From director James Gunn Superman (formerly titled Superman: Legacy), the film starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, Rachel Brosnahan as his reporter girlfriend Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as the evil ultra-genius Lex Luthor, is nearing completion of a production that began last February in anticipation of a high-profile release in the summer of 2025.
In honor of this upcoming film treatment of the charismatic Kryptonian First created by Joe Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1933 and debuting in Action Comics #1 in April 1938, here is a heroic ranking of the six standalone Superman films produced between 1978 and 2013.
This comprehensive analysis and assessment of Hollywood's attraction to Kal-El and the three actors who donned the faster-than-a-speedbulb supersuit does not include any series, cartoons, cameos or films in which Superman is part of an ensemble cast. For our thoughts on their crossover adventures, check out our DC movies ranked list.
Ready? Grab your cape, put on your tights, and up, up, away to the boulevards of Metropolis with Space.com's ranking of six Superman movies!
6) Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
- Release date: July 24, 1987
- Cast: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman and Mark Pillow
The Cannon Group takes over from veteran Superman producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind with a tired “No Nukes” script that feels distinctly stale. It's shocking to see the consequences of what happens when the production budget is cut in half from Superman III's $35 million. With only $17 million available to make a fourth and final chapter starring Christopher Reeve, director Sidney J. Furie does the best he can with the limited funds and poor script at his disposal, and it's painful to watch the lackluster visual effects on the big screen.
It's a bit of fun to see Gene Hackman once again as the evil Lex Luthor creating an atomic clone of the Man of Steel called Nuclear Man (yes, Nuclear Man!) and to watch the crazy action that follows. Reeve, ever the consummate professional, gives a respectable performance nearly a decade after first donning the traditional blue and red suit. Not even the reemergence of Lois Lane, played by Margot Kidder, can resurrect the magic and save this re-edited disaster from ridicule.
5) Superman III
- Release date: June 17, 1983
- Cast: Christopher Reeve, Richard Pryor and Robert Vaughn
Yes, this is the one with the awful soundtrack (except for Williams' theme) and comedian Richard Pryor. It's always been really baffling why the writer, producers and director decided to go all in on ridiculous sight gags and outright slapstick in this third installment. Richard Lester is back to help out the shaky production that goes off the rails early on. However, it's possibly worth a rewatch, as AI is a hot topic these days and the plot surrounding Superman facing off against Pryor's computer genius and an AI supercomputer seems pretty novel for its time.
Lester's wacky extravaganza feels like a mediocre made-for-TV movie that has its moments to compete with its earlier Hollywood brethren, but those flashes of minor brilliance are few and far between. Add to that a nefarious plot to control the weather by reprogramming weather satellites, and this unloved sequel becomes oddly timely, if not clichéd, in a way. Pryor deserved so much better!
Despite its flaws, the existential showdown between Dark Superman and Clark Kent is an absolute highlight. If we were to strip away the silly antics from this installment, it might have ranked half a spot higher.
4) Superman returns
- Release date: June 28, 2006
- Cast: Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey and Kate Bosworth
No one will doubt director Bryan Singer's (X-Men, X2) sincere love for the iconic Superman character, but we can sum up this movie in one word: boring. It has a pace reminiscent of molasses poured on a frigid winter day in Antarctica and everyone seems to be sleepwalking through their performances.
Newcomer Brandon Routh does the best he can with the lackluster script that revolves around Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) using stolen Kryptonian crystals to generate a new continent. We dare you to try to watch this resurrected Superman offering and not fall asleep at some point during its 154-minute runtime. Singer never finds the film's heart, and its glacial pace and insistent focus on character problems over superhero action eventually become insurmountable. While Spacey's Luthor injects a modicum of focused life into the endeavor, Kate Bosworth's Lois Lane is bland and forgettable.
Relying on Lex Luthor too often throughout the franchise's cinematic history and failing to showcase other interesting villains like Brainiac, Darkseid, or Metallo never fails to amaze. It had been nearly two decades since the last Superman film had graced the big screen, and while it was an admirable effort, it lacked the creative sparks necessary to generate a storm of interest.
Grab a healthy dose of caffeine if you're up to the challenge of rewatching it, as this remains an ambitious and engaging attempt to bring Superman back into the spotlight.
3) Superman II
- Release date: June 19, 1981
- Cast: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder and Gene Hackman
Following the undeniable success of 1978's Superman and with the entire original cast and creators returning, this sequel was bound to be a crowd-pleaser. Fans may forget just how good the sequel is and it stands proudly alongside the 1978 classic. Part of the reason is that Superman: The Movie and Superman II were filmed simultaneously to provide a seamless tonal transition, but controversy arose when Donner was fired after filming 75% of Superman II and the studio hired Richard Lester to finish the film. Lester reshot key scenes and chose a lighter, more cartoonish approach compared to Donner's epic, grandiose approach to the material.
The story centers on the trio of Kryptonian criminals (Zod, Ursa, Non) sentenced to imprisonment by Jor-El in the Phantom Zone seen in the first Superman film, who are accidentally freed by a nuclear explosion in space. Of course, they head straight to planet Earth to seek revenge for Jor-El's banishment (with the help of Lex Luthor) and bring his son Kal-El/Superman to his knees.
Fans curious about Donner's vision can check out Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, a remastered director's cut that is superior to the theatrical version.
2) The man of steel
- Release date: June 14, 2013
- Cast: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Russell Crowe and Michael Shannon
There are already some complaints from detractors, but director Zack Snyder's divisive work is a spectacular fusion of sound and fury that features one of the most haunting scores by celebrated composer Hans Zimmer to accompany the striking visuals. Destined to be the cornerstone of a new DC Cinematic Universe project, it grossed a record $670 million worldwide when it hit theaters in the summer of 2013.
Like Christopher Reeve before him, Henry Cavill was born to play Superman, and he has the muscular build, intelligence, sensitivity and intensity to pull it off. The early scenes of Kryptonian destruction are superbly staged, with Jor-El (Russell Crowe) triumphing through silent strength and a worthy adversary to the imposing General Zod (Michael Shannon).
Amy Adams' Lois Lane is a bit “plain” in many scenes and her chemistry with Clark/Superman never really ignites, but it's a minor complaint in an otherwise enthusiastic production that even throws in a grunge rock anthem from Soundgarden. Yes, Kevin Costner's Pa Kent sacrificing his life to save Clark's identity during a tornado still makes little sense, but as '80s metal band Poison sang, “Every rose has its thorn.”
1) Superman: The Movie
- Release date: December 15, 1978
- Cast: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder and Gene Hackman
Let's face it, director Richard Donner's classic film was actually the best, with an effortless balance of romance, comedy and superhero action that still holds up today. The legendary Marlon Brando brings a steely gravitas to the noble character of Jor-El, Superman's father, and his whopping $3.7 million salary for two weeks of acting work was well spent by the producers and studio.
Christopher Reeve, who tragically passed away in 2004 due to complications from a horse riding accident, has never been better as the hunky defender of truth and justice and nerdy, affable journalist Clark Kent. Lois Lane, played by Margot Kidder, has brilliant comic timing and a touching romantic side that creates organic emotionality. Gene Hackman, as Lex Luthor, seems to be having a blast in every sequence and it was one of his favorite roles in a long and storied career.
With a record-breaking $55 million budget and stunning production design courtesy of the industry's top craftsmen and visionaries, “Superman: The Movie” is a towering achievement that does Siegel and Shuster's comic book creation proud and grossed $300 million worldwide during its lucrative theatrical run.
And the fantastic music is timeless! Oscar-winning composer John Williams followed up his Star Wars score from the previous year with this majestic musical miracle that soars like the caped main character.
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