Summary
While Batman and Spider-Man could make a strong case,Superman is arguably the most iconic superhero ever created. He was the first modern superhero and still embodies all the tenets and characteristics that make a great superhero. He’s got a laundry list of superpowers and stands as the ultimate symbol of good and optimism in the public consciousness.
Updated December 10th, 2024 by Nathan Hilditch:For decades, DC was very protective of their paragon of truth and justice in media adaptations wanting the character to remain consistently pure across mediums. In more recent years though filmmakers have been given a lot morelicense to reinterpret popular superheroeswith the burgeoning popularity of the genre.
Zak Synder has mainly spearheaded the more brooding and darker iterations of Superman providing a stark contrast to how he was viewed in the earlier Ricard Donner classic. Fans sadly will never get to see the infamous, canceled Nicholas Cage take on the Man of Steel, but of those who have had the honor to take up the iconic red cape, who wore it best? Answers below in this list of thebest live-action Superman movies ranked from worst to best.
8Superman 4: The Quest For Peace
Franchise Killer
Superman 4: The Quest For Peacewas plagued with off-screen problems that surely didn’t help the finished product. Due to the financial constraints of the production company, the budget was slashed shortly before production began and after overwhelming negative feedback from test screenings, it wasn’t just the budget that saw extensive cuts.
Following on from a bewildering third entry probably didn’t help either and what was intended as a thought-provoking commentary on nuclear proliferation ended up lackluster, unfocused, and put the franchise on ice for a couple of decades.
7Superman 3
Not Another Superman Movie
It’s not clear what exactly the elevator pitch was forSuperman 3but somebody at the studio was certainly a big fan of Richard Pryor. The film spends an obscene amount of time with Pryor’s Gus Gorman whilst Superman is mainly occupied by busy work and fighting his evil inner-self.
The slapstick tone makes it almost a parody of the first two movies. It’s a goofy experience that doesn’t satisfy on any fronts. On paper,Superman 3is probably the worstlive-actionSupermanmovie, saved only by the fact that it happened to come out before the unfortunate sequel that somehow performed even worse with fans and critics.
Probably the most divisive film on the list,Batman V Supermanactually does deliver as a shlocky, over-the-top action spectacle that has become the trademark of director Zak Synder from his previous works likeDawn of the Deadand300. It definitely fumbles the execution though and is far too concerned with franchise building.
Chasing the MCU’s coattails, the film features several underdeveloped characters that are glorified cameos intended for future sequels that will never come. The end product is again confused and unfocused and the similarity of parental names being the conclusion to the promised showdown was meme-worthy, to say the least.
The troubles ofJustice Leagueare so well-documented, another Superman property that suffered behind-the-scenes turmoil. With Synder departing the project midway through, Joss Whedon joined on, a popular name in fandom but a director who had an entirely different vision for the movie. Whedon seemingly took inspiration from somewhere betweenSuperman 3and theMCU, opting for a more jovial tone in stark contrast to Synder’s notoriously moody vision.
What fans ended up with was the worst of both worlds and a shocking amount of Cyborg left on the cutting room floor meantthe story that was intended to tie the franchise togethermade no sense as his character was central to it. Fans' petitions did eventually pay dividends with a fabled Snyder cut that certainly made more sense but was probably not worth the wait.
Synder’s best-received Superman flick is also the most controversial, accused of desperately chasing the gritty reboot trend set by Christopher Nolan’sDark Knighttrilogy. The problem was the property didn’t really suit that tone and it made for a shocking departure from the fan-favourite character.
From murdering his foe in cold blood to causingmillions of dollars of reckless property damage. Snyder did attempt to address this as Batman’s motivation inBatman vs Superman, but it was a bad foot to start the new franchise on and perhaps those warnings should have been heeded to prevent the above.
3Superman Returns
A Return To Form
Shockingly, a production featuring Bryan Singer and Kevin Spacey was not the most troubled Superman movie, but Joss Whedon really set a low bar. For all intents and purposes, there is no significant controversy surrounding Superman Returns aside from being associated with the notorious duo.
It’s a by-the-numbers return to form for the iconic hero, Lex Luthor wants to rule the world, Superman stops him and rekindles with Lois Lane. It delivers what it promises and is competent if unspectacular.
Helming a Superman movie must be a poisoned chalice as this is yet another production with off-set problems, a directorial change, and extensive reshoots. This time it came with the added drama of legendary actor Marlon Brandon suing the studio for royalties on the first feature, resulting in his scenes being removed from the sequel.
Still, with the return of Terrance Stamp’s powerful antagonist, General Zod, the movie successfully upped the stakes and the spectacle of the original delivering a solid sequel that is still fondly remembered by fans.
Despite the advancements in cinema and technology, no Superman film can still hold a candle to the originalChristopher Reeve-starring classic. The film hasn’t aged especially well, and not just in the special effects department but putting some issues down to the social norms of the time it’s still a fun family movie.
A familiar origin story, it chronicles Superman’s arrival and upbringing on Earth and his subsequent first showdown with arch-nemesis Lex Luthor. Adefinitive Superman talethat still stands unrivaled to this day.
