May 12, 2016 at 3:35 pm
You would think that would have been the case and that CBS would have held onto it. But I guess by moving it to CW it stays in the corporate family, as opposed to letting the show move to a true rival network.
Craig Byrne
May 19, 2016 at 6:44 am
….Whatever happened to this not happening? :)