Every Superman Live-Action Movie Ranked by Box Office Numbers

Superman has been a movie star for a long time. The character first appeared in comic books in 1938 and quickly became a cultural icon. It wasn’t long before he flew onto the big screen, captivating audiences with his strength and dedication to justice. Over the decades, several actors have worn the famous red cape, and each brought something different to the role in a series of live-action films that have seen both incredible success and disappointing failure.

This list ranks the major live-action Superman movies based on one simple factor: their worldwide box office earnings. The ranking does not consider critic reviews or fan opinions, only how much money each movie made in theaters around the globe. It is important to note that the very first feature film, Superman and the Mole Men (1951), is not included in this ranking. This was a low-budget movie that served as a pilot for the “Adventures of Superman” television series, and its specific box office data is not widely available.

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

Bringing in approximately $30 million worldwide, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is the lowest-grossing live-action Superman film. This fourth installment in the Christopher Reeve series saw the Man of Steel try to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

The movie was produced by Cannon Films, a studio known for low-budget productions. The film’s budget was significantly cut before production began, which affected the quality of the special effects. Christopher Reeve himself expressed regret over his involvement in the film, which was a critical and commercial failure and marked his final appearance as the character.

Superman III (1983)

Superman III earned about $80.2 million at the worldwide box office. This film took a noticeable turn towards comedy, with comedian Richard Pryor in a major role alongside Christopher Reeve. The plot involves a bumbling computer genius and a villainous CEO who wants to use technology to destroy Superman.

The lighter, more comedic tone was a departure from the more serious feel of the first two films and was met with mixed to negative reviews from both critics and audiences. Many felt the comedic elements overshadowed the heroic story. The box office performance was a significant drop from its predecessors, signaling a decline in the franchise’s popularity at the time.

Superman II (1980)

Superman II grossed around $216 million worldwide. In this sequel, Superman gives up his powers for a chance at a normal life with Lois Lane. His timing is poor, however, as three Kryptonian criminals led by General Zod arrive on Earth to conquer it.

The production of Superman II was complicated. Director Richard Donner was removed from the project after filming a significant portion of the movie, and Richard Lester was brought in to finish it. This resulted in two different versions of the film, with Donner’s cut being released many years later in 2006. Despite the behind-the-scenes issues, the movie was a box office success and received positive reviews.

Superman: The Movie (1978)

The film that started it all, Superman: The Movie, earned approximately $300 million globally. This was the first big-budget superhero movie ever made and told the origin story of Superman, from his escape from the dying planet Krypton to his emergence as Earth’s hero and his first battle with the villainous Lex Luthor.

With the tagline “You’ll believe a man can fly,” the film was a massive critical and financial success, praised for its special effects, John Williams’ iconic musical score, and Christopher Reeve’s perfect portrayal of both Clark Kent and Superman. It was the second-highest-grossing film of 1978 and set the standard for superhero films for years to come.

Superman Returns (2006)

Superman Returns brought in a worldwide total of about $391 million. This film served as a soft reboot and a nostalgic homage to the Christopher Reeve films, ignoring the events of Superman III and IV. Brandon Routh played the Man of Steel, who comes back to Earth after a five-year absence to find that the world has learned to live without him and his old enemy Lex Luthor is free and plotting again.

Directed by Bryan Singer, the movie received generally positive reviews, with praise for its visuals and Routh’s performance. However, Warner Bros. was disappointed with the box office results, considering its high production and marketing costs. As a result, plans for a direct sequel were canceled.

Justice League (2017)

The team-up film Justice League earned approximately $661 million at the worldwide box office. Following the death of Superman in the previous film, Batman and Wonder Woman assemble a team of heroes to face a new catastrophic threat. Superman’s return is a key part of the movie’s plot.

The film had a troubled production, with Zack Snyder stepping down during post-production due to a family tragedy, and Joss Whedon taking over to complete the film with significant reshoots. The final theatrical version received mixed reviews and was considered a box office disappointment, losing the studio an estimated $60 million. A director’s cut, known as “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” was later released in 2021.

Man of Steel (2013)

Man of Steel rebooted the Superman story and earned a worldwide gross of about $670 million. This film introduced Henry Cavill as Superman and presented a new, more modern take on his origin story. The movie follows Clark Kent as he discovers his powers and is forced to reveal himself to the world to fight General Zod, another survivor from Krypton.

Directed by Zack Snyder and produced by Christopher Nolan, the film featured a more serious tone and a heavy focus on action. While it received mixed reviews from critics, audiences generally responded positively to Cavill’s portrayal. The film’s financial success was enough to launch the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), a series of interconnected films.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

The highest-grossing live-action film featuring Superman is Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which earned over $874 million worldwide. This movie pitted two of the most famous superheroes against each other for the first time in a live-action film. Henry Cavill’s Superman clashes with Ben Affleck’s Batman, with the conflict fueled by the manipulations of Lex Luthor.

Despite its massive box office earnings, making it the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2016, the movie was not well-received by critics. Following a record-breaking opening weekend, the film experienced a significant drop in attendance. The movie was a crucial step in building the DC Extended Universe, introducing Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and setting the stage for Justice League.