Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a billboard advertising Superman: The Movie!
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A picture of the vintage billboard was shared by Superman Adventures and Superman: Red Son author Mark Millar (cc author Nick Setchfield, and original poster Colin Smith), who says the advertisement overlooked Los Angeles in 1978.
Los Angeles billboard, 1978. Thanks to @NickSetchfield: pic.twitter.com/EZAIssa1nw
— Mark Millar (@mrmarkmillar) January 15, 2018
The billboard sees the eponymous superhero striking his iconic shirt-tearing pose as he races into action.
Superman grossed over $300 million worldwide after its December 1978 debut, making it the second highest-grossing movie of the year behind only John Travolta-starrer Grease.
Warner Bros.’ most successful movie at its time of release, Superman birthed a four-movie franchise that was revived in 2006 with Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns, a quasi-sequel-slash-reboot to Superman and Superman II.
The studio would later reboot the big blue boyscout entirely in 2013 with Man of Steel, launching the shared DC Extended Universe.
Superman was recently added to the National Film Registry, an honor reserved for films selected for preservation as result of cultural and historical importance.
“For many, Christopher Reeve remains the definitive Man of Steel,” reads the statement accompanying Superman‘s induction into the National Film Registry.
“This film, an ‘origins’ story, recounts Superman’s journey to Earth as a boy, his move from Smallville to Metropolis and his emergence as a true American hero. Beautiful in its sweep, score and special effects, which create a sense of awe and wonder, ‘Superman’ — as the tag line reads — makes you ‘believe a man can fly.’”
Reeve was joined by Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman and the legendary Marlon Brando, who was famously difficult to work with, causing even director Richard Donner to reveal the actor wanted to portray Kal-El’s father, Jor-El, as a bagel.
“I don’t say this to be vicious, but I don’t worship at the altar of Marlon Brando, because I feel he’s copped out in a certain way,” Reeve said during a 1982 interview with talk show host David Letterman, explaining why he was frustrated acting alongside the Godfather and Apocalypse Now star.
“I had a wonderful time, but the man didn’t care,” said Reeve, adding Brando “phoned in” his performance.
“I’m sorry, you know,” Reeve said, “he just took the $2 million and ran.”
