10 Mind-Blowing Superman Movie Mistakes You Missed

Similar to how movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Fast & Furious series, or Star Wars saga are made, the Superman movie franchise was also created through the tireless efforts of numerous individuals – a multitude of extremely skilled professionals, it’s important to mention. However, despite their immense talent, no one is without flaw, and when you have such a large team working on a single project, the process can be intricate…occasionally, some details slip through and become part of the final version. Usually, these are continuity issues or minor aspects that might go unnoticed unless one is specifically looking for them. Yet, at times, these continuity errors can be quite evident. Even the best films in existence have these kinds of oversights.

The errors I’m about to mention fall into a specific category. They are not necessarily subtle mistakes that require careful observation. Instead, they can disrupt your immersion in the story, even if you’re watching an excellent film. In this instance, all these errors occur in a movie featuring DC’s Superman.

Did Lois Change Clothes in Superman?

In Richard Donner’s initial Superman film, Lois Lane seems to have managed to gather and place her clothes into a washing machine before she perishes in a landslide. However, Superman arrives too late, noticing this only after Lois has passed away, and it is at this moment that the continuity error arises.

As Superman takes Lois out of the car and sets her softly on the ground, her arms are angled down towards her lower body, and her attire is caked with soil. Then, there’s a shot of him emitting anguished cries before soaring away. Upon this cry, one of her arms can be seen raised near her head, and her clothes appear to be clean.

Did Jor-El Say That?

As a dedicated cinephile, I find it intriguing how the theatrical cut of Superman II, similar to Richard Donner’s version, kicks off by presenting the trial of Zod, Ursa, and Non. However, unlike Donner’s cut, every single word spoken by Marlon Brando’s character, Jor-El, is distinct in this version. It’s quite peculiar, given that replaying the same scene would have been a more cost-effective approach.

The abrupt change might be noticeable if you’ve just watched the first movie. Since watching both movies sequentially is suggested for the best experience, many viewers might catch this difference. Luckily, Richard Donner’s edited version restores Jor-El’s original dialogue, and that version is included in the 4K Blu-ray box set, just like the theatrical cut.

Yeah, That’s a Bald Cap

In the second movie, Gene Hackman’s character Lex Luthor and Ned Beatty’s Otis were in prison. It was apparent that Gene Hackman didn’t actually shave his head; instead, he wore a bald cap. This is evident from the flaps on either side of his face, which were used to conceal his sideburns.

The bald cap on Luthor and Otis stands out more clearly (especially in 4K) as they cautiously approach the prison wall while avoiding the moving spotlight. It’s noticeable how the back of their necks, where the bald cap is visible, wrinkles slightly. In films like these, where high-caliber actors like those from “Superman II” and Gene Hackman are involved, one might expect a more superior quality bald cap to be used.

A Torch of a Different Type in Superman III

In the movie “Superman III”, not all parts are convincing, but one standout is Superman’s descent into darkness. Interestingly, this transformation leads to an error or inconsistency in the storyline.

In one scene, Superman performs actions that aren’t friendly. One of these actions involves him diving towards an Olympic ceremony and extinguishing the torch carried by a man in mid-run. Initially, this man is depicted running up stairs with a torch adorned with sparklers at the top. Yet, when Superman puts out the flame, it transitions to a close-up of the torch, revealing a rapidly diminishing fire instead of sparks. It’s clear that the torch should have been ablaze; you can’t snuff out sparklers. Therefore, it would be logical for the torch to always appear to be on fire in wider shots as well.

Pedestrians, No Pedestrians, Pedestrians

Without a doubt, the movie “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace” stands out among all other films in the series for having the greatest number of mistakes. Given that it was produced by the Cannon Group, this wasn’t entirely surprising.

In one scene from Superman IV, there’s a moment where Nuclear Man soars over a crowd in Metropolis, holding the Statue of Liberty menacingly above them. The people below react with terror, as anyone would. Yet, in the next wide shot, instead of cars moving beneath him, we see Nuclear Man and terrified pedestrians once more. This quick shift back to the same scene is a continuity blunder, not quite on par with the Statue of Liberty’s size, but still a noticeable oversight.

The Superman & Lois Flying Scene Is More Than a Little Repetitive in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

Margot Kidder portrayed Lois Lane in three out of the first four Superman films. In each of these movies, there’s a sequence where Superman flies her overhead, but it can seem quite repetitive. However, the flying scene in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace takes repetition to another level.

As a die-hard film fanatic, let me share an intriguing observation I made while rewatching Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. In one sequence, as Superman and Lois soar through the air, we first see them hovering above a train that’s moving from left to right. But when the scene transitions from a wide shot to a close-up, it’s a different train, now traveling from right to left. The twist doesn’t end there! When they fly over San Francisco, initially, they appear in front of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. However, in the very next shot, they’re not beyond the bridge; instead, they’re approaching it – a clear indication of continuity errors that are quite noticeable in this film.

Electric Billboards Can Change the Shown Image. This Billboard Isn’t Electric.

In the film “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace,” one of the unproductive side-stories revolves around Clark Kent’s blossoming relationship with Lacy Warfield, played by Mariel Hemingway. At one instance, he visits her apartment, which happens to be where a rather amusing mistake takes place.

At her apartment, Kent peers out the window and notices a large sign advertising “Super Slurpee.” Yet, upon subsequent shots from that same window, the billboard viewed by the audience appears completely distinct.

A Big Continuity Error in The Daily Planet Office

In Bryan Singer’s movie “Superman Returns,” there are several instances where Clark Kent is depicted working at The Daily Planet. Also, similar to previous films, he engages in dialogues with photographer Jimmy Olsen in Singer’s reboot version.

As our engaging chat comes to a halt, Kent receives a summons from Editor Perry White, prompting me to head towards his office. Just then, Olsen seems about to depart, but instead, I embark on my journey to White’s chamber. Yet, in the subsequent scene, we find ourselves back where we started, facing each other once more. During this brief interval, all the bystanders within the Daily Planet office mysteriously vanish.

Where’s the Daylight?

In the movie “Man of Steel”, one pivotal moment occurs when Zod issues a global warning through a mysterious message that is heard by people worldwide. The scene transitions into a sequence where we see various individuals from different parts of the world, all tuned in and listening to the ominous broadcast.

The scene is quite captivating, yet it contains an inconsistency. Each location depicted within this series of shots appears enveloped in darkness. However, if it’s daytime in the U.S., then it should be nighttime in places like Australia.

Time-Jumping MetaHuman Files

Even if an error occurs in a Superman film like “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” it doesn’t automatically imply that Superman is connected to the mistake. For instance, there’s a significant one when Bruce Wayne is browsing through MetaHuman records and stumbles upon Aquaman’s file.

In this early footage, Aquaman is seen swimming aggressively towards the camera team, yet the scene predates the storyline of his 2018 origin movie. Notably, he doesn’t possess the Trident of Atlan at this time; it’s only in the concluding scenes of that film when he retrieves it from Karathen in the Secret Ocean.

2025-04-09 18:43