There’s a fine line between a Superman fan and a Superman snob. I fall into the former category, but I can’t deny some snobbery when recommending which Superman content you should watch before flying into Director and DC head James Gunn’s Superman revival, which is set to execute a perfect hero landing in theaters on July 11, 2025.
My love of the Superman franchise predates its major film history to the late 1960s and early 70s when I would race home from grade school every day to catch afternoon reruns of the original Adventures of Superman TV show starring George Reeves. To watch it now is to see how far special effects have come but also to understand the roots of almost every Superman film and TV project to follow it.
The character’s basic goodness and earnestness were never easy to convey in comic books, but there was something about George Reeves’ portrayal and the trusty storylines that set the template for how even people who never picked up a Superman comic book came to perceive Krypton’s last son.
I’m not suggesting you go back and watch all 104 episodes of the series that ran from 1952 to 58 (though you could do worse), but I do have strong feelings about the collection of film series that would follow after a 20-year pause and that have continued to this day. Not every Superman movie is equal, and justice should be served in your superhero-viewing habits.
These are the Superman movies you should watch and in what order, and those you’d do best to avoid according to Superman’s Number One Fan (or just me.)
The OG Superman
Few movies hold up for years after their release, let alone decades but Superman: The Movie is that kind of film.
Released in 1978 and introducing us to Christopher Reeve’s almost-too-perfect dual depiction of the iconic alien hero and the adorably awkward Clark Kent, Superman: The Movie, which you can stream on Max, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, has perhaps, the best movie tagline of the last century: “You’ll believe a man can fly.”
And I did. Sure, it was all wires, projection screens, miniatures, slo-mo, and sped-up filming. Even so, Director Richard Donner used every trick in the 1978 special effects playbook to make Superman’s first true big-screen outing convincing, and it worked.
It’s a true comic-book film that somehow avoids being two-dimensional and completely hokey. Much of that comes down to Reeve’s performance. The man simply embodied this other-worldly character – right down to how he “flew” in key sequences, instinctively banking his body like an airplane.
The movie is long but doesn’t feel that way because it’s a true hero’s journey from babyhood to confident person of the hour. It has action, danger, a love story, and even comedy. That’s a lot for one movie, and yet it works completely. With the exception of Superman and Lois’ first flight and the spoken-word music, it’s a perfect film. The rest of the music, courtesy of the legendary John Williams, is exemplary (echoes of it appear even in Gunn’s upcoming movie).
That sense of wonder, excitement, and the basic goodness of the titular character is not something I’ve felt before or since. It’s required viewing to assess anyone else’s take on the Man of Steel.
Take II
Normally, on a list like this, I might jump around a bit and show you something newer that offered a fresh perspective on the character first created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, both of whom lived long enough to see their creation make it to the big screen. But there’s no need for that. Your next stop on the Superman movie tour is Superman II (Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime).
Perhaps it’s because these movies were shot back to back, with only the director changing midway through the Superman II shoot. Donner was replaced by Richard Lester, who had a penchant for slapstick. Even so, Donner’s fingerprints are all over the sequel, which deftly continues the story of Superman’s growth as an alien among humans. By this time, he’s so enchanted by Lois Lane that Superman gives up his powers just to be with her.
Superman II works not only because of Clark Kent’s realization that he serves more than just himself but also because of the high-stakes conflict between him and General Zod. Terence Stamp’s Zod, Sarah Douglas’ Ursa, and Jack O’Halloran’s Non all appeared briefly at the start of Superman: The Movie. It’s a rare situation where the two films were planned together, which allowed for story and thematic consistency rarely found among sequels.
There is some argument about whether this or the original is the better film, but for our purposes, a good long evening watch of both films in order is more than enough preparation for James Gunn’s take on the Kal-El.
However, if you’re hungry for more, let me steer you to my next recommendation.
Skip it
There are a few good moments in Superman III, which you can stream on Max, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, and that improbably stars the late comedian Richard Pryor. I especially enjoyed when evil Superman (too much red Kryptonite) faced off with his still good alter ego, Clark Kent. I swear only Christopher Reeves could’ve pulled that off and somehow made it believable.
Unfortunately, the rest of the film has Director Richard Lester’s keystone cops sensibility all over it. It’s full of unnecessary site gags and often makes our hero look confused or like he’s staring in a different movie from the rest of the cast.
In other words, skip this Superman flight.
As for Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (Max, Hulu, Prime), the less said about it, the better. Christopher Reeves didn’t want to be there, and it shows.
Half of one or all of the other
Here, we reach a fork in the road. I have much to say about Zack Snynder’s 2013 Man of Steel (Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video), and some of it is good, but it’s not a completely watchable film. So let’s put that aside for now and talk about the first reboot: 2006’s Superman Returns (Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video).
I like this movie, though I have trouble remembering many of its beats, and that’s a problem. At issue is its slavish devotion to the source material, specifically Superman: The Movie. Most of the cast, including Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor but with the possible exception of Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, appear to be trying to recreate all the characterizations from the 1978 film.
Even Brandon Routh, who does a fine job as the title character, sounds weirdly like Christopher Reeves.
Still, it’s a good and full Superman story that mostly holds together and has some brilliant set pieces, like Superman saving everyone on a nose-diving passenger airplane by bringing it to rest, tail up, in the middle of a ball field (most of the ideas in this movie were essentially, “That was a cool thing they did in ’78. How can we do it bigger?”).
Yes, there are too many instances where director Bryan Singer tries too hard to show how far special effects technology has come since 1978. I’ll point you to the closeup of a bullet bouncing off Superman’s eye. It’s more gross than spectacular.
Even so, I see this film as a nice bridge between Superman of the 20th Century and the Supermans of this new, more digitally-savvy one.
A manner of steel
Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel can be credited with dragging Superman into the 21st Century. 1978’s Superman seemed to be caught between the 1940s and 1970s, and Superman Returns lived in modern times, but everything about the look was still last century.
Man of Steel presents a modern, though incredibly dour, Superman. He’s not a comic book character; instead, he is a bit of a tortured hero who hides his abilities in the shadows.
All that said, I love the first half of this movie. Henry Cavill looks and feels the part. He’s an expert at conveying heroic optimism and super-powered rage, sometimes within one scene.
The movie is dark – almost gray – making much of it feel flat and uninspired. Still, the storyline was solid, and the quick appearance of a truly powerful Zod and his cohorts was breathtaking.
Things devolve when Superman battles Zod and carelessly destroys Metropolis. It’s not just what they did; it’s how Snyder shot it. The action is unwatchable because it’s indecipherable. I rarely zone out during action sequences, but Snyder lost the plot and my interest – also, way to kill the potential of a Zod-based rematch, Snyder.
So watch the first half and then, perhaps, switch to…
Oh dear. I cannot in good conscience recommend the abysmal and ridiculous Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice (what stops the battle is too dumb to be repeated). You can stream it on Max and Amazon Prive video if you must. Justice Leauge, which features Cavill’s Superman, is no better (look out for that CGI-awayed mustache).
If you’re desperate, you could finish Man of Steel, although I do not recommend it, or try Superman III because Pryor is entertaining.
Otherwise, I suggest you look at some of the full-length cartoon efforts like Superman: Doomsday (on Tubi or rentable on Prime Video) or The Death of Superman, (Max, Hulu, Prime). It’s based on the wild 1993 Death (and rebirth) of Superman comic book series, which was intended to save the flagging franchise (it did).
TV is full of Superman depictions, some series, like Smallville (Clark as a young and not-yet Super-man and streamable on Hulu and Disney Plus), and more recently, the just-wrapped Superman and Lois. But I can’t put them on this list because a series commitment is more than is required to prepare for the next big-screen Superman adaptation.
Granted, the history of Superman on film is like an old sidewalk: long, uneven, and sometimes treacherous. Gunn’s film could go either way. The trailer looks fantastic, and David Corenwet is instantly believable even in these fleeting glimpses as the Man of Steel, but introducing a very involved CGI Krypto is a risk. On the other hand, the beat-up and bloodied Superman calling for his help is instantly compelling.
Imagine if, a year from now, this is the Superman movie I recommend you watch first.
Remember, if you want to watch any of these films, check out some of our best streaming services.
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lance.ulanoff@futurenet.com (Lance Ulanoff)
