Super/Man: Christopher Reeve Documentary Gets Major Update

The documentary Super/Man about iconic actor Christopher Reeve has just entered a major studio bidding war, after making its debut at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. According to reports, “multiple buyers” are interested in securing the film for distribution and release, with offers said to be going as high as $10 million.

Titled Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, the documentary chronicles Christopher Reeve’s rise to stardom as Superman in Richard Donner’s 1978 film and its sequels – and the tragic 1995 horse riding accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of his life. The documentary moves across time comparing Reeve’s younger years as a hopeful actor to his final years in a wheelchair, becoming a real-life hero as championed research, studies, and treatment for disabled people all over the world, through organizations and foundations that are still in operation 20 years after he died in 2004 (due to an infection). Along the way, Super/Man shines new light into corners of Reeve’s life many fans may not realize – such as his deep friendship with Robin Williams, his roommate and often only classmate in the advanced program at Juilliard. Williams was instrumental in helping Reeve through the initial dark days of life following his injury and was subsequently deeply affected by the loss of his dear friend. The documentary is said to also contain interviews with those closest to Reeve, including his children William, Matthew, and Alexandra. 

With 2024 marking the 20 years since Christopher Reeve died, and DC Studios head James Gunn filming a new Superman movie under the timely title of Superman: Legacy, this Super/Man documentary is going to resonate in a big way with hardcore DC fans and mainstream of the Donner Superman films alike. 

Below you can find a review excerpt for Super/Man from critic Matthew Creith of The Wrap (the publication also broke the story about the documentary’s bidding war): 

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is a film about pain and the ultimate strength of adversity as well as a tearjerker steeped in discovering who Reeve was and his experiences in straddling the line of being polarizing and inspiring simultaneously. As difficult as it was on his acting career and personal life, his 1995 accident brought his family closer together and opened the world up to understanding the challenges between hope and expectation… This documentary proves Reeve was indeed a man made of steel.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve story is currently awaiting an official release.