Superman has always been the gold standard for superheroes. Long before caped crusaders filled our screens, he was already soaring through the skies and saving the day. His first live-action appearance hit theaters in the late 1940s, and from there, the Man of Steel became not just a comic book icon but a global symbol of hope. With so many actors stepping into that iconic suit across various timelines and styles, Superman has had his fair share of cinematic highs and lows.

Now, with James Gunn’s new Superman movie on the horizon and DC planning a fresh reboot of its cinematic universe, it feels like the perfect time to take a look back at every live-action Superman film—big, small, loved, forgotten, and everything in between. From black-and-white adventures to modern-day blockbusters, here’s a walk through Superman’s live-action journey so far, ranked from the most forgettable to the truly unforgettable.

9 Superman III (1983) 

Stills from the movie Superman III | Credit: Warner Bros.

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Superman III is where things got weird. After the high-flying success of the first two films, folks naturally assumed the third one would be another knockout. But behind the cape and charm, things were kind of a mess. Richard Donner, the guy who helped Superman take flight in the first movie, wasn’t even around this time—booted out after some creative squabbling with the producers. Whatever big cosmic plans they initially had? Tossed out the window.

Instead, the movie takes a hard left turn into comedy territory, with none other than Richard Pryor stepping into the spotlight. The man’s a legend—funny, charismatic, totally watchable—but his presence turned the whole thing into more of a buddy comedy than a superhero epic. It’s not that Pryor was the issue; it’s just that the movie felt torn between being silly and being serious. One moment it’s slapstick laughs, the next it’s Superman battling a sinister version of himself in a moody, almost haunting identity crisis.

There were whispers of villains like Brainiac in the early drafts, hints of something meatier, but those ideas never made it past the cutting room floor. What was left felt like a strange stew of half-baked ideas. Christopher Reeve, ever the trooper, still brought his A-game—noble, charming, and clearly trying to anchor the chaos—but even he couldn’t hold the whole thing together.

In the end, Superman III played like someone said, “Let’s make it funnier!” and hoped the rest would just fall into place. Spoiler: it didn’t. And that wobbly tone kind of nudged the whole franchise into a long, slow tumble.

Superman III is currently streaming on HBO Max.

8 Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

Stills from the movie Superman IV | Credit: Warner Bros.

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If Superman III was a stumble, Superman IV was a full-on brutal faceplant. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace was supposed to be something meaningful—big heart, big message, world-saving stakes. But what hit the screen was more like a well-intentioned disaster wrapped in tinfoil and hope. Christopher Reeve still wore the cape with pride, trying to inject soul into the story, especially since he helped come up with it. However, even the best intentions couldn’t survive the production chaos this movie navigated.

This time, Superman decides to get rid of all nuclear weapons—like, all of them—because he’s tired of watching the world teeter on the edge. A noble goal, no doubt. But enter Lex Luthor, who, of course, turns the whole plan into a cartoonish mess. He whips up a solar-charged, golden-haired brawler called Nuclear Man, and the rest is a whirlwind of clunky fights, awkward pacing, and visual effects that looked like they ran out of money halfway through a scene—because, well, they kind of did.

There’s something weirdly sweet about how earnestly the film tries to be about peace, even as the screen is filled with low-rent space battles and floating rocks. Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor is back like he never left, but even his usual charm can’t rescue the script from its own confusion. And then there’s the moment where Nuclear Man scratches Superman into a coma. Yep, that happens too. It’s every bit as bizarre as it sounds.

Reeve still shines, even in that kind of wreckage— he was committed, noble, and trying to hold it all together with sheer force of will. But by this point, the magic had clearly slipped away. What was meant to be a thoughtful farewell turned into a massive, forgettable disaster. The Quest for Peace had its heart in the right place—it just didn’t have the wings to get there.

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is currently streaming on HBO Max.

7 Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Stills from the movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | Credit: Warner Bros.

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Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice had all the ingredients to blow minds, sure—two of the biggest heroes in comic book history finally squaring off on the big screen. Sounds like a surefire epic, right? But what came out of the oven was more of a confusing casserole than a cinematic feast.

Set in Zack Snyder’s ultra-moody, brooding DC Universe, the film tried to pick up where Man of Steel left off—only this time, it brought Batman into the mix. Henry Cavill’s Superman was still glum and heavy-hearted, a far cry from the symbol of hope people had grown up with. And then there was Ben Affleck’s Batman—grizzled, angry, and more paranoid than a guy reading conspiracy theories at 3 a.m. The two didn’t so much clash as glower at each other until fists finally flew, thankfully.

And then there’s Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor. Instead of being cold and calculating, he came off like a tech startup villain with too much caffeine and no real chill. The movie didn’t know when to stop, actually—it threw in dream sequences, Doomsday, hints of future apocalypses, and even squeezed in the death of Superman. It was like the film had five different endings and didn’t commit to any of them.

Visually, sure, it had its moments. Snyder knows how to frame a shot that looks like it belongs on a graphic novel cover. But emotionally? It all felt kind of hollow. Superman, especially, got the short end of the stick—his arc felt squashed between explosions and grim stares, and even Cavill’s solid performance couldn’t fill in the blanks the script left behind.

In the end, it wasn’t really a battle of titans. It was more like two deeply sad guys punching each other in the rain because nobody bothered to sit down and just talk it out. The Ultimate Edition helped a little, but the heart of it? Still MIA.

Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice is currently streaming on HBO Max.

6 Justice League (2017) 

Stills from the movie Justice League | Credit: Warner Bros.

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Justice League (2017) ended up being less of a superhero movie and more of a cinematic identity crisis. What started as Zack Snyder’s dark, mythic take on DC’s finest turned into a strange, stitched-together mashup when Joss Whedon stepped in after Snyder’s heartbreaking exit from the film. The final cut? A total tonal tug-of-war where nothing quite felt like it belonged there.

Superman, especially, got the short straw. After that dramatic send-off in Batman v Superman, his return should’ve felt more monumental and epic, like it should have been the emotional heartbeat of the film. But instead, he’s just… back. No build-up, no weight, no catharsis. Just awkward pacing and a weird vibe, as if the movie couldn’t decide if it wanted him to be a symbol or just wanted him to boost the plot.

And then there’s the lip. The now-infamous CGI attempt to scrub out Henry Cavill’s mustache, thanks to a clash with another film shoot, turned Superman’s face into meme material. That unsettling upper lip somehow became the movie’s accidental mascot, and it was hard to take anything seriously after that.

There were flashes of fun—some solid fight scenes, a few crowd-pleasing quips—but the whole thing felt off-balance. Not quite Snyder-dark, not quite Whedon-light. Just sort of floating in between, with no real grip on its own tone. Superman, who should’ve been the heart of it all, ended up feeling like a guest star in his own comeback movie.

It took the Snyder Cut years later to finally show what could have been—more soul, more clarity, more purpose. But that 2017 version? It still feels like someone glued together two puzzles and hoped nobody would notice that the pieces didn’t match.

Justice League is currently streaming on HBO Max.

5 Superman and the Mole Men (1951)

Stills from the movie Superman and the Mole Men | Credit: Warner Bros.

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Before special effects, spandex, and cinematic universes, there was Superman and the Mole Men. Released in 1951, this black-and-white oddity was Superman’s first theatrical feature and served as a soft launch for the Adventures of Superman TV series that followed. George Reeves donned the cape, and his version of Clark Kent was calm, collected, and more mature than what modern audiences might expect.

The plot? Superman discovers a group of gentle, child-sized creatures who emerge from beneath the Earth’s surface. Instead of fighting them, he actually protects them from a fearful, torch-wielding mob. It’s simple, short (just under an hour), and very of its time, but it laid the foundation for Superman’s moral compass and compassion.

The film was clearly low-budget and limited in scope, but it showcased the earliest version of Superman on the big screen—and that counts for something. While it can’t hold up to today’s superhero spectacles, Superman and the Mole Men has a certain black-and-white charm. Reeves would go on to become the face of Superman for a generation, and this film was his first flight into the spotlight.

Superman and the Mole Men is currently streaming on FlixFling.

4 Superman Returns (2006)

Stills from the movie Superman Returns | Credit: Warner Bros.

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Superman Returns had big shoes to fill—and a tricky legacy to honor. Instead of giving us a fresh take, director Bryan Singer decided to treat this film as a direct follow-up to the first two Christopher Reeve movies, politely ignoring parts III and IV as if they were the weird cousins no one wants to talk about. The result? A film that looked and felt like a loving tribute, but one that struggled to carve out its own identity.

Brandon Routh stepped into the cape with grace. But some fans couldn’t quite click with the nostalgia-heavy tone. It didn’t help that the story felt more emotionally tangled than action-packed. Superman’s inner conflict took center stage, while external threats took a back seat, which is fine in theory, but didn’t exactly thrill audiences who were hungry for spectacle.

The biggest critique, though, is that it felt like a movie we’d already seen. It wore its influences a little too proudly, and instead of soaring, it hovered. There’s something poetic about its attempt to recapture the heart of Donner’s films, but all that looking back left it struggling to stand tall in its own era.

Still, the film had its strengths. Routh’s performance, the emotional score, and the vibrant visual palette all worked well. And years later, fans got a bit of closure when Routh reprised the role in the Arrowverse crossover, offering a rare second chance to a Superman that never got a sequel.

Superman Returns is currently streaming on HBO Max.

3 Man of Steel (2013)

Stills from the movie Man of Steel | Credit: Warner Bros.

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Man of Steel showed up like the broody cousin at a family reunion—familiar, but very different. Zack Snyder clearly wasn’t aiming for the bright, smiley Superman of old. Instead, he gave the guy a full-on existential crisis, wrapped in a cape and muscles. This Clark Kent was quieter, heavier, and full of doubt—like someone still trying to figure out whether saving the world was even part of his job description or not.

The film kicks off with a big, operatic Krypton sequence that feels more space epic than superhero flick, then drops into Clark’s wandering, uncertain path on Earth. Gone were the wholesome small-town vibes and neatly packaged origin story—this Superman was messy and painfully human in all his confusion. It was fresh, but not exactly feel-good popcorn cinema, and that tone threw some folks off.

And then there’s that moment. Superman snapping Zod’s neck sent shockwaves through the fandom. Some saw it as a bold twist—a godlike figure forced into an impossible choice. Others cried foul, calling it a betrayal of everything Superman stands for. Either way, it was clear the movie wasn’t afraid to ruffle some capes.

What it did have going for it was a killer cast. Henry Cavill, the gorgeous actor, looked like he walked straight out of a comic book. But the way he played Clark Kent felt much deeper. He was like a guy torn between two worlds who was always trying to do the right thing for all the right reasons. Amy Adams gave us a Lois Lane to remember. And Michael Shannon as Zod? He wasn’t your typical bad guy—he had a purpose, which honestly made him way more intense. Oh, and Hans Zimmer didn’t try to copy the classics. His music was felt in every scene, giving this Superman his own powerful vibe.

Sure, it was a bit gloomy, and yeah, the city-smashing climax left a lot of people dizzy. But underneath all that noise, Man of Steel quietly asked: What if Superman didn’t know how to be Superman yet? And that question gave the film its strange, stormy soul.

Man of Steel is currently streaming on HBO Max.

2 Superman II (1980) 

Stills from the movie Superman II | Credit: Warner Bros.

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Superman II was one of those sequels that had the goods—big baddies, emotional weight, and a hero caught between saving the world and following his heart. On the surface, it all looked like the perfect next step for the Man of Steel. But behind that confident smile was a bit of behind-the-scenes chaos that left its mark.

The movie started as a continuation of the 1978 original, with director Richard Donner filming both movies back-to-back. But partway through the second, Donner was shown the door, and Richard Lester came in to finish things off, with a totally different vibe. Lester added a dash of camp, a sprinkle of slapstick, and suddenly the tone started shifting under the audience’s feet. Years later, fans got to see the fabled Donner Cut, and suddenly it all made more sense—a version with more heart, more grit, and a tighter emotional arc.

Still, even the theatrical version had moments that stuck. Superman giving up his powers for love? That hit. Zod, Ursa, and Non tearing through Metropolis? Instant icon status. There was real scale here, real spectacle—something superhero films were just starting to figure out how to do. For a lot of fans, this was the Superman they remembered most—the one that played endlessly on TV and etched itself into pop culture.

But time has a way of peeling the paint. The tonal flip-flops were hard to miss, and some scenes felt like two different movies stitched together. As fun as it was, it also felt pulled in opposite directions—weighty in one moment, wacky the next.

Still, Superman II holds its ground. It’s not perfect, nor is it seamless, but it’s definitely memorable. It is a sequel with soul, even if it never quite figured out what it wanted to be.

Superman II is currently streaming on HBO Max.

1 Superman: The Movie (1978)

Stills from the movie Superman: The Movie | Credit: Warner Bros.

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You knew this was coming. The one that started it all still stands tallest.

Superman: The Movie didn’t just introduce a superhero—it introduced a whole new genre. Before 1978, the idea of taking a comic book hero seriously on the big screen felt like a huge gamble. But director Richard Donner didn’t just take the material seriously—he believed in it. That sense of hope and purpose is woven into every single shot of the film.

From the opening credits to that first flight, the movie has a sense of wonder. It’s light on action by today’s standards, but it more than makes up for it with all the heart. You’re actually watching a man with the power to do literally anything—and still, he chooses kindness, simply because it’s the right thing to do.

Christopher Reeve’s performance remains the gold standard for sure. He didn’t just act as Clark Kent and Superman—he made you forget they were the same person. Everything worked in the movie, and it’s still magic to watch.

And he wasn’t alone. Margot Kidder gave Lois Lane a sharp tongue and fearless charm, Gene Hackman made Lex Luthor a delightfully selfish mastermind, and even with just a little screen time, Marlon Brando gave Superman’s origin story a legendary kind of depth. The cast was stacked, and it showed.

Sure, the effects look dated now. Indeed, the pacing may seem slow to modern viewers. But Superman: The Movie is more than just a product of its time—it’s the foundation everything else has tried to build on. It didn’t just make you believe a man could fly—it made you believe a superhero could feel real.

Superman: The Movie is currently streaming on HBO Max.