SUPERMAN DAY 2026 - THE BEST SUPERMAN FILMS
Last year, the summer blockbuster season of Hollywood had an injection of Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow.
James Gunn brought back the Man Of Steel in a monster way. “Superman” was a runaway success. Led by David Corenswet & Rachel Brosnahan, it inspired a new legion of fans of why Superman has been a legend of pop culture.
Heading into this year, his cousin is continuing the DC Studios wave of momentum. “Supergirl” starring Milly Alcock in the title role is slated to hit theatres in June 2026. Based off of “SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF TOMORROW” along with Jason Momoa as LOBO, it has pop culture and comic fans attention.
With recent success, it’s hard to remember the legacy of the Man Of Steel in film wasn’t always this popular. There have been some films that didn’t connect with the overall pop culture & comic audience for varying reasons. That said, when it’s done right, Hollywood can show off why Superman is a major player at the box office.
Since today is Superman Day 2026, here is my list for the Best Superman Films to watch:
credit: warner bros. studio
3. “Superman 2” - 1980
A more messy production behind the scenes than fans might know but still delivered. Richard Lester came in to replace Richard Donner. The head of the first film was fired by the studio. This caused major reshooting of scenes. While a noticeable transition, the film kept much of what makes Superman super.
This is in large part to Christopher Reeve. His portrayal of Supes has lasted over four decades for a reason. Reeve dialed into the humanity aspect which Clark tries to connect with in each action. It becomes more complicated when Terrence Stamp’s ZOD escapes with his crew and exploit this “weakness”.
Things get even crazier when Lex Luthor gets involved. Gene Hackman’s performance brings out the campy side while tormenting Big Blue. Factor in Supes gives up his powers during this film and it proves they don’t define the hero. His heart does. Margot Kidder made fans know that moment as her performance as Lois Lane nailed the key scenes in their dynamic.
It might be over the top at times, but drives home what fans want to see. Sadly, the other sequels in this franchise run never capture the same magic from this film and its’ predecessor. The franchise goes into some odd directions but eventually comes back to the core blueprint of the character.
David Corenswet as Superman (DC Studios/WBD)
2. “SUPERMAN” - 2025
When James Gunn took over at DC Studios, he knew the character he needed to tackle first. If you’re going to restart an entire film universe, you have to go with its’ largest hero. Casting relative unknowns (much like Donner did in 1977), the film built its’ foundation around the core of the last son of Krypton.
Hitting the ground running and not doing an origin retelling, the film centered around the exploitation of human rights. Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor was a perfect villain to bring this evil out to confront the symbol of hope. Rachel Brosnahan proved once again Lois Lane is the real strength behind Clark Kent. You couldn’t ask for a better cast.
It showed the struggles he faces as an alien to adhere to human flawed government. Viewers watches as he stepped up to every challenge, even if the public has been turned against him. The unbreakable will resonated with people looking to see the good guys finally get a win in these crazy times.
For fans of the original 1978 film, Corenswet tapped into much of what Reeve made special. The humanity in the face of adversity was too powerful for any foe. Add in the modernization of other DCU heroes and classic supporting characters, there was no doubt this was the win needed to carry the Man of Tomorrow into a new wave of Hollywood success.
credit: warner bros. studio
1. SUPERMAN - 1978
To create a legacy, it has to start somewhere.
Superman was a gamble to make at the time. It’s not as easy to sell a superhero movie to a studio like it is today. After a long process, Richard Donner won the directing job to bring Superman to the masses. With a budget over $50 million to work with (remember the times we’re talking about), there was no such thing as a sure success. Complicating matters even more was casting an unknown actor in the lead. Sure, the film had Gene Hackman as Luthor and Marlon Brando as Jor-El, but who was Christopher Reeve?
Who he was is the legend that made the role his for decades to come.
The epic covered all the bases in dealing with Krypton to Earth. A classic Luthor vs. Superman face-off. Kidder’s Lane setting the foundation for one of comics’ greatest couples. This was everything needed to win pop culture fans over. If the hero wasn’t an icon by now, this film took him into a whole other stratosphere.
Just as the poster line says: Fans would believe a man can fly.
It captured pop culture in a whole new way. The film also proved superhero films could draw at the box office. Over $300 million made world wide.
Due to this success, it paved the way for other heroes to get a crack at Hollywood. TV was already a huge win for comics’ brightest stars. Hollywood is a whole different ballgame.
If this move failed, there’s no Batman ‘89. No Spider-Man franchise. No MCU. This film became the catalyst for a movement in superhero films. It’s all do to bringing out the best of the characters we go read each week at the comic shops. Following that formula results in box office wins. Need an example? Look no further than here.
DON’T MISS THE CURRENT SUPERMAN COMIC RUN!
Let me know your thoughts on what you think are the best Superman films in the comments below. Thanks for reading this FLZ editorial. Happy Superman Day! Till next time….
