It took about 40 years from Superman first gracing the pages of a comic book e-book to lastly getting his personal, full-fledged live-action blockbuster. Within the 40 years since that, the Man of Metal has appeared on the large display 9 occasions, should you embrace this week’s newest iteration by James Gunn. By that math, we could also be in for a lot of, many extra Superman motion pictures over the subsequent few many years. So, earlier than that does or doesn’t occur, we thought it could be time to place them up in opposition to one another. Under, we have now our rating of the 9 fashionable, live-action Superman movies, in addition to the prolonged model of 1 that debuted on streaming. We’re skipping just a few of the prolonged serials from the Nineteen Fifties as a result of, frankly, we haven’t seen them, however our associates at Screencrush say they’re fairly good. Do you agree with these rankings? Tell us beneath. Extra Than Honorable Point out—Tremendous/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story Simply so we are able to all begin this record on a contented observe, I didn’t rank—however completely love—this unimaginable 2024 documentary about Superman actor Christopher Reeve. It’s not solely poignant and heartwarming; it captures all the pieces magical about Superman occurring in actual life. It’s great and, most likely, one of the best Superman film ever. I’m not going to rely it right here simply because we’re specializing in the fictional variations, however I did wish to give it a shout-out. Watch it right here.
10. Superman III I just lately wrote about this at size, however I detest this film. It’s a Richard Pryor film with Superman in it that does no favors to both. Not less than a number of the lesser motion pictures on this record after this truly revered the character of Superman. Superman III doesn’t. Learn extra right here. 9. Batman v Superman: Daybreak of Justice Think about telling your 8-year-old self that Hollywood would make a film the place Batman fought Superman however that it could be dangerous. Appears wild, but it surely occurred. The largest problem with Batman v Superman is that it’s simply attempting to do an excessive amount of. We introduce Batman, reintroduce Superman, there’s Surprise Girl for some cause, Lex Luthor, Doomsday—it’s like 15 motion pictures in a single, one thing director Zack Snyder would get a grasp on later in his profession, however not with this film. 8. Justice League Sticking within the Snyderverse, I’m one of many few individuals round who doesn’t hate Justice League. Sure, it’s a large number. And sure, once we bought to see Snyder’s full imaginative and prescient years later (extra on that in just a few), it was a lot, significantly better. However although the theatrical Justice League is a little bit too goofy and underbaked, it has a sure energy about it simply because we get to see all these characters—Batman, Superman, Surprise Girl, Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg—on display collectively without delay. It’s form of enjoyable, however not enjoyable sufficient.
7. Superman Returns The one that point forgot. Whereas followers are nonetheless continually speaking in regards to the Henry Cavill/Zack Snyder Superman movies, and we’ll always remember the Reeve movies, there was a film directed by Bryan Singer (yikes) starring Kevin Spacey (uh-oh) with a fairly good Superman, performed by Brandon Routh. Sadly, the film made the odd option to be the sequel to the primary two Reeve movies however not the second two, which left it on this bizarre void of authority. But it surely appears cool, has a stable solid, and made the sensible selection to totally embrace the John Williams rating. 6. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace I do know. I do know. For those who clicked over to my Superman III takedown piece, you’ll see that I name this film horrible. And it form of is. However I prefer it greater than these different movies as a result of, flawed as it could be, it was the Reeve Superman franchise attempting to be an actual Superman film as soon as once more. It has a giant, highly effective villain; Margot Kidder is again as Lois Lane; and even Gene Hackman makes his return. There was film in there. It’s simply not on display.
5. Zack Snyder’s Justice League There are a number of good issues to say about Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the prolonged supercut model of Snyder’s unique imaginative and prescient. Largely, it takes that goodwill having all these heroes in the identical film collectively buys and allows you to spend extra time with every of them. In consequence, the payoffs on the finish carry extra weight and easily work higher. It’s not the masterpiece some think about it to be, but it surely’s significantly better than one might anticipate and continues Superman’s story in a darkish, satisfying approach. 4. Man of Metal “An epic and heartfelt journey that efficiently reboots the Superman character in a sensible and humanistic approach.” That was me in 2013 after I reviewed Man of Metal for a earlier employer. I’m undecided I nonetheless stand by that rave wholeheartedly, however I do know that Snyder’s movie—and particularly the casting of Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, and Diane Lane—works as a stable, distinctive Superman origin story. It will get the character principally proper. Positive, he snaps a dude’s head on the finish. However that was this Superman, and we’re cool with it.
3. Superman (2025) As I used to be penning this, I flipped numbers 3 and a pair of. Initially I had James Gunn’s new movie at quantity two, however after writing what I simply did about Man of Metal, I spotted perhaps this new film remains to be too recent in my head. Sitting with a film—seeing what number of occasions you watch it, quote it, give it some thought—is a giant a part of lists like this. So, whereas my preliminary intuition was to place the brand new Superman at quantity two, I’m going to place it at quantity three, simply because it’s solely been part of my life for a short while. It’s, nonetheless, the kind of movie that’s positive to develop on you, identical to the subsequent and ultimate two motion pictures on this record. 2. Superman 2 Director Richard Donner famously considered his Superman film as two motion pictures. It was conceived as one lengthy story, and if you watch them collectively, that’s fairly apparent. So, whereas Donner didn’t find yourself ending this sequel, the best way it continues and builds on the story of the unique actually works. Reeve, Kidder, and Hackman all shine. Additionally, we lastly get the full-on superhero battle lacking within the first one, due to Terence Stamp’s Basic Zod. It’s an excellent stable Superman film, however principally, we like it due to its hyperlink to…
1. Superman: The Film Was there ever any doubt? Richard Donner’s 1978 unique is simply so past epic. The way in which it tells the complete Superman story in such an enormous, sweeping approach is daring and thrilling. The performances and casting are out of this world. The consequences nonetheless maintain up virtually 50 years later. And the story builds at such an fascinating tempo, you virtually can’t consider it. I wouldn’t name Superman: The Film “good,” but it surely’s shut, and it’s simply one of the best Superman film ever. Need extra io9 information? Try when to anticipate the newest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on movie and TV, and all the pieces it’s good to learn about the way forward for Physician Who.
