Every Superman actor, ranked (from David Corenswet to Christopher Reeve)
Several dudes have been faster than a speeding bullet and leaped tall buildings with a single bound. But of all the actors who've put on Superman's cape, who's the most super?
Is it Christopher Reeve, the beloved star who made everyone believe a man could fly with John Williams' legendary theme? Is it Henry Cavill, who gave the Man of Steel in Zack Snyder's DC universe a more serious tone? Might it be one of TV's Supermen, like Dean Cain or Tom Welling? Or could it be the latest guy in tights, David Corenswet, star of James Gunn's new adventure "Superman" (in theaters July 11)?
To celebrate the next guy in the red trunks, we're ranking every live-action movie and TV Superman who unleashed his heat vision on pop culture. (Sorry, fans of Nicolas Cage's computer-generated cameo in "The Flash." Also we're only dealing with Supermen here, which leaves out "Superboy" stars John Haymes Newton and Gerard Christopher.)
9. Kirk Alyn
As the first to play Superman Kirk Alyn wasn't the most jacked hero, but he definitely brought a wholesome goodness to the character in the 1948 movie serial "Superman" and its sequel "Atom Man vs. Superman" two years later. His DC roots ran deep: He also played the title role of "Blackhawk" in 1950s serials and had a cameo as Lois Lane's dad in the 1978 "Superman" film.
8. Brandon Routh
Brandon Routh looked the role and had the potential to be one of the best ever, but Bryan Singer's 2006 film "Superman Returns" was a just-OK movie that never took off the way the studio hoped. Although it was just a one-and-done for Routh, the actor was able to show more of his superhero side as the Atom in CW's "Legends of Tomorrow" TV series and put Supes' cape back on for a 2019 Arrowverse crossover.
7. Dean Cain
Dean Cain's do-gooder was more soapy than super in four seasons of ABC's 1990s show "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman." Starring Cain and Teri Hatcher (as Lois Lane), the series put an interesting rom-com spin on the Superman mythos and, sure, the thing was pretty goofy. But it introduced mainstream audiences to lots of cool DC lore, and Cain worked the suave Supes/bumbling Clark dichotomy well.
6. Henry Cavill
Another case of a potentially really good Supes undermined by his movies: In Zack Snyder's 2013 "Man of Steel" and 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," Cavill's superhero wasn't exactly optimistic or joyful – in fact, he was brooding, morose and at times downright dark. (Need we mention he snapped a foe's neck?) It wasn't until 2017's "Justice League" when Cavill started to really be a Superman worthy of John Williams' theme, only to then get a pink slip thanks to a DC Universe reboot.
5. Tyler Hoechlin
A lot of folks slept on Hoechlin's portrayal of the comic-book character, first with a handful appearances on CW's "Supergirl" starting in 2016 and some Arrowverse cameos before starring for four seasons on "Superman & Lois" (2021-24). Hoechlin's one of the best to nail Superman's emotional journey while balancing different sides of the role – in his case, the strong-willed superhero and the loving, charming family man.
4. Tom Welling
Spend 10 seasons leading a TV show, and you must be doing something right. No one spent longer playing Clark Kent than WB's "Smallville" star Tom Welling, who crafted an epic journey for the character. From the angst-ridden teen on a Kansas farm who joins the high school football team to getting an adult job at the Daily Planet, Welling was consistently strong in showing how a future Superman learns to fly, in every way.
3. David Corenswet
It's obvious from the start of the new "Superman" movie that David Corenswet just gets the guy, to his core. He saves kids from monster-fueled mayhem and property damage. He risks international incidents to save people who need him. He stops everything to go find his lost dog. The Man of Steel, when done right, is kindness and empathy personified, and Corenswet checks those boxes while adding some humor and a little bit of fire, too.
2. George Reeves
Just as Adam West did with Batman a decade later, George Reeves defined the Man of Steel for generations – and brought the character into the public eye like never before – with the 1950s show "Adventures of Superman." As mild-mannered Clark Kent and his powerful alter ego, who'd regularly save his pals Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, Reeves brought likability, honesty and an authoritative streak to the role that changed his life.
1. Christopher Reeve
The GOAT, plain and simple. Christopher Reeve's first two Superman movies showcased a phenomenal actor who brought nuance to the superhero movie and brilliantly captured the character: This alien from Krypton was raised to be the best of us, embracing humanity and falling in love. One scene from his first film in 1978 encompasses how great he was: With just a shift in posture and mannerisms and taking off his eyeglasses, he effortlessly swaps his Clark Kent persona for the big blue Boy Scout. And as the ultimate Superman, he's the guy everybody else wearing that cape and "S" shield will be trying to match, forevermore.