7 Worst Things That Happened to Superman Movies

As a lifelong movie fan, I’ve always loved Superman – he’s just such an iconic character! It’s amazing to think he first appeared on screen way back in 1941, starting with animated shorts and then those old serials. Of course, Christopher Reeve’s Superman in 1978 was a game-changer, and now, with James Gunn’s recent film, it feels like Superman is soaring again, and everyone’s excited about what’s next. But it hasn’t always been smooth flying for the Man of Steel on the big screen, and his cinematic journey has definitely had its ups and downs.

Superman movies have faced a lot of hurdles over the years, often making their production more difficult than it needed to be – and even contributing to long periods without any new films. While Batman consistently found success, Superman struggled with poorly received movies and projects that never came to fruition. Here’s a look at seven of the biggest setbacks that plagued Superman’s cinematic journey.

7) Superman Himself

It might seem strange, but Superman himself could be the biggest problem with his movies. When you compare him to Batman, whose films have generally been more successful, this becomes clearer. Superman’s extensive backstory, which works well in comic books, doesn’t always translate to the big screen, especially when trying to create a long-running film series. Batman benefits from compelling, recognizable villains and a consistent central conflict – like the Joker or the crime in Gotham. Superman, however, is more of a global hero, protecting people everywhere, not just one city. While Lex Luthor is his primary foe, the dynamic between a hero and a wealthy, antagonistic businessman has limited possibilities for a continuing storyline.

While Superman is a great character, his stories don’t lend themselves to a continuing film series as easily as Batman’s. Batman movies can naturally lead into each other, but Superman’s broader, more epic stories make that kind of connected storytelling difficult, and past attempts haven’t always been successful.

6) Batman Movies

You know, looking at the bigger picture, I think the success of Batman films has actually hurt Superman’s chances. Every Batman movie – whether it was Tim Burton’s gothic take, Christopher Nolan’s grounded trilogy, or even the recent The Batman – has raised the bar for DC movies. That creates a problem when a new Superman film comes out. It’s not really a fair comparison – their worlds and stories are fundamentally different – but audiences inevitably measure Superman against the high standards set by Batman, and frankly, Superman films often come up a little short.

5) Justice League

Zack Snyder originally envisioned a large, interconnected universe of DC Comics films. His 2013 film, Man of Steel, was popular with moviegoers, even though critics had mixed opinions. Plans were in place for a sequel, and the character also appeared in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, laying the groundwork for a wider DC cinematic universe. However, the production of Justice League ran into serious problems. After a personal tragedy forced Snyder to leave the project, Joss Whedon was brought in to complete it. This led to extensive reshoots and a final film that differed significantly from Snyder’s original vision. Ultimately, Justice League didn’t perform well in theaters and received negative reviews.

Although Zack Snyder’s Justice League eventually got its moment, the harm to the DC Extended Universe—and to the character of Superman—had already been done. A sequel to Man of Steel never happened, and Henry Cavill hasn’t played Superman in a leading role since (aside from a brief appearance in Shazam!). The positive impact Man of Steel had on Superman films quickly disappeared.

4) Development Hell

Following the failure of Superman IV: The Quest for Peace in 1987, which marked Christopher Reeve’s last appearance as Superman, several attempts were made to revive the franchise. Over the next two decades, projects like Superman Reborn, Superman Lives, a potential Batman vs. Superman film, and Superman: Flyby were all considered, but none made it past the planning stages. It wasn’t until 2006 – nearly 19 years after Superman IV – that a new Superman film, Superman Returns, finally reached theaters. This movie aimed to both honor and continue the story of the 1980s film Superman II, acting as a fresh start for the character. However, it didn’t quite succeed in launching a new franchise.

3) The Box Office Failure of Superman Returns

Superman Returns was an enjoyable film. It largely disregarded the events of Superman III and featured Brandon Routh as Superman, returning to Earth after a five-year absence. He finds Lois Lane has started a new life and Lex Luthor is plotting his demise, along with a dangerous scheme for the continent. Kevin Spacey delivered a compelling performance as Lex Luthor, Routh was a strong Superman, and the movie had a decent storyline. While a bit lengthy, it was a successful reboot of the Superman story and had the potential to launch a new series of films.

Although the movie was a major box office success in 2006, Warner Bros. wasn’t completely satisfied with how it performed – it earned $391.1 million with a production budget of about $220 million. Because of this perceived underperformance, plans for a sequel were scrapped. Superman didn’t return to the big screen for another seven years, finally appearing in a complete reboot of the franchise, Man of Steel, with Henry Cavill in the lead role.

2) Superman III

While Superman IV: The Quest For Peace was the last Superman film with Christopher Reeve, many consider Superman III to be where the franchise truly ended. Released in 1983, the movie wasn’t successful with audiences or critics and is often called the worst Superman film ever. The story centers around Superman battling the dishonest businessman Ross Webster, who creates a supercomputer designed to destroy him. Richard Pryor plays Gus Gorman, a computer expert working for Webster and involved in the scheme to defeat Superman.

This movie is a chaotic and unfunny experience, relying too much on obvious visual jokes and clumsy physical comedy. It completely undoes all the careful character development from Superman and Superman II. This Superman feels nothing like the hero fans had grown to adore. While a sequel, Superman IV, followed, it was equally disappointing, effectively destroying the franchise. As a result, Superman disappeared from the big screen for nearly two decades, while Batman found success with Tim Burton’s 1989 film.

1) Smallville

Many fans consider Smallville the best live-action Superman TV show, and perhaps the best adaptation since the original Superman film. However, its success has unintentionally hindered Superman movies. The show’s decade-long run – ten seasons on The WB and The CW – meant audiences spent a long time with the character. This raised concerns about ‘Superman fatigue’ and may have made it harder to get new movie projects off the ground.

A major challenge for Superman has been how viewers see the character thanks to the TV show Smallville. Smallville wasn’t a Superman story in the traditional sense; it focused on Clark Kent’s life before he became Superman, telling an origin story rather than adventures as the hero himself. The series ended with a hint of the classic Superman suit and Clark accepting his fate, but it created a particular image of the character. This version, especially Tom Welling’s portrayal of Clark, remains many fans’ favorite. It will be interesting to see how Smallville’s lasting influence affects how audiences respond to future versions of Superman, even now that David Corenswet has taken on the role.

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2025-11-13 05:41