Summary
Supermanhas led a multitude ofDCmovies, and upon revisiting each of his cinematic outings, a few key things stood out about the character and his place in pop culture. Superman is recognized as the first ever comic-book superhero and an icon of quintessential heroism. He has held this office since his creation inAction Comics’ first issue and has achieved further iconic status in a number ofSuperman movies. His impact on culture is unrivaled, with his real only competition being Batman.
WithSuperman’s DCU rebootcoming in 2025, now is the perfect time to revisit the franchise, if only to remind yourself of the lessons DC’s new venture needs to learn. Doing so reveals just how differently the actors playing Superman and the directors guiding each of them approached the character, providing some interesting insight into DC’s Man of Tomorrow.
Every Upcoming DC Movie In 2025 And Beyond
Here’s every new DC movie confirmed as in development by WB for 2024 and onwards, including release dates and where they belong in the franchise.
Supes Does Not Have To Replicate Batman’s Personality, But He Is Not Above Being Imperfect Himself
DC’s superhero fan base is oftendivided over the tone in Superman’s movies. Sometimes accused of being too idealistic and altruistic to appear relatable, Superman movies have elsewhere been criticized for a darker tone that apparently betrays his foundational traits. Both things can be true, but it is realistic to show the more serious and tragic side of superhero films. People and life are not perfect, and Superman is, after all, a lost child of a destroyed world.
Even Christopher Reeves’ more optimistic and confident portrayal left room to show Superman as human;Superman IIsaw Clark struggle with his responsibilitiesand even briefly remove his powers for a quiet life with Lois Lane. Even the most recent reveal forDavid Corenswet’s Superman costumeseems to suggest a more world-weary tone. Hopefully, the DC Universe will explore the human side of Clark Kent, opening audiences up to the character beyond his godlike powers.
9An Evil Superman Is A Tired Trope
While A Darker Tone Is Often Welcome, Superman Turning Evil Defeats His Foundational Traits
Having Superman constantly turn evil dilutes the point of his heroism and makes it harder to distinguish between the multitude of evil variants seen inThe Boys,Invincible, andBrightburn.
While a darker tone is welcome, several movies have already explored the idea of an evil Superman.Superman IIIsaw Reeves’s Clark split into two and one embodied his potential immortality.Zack Snyder teased Superman becoming a soldier for Darkseidin the follow-up to his cut ofJustice League.These sequels never happened, and it’s probably for the best as havingSuperman constantly turn evil dilutes the point of his heroismand makes it harder to distinguish between the multitude of evil variants seen inThe Boys,Invincible, andBrightburn.
Part of Superman’s inspiration for audiences is that he is a morally dependable character in the unlikeliest of circumstances; an alien with powers that make him unstoppable to reduce the planet to rubble. His dark sides should be represented by his large gallery of foes, many of whom replicate his abilities; unlike them, he does not seek world domination.Several stories in Superman movies and beyond have explored the idea of an evil Supermanto test the traditional ‘Truth, Justice and The American Way’ slogan, but there should be different ways directors and writers can show his deep-rooted flaws.
It’s Official, DC Is Obsessed With Evil Superman Even After Snyder’s DCEU & Cavill’s Exit
DC’s newest Superman show seems to point to another iteration of evil Superman in some capacity based on its current villain storyline.
8The Death Of Superman Was Done Far Better In Animation Than Live-Action
One Of DC Comics' Most Devastating Storylines Missed The Mark When Adapted To Live-Action
Superman’s death at the hands of Doomsday is one of the most powerful moments in DC Comics, and of course Zack Snyder adapted it forBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’sending. But its adaptation to live-action failed to capture the high-points of the source material. Although the sacrifice of Cavill’s Superman is thematically in line with the movie questioning the relevance of the hero in the world, it nevertheless felt rushed. By contrast, the animated movie,The Death of Supermanwas a far more worthy adaptation of its namesake comic book.
The movie briskly established its Superman with a longer history of heroism than Snyder’s, who was in his junior years. It also includes various members of the Justice League, allowing for Doomsday to appear more of a threat, More importantly, that allowed for the impact of Supes’ death to carry far more emotional weight; itshowed how important Superman is to the worldas a leading figure in Earth’s group of godlike protectors.
The Death Of Superman
Cast
The Death of Superman depicts a formidable extraterrestrial creature wreaking havoc on Earth, prompting a response from the Justice League. As the situation escalates, Superman emerges as the planet’s sole defender capable of confronting the destructive force.
7The Live-Action Movies Have Never Really Known What To Do With Lois Lane
There Should Be More To Superman’s Earthly Lover Than Simply That
Across his history in movies, Superman has been accompanied by his earthly love interest, Lois. The original character is important to Clark’s humanity, yet, the movies havestruggled to make Lane compliment Clark’s journey and make her interesting in her own right.
Margot Kidder was susceptible to the damsel in distress trope, and more recent portrayals have made Lois more independent but lack depth. Kate Bosworth was saddled with a clichéd love triangle subplot inSuperman Returns, while Amy Adams in the DCEU was overcompensated for her more modern, capable qualities that saw her as a glorified deus ex machina.
Having watchedMy Adventures With Superman, there is still hope that Lane can be an endearing character in her own right, without stifling the pace of Superman’s action-packed adventure.She can be headstrong and determined, but also hasty and even conceited.It remains to be seen how important Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois will be to Corenswet’s Clark. Yet, the new animated series has provided a stellar blueprint for how interesting Superman’s human lover can be.
6The Movies Have Yet To Depict A Definitive Lex Luthor
Every Version Is A Far Cry From The Ruthless Charisma Of Comics Luthor
The owner of LexCorp is recognized as Superman’s nemesis and has appeared in various movies, yet none have purely adapted the character.Gene Hackman leaned more toward a comedic take that lacked any scientific merit that the original character had. Kevin Spacey suffered the same feat inSuperman Returns. In the DCEU, meanwhile, Jessie Eisenberg was notoriously criticized for his modern reinterpretation of the character.
Luthor is one of the more nuanced comic book villains, proving not every villain has to be a psychotic foil to the honorable hero. Through an endorsement of Nietzsche’s philosophy,Lex’s hatred for Superman is through their common middle ground; both want to inspire humanity, but they do so through different methods. The animated movies fundamentally understood the character of Lex, yet his live-action appearances miss the mark. It remains to be seen whether Nicolas Hoult will adhere to these portrayals or bring to life a more than worthy Lex to the screen.
Superman Set Photos Reveal Bloody First Look At Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor
The Superman set photos continue, with a new round of images revealing the first look at Nicholas Hoult’s bloody Lex Luthor in the DCU movie.
5There Are Fewer Superman Animated Movies Than Anticipated
An Easy Alternative Binge-Watch For DC Fans
Superman has appeared in several great animated movies in the DC Universe, yet there are far fewer than expected from a character with such a lengthy history in pop culture. From 2006 to the present day,Superman has appeared in 13 animated movies, which is dwarfed by the29 Batman animated movies. That’s somewhat surprising, given how the two compete for DC’s greatest icon, but it does at least make for an easier binge-watch.
Like their live-action counterparts, the animated features vary in story and tone. Although several are bound by a connection toSuperman: The Animated Series, likeBrainiac Attacks, others act as standalone stories. Whilst some differ in quality, some offer far better adaptations of important comic plots starring Superman, and DC fans should consider viewing the gallery of animated adventures.
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2018
Reign of the Supermen
2019
2020
Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons
2022
4Man Of Steel’s Most Controversial Scene Holds Up Brilliantly
The Divisive Vision From Zack Snyder Fits Brilliantly With The Era It Was Made
Zack Snyder’sMan Of Steelis one of the most polarizing superhero movies of all time; itsbleaker tone and Superman killing Zod are the most prominent targets of its worst criticisms. However, especially upon rewatching, this singular moment that sparked so much controversy is a perfect visual of a symbol of idealism in conflict with agony and grief. And crucially, the act is not glorified, unlike how it was inSuperman II. Superman stops Zod, but there is a lot of collateral damage, and killing his nemesis results in him wailing in grief.
These failures are at the crux of Superman’s rehabilitated relevance within American culture. Despite his heroism, the film states that evenSuperman cannot fight evil and do so without consequences, even given his historical optimism. Unlike Reeves and Donner’s interpretation, this Man of Steel is not bound to the tradition of the Monomyth, nor can he supernaturally turn back the planet and reset time if an adventure does not turn out to his liking. There is only so much that Superman can do to reassure people (both in the story and in terms of the audience).
Man of Steel
Man of Steel is a 2013 reboot of the Superman franchise, directed by Zack Snyder. Henry Cavill stars as Clark Kent, who discovers his extraterrestrial origins and extraordinary powers.
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3Brandon Routh’s Iteration Deserves More Appreciation
The Most Forgotten Superman Remains Special
Brandon Routh’s time donning the red cape may have received a lukewarm reception, butbothSuperman Returnsand its lead stood out after this rewatchsaw newfound appreciation. Routh does not have it easy, following the cinematic Christopher Reeve, with Tom Welling’s long-running seriesSmallvilleand then Henry Cavill’s following soon after. Being placed among these three means that Routh is practically swallowed up into obscurity.
It cannot be understated howRouth and his movie explored a more serious Superman first, illustrating themes of whether the world needs a Superman. The darker tone and story laid the ground for where 2013’sMan of Steelwould take the character, with imagery and a tone that reflects the post-9/11 era. At the center of this is Routh, who provided a humanity for Superman that encapsulates the points previously made. He proved a stellar lead that perfectly balanced the idealism of Reeve and the humanity of Cavill.
Superman Returns
Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns follows the events surrounding the hero’s return to Earth after a five-year absence. When Superman (Brandon Routh) arrives back on Earth, he discovers that Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) has developed a plan to use kryptonite crystals to establish a new landmass that he intends to sell off to the highest bidder. With Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) now married with a child, Superman must come to terms with everything he left behind in order to stop Luthor’s villainous scheme.
2The Movies Have Only Scratched The Surface With Superman’s Villains
Superman’s Movies Have Underused His Vast Rogue Gallery
Despite several movies to his name, Superman has only been seen battling Lex Luthor and General Zod, alongside some secondary villains. The only other villain was the monstrous Doomsday, who was reduced to a fleeting cameo, despite killing Supes toward the end ofBatman v Superman.
James Gunn’sSuperman(2025) is bringing back Lex Luthor for his upcoming movie, yet many have theorized that David Corenswet will face off against a new foe. Many have championed the idea of DC Comics' Brainiac appearing as a villain inSuperman. Brainiac has appeared in several animated movies;Superman: Brainiac AttacksandSuperman: Unbound, to name a few. His live-action debut is overdue.
Superman: Brainiac Attacks
Superman: Brainiac Attacks is an animated superhero film that pits Superman against the villainous Brainiac, who has stolen the city of Metropolis' technology. As Brainiac attempts to capture Superman, the Man of Steel must use his powers to stop the villain and save the city.
All Rumored Superman 2025 Movie Villains Explained
Multiple iconic DC villains have been rumored to play a role in James Gunn’s Superman, and David Corenswet’s hero could be facing more than one foe.
1It’s Time For A ‘Boy Scout’ Superman Again
With A History Of Drastic Tonal Shifts, It’s Time To Go Back
As previously mentioned, the Superman movies have undergone a serious tonal shift, making Superman far less optimistic in the movies of the 21st Century, allegorizing the more cynical feeling of the post-9/11 era. However, what the same century has also proved, more recently, is that theidealistic, conformist heroes of traditional American pop culture can integrate into contemporary society.
The MCU’s Captain America, for example, became one of the leading figures of a sprawling franchise and his movies adhered to the character’s classic traits of morality and hope. It is time for these traits to be resurfaced in Superman.
According to Peter Safran (viaThe Hollywood Reporter), the upcomingSuperman(2025) will revolve around the traditional ideals of the character. It will also put a modern spin on how those ideals are perceived. As Safran mentioned, Corenswet’s Superman “is the embodiment of truth, justice, and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks that kindness is old-fashioned.”Supermanis still forever present in movies, and it will be interesting to see how Gunn and Corenswet differ from previous interpretations and what trends they continue.
Superman
Superman (2025): Superman follows the dual life of Clark Kent, a journalist in Metropolis, as he endeavors to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. Set against a backdrop of personal discovery, the film explores his journey of identity as he navigates his existence in a complex world.
