Superman is likely one of the most iconic figures in popular culture historical past. Since his debut in 1938, he has been an everyday fixture in varied media, together with comics, radio broadcasts, animated cartoons, and live-action tv. His standing as the primary superhero additionally made him a main determine for characteristic movie variations, and he has had a number of movies in each live-action and animation over time. Despite the fact that DC and Warner Bros. have put extra emphasis on Batman, there isn’t a scarcity of Superman movies.
With 2025 seeming to be the triumphant return of Superman to the large display, with James Gunn’s DCU movie turning into the highest-grossing superhero movie of the 12 months, the character is again and larger than ever. The Home of El is seemingly going to be the face of the DCU for the following few years as Superman’s cousin, Supergirl, will obtain her personal spin-off movie in 2026, whereas a Superman follow-up, Man of Tomorrow, opens in July 2027.
With all that in thoughts, listed below are the ten finest Superman motion pictures ever made, live-action or animated, ranked.
10
‘Man of Metal’ (2013)
Zack Snyder’s darkish reimagining of the Superman mythology and kick-off to the DCEU won’t have been for everybody, however the movie is a vital a part of the historical past of the character. Whereas now finest remembered for the notorious third-act set piece, which resulted in a substantial amount of collateral harm and the controversial resolution to have Superman brutally kill Common Zod, Man of Metal did make quite a few robust inventive selections. In the beginning, the choice to forged Henry Cavill. Whereas Cavill won’t have ever gotten to really shine as Superman within the DCEU, Man of Metal hinted on the promise as he not solely bodily embodied the character, however the closing shot of him as Clark Kent with the goofy smile bought that he might play each side of the enduring hero.
Hans Zimmer’s majestic new Superman theme, creating a contemporary Twenty first-century spin on Krypton, Smallville, and Metropolis that felt like they existed inside the identical actuality, and a cinema-verite visible language, separated the movie from a lot of its superhero contemporaries on the time, but in addition as we speak. The shot of Superman punching Common Zod throughout the sky at tremendous pace is an all-time iconic Superman picture that has been referenced in quite a few variations. Man of Metal is probably not excellent, nevertheless it nonetheless boasts a number of parts that make it an gratifying Superman film.
9
‘Superman: Man of Tomorrow’ (2020)
Very similar to how Man of Metal kicked off the DCEU, Superman: Man of Tomorrow launched its personal shared universe, the short-lived Tomorrowverse, which changed the earlier DC Animated Film Universe. Superman: Man of Tomorrow as soon as once more reimagined Superman’s origin, and performs very very similar to a mixture of Man of Metal and James Gunn’s Superman. Like Man of Metal, it focuses on the alien facet of Superman’s origins, albeit by the uncertainty Clark Kent feels. Much like James Gunn’s Superman, it encompasses a supporting forged stuffed with DC characters, akin to Martian Manhunter and Lobo, alongside Superman’s foes, together with Lex Luthor and Parasite.
The animation model in Superman: Man of Tomorrow may be stiff for some, however the robust linework offers the story the sensation of a shifting comedian. The film is aware of it wants huge motion set-pieces, but in addition correctly realizes that the climax must be solved by Superman placing compassion first and talking along with his coronary heart, hoping for the very best in others. The Tomorrowverse by no means lived as much as its potential, however it’s laborious to disclaim how refreshing Superman: Man of Tomorrow felt on the time of its launch and nonetheless stands as old style Superman film.
8
‘Superman II’ (1981)
Superman II set the template for superhero sequels like X2: X-Males United, Spider-Man 2, and even The Darkish Knight. The sequel to Superman: The Film is notorious for Richard Donner being fired greater than midway by filming and changed by Richard Lester. Lester definitely introduced in a bit extra slapstick comedy that feels prefer it clashes with Donner’s footage, but there isn’t a denying that the opening scene of Superman stopping a bomb in Paris is an effective option to begin the movie. The late nice Terrance Stamp’s portrayal as Common Zod is a personality and career-defining efficiency, cementing the actor’s legacy perpetually.
Superman II can both be loved because the theatrical reduce or 2006 Richard Donner’s director’s reduce, as each have their strengths and weaknesses. The Director’s Lower definitely has extra of a way of gravitas and feels extra in step with Superman: The Film because it brings sure themes of fathers and sons full circle, but as a result of not having all the finished pictures wanted some parts wanted to be awkwardly stitched collectively, and having to reuse the controversial spinning the Earth again ending from Superman: The Film (initially meant for Superman II) looks like a irritating expertise when watched again to again with the primary movie. Whereas neither model of Superman II can dwell as much as the primary movie, each are extremely entertaining watches that
7
‘Superman: Pink Son’ (2020)
Superman: Pink Son is certainly one of three variations of in style Superman comics that can make this record. It is an adaptation of the 2003 Elseworlds title of the identical identify, which reimagines an alternate universe model of Superman the place he lands in Soviet Russia as a substitute of Kansas. Each the movie and the comedian study the idea of how completely different ideologies form the notion of the hero, in addition to what occurs if Superman is raised in a communist nation versus a capitalist one, and the way, in each variations, Superman is all the time “a champion of the folks.”
Superman: Pink Son excels because it reimagines real-world historic Chilly Struggle conflicts with superheroes getting used as the last word weapons on this combat. Lex Luthor, a capitalist, is fittingly positioned as america champion on this actuality, who later turns into President and even makes his personal militarized Inexperienced Lantern Corps. For a lot of, the thought of communism is usually seen as “evil” or “unhealthy,” with Superman: Pink Son incorrectly being labeled as one other “Superman gone unhealthy” story. But the comedian and animated movie supply a extra nuanced tackle how sure concepts of communism match with the normal excellent of Superman as a logo for the working individual and what actually separates that from “The American Manner.”
6
‘All-Star Superman’ (2011)
All-Star Superman is the variation of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s beloved 12-issue comedian collection of the identical identify. All-Star Superman is usually cited as the best Superman comedian and even one of many biggest comics of all time, so the animated film had some huge footwear to fill. For probably the most half, it will get there; but, the restricted runtime of an animated movie, versus a characteristic movie or a 12-issue comedian, means among the story’s finest parts are disregarded.
Despite the fact that the All-Star Superman comedian has the throughline of Superman’s impending demise, the collection is moderately episodic in nature. This meant that, for the movie adaptation, most of the comics’ finest storylines have been reduce in favor of maintaining the main focus solely on the battle between Superman and Lex Luthor. This implies nice tales just like the Jimmy Olsen visits S.T.A.R. Labs and turns into Doomsday or the Bizarro World subplot are scrapped, along with the enduring scene of Superman saving a younger lady by telling her “she is stronger than she is aware of.” Whereas All-Star Superman stays an extremely entertaining film that completely captures the artwork model, it doesn’t absolutely seize the majesty of the supply materials.
5
‘Superman vs. The Elite’ (2012)
Superman vs. The Elite is an adaptation of a single comedian, Motion Comics #775, “What’s So Humorous About Fact, Justice, and the American Manner?” The story finds Superman confronted by a brand new crew of anti-heroes referred to as the Elite. The ethical battle between Superman and the extra violent and willing-to-kill newer anti-heroes serves as a meta-commentary on the critique of Superman as an outdated hero, and whether or not his model of heroics has a spot within the Twenty first century.
Whereas each All-Star Superman and Superman: Pink Son needed to condense or omit parts from their comedian variations, as a result of “What’s So Humorous About Fact, Justice, and the American Manner?” being a single problem, the filmmakers are correctly allowed to flesh out the story and dig deeper into the philosophical and ethical battle at ist coronary heart (it helps that the comics author Joe Kelly is the screenwriter). Superman vs. The Elite was launched one 12 months earlier than Man of Metal, and a wave of “evil Superman” tales, akin to Injustice, The Boys, Invincible, and Brightburn, would dominate popular culture. Now, over a decade later, Superman vs. The Elite stays as well timed as ever, demonstrating that Superman’s beliefs will all the time have a spot on the planet.
4
‘Superman Returns’ (2006)
Superman Returns was the primary true Superman film in over 19 years (although not for lack of attempting on Warner Bros.’ half), and on the time was obtained moderately unfavorably in comparison with different fashionable superhero motion pictures like X-Males, Spider-Man, and the not too long ago launched Batman Begins. Superman Returns felt old style, wanting backwards to the Richard Donner movies and never giving a brand new era their very own tackle Superman. Nonetheless, all these years later, Superman Returns has undergone a form of cultural reappraisal (we’re nonetheless ready for Quentin Tarantino to put in writing that 20-page overview).
There is no such thing as a denying that, the place Man of Metal prioritized violence and destruction, Superman Returns opting to heart its superheroics on saving folks was a breath of recent air. The airplane rescue scene stays the very best Superman motion sequence put to display, whereas the picture of Superman’s eyes crushing a bullet is an all-time iconic second for the hero. Brandon Routh is a becoming option to play Superman, and he acquired the possibility to present his depiction some closure years later within the Arrowverse’s “Disaster on Infinite Earths.” But the very best component of the film is the central battle of Clark Kent/Superman needing to grapple with the truth that Lois Lane has moved on and began a household. For all of his superpowers, this can be a battle he can’t punch, and whereas his pores and skin may be bulletproof, his coronary heart remains to be susceptible. It’s a very adult-centric battle, yet one more akin to a personality drama that may not be what audiences wished from a summer time blockbuster, nevertheless it has helped Superman Returns stand out from different superhero movies.
3
‘The Batman/Superman Film: World’s Best’ (1997)
The Batman/Superman Film: World’s Best may be three episodes of Superman: The Animated Collection stitched collectively, nevertheless it was launched as a film on house video and subsequently counts. Apart from, it’s simply the very best team-up movie between the Man of Metal and the Darkish Knight, and certain, after the frustration of Batman v. Superman: Daybreak of Justice, was what many watched to cheer themselves up. The Batman/Superman Film: World’s Best has a simple plot, because it sees Superman and Batman crew as much as cease their arch-nemeses, Lex Luthor and the Joker, respectively. But the spotlight is the character interactions, and it delivers among the finest in any adaptation.
Bringing in characters from The New Batman Adventures, The Batman/Superman Film: World’s Best was an epic occasion and each comedian fan’s dream come true. This was the primary true DC Animated Universe crossover, and the creators knew that the primary assembly between Superman and Batman needed to be epic. They delivered. Due to the unimaginable voice work by Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, Mark Hamill, and Clancy Brown, The Batman/Superman Film: World’s Best feels just like the definitive crossover between these iconic characters. Superman and Batman’s first movie team-up is an all-time basic, laying the inspiration for the duo’s eventual friendship and the formation of Justice League.
2
‘Superman: The Film’ (1978)
Superman: The Film is definitely certainly one of, if not crucial, superhero movies of all time. Director Richard Donner’s dedication to verisimilitude, maintaining every thing grounded in a way of actuality, informs the complete film as he strikes the proper stability between previous cinematic references and imagined iconic comedian e book parts. From the Nineteen Seventies sci-inspired Krypton to the Norman Rockwell-esque picture-perfect Smallville, and eventually a then-contemporary Metropolis that pitted Superman in opposition to a Lex Luthor who felt like a Bond villain. Superman: The Film‘s affect remains to be felt as we speak because it knowledgeable Christopher Nolan’s Darkish Knight trilogy, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man motion pictures, and Kevin Feige’s involvement in each Marvel Cinematic Universe film.
Then, in fact, there’s Christopher Reeve. What extra may be stated in regards to the legendary actor that hasn’t been touched elsewhere? He completely captured the essence of what the collective creativeness pictured as Superman, as if the character leaped off the web page and onto the display. In the meantime, his depiction of the bumbling Clark Kent is so iconic that it grew to become the default notion of how folks imagined the character for years. He’s and can all the time be the face of Superman in live-action. Regardless of some parts of the movie not totally ageing nicely, notably Lois Lane’s “Can You Learn My Thoughts” monologue and the movie’s moderately lengthy first act, Superman: The Film remains to be near a masterpiece and one which delivered on its promise to make audiences consider a person might fly.
1
‘Superman’ (2025)
Recency bias? Maybe. But as time goes on, James Gunn’s Superman actually takes its place as the very best Superman film ever. What defines the very best Superman film ever is up for debate, however what’s refreshing about Gunn’s Superman is that it captures all the very best parts of the character’s wealthy, storied historical past and places it collectively whereas additionally discovering its personal distinctive angle. It feels just like the definitive Superman film, one which audiences have been ready for his or her entire lives. It actually captures the magical feeling of studying a Superman comedian and brings that sensation to the large display.
Superman drops the viewers right into a lived-in DC Universe, extra akin to Star Wars than every other DC film earlier than it. The film walks a wonderful line in tone, balancing the extra outlandish comedian e book parts that different filmmakers have been too afraid to deal with, like Krypto, whereas nonetheless making an emotionally shifting story that treats Superman as a personality first, moderately than a meta-concept, like many different movies have. David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicolas Hulot all excel as Superman, Lois Lane, and Lex Luthor, and stand tall as among the finest depictions of those characters. Superman not solely embodied the spirit of the character however spoke to its second in time, feeling like a defining film of 2025. That is simply the preferred Superman has been since at the very least 1978, and the long run seems brilliant for the Man of Tomorrow.
- Launch Date
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July 11, 2025
- Runtime
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130 minutes
- Director
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James Gunn