Superman is easily one of the most iconic superheroes of all time. The imagery of a man in a cape and red and blue suit is so iconic that Superman is even considered by many to be the definitive superhero. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster in the late 1930s, the character has made his way into many live-action films throughout the years. From Christopher Reeve to Henry Cavill, the character continues to inspire and bring joy to audiences all over the world. Here is every live-action Superman movie, ranked.
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9 Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
While Christopher Reeve is a fantastic Superman, even he was unable to save Superman IV from making its way onto lists of the worst films ever made. The film suffers from a plot that fails to engage audiences, action scenes that fail to impress, poor special effects, and the inability to understand or capture the joy of the first two Superman films.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Reeve’s final appearance as Superman is unfortunately in the worst Superman film. After Superman IV: The Quest for Peace was released in 1987, no new Superman films were released for nineteen years.
8 Superman III (1983)
Superman III is better than Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, but that’s not saying much. The tone is overwhelmingly campy, with the film even splitting Clark Kent into two beings to feature a fight between Clark Kent and an evil Superman. Inconsistencies that break viewer immersion also plague the film including Superman having difficulty breathing inside a bubble when he is able to fly in space.
Reeve’s third Superman film refuses to take itself seriously. It additionally lacks connective tissue to the previous two Superman films. Lex Luthor or a suitable replacement villain is completely absent, Lois Lane occupies a very minimal role, Gus Gorman is poorly written, and neither the script nor story are strong enough to do Superman justice.
7 Justice League (2017)
The theatrical version of Justice League is the result of studio interference and a well-documented troubled production. Despite referring to itself as a “Zack Snyder film” in the intro, director Zack Snyder has yet to see the film. Snyder was unaware of entire plot threads and scenes that are present in the theatrical release.
Justice League begins with an uncanny valley effect with very noticeable visual effects work done on Superman’s upper lip. As Superman actor Henry Cavill was shooting Mission Impossible: Fallout during Justice League reshoots, Cavill’s mustache had to be digitally removed from Justice League. But mustache aside, Justice League is a confused corporate product that serves only as Warner Bros.’ attempt to course-correct after the mixed reception to Batman v. Superman.
6 Superman Returns (2006)
Brandon Routh’s Superman film, Superman Returns, marks the return of Superman to the big screen after the critically-panned Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. Superman Returns is clearly designed to pay homage to Christopher Reeve’s first two Superman films. Despite an over-reliance on nostalgia, the film successfully emulates some of what made audiences fall in love with Superman in the first place.
A fantastic Lex Luthor, solid visual effects, a new story, and the talent of Brandon Routh allows Returns to be a strong Superman film. However, the lack of action sequences fails to provide the superhero thrills that after nineteen years since Superman IV, modern audiences have come to want and expect from a superhero film.
5 Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Director Zack Snyder describes Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice as being a deconstruction of two of the most iconic superheroes: Batman and Superman. The film became very divisive as fans continue to praise Snyder’s take on the heroes while others continue to express their disapproval of the film. Many fans were excited to see Batman and Superman finally share the screen. However, some of them did not get what they wanted as they wanted to see the classic iconic versions rather than a new deconstructive take on their heroes.
Batman v. Superman is a film with incredible cinematography, an excellent score by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL, and an exploration into relationships with power and the light and darkness that both exist within humanity.
4 Superman II (1980)
The sequel to the successful Superman: The Movie, Superman II is undoubtedly one of the most iconic superhero films of the 80s. A focal point of Superman II is Clark’s struggle as he tries to manage a dual identity between Clark Kent and his Superman alter-ego. Clark is continuously challenged throughout the film as his responsibilities come into conflict with his desire to live a normal life.
Superman IImanages to take a larger-than-life character like Superman and humanize him, allowing the character to strongly resonate with audiences.
3 Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
Although Superman is absent for half of the movie, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is the third installment in an originally planned five-film arc centering on Superman. Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a massive, four-hour superhero epic that successfully balances joy, fun, and humor with seriousness and world-ending stakes.
Superman is a hero that inspires, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League examines the impact Superman has on other people including superheroes. It is fantastic seeing Superman inspire and save the world with the Justice League.
2 Man of Steel (2013)
Man of Steel takes the character of Superman and tells a story within a more grounded, realistic world. Cavill’s Superman does not wear underwear outside of the suit. In the world Zack Snyder created, there are great consequences to being a superhero and many things one has to learn on the road to becoming a hero.
A more mature interpretation of Superman opens new avenues of storytelling never explored before with the character. Although the creative decisions are not to everyone’s liking, Man of Steel is a strong film following Clark navigating a complex world to become a force for good.
1 Superman: The Movie (1978)
Warner Bros.
Superhero origin stories don’t get much better than Superman: The Movie. Christopher Reeve’s casting as Clark/Superman is a stroke of pure genius, and that casting would contribute to making one of the greatest superhero movies of all time. The film is ultimately timeless, featuring amazing scenes such as Superman saving all of the people on a plane when a lightning strike destroys an engine.
John Williams’ wonderful Superman theme is implemented in a joyous film with so much heart. The film is such a great source of inspiration that Marvel Studios president and producer, Kevin Feige, watches the film before working on any of his Marvel Studios projects. Henry Cavill may carry the Superman baton, but the incredible legacy of Superman begins with Christopher Reeve in Superman: The Movie.
