Superman’s Legacy: A History of Superman in Live-Action
Superman has been enjoying a bit of a resurgence in pop culture. While he has always been among the most widely recognized and prevalent superheroes, lately, it seems he’s around every corner. There was Henry Cavill’s short-lived return as Superman in Black Adam, Tyler Hoechlin’s continued impressive performance as the Man of Steel in the hit CW series Superman & Lois, the newly released My Adventures with Superman animated series, and the upcoming DC Universe film Superman: Legacy. There are several other Superman TV shows and films in various stages of development, including a Black Superman film from Ta-Nehisi Coates and a Val-Zod TV series with Michael B. Jordan.
It’s not surprising that Superman has remained a permanent fixture in film and TV since his live-action debut in 1948. He’s the archetype of all superheroes and has become a symbol of hope. Superman’s costume and moniker evoke all the campiness and nostalgia of comic books, but his charisma, bravery, and belief in humanity and justice make him relevant in any place, at any time. It’s understandable that movie studios have been eager to translate Superman to the big screen for decades. Since 1969, Warner Bros. has had exclusive film rights to all the characters in DC Comics. Over the years, they’ve taken their films in a few different directions, with Superman: Legacy set to begin a new DCU era in 2025.
As viewers prepare for the first solo Superman film in almost a decade with Superman: Legacy, here’s a look back at Superman’s history in film.
A timeline of every live-action Superman film
In total, there have been 10 live-action Superman films. There were three early attempts from various film studios to bring Superman to the big screen in the form of film serials and black-and-white films. By 1978, Warner Bros. began capitalizing on its DC subsidiary and brought Superman to life with Christopher Reeve’s iconic performance. After the film series ended, Warner Bros. created the DC Extended Universe and kicked it off by debuting Henry Cavill’s Superman in Man of Steel. Cavill went on to portray Superman in Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, as well.
Cavill also appeared in Justice League and Zack Snyder’s Justice League as Superman; some consider these to be Superman films, too. However, these are the 10 films in which Superman is the central focus or supporting protagonist:
- Superman (1948)
- Atom Man vs. Superman (1950)
- Superman and the Mole Men (1951)
- Superman (1978)
- Superman II (1980)
- Superman III (1983)
- Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
- Superman Returns (2006)
- Man of Steel (2013)
- Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Keep reading for a more in-depth breakdown of the different Superman films and eras.
The pre-Warner Bros. era
The pre-Warner Bros. Superman films are:
- Superman (1948)
- Superman vs Atom Man (1950)
- Superman and the Mole Men (1951)
Kirk Alyn was the first actor to portray Superman in film. He starred in two low-budget film serials between 1948 and 1950: Superman and Atom Man vs. Superman. Alyn was actually credited in both serials as just “Superman” to make viewers feel that the hero was real. Given the period, the films were very cheaply made, with poor special effects. However, Alyn worked well with what he was given and proved that Superman wasn’t too big to appear on screen.
By 1951, Lippert Pictures released the first official feature-length Superman film with Superman and the Mole Men. George Reeves became the second actor to portray Superman in live action. The film was short and also limited by the technology of the time, mostly serving as an intro to the Adventures of Superman TV show, but it did kickstart the era of Superman feature films.
Warner Bros. Superman film series
The films in Warner Bros.’ original Superman film series are:
- Superman (1978)
- Superman II (1980)
- Superman III (1983)
- Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
- Superman Returns (2006)
After over 25 years with no Superman films, Warner Bros. finally brought the hero back to the big screen with 1978’s Superman, directed by Richard Donner. The film marked Christopher Reeve’s debut as the famed hero, and the actor is often hailed as the best Superman actor to date. Additionally, Superman is one of the best Superman films ever made. It was the first time that a film truly did Superman justice, with groundbreaking special effects and a Man of Steel who was both heroic and human.
Warner Bros. followed Superman up with three sequels. While Superman II was well-received, director Richard Lester tried to take Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace in a different direction, which resulted in both films being critical failures. The studio attempted to reboot the series in 2006 with Superman Returns, starring Brandon Routh. The reboot ignored the events of the last two films in the series and served as a direct sequel to Superman II. While the film performed relatively well with critics and audiences, Warner Bros. still wasn’t happy with its bottom line and opted not to move forward with another sequel, thus ending the original film series.
The DCEU
The Superman films in the DCEU era are:
- Man of Steel (2013)
- Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Warner Bros. introduced the world to its shared DC universe, the DCEU, in 2013 with the release of Man of Steel, a full reboot of the original Superman film series. Starring Henry Cavill as the eponymous hero, the film served as an origin story for Superman and set the DCEU on its course to form the Justice League. While Man of Steel became the highest-grossing solo Superman film at the time and received moderately positive reviews, Warner Bros. jumped the gun with Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016. Its fledgling shared universe just wasn’t ready for a major crossover film, and Cavill’s second Superman outing was received poorly by critics. While Cavill returned in Justice League, he never received another solo Superman film in the DCEU.
The DCU
Unfortunately, the DCEU struggled to become a fully shared universe and took a few hits with flops like Justice League and the first Suicide Squad. As a result, the DC movie universe is getting a makeover. Since November of 2022, when James Gunn and Peter Safran were instated as co-CEOs of DC studios, Warner Bros. has begun phasing out the DCEU to make room for the new DCU. Just as the DCEU kicked off with a Superman film, the DCU will also officially begin with the premiere of Superman: Legacy in 2025, which will star David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. So far, Superman: Legacy is the only confirmed Superman film in the DCU.
(featured image: Warner Bros.)
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