Every Superman Movie Ranked, Worst To Best

The character of Superman has been in 11 different live action feature films, 12 if you count Zack Snyder’s Justice League as a separate project from the theatrical cut. He was one of the first superheroes to ever get a big budget feature film and is one of the most beloved comic book characters of all-time. With that said, he’s had a rocky history in Hollywood. There have been some tremendous films, but also some really bad ones, arguably some of the worst superhero movies ever produced. Nevertheless, Superman has prevailed time and time again as a hero that people do want to see done right in a big movie.

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With that said, we’ve decided to rank all of Superman’s films. This list won’t include films where he pops up in a minor role, such as Black Adam or The Flash. It also doesn’t include his Justice League appearances, since those are ensemble films and aren’t specifically Superman films. Without further ado, here’s ever Superman movie ranked from worst to best.

8) Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

While there are some pretty adamant haters of the Snyder era of DC, I think most people can agree that Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is probably the worst Superman movie. It’s extremely boring, lacks the exciting direction of a great director like Richard Donner, and it’s just an all around mess. There’s not much that’s redeeming about this movie and it soured the public on Superman for quite a while. There were some external circumstances that led to this movie being as much of a disaster as it was, but it still feels like everyone was running out of steam on this film. There’s definitely potential in a story about Superman at the center of nuclear disarmament, but this wasn’t it.

What’s perhaps most frustrating is this was the last Superman movie that Christopher Reeve starred in. Such a talented and capable actor really deserved a better final outing as Superman, even if this wasn’t intended to be his last go as Big Blue.

7) Superman III

The fact that there’s a movie where Superman has to battle an evil businessman, but it’s not Lex Luthor is baffling. After the first two Superman movies, the franchise should’ve kept escalating toward other big supervillains such as Brainiac who was initially planned for the film. Instead, we get a watered down Lex due behind the scenes drama which saw Gene Hackman refusing to return as Lex. Similarly, Richard Donner didn’t return after a conflict with producers on Superman II. As a result, Superman III is a movie that feels like it was made because of money rather than because there was a story worth telling.

6) Superman Returns

Superman Returns was an earnest effort to continue the Reeve era of the franchise, but unfortunately, it’s kind of boring. I can appreciate the aesthetic of the film which makes it feel like a golden age comic come to life, but look and feel can only carry a movie so far. It’s another case of an interesting premise for a Superman story, but utterly let down by the execution. Superman returns to a world where Lois Lane has essentially moved on from him, which is the foundation of some rich character drama. Sadly, there’s no chemistry between Routh and Kate Bosworth, which significantly undercuts any potential for that storyline.

It also lacks on action outside of a couple of cool, relatively self-contained scenes where Superman saves the day. Perhaps this could’ve been avoided had Lex Luthor had a more nefarious scheme than trying to… make a Kryptonite island. A lot of the pieces for something much better are there, it’s just let down by an undercooked script and bad actor pairings.

5) Superman (1978)

Superman is a classic film, even if it hasn’t aged super gracefully. It paved the way for the superhero genre, it gave us a tremendous performance from Christopher Reeve who masterfully distinguishes the difference between Clark and Superman, and much more. It’s a seminal movie for the character, but it is a bit dated. It has some strange story ideas, the special effects are obviously from a totally different era of filmmaking, and more. It’s a classic, but as someone born in 2000, this movie didn’t make me believe a man could fly like it did people in the 70s and 80s.

4) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

This is a movie that I am endlessly fascinated with. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a movie that was pretty maligned, but it isn’t boring and I think it poses interesting ideas. Putting two heroes against each other in a crisis of faith and using it to eventually build them into the heroic icons we know them as is compelling. Even if you don’t love the idea of Batman killing people or Superman being a bit more brooding, I think this movie earns some points for trying to do something different. Not only that, but it’s extremely well shot, the action is thrilling, and it gave us Ben Affleck’s tremendous debut as Batman.

One of the only major complaints I have against this movie is that they shouldn’t have killed Superman in only his second outing. There’s not enough history with Cavill’s Superman to make that moment feel emotional or very impactful, even if it inspires Bruce Wayne to form the Justice League.

3) Superman II

I personally love a story about a hero that hits rock bottom and has to have a huge, dramatic comeback where they overcome all of the odds. Spider-Man 2 is my favorite movie and Superman II clearly served as big inspiration for that movie. Even though it still suffers from aging special effects, Superman II is a great sequel that strengthens everything from its predecessor and leads to some rich drama.

2) Man of Steel

I am a sucker for Man of Steel. It’s a darker take on the character, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an invalid one. It’s about a man who is struggling with his identity and place in the universe and it all culminates in him literally bringing an end to his kind. The idea of Superman being torn between his two homes and having to choose which ones he wants to really save is a moral conundrum that I find riveting. Not only that, but it’s hard not to be swept up by Hans Zimmer’s triumphant score and the anime-esque action sequences.

Although people criticize this film for Superman’s recklessness, I would rather Superman fight for humanity’s survival in the heart of Metropolis as opposed to in the desert or space. He’s inexperienced, it’s his first time really having to save the day at this scale. He’s facing someone with powers equivalent to him too, which obviously leads to no shortage of destruction. While I totally understand why some may dislike Batman v Superman, I firmly believe Man of Steel is largely misread by a lot of people. It’s not flawless, but it’s a very entertaining and meaty movie.

1) Superman (2025)

Ironically, Superman is the exact opposite of Man of Steel, but I still love it. It’s much lighter, Superman saves almost every living being in Metropolis, and it’s not afraid to be a little cheesy. I appreciate that Superman wears its heart on its sleeve while also dealing with the idea of an American hero acting globally and what problems may arise from that. Clark Kent is also reckoning with his ability to have a relationship with Lois Lane, his heritage, and much more. There’s a lot going weighing on Superman and this film does a great job of showing how it begins to really crush him. Superman is at his best when he’s being challenged emotionally rather than just physically and I think James Gunn does a great job of highlighting that.

Not only that, but David Corenswet is the most picturesque Superman one could ever imagine. From the second I heard he was in the running for this role, I knew he was Superman. He oozes the earnestness of Clark Kent and possesses the stoic nature needed to play a big chested hero like Superman. I can’t wait to see where the DC universe takes this Superman and his supporting cast next.