There is no need to look past Superman when it comes to famous comic book characters. Since his appearance in Action Comics 1 on April 18, 1938, The Man of Steel has established himself as one of the most well-known superheroes. However, Superman has grown beyond the comics to become a household name. Throughout the past seventy years or so, he has established himself in Hollywood. The role of Superman has been portrayed by nine different actors over the years, each of whom gave Clark Kent new life and made him a presence on both the small and big screens
We thought we’d take this opportunity to look at all the actors who have played the man who is faster than a speeding bullet in light of the recent announcement that Henry Cavill will be returning to play Kal-El (after his tease at the end of the Dwayne Johnson-starring Black Adam) in another live-action movie. Here is a list of the actors who have played Superman over the years, starting with Christopher Reeve and ending with Kirk Alyn and Dean Cain
There were nine actors who played Superman
1. Kyle Kirk
Geekwatch/YouTube
Movies: Atom Man and Superman vs. Superman
American actor Kirk Alyn was the first to don the red and blue Superman suit. Before being selected to play the DC hero in the first live-action Superman movie, Alyn, a New Jersey native who worked in vaudeville, only had minor parts and cameos in a number of movies. Ultimately, he appeared in two films: Superman from 1948 and Atom Man vs. the World from 1950
Superman. Alyn brought an athletic grace to his portrayal, even though he might not be as well-remembered as some Superman actors. He was skilled at pulling off the stunts required to make Superman come to life because he was a former dancer
Alyn does a more than admirable job in the role, despite the fact that the flying scenes don’t really hold your attention (which isn’t Alyn’s fault because the technology was simply not up to scratch). Alyn had other comic book roles as well, including Blackhawk in the 1952 film Blackhawk
Superman wasn’t Alyn’s only attempt at a comic book character. Before landing his last role in the 1983 horror film Scalps, he would spend the rest of his career in supporting roles
2
George Reeves The Life and Sad Ending on YouTube
The Superman Adventures as well as the motion picture Superman and the Mole Man. Kirk Alyn’s replacement in the 1951 film Superman and the Mole Man was George Reeces, who was chosen because he had a little more star power. Reeves was the perfect Superman for the era thanks to his glamorous appearance and impressive resume (he appeared in Gone With the Wind). In the movie, Lois Lane and Clark Kent are covering the world’s deepest oil well’s drilling
Superman is forced to step in to prevent the villagers from killing a curious race of bald humanoids when drilling disturbs them. Reeves gives a standout performance as the Kryptonite-weary superhero despite the fact that the film is nothing special. Reeves appeared in 104 episodes over six seasons of the television show The Adventures of Superman in which he also played the role of Superman. Although none of Superman’s main foes show up, the series centers on him battling various criminals
Early episodes also feature more of Clark Kent. Sadly, the show came to an end when Reeves was killed by a single headshot. Although many people believe he was murdered, his death was initially ruled a suicide
It would be 27 years before another actor took on the role of Superman. 3
Mr
Christopher Reeve Global Entertainment/YouTube
movie titles include Superman, Superman II, Superman III, and Superman: The Quest for Peace. Most people think of Christopher Reeve when they envision the first Superman to appear on screen. The muscular actor, who appeared in four films as the Last Son of Krypton, appeared to be destined for the part. Superman: The Movie, the first movie about the superhero, is a classic of the cinema and is arguably the best Superman movie ever
The film, which was directed by Richard Donner and had a screenplay by Mario Puzo, fresh off the success of The Godfather, made over $300 million at the box office and served as a model for subsequent Superman films. As Superman and Clark Kent, Reeve brought the character’s spirit to life in a way that no other actor could. It was fun to watch Reeve and Margot Kidder (Lois Lane) work together onscreen
Superman II was a good follow-up, but the third and fourth films struggled to match the magic of the first one and received poor reviews from both critics and audiences. Prior to being paralyzed from the shoulders down in 1995 due to a horse riding accident, Reeve preferred working on smaller films and went back to the theater. Reeve, who didn’t like to let life pass him by, started the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, wrote two books, and continued his career in the entertainment industry
His demise occurred in 2004. 4
Christopher Gerard Superboy and Gerard Christopher Fan Showcase on YouTube
The Superboy Adventures is a TV program
The Adventures of Superboy, originally known as Superboy, was a four-season television series that starred John Haymes Newton as a young Clark Kent who was on campus with his love interest Lana Lang and college roommate T and was investigating strange goings-on. J. White
The show switched Newton for Gerard Christopher in season two and increased the budget because it was cheap and had poor production values. By the time the show ended, Kent was employed by the Daily Planet and engaged in a physical altercation with his archenemy Lex Luthor
Kent was clumsy and Superman was self-assured in Christopher’s portrayal of Superman, which was similar to Reeve’s. The program was generally well-liked, but it only lasted for four seasons before Warner Bros. and DC Comics decided to try something new and created Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
When producers learned that Christopher had already played Superman, they fired him and replaced him with Dean Cain
Dean Cain had successfully auditioned and been offered the part. More information can be found at All 8 James Bond Actors
5
Debra Cain Dean Cain YouTube/Gallery
TV series: Lois Superman enjoyed his greatest success during the 1990s. ABC decided to bring back Superman with the popular series Lois & Clark after years without The Last Son of Kryptonite appearing in live-action The show, which starred Teri Hatcher as Lois Lane and Dean Cain as Superman, was a new interpretation of the Superman legend that placed equal emphasis on Clark Kent’s relationship with Lois Lane and Superman’s ability to fight crime. Additionally, it reversed the narrative by revealing Kent as the true Superman, with the costume serving as a mask to conceal his true identity
Hatcher was equally as good as a stunning Lane who finds herself falling for both Kent and Superman. Cain was perfectly cast as the crime-fighting reporter wearing the classic Superman costume
Although there were only four seasons, the first three had episodes that received an average of more than 18 million viewers each, giving Lois Despite the difficulties of the final season, it was a fitting conclusion to the show, even though many viewers were upset by the cliffhanger ending involving the mysterious baby. 6
Mr. Tom Welling Jarkan/YouTube
Smallville is a television program
The first episode of Smallville depicts a young Clark Kent coming to terms with his inner superhero as the series moves all the way back to the beginning
Tom Welling was chosen to play Kent, who spends the first four seasons of high school making friends with Lex Luthor and falling in love with Lana Lang, a neighbor. From seasons five to ten, viewers follow an adult Kent as he joins the Daily Planet and disguises himself as Superman to fight crime. Superman received a new lease on life as a result of the show’s radical changes to the character
One of the longest-running science fiction series of all time, Smallville was well received by viewers, garnered numerous honors, and won many awards. Tom Welling, on the other hand, makes Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman much more relatable by embracing his frailties and struggles. It’s fascinating to see his transformation from a gullible youngster to a self-assured superhero prepared to fight off those who wish his friends and family harm. 7
Russell Routh Looper/YouTube. Superman Returns is a film
Brandon Routh only had one chance to play Superman, just like Geroge Lazenbury did with the James Bond series
When director Bryan Singer chose 24-year-old Routh for the role, he was an unknown
However, Routh handled the sudden spotlight well. Critics praised his portrayal of the role and compared him favorably to Christoper Reeve, though not everyone shared their opinion. Superman Returns serves as a sequel or reboot to the first two movies while ignoring many of the plot points from the earlier movies
After going missing for five years, Superman reappears and discovers Lois Lane with a fiancé and a young child, along with Lex Luthor trying to retake the world. In this film, Routh gets to exercise his acting chops through a lot of character development, but the lack of action is disappointing. Although he was abruptly fired from the part when Warner Bros
and DC wanted to take a different course, Brandon Routh hasn’t entirely left the superhero scene. He portrays Ray Palmer (The Atom) on Legends of Tomorrow, and he has guest appearances on Arrow and The Flash. In the Arrowverse crossover episode “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” Routh even had the opportunity to resurrect his Superman character. ”
8. Charles Cavill CinemaBlend/YouTube
Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League are all movies
The handsome Henry Cavill, who is a favorite of many modern-day Superman fans, has portrayed the Caped Crusader in four movies (three if you count the two Justice League iterations as one)
In addition to his attractive face, chiseled body, and engaging personality, Cavill’s gritty investment in the role is what makes him such a great Superman. You can tell he cares deeply about the role just by watching him perform, and interviews he has given in which he has talked about his love for Superman support this. The emotional depth of Cavill’s portrayal of the role is far greater than that of any other actor’s, and the fact that he spends more time playing Kal-El than Clark Kent gives fans a fantastic glimpse of the real Superman
Cavill is a fan favorite, and Warner Bros. and DC also have a good deal of faith in him after it was revealed he would be donning the blue and red suit for a brand-new Superman movie
9. Tyler Hoechlin
YouTube and television commercials
Superman, among others Tyle Hoechlin, a star of the TV shows 7th Heaven and Teen Wolf, is the most recent performer to don the Superman cape
In Supergirl, a show from the Arrowverse, he first portrayed a young Kal-El. After that, he made appearances in The Flash, Arrow, Batwoman, and Legends of Tomorrow before receiving his own show, Superman. The Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and their two children, Jonathan and Jordan, return to Smallville to live out their remaining days in the series, which is set in an alternative DC universe
With his movie star good looks reminiscent of Christopher Reeve, Hoechlin makes a more than capable Superman in this intriguing take on the Superman mythology. Hoechlin will continue to serve as your small-screen Superman thanks to the series’ positive reviews, high viewership, and recent renewal for a third season
Learn more about – All 8 Actors Who Played James Bond
