46 years later, Christopher Reeve's Superman is still the "benchmark" for bringing the Man of Steel to the big screen

2024-10-29

EntertainmentMoviesAction MoviesDC Movies46 years later, Christopher Reeve’s Superman is still the “benchmark” for bringing the Man of Steel to the big screenWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: DC / Warner Bros.)

Superman in comics and Christopher Reeve as Superman

There are few characters in all of fiction, let alone superhero media, who are as recognizable and beloved as Superman. Arguably the first western character to fully embody the archetype we think of as a “superhero” to begin with, Superman has been a part of pop culture since 1938. And for the last 46 years, Superman has often been associated in the minds of many fans with actor Christopher Reeve, who portrayed the Man of Steel in his first full length feature film, along with three sequels.

Now, Reeve is being honored in a documentary titledSuper/Man: The Christopher Reeve Storythat explores his life both before and after the fateful accident that left him paralyzed, paying special attention to his partnership with his wife and caregiver Dana Reeve as well as his lasting legacy as the Man of Steel.

Reeve’s Superman legacy is so powerful that his film is known in comic creative circles for inspiring the imaginations - and careers - of numerous A-list writers and artists, as well as filmmakers. Superman was so inspirational toMarvel StudiospresidentKevin Feige, for example, that he wound up pursuing a film career as an intern for the film’s director Richard Donner, learning the ropes of superhero movie storytelling that would eventually lead to the formation of Marvel Studios, which in turn revolutionized what superhero movies can be.

Geoff Johns, who brought Reeve’s Superman into comics with artist Gary Frank in the story Superman: Secret Origin, was also a Donner intern alongside Feige, meaning Reeve’s Superman has had a direct hand in shaping how we see modern superhero storytelling across media for the last several decades.

(Image credit: DC)

Superman: Secret Origin art by Gary Frank, Jon Sibal, and Brad Anderson

Reeve’s take on Kal-El is still considered Superman’s most iconic live action portrayal, and, in many ways, the one against which all subsequent versions of Superman have been measured - not just in movies, but in TV, and even back in his original medium of comics. And as production continues on directorJames Gunn’s upcomingSuperman reboot movie, comparisons have inevitably turned back on hownew Superman actor David Corenswetmight stack up against Reeve, whose Superman is considered one of the greatest and most formative superhero movie performances of all time.

“I think, you know, our dad did an incredible job playing the role in that vision. I think this new film is its own thing. And you know, reintroduce the character to a whole new generation,” Reeve’s son Matthew tells GamesRadar+ about the upcoming reboot. “But I think our father’s performance, it stood the test of time. It’s still, in many ways, the benchmark for sort of bringing this reality to a comic book character that hopefully, in some way, continues to inspire this movie and other future movies.”

What is it that really makes Christopher Reeve and his performance as Superman so beloved, and so inspirational to the very foundations of Superman as a modern character - and indeed to the modern concept of superheroes and superhero movies?

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

A lot of it comes down to just how damn great Reeve looks in the role. His dark, s-curled hair, piercing blue eyes, and sculpted chin all combine with the film’s pitch-perfect suit to sum up decades of Superman stories with varying takes on the Man of Steel into a visual incarnation of the hero that feels like he’s practically leaping off the comic book page.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Christopher Reeve as Superman

Reeve’s youthful handsomeness and towering 6'4" stature exude a sort of gentle, yet unyielding masculinity as Superman that plays directly against the contemporary late ’70s action film archetype of violent leading men who revel in toxic machismo such as Dirty Harry and Death Wish’s Paul Kersey. There’s a kindness to Reeve’s Superman that strips back any angst from the character, replacing it with a strength of purpose and a will to do good that have come to define how we think of Superman as a character.

This stands out somewhat in contrast to the character’s previous most well known live-action portrayal in ’50s TV show The Adventures of Superman, in which coincidentally-named actor George Reeves portrays the Man of Steel as more of a stern father figure, tough but fair, and his alter ego Clark Kent as a generally straightforward (if occasionally hapless) reporter. There’s sometimes a strange cold streak in this version of Superman in which he is given to menace his enemies as much as comfort those in need. This is often reflected in the comics of the time, in which Superman is just as likely to embark on a bizarre revenge scheme as he is to save the world.

On the other hand, Reeve’s rumpled, stumbling Clark Kent is the key to the real beauty of his dual performance as a man who could easily tower above human beings, but who prefers to live among them. Reeve’s Superman is almost never menacing; he’s often straightforward, and always confident, but he wields his strength with a measured hand, paying deliberate attention to the fragile world around him and leading with compassion first and foremost.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent

Reeve’s Superman has become emblematic of both a great superhero performance in a film, and a vision of what Superman has come to look like as a hero over the nearly 50 years since Reeve first made us all believe a man could fly. His take on a gentler, stronger, more confident Superman has come to be the benchmark for the Man of Steel’s wider portrayal as a hero who embodies the fantasy that someone with tremendous power can wield it for good, while staying down to earth with an “aw shucks” friendliness that lets everyone know that they are safe in his hands.

Will David Corenswet’s Superman live up to Reeve’s formative version? That’s a difficult but natural bar to set. Perhaps the better question is, how will Corenswet find a way to bring Superman into the modern movie landscape while still embodying the qualities that make the character so timeless, as Christopher Reeve was able to do so definitively?

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story premieres in UK cinemas November 1. Meanwhile,James Gunn’s David Corenswet-starring Superman reboot is due out in July 2025.

For everything coming to the big and small screen, check out our list of the most excitingupcoming moviesin 2024 and beyond, or, skip right to the good stuff with our comprehensive list ofmovie release dates.

CATEGORIESDc ComicsComics

Most Popular

“This is incredibly rare”: How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hit

I’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games?

This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chance

Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics”

Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s past

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé

17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding”

Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over Christmas

Spy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far

One of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strength

How Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the future

GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

Nemesis board game models and tokens laid out on a board

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”

1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

Shadow brandishes a gun in Sonic The Hedgehog 3

1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

Squid Game season 2

1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Contents