In the pantheon of American tradition, there’s no character extra globally recognizable than Superman. After making his comedian debut in 1938, Clark Kent rapidly jumped to radio, tv, the motion pictures, and past, virtually in a single certain. For nearly 90 years, he’s been an emblem of goodness, and the prototype for the trendy superhero. He’s additionally modified and advanced by a long time of storytelling whereas a bunch of actors have portrayed the Man of Metal on display screen, begging the query, who has performed Superman greatest?
Superman first made it to the actual world at the World’s Honest in 1940, when actor Ray Middleton grew to become the first particular person to play him for a Superman Day celebration. For so long as there’s been a Superman, he’s had a easy method: A cape, tights, boots, the iconic ‘S’ and people strongman trunks—which might finally develop into optionally available. However extra importantly, the character arrived totally shaped and bloomed throughout World Warfare II, as a paragon of reality and justice with a colourful supporting forged. As an alien raised by a kindly midwestern couple, Superman is all about going above and past to do the proper factor, and the actors who’ve performed him have captured that ethos to completely different levels.
With apologies to Ray Middleton and in-particular person Supermen in every single place, for this rating, we’re specializing in the lead actors of main dwell motion motion pictures and TV reveals. We’re additionally limiting it to the character of SuperMAN, so meaning no youthful variations of the character, and no reveals titled Superboy—sorry Joaquin Phoenix—and it additionally means no video video games or cartoons both, in any other case we’d be right here all day. We’re additionally limiting this checklist to official variations, so no unlicensed Turkish Superman Returns, or the many variations out of India, which may refill their very own piece. Nevertheless, we can have a few honorable mentions alongside the method, who don’t fairly match the standards, however we couldn’t have this dialog with out ‘em.
The query of “What makes an ideal Man of Metal?” is a tricky one, however the reply normally comes down to 2 broad classes: the actors themselves, and the story or adaptation they’re part of. So, with that in thoughts, take our hand, and be a part of us as we countdown from the actors we predict missed the mark all the option to the definitive Superman.
9. Dean Cain
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993-1997)
Superman has been performed by numerous nice performers, however we’d be mendacity if we stated he was successful each single time. Lois & Clark ran for 4 seasons in the early ‘90s, and whereas it mixed romance and journalism with villains of the week, it was additionally completely of its period: which is to say, the period of Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place. On the floor, it has all the components of a Superman story, however it appeared much more occupied with creating a brand new ‘90s coronary heart throb than a Man of Metal, right down to the character’s coiffure.
As Superman, Dean Cain has an sadly restricted vary, with sometimes stilted supply. He says all the proper issues — “I like your costume”/“Thanks, my mom made it for me”/“Who are you?”/“A buddy” — however whether or not or not he’s convincing is one other matter. A defining trait of a superb Superman efficiency is the distinction between Superman and Clark Kent, and whereas Cain technically has that, it’s not precisely a efficiency involved with constancy. His Clark Kent is… suave, and quick-speaking, and infrequently charming, whereas his Superman is… simple, and stern, however with out a lot depth or authority, and there’s one thing awkward about his stature, like he’s by no means fairly comfy in the swimsuit, nearly like the two personas are flipped.
Cain’s model of Clark says he desires to slot in, however there’s actually nothing stopping him from being a standard man—a minimum of by the requirements of ‘90s TV dramas. In these moments of tried emotion, the music tends to do the heavy lifting. Lois & Clark isn’t a horrible present by any stretch—in reality, Terri Hatcher makes for an bold and achieved Lois Lane—however relating to portraying the Man of Metal, it doesn’t actually dwell as much as what got here earlier than it, regardless of Cain claiming to have based mostly his model of Clark on our subsequent entry…
8. George Reeves
Superman and the Mole Males (1951), Adventures of Superman (1952-1958)
Probably the most well-known of the early Supermen, George Reeves (no relation to Christopher Reeve) performed the character for almost a decade—throughout the B-film Superman and the Mole Males, and the lengthy-working TV collection Adventures of Superman—however possibly Dean Cain ought to have sought inspiration for his Clark Kent elsewhere. Reeves was an achieved actor, having appeared in Best Image winner Gone With the Wind, however his model of Clark wasn’t notably completely different from his Superman, regardless of the present’s opening narration. “Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend metal in his naked palms, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, gentle-mannered reporter for an ideal metropolitan newspaper.”
However relating to Superman, Reeves—who was 38 when he first performed the half—was precisely what the collection known as for. He was an older, barrel-chested actor in the vein of Western famous person and American fable-maker John Wayne, and his iconic stature nonetheless stays part of the character’s look right now, like when he’s drawn by comedian artist Alex Ross.
The collection started when the U.S. had rising tensions with the USSR, so a part of its mission was to instill a way of patriotism in its viewers. It was the first model of the character to incorporate the now iconic “the american method” a part of Superman’s pledge to battle for “reality and justice,” and there was additionally a transfer by the U.S. Treasury Division to get Superman to persuade folks to put money into stamps and financial savings bonds. For higher or worse, these authorities efforts weren’t normally mirrored in the general plot, apart from one episode. The collection largely noticed Superman tackling common, on a regular basis criminals—a far cry from the wacky, silver age antics in the comics at the time—whereas the film, which was folded into the present, revolved round Superman attempting to cease folks from discriminating in opposition to subterranean beings with a relaxed sense of authority.
The present’s decade-future occurred at a major time. It noticed the character transition to paint, and it helped trigger an explosion in mainstream reputation, with the Man of Metal even crossing over with I Love Lucy. For a number of generations, Reeves was the definitive Superman, a task he performed nicely into his forties, till his tragic demise… which brings us to our first honorable point out.
Honorable Point out: Ben Affleck
As George Reeves in Hollywoodland (2006)
Thus far, no actor has performed each Batman and Superman, however Ben Affleck comes shut, since he truly performed George Reeves in the 2006 thriller film Hollywoodland, which treats the actor’s potential suicide as a homicide. Regardless of his unhappiness with the function at instances, Reeves usually stayed in character as the Man of Metal, particularly round kids, which is one thing Affleck’s model of the beloved actor will get completely proper.
One thing will need to have been in the water in 2006, as a result of Hollywoodland wasn’t the solely film that yr full of nostalgia for an older Superman…
7. Brandon Routh
Superman Returns (2006), The CW’s Arrowverse (2019-2020)
Made as an homage to the Richard Donner authentic, Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns sees the Man of Metal returning to the huge display screen after a 22 yr absence, in a narrative the place he comes again to Earth after 5 years away. Now, whether or not Brandon Routh is taking part in the similar model as Christopher Reeve is as much as your interpretation, however there’s no avoiding the comparisons, given Reeve’s affect on the character—extra on that in a bit.
Routh has an unimaginable gentleness about him, and he embodies each the wistful farmboy and the “gentle mannered reporter” a part of Clark Kent to a tee, bumbling his method by scenes in a method that each appears like an act, and like he’s channeling who Clark actually is. As Superman, he has this otherworldly high quality to him that makes him actually really feel like an alien faraway from humanity—however possibly that doesn’t fairly swimsuit this interpretation.
It’s fantastic to see him carry out feats of energy, however his lumbering look is perhaps somewhat too polished, between the glossy swimsuit, his completely curled lock of hair, and the blue contacts that give Routh an uncanny look, like he’s a Superman motion determine. It’s a film that has nothing however nostalgia for Reeve, and simply two years after the legendary actor died, you may really feel the sense of craving for a giant-display screen Superman, although Singer’s romantic model is normally somewhat too outstretched, with lengthy durations of nothing actually occurring, and neither Lois Lane nor Lex Luthor truly coming head to head with the Man of Metal till previous the hour mark and almost two hours in, respectively. Routh would briefly reprise the function in The CW’s Infinite Disaster, a crossover between 5 of its ongoing reveals, which made for a pleasant reminder of how nicely suited he may have been, in a greater film.
However, whereas Warner Brothers might not have had successful with its new huge display screen Superman, there was truly one other Superman flying round—nicely, working round—on TV at the similar time.
6. Tom Welling
Smallville (2001-2011)
We’re form of bending the guidelines a bit to incorporate him, however Tom Welling performed a youthful model of the Man of Metal for ten years on Smallville, in the longest construct as much as a fancy dress change in recorded historical past—and since he technically grew to become Superman, it has to rely. Like Lois & Clark, the present match proper into the TV panorama of its time, coming off teen dramas like Dawson’s Creek, but additionally style reveals like Buffy and Angel, which allowed it to embrace the extra sci-fi and fantasy components of the Superman mythos.
Regardless of being 24, Welling match proper in as a moody, delicate highschooler looking for his place in the world, whereas fearing how he may convey hurt to these round him. He was barely awkward, and form of indignant, however largely nicely-that means, as he grew to become the secret vigilante The Blur, earlier than his eventual transformation in the last episode. Additionally, it should be stated that Smallville has what is perhaps the greatest on-display screen model of Lex Luthor, in the type of Michael Rosebaum. The present featured numerous recognizable Superman characters—Jimmy, Lana, Lois, and naturally, a cloud model of Darkseid, as was the model at the time—however it’s truly Clark’s dynamic with Lex that types the present’s emotional spine, as a form of yin and yang, who each save one another in the pilot episode—from sure dying, and apparent Christ imagery, respectively.
Welling’s withheld model of Clark labored, up to some extent, in a narrative a few younger man hiding from the world, and he additionally obtained to flex his dramatic chops now and again. However other than a number of hints of growing the “gentle mannered” reporter persona, Welling’s Clark doesn’t change all that a lot over the present’s 10 yr interval, which could normally work for a completely-shaped Man of Metal, however makes him rather less attention-grabbing in an prolonged origin.
On the different hand, a extra trendy interpretation dived proper in to Superman’s story only a few years later, and got here achingly near getting it proper:
5. Henry Cavill
Man of Metal (2013), Batman v. Superman: Daybreak of Justice (2016), Justice League (2017)
You may debate endlessly about whether or not a dour adaptation of Superman is the option to go, however there was so much driving on Henry Cavill as The Man of Metal in a publish-Avengers world, with DC seeking to arrange its personal Marvel-model universe. It didn’t precisely pan out, however Cavill himself flirted with being an ideal selection for the iconic character. There’s loads of noise in Man of Metal—loads of chaos and loads of scowls, however in the midst of all of it, Cavill’s Superman has hints of a relaxing presence, making him the form of superhero that matches Zack Snyder’s “benevolent god” interpretation.
That interpretation will get a bit literal at instances, and may lean a bit too closely on the indignant Greek deity facet of issues, in addition to some overt Christ imagery, however there’s in all probability some model of Cavill’s Superman that works completely in a distinct tackle the DC mythology that isn’t slowed down by nihilism.
The sequel, Batman v Superman, would double down on the distress, presenting a drone-strike model Superman who doesn’t appear notably blissful about serving to folks—that’s, when he would assist folks in any respect—however the greater drawback is that his Superman finally ends up so stuffed with rage that even the film’s nightmare scenes, and the character’s eventual, senseless resurrection in Justice League, don’t find yourself all that completely different from his normally scowling default setting.
Whereas we don’t ever actually see a Clark Kent that’s any completely different from his Man of Metal, we do finally get hints of what a vibrant, sunny Superman performed by Cavill might need seemed like. However by the time he reveals up, three motion pictures deep, it’s somewhat too late for this model, regardless of the final-minute try to return to the character’s roots…
4. Kirk Alyn
Superman (1948), Atom Man vs. Superman (1950)
Most individuals may not have heard of Kirk Alyn, however his 1948 theatrical serial (and its 1950 sequel) have been pivotal to getting Superman to the silver display screen in dwell motion type. The primary flesh-and-blood actor to play him at the motion pictures, Alyn nails the gentle-mannered reporter facet of Clark Kent proper from his first scene with the character’s mother and father, and he even embodies Superman’s powers—like X-ray imaginative and prescient and tremendous listening to—in delightfully foolish methods.
Very like George Reeves, Alyn’s Superman normally goes up in opposition to extra grounded villains, who he defeats by bonking their heads collectively. There’s additionally a transparent distinction between his Clark and his Superman—who’s usually animated by hand when he flies—and whereas his pantomime bodily efficiency is probably not what we’d count on in the trendy period, Alyn’s impishness, enthusiasm and swish exaggerations create a Superman who delights in leaping out of home windows, and in sustaining the ruse of a person with a double life—a person who modifications in the Day by day’s Planet’s submitting room a number of instances per episode.
However what’s particularly fascinating about Alyn’s works is how completely he nails the character’s vocal transformation, even throughout a single line: “This appears to be like like a job FOR SUPERMAN.”
It’s an underrated facet of the character, and only a few dwell-motion actors truly nailed it to the diploma that Alyn did. The truth is, the solely early Superman to outdo him is our subsequent honorable point out:
Honorable Point out: Bud Collyer
The Adventures of Superman radio present (1940-1951), Fleischer Studios’ Superman (1941-1942), The New Adventures of Superman (1966-1970)
We’re sticking with dwell-motion performers for the official checklist, however there’s no option to discuss early Superman with out discussing voice actor Bud Collyer. He was the first actor to present Superman a voice, in his very first non-comedian adaptation, the decade-lengthy radio serial The Adventures of Superman (which started in 1941), and he additionally voiced the Man of Metal in not solely the 9 iconic cartoon episodes of Fleischer Studios’ Superman, produced between 1941 and ‘42, however the New Adventures of Superman, which ran for 4 seasons till 1970.
As the voice behind Superman and Clark Kent for 30 years, he’s an important a part of the character’s historical past, regardless that we are able to’t technically give him a slot right here. However his affect may be felt all throughout our high 3 entries…
3. David Corenswet
Superman (2025)
As the latest Superman on our checklist, there’s nonetheless loads of time for David Corenswet to rise or fall in our rankings, however we really feel fairly assured with what we’ve seen. James Gunn’s Superman flies by somewhat too rapidly to actually dive into the character, however in each single scene, Corenswet offers us hints of a completely-shaped Clark-slash-Superman three years into his public profession.
He’s a quick-speaking, “aw, shucks” form of man who exudes a lovable power, and whereas we haven’t spent sufficient time together with his awkward, good-natured Clark Kent simply but, the actor slips effortlessly into each modes: gentle-mannered, and Man of Metal.
He’s susceptible, and he has a humorousness and one in every of his defining traits is that he’s a canine particular person. Only a few variations exterior of the cartoons have actually touched on this a part of him, however it makes good sense, since Superman is form of what you’d get in the event you turned a golden retriever into an individual, a minimum of earlier in his profession.
However there’s actually just one dwell-motion model that’s explored what Superman’s life could be if he’d caught round for a very long time…
2. Tyler Hoechlin
The CW’s Arrowverse (2016-2020), Superman & Lois (2021-2024)
Proper from his first scenes in The CW’s Supergirl, Tyler Hoechlin nails the temper and mannerisms of either side of the Man of Metal, however it’s actually his personal collection, Superman & Lois—a present stuffed with gumshoe journalism—that permits him to actually shine.
The collection doesn’t cross over with the others in the Arrow-verse, however it makes use of the traditional iconography of Superman to current a brand new tackle Smallville, as a up to date American city struggling a publish-recession financial downturn, making it the good trendy replace. Superman and Lois Lane have teenage sons, and once they transfer from Metropolis again to Kansas, Clark begins bearing the brunt of dwelling a double life, and regularly reveals himself to his neighbors over the course of 4 seasons.
All the whereas, the present tells the story of Superman studying and at instances struggling to be a superb father, one thing the comics have centered on so much lately. Alongside the method, the character is proven to be worldly, a protector of the susceptible and harmless, and somebody reliable on the floor, however he struggles with dwelling as much as this superb, since his secret id entails mendacity to these round him.
Regardless of its villain-of-the-week construction, what makes Superman & Lois work is its give attention to family and friends, which it frames as Superman’s largest energy. Nicely, that and punching in fact. Hoechlin has a righteous anger, and as a father, he’s stern, however by no means merciless. In the end, he’s a jovial, loving and forgiving one that struggles with what it means to like, and to be mortal—however with out dropping sight of his humanity in the course of.
This humanity is what makes Superman who he’s, and the numerous actors who’ve performed him throughout the a long time have all understood that to various levels. However there’s one one that stands head and shoulders above all of them, as historical past’s definitive Superman, and the gold customary for the huge-display screen superhero…
1. Christopher Reeve
Superman: The Film (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1984)
Richard Donner’s Superman: The Film added so much to what we consider as Superman’s story, from his iconicthe ‘S’ emblem being the crest ofof the Home of El, to the ice crystal versiony of fortress of solitude seen in almost each adaptation since. However greater than any of that, it was the good steadiness that Reeve struck between a bumbling, warmhearted, susceptible Clark Kent, and a agency however welcoming—and barely flirtatious—Man of Metal. Even the method he differentiates Clark and Superman’s postures ended up changing into a part of a few of the character’s most iconic comedian moments.
Reeve was an unimaginable actor, however an enormous a part of the movie’s success additionally rests on Margot Kidder as the superb Lois Lane. She’s the good, robust-headed foil to Reeve’s timid Clark. Folks could also be nostalgic about the movie right now, however Superman: The Film was already full of nostalgia by the time it got here out in 1978. The Lois-Clark dynamic is an ideal throwback to screwball comedies from Hollywood’s golden age, and its folksy, Norman Rockwell Smallville was a fantasy of some misplaced American advantage that—whether or not or not it actually existed—was totally captured by Superman himself, even in the collection later, goofy entries.
Reeve embodied the character each on and off-display screen, together with his incapacity activism in later years, however his efficiency is arguably the cause there are nonetheless superhero motion pictures right now, with every one in every of them attempting to dwell as much as the unquantifiable magic he delivered to the display screen—the form that would make you consider a person can fly. Which is why he takes the high spot in our seek for the definitive Superman. He was one in every of a sort.
However what do you suppose? Vote in our ballot and let’s talk about in the feedback! And make sure to try our rating of the Superman motion pictures too.