Updated
Supergirl (1984): the British-made film explained
Supergirl (1984), made at Pinewood: Helen Slater, Faye Dunaway and Peter O'Toole, the UK release before the US, BBFC ratings and where to watch it in the UK.
The short answer
Supergirl (1984) starred Helen Slater as Kara Zor-El, with Faye Dunaway as the villain Selena and Peter O'Toole as Zaltar. It was filmed at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, where the town of Midvale was built on the backlot. The UK saw it first, on 19 July 1984, four months before the US release on 21 November. It was a box-office disappointment in North America. Its current UK streaming version is rated 12.
Long before Milly Alcock, there was Helen Slater. Supergirl (1984) was the first big-screen outing for Superman’s cousin, a spin-off from the Christopher Reeve films, and it was made almost entirely in England.
The film at a glance
| Director | Jeannot Szwarc |
| Writer | David Odell |
| Producers | Alexander and Ilya Salkind; producer credit Timothy Burrill |
| Music | Jerry Goldsmith, whose score nods to John Williams’ Superman theme |
| UK release | 19 July 1984 |
| US release | 21 November 1984 |
Cast
| Character | Actor |
|---|---|
| Kara Zor-El / Linda Lee / Supergirl | Helen Slater, in her film debut |
| Selena, the villain | Faye Dunaway |
| Zaltar | Peter O’Toole |
| Alura In-Ze | Mia Farrow |
| Zor-El | Simon Ward |
| Ethan | Hart Bochner |
| Bianca | Brenda Vaccaro |
| Nigel | Peter Cook |
| Jimmy Olsen | Marc McClure |
Marc McClure is often said to be the only actor to appear in all four Reeve Superman films and Supergirl (Likely). For the comics character, see Kara Zor-El.
Made in Buckinghamshire
Principal photography ran from 18 April to 11 August 1983 at Pinewood Studios, using seven sound stages. The whole town of Midvale, including Kara’s school, was built on a ten-acre backlot. The lake scenes were filmed at Black Park Country Park, next door to Pinewood (Likely). You may see claims about a “real” Midvale school in Hertfordshire, but we found no source for it: Midvale was a Pinewood set.
For the other Superman films made in England, see Superman filmed in Britain.
Why the UK saw it first
Supergirl opened in the UK on 19 July 1984, four months before America. Warner Bros. had been due to release it in the US that July, but the Salkinds wanted a Christmas release and moved it to Tri-Star, which opened it in 1,608 US cinemas on 21 November 1984.
The film also exists in several lengths: a 138-minute rough cut, a roughly 124-minute international version and a 105-minute US version.
How it did
It topped the US box office on its opening weekend, but it made only about $14.3 million in North America, against a budget reported at around $35 million (estimates range from $30 million to $60 million). The Salkinds dropped the planned sequel. Critics were mostly unkind, and it earned Razzie nominations for Faye Dunaway and Peter O’Toole, while Helen Slater was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Actress. We haven’t found a UK box office figure.
BBFC ratings: it’s 12 on streaming now
| Version | BBFC rating | Content notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cinema (1984) | PG | Language, sexual threat |
| Video (1986) | PG | — |
| Cinema version, reclassified for streaming (25 March 2026) | 12 | Language, sexual threat |
| International Version (2020, the Warner Archive Blu-ray cut) | 12 | Moderate bad language |
| Extended Version (2006) | PG | Mild violence and language |
If you’re watching with children, note that the version you’ll stream today is rated 12, not PG. It’s the same cinema version, simply reclassified, not a new cut. See our parents’ guide.
Where to watch in the UK
As of 7 November 2026, according to JustWatch UK, Supergirl (1984) is on HBO Max (including through the Amazon channel) and NOW Cinema, and you can rent or buy it on Apple, Amazon, Rakuten and Sky Store. It isn’t free anywhere. Streaming line-ups change often.
For Kara’s latest film, see our Supergirl (2026) guide, and for every Superman film, Superman films in order.
Questions
Where was Supergirl (1984) filmed?
At Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, from 18 April to 11 August 1983. The production used seven sound stages and built the whole town of Midvale on a ten-acre backlot. The lake scenes were filmed at Black Park Country Park, next to Pinewood.
When was Supergirl (1984) released in the UK?
On 19 July 1984, four months before the US. Warner Bros. had planned a July US release, but the producers wanted Christmas and moved it to Tri-Star, which released it in the US on 21 November 1984.
What is Supergirl (1984) rated in the UK?
It was rated PG in cinemas in 1984. In March 2026 the BBFC classified that same cinema version for streaming and rated it 12, for language and sexual threat; it isn't a new cut. On disc, the International Version (the Warner Archive Blu-ray cut) has been rated 12 since 2020, while the Extended and Abridged versions are PG.
Was Supergirl (1984) a success?
No. It made about $14.3 million in North America, against a budget reported at around $35 million, and the planned sequel was dropped. Its UK box office figure hasn't been found.