Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Black Adam.The highly-anticipated DCU release ofBlack Adamon HBO Max is here, with the realization of the film a direct result ofDwayne Johnson’s rallying, for over a decade, to see the character brought to the screen. Reportedly, however, Black Adam is not the only character Johnson rallied for to be included, evenstepping over the head of ex-President of DC FilmsWalter Hamadato get it done. That character? Superman. Not just any Superman, but actor and friendHenry Cavill’s Superman, the most recent iteration of the character on film, forone final appearance as the hero before being released from the role by new DC Studio headsJames GunnandPeter Safran.
Created by writerJerry Siegeland artistJoe Shuster, Superman debuted in the first issue of Action Comics in 1938, with powerful abilities – super-strength, bullet-proof skin, superhuman leaping – that were rooted in science. Over time, leaping turned to flying, he gained more powers and was given an Achilles’ Heel in kryptonite. Likewise, Superman went from stopping bank robbers to fighting galactic gods in order to save his adopted home.
His immediate success would lead to a recurring newspaper strip, a radio show and, finally, a movie serial released in 1948. Many actors would take the role in film and television over the years, adding their own take on the hero, yet rarely straying from the mild-mannered Clark Kent/super boy-scout Superman dynamic. With the return of the legendary hero to the screen, however briefly, we look at the diverse actors who have played him as we await news on who will next don the tights for future DC projects. Here’s where they stand.
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8. Kirk Alyn in Superman (1948)
The first actor to play Superman on film,Kirk Alynwas good in the role. He was hired by Columbia Pictures for theSupermanserial on the strength of his dancing skills, an asset used to leap over cameras and jump into action effortlessly, and his likeness to the mild-mannered Clark Kent. Because when you’re casting a character like Superman, you want to verify that an actor looks like he can use a pen and paper.
Alyn as Superman didn’t look powerful, and it didn’t help that the serials would have scenes like him rolling out of harm’s way when a falling boulder nearly hits him. Dude is super strong and bulletproof, but rolls away from a rock? Alyn played the role well, yet it’s this visage of his Superman that pales when compared to those that would follow. The look of the shorts that go up to his armpits hasn’t aged well, either.
7. Dean Cain in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clarkhas been referred to as “Moonlightingwith superpowers,” an astute observation given how much more time was spent on the will they/won’t they Lois Lane and Clark Kent relationship than on Superman doing Superman stuff. This isn’t some unpardonable sin, and the show itself was fun, and bright, butDean Cain’s portrayal of the hero is impacted as a result. His Clark Kent is well-rounded and confident, and you believe the growing romance between Kent andTeri Hatcher’s Lois Lane. Cain’s Superman, however, isn’t given the same development. He lacks presence. Superman is a role thatKentplays, but he’s not sure how to play him.Lois & Clarkhas no ambitions to be more than rom-com cheerleader fodder, which it succeeds at, but the character of Superman is definitely second fiddle.
6. Brandon Routh in Superman Returns
Superman Returnsis a bit of an oddity. It’s an extension of the Superman film series that began withSuperman: The Movie, but ignores everything afterSuperman II. The film timeline indicates it happens five years afterSuperman II, but exists in a vague, unidentifiable year that is clearly not 1985. Finally,Superman Returnsmarks the end of theChristopher Reeveseries of films.
Wait, hold on - didn’t Christopher Reeve die sometime before the release of this film? Yes. Yes he did. So you have this weirdness going on, whoever gets cast as Superman isn’t being cast as a new Superman. On the contrary, you’re being cast as theReeveSuperman, the iconic figure whose portrayal defined the character, meaning whatever you do with the character can’t make it your own.
EnterBrandon Routh, an actor whose screen credits to that point were minimal, but whose striking resemblance to Reeve won him the role. And he holds his own in spite of it all. Routh does more than look like Reeve: he echoes the mannerisms, character traits and charm that Reeve brought to the role and comes agonizingly close to pulling it off. It’s the story that fails him, giving Routh little dialogue and a spin that has Superman not all that far removed from being a stalker. He never had a chance, which is disappointing given how he would redeem himself and own the role in the Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” storyline.
5. Tom Welling in Smallville
Tom Welling’s inclusion on a list like this is tricky. He never wore the suit, thanks to the adherence to theno tights, no flightsmantra that definedSmallville, nor was he ever given the name. Yet his Clark Kent gave an earned credibility to the morals and values of Superman.Smallvillefilled in the backstory of the hero, and Welling nailed it. What became ridiculous in the later seasons, as Welling’s Kent became a young adult, is the use of very Superman-centric plot lines (fighting Doomsday (Dario Delacio), or starting the Justice League, for example) without the actual character of Superman being used. Welling could have - nay, should have - been higher on this list, but is dragged down by a questionable artistic decision.
4. George Reeves in Adventures of Superman
For many of a certain generation,George ReeveswasSuperman. He looked like Superman, filling out the suit far better than Alyn before him. You believed he could smash through walls, and overcome the obstacles before him. Reeves gave Superman a slight edge, giving him the feel of a gentle giant you do not want to get on the wrong side of. His Clark Kent was not a pushover, either, but a confident and clever character of his own. It was no secret that Reeves detested the career limitations that would plague him because of the show, but he knew his audience and made sure that anything Superman did on screen was a positive influence on the youth of America. His life cut short under mysterious circumstances, Reeves would never truly be given the appreciation for what he brought to the world.
3. Henry Cavill in Man of Steel
From the start ofMan of Steelyou knewHenry Cavill’s take on Superman would be different from any other. This was a gloomy, darker Superman living in a cynical world, not the bright, optimistic Christopher Reeve Superman. It’s assumed Cavill’s Superman can smile, even laugh, but let’s just say one doesn’t get overwhelmed by it. Clark Kent isn’t the goofy cornball of the past either: he’s a serious journalist with nary a pratfall.
But, damn - Cavill’s Superman is amazing on screen. His first flight is magical. The battle with General Zod (Michael Shannon) and Faora-Ul (Antje Traue) is epic. Cavill’s portrayal benefits greatly from the excellent special effects, but you never doubt for a second that his Superman is up to the task, whatever is thrown his way. His return in the mid-credits scene ofBlack Adamwas surprising, and while Cavill deserved a better send-off for his time in the role, his last appearance was impactful and memorable in the best way possible.
2. Tyler Hoechlin in Superman & Lois
The newest contender,Tyler Hoechlin, has rapidly become one of the best to wear the tights. He manages to balance the character’s two worlds better than most, keeping them separate but allowing elements of each to coexist. You believe he wants to be a great husband, a good father, and a positive force of justice for the world, and any shortcomings only make him more relatable, more human. His portrayal embraces both the Reeve and Cavill takes on the character, an optimistic hero that delivers on action (and can smile). Hoechlin has made Superman his own, and hopefully he continues to prove his high standing here.
1. Christopher Reeve in Superman
Was there ever really a question?Christopher Reeveimmediately engrained himself into the public conscience, and is still to this day the definitive take on the character. Every Superman before and after the Reeve era are invariably compared to his depiction. His Superman exudes strength and confidence, his Kent the perfect alter-ego in which to hide in plain sight. Both on and off-screen, Reeve was a paragon of good, and a beacon of hope. Everything associated with Superman is made real, and, more importantly, grounded by Reeve. The true definition of a superman if ever there was one.
