46 years later, Christopher Reeve’s Superman is still the benchmark for bringing the Man of Steel to the big screen

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There are few characters in all of fiction, let alone superhero media, who are as recognizable and beloved as Superman. Perhaps the first Western character to fully embody the archetype we initially think of as a “superhero.” Superman has been part of pop culture since 1938. And for the past 46 years, Superman has been frequently associated in the minds of many. fans with actor Christopher Reeve, who played the Man of Steel in his first feature film, along with three sequels.

Now Reeve is being honored in a documentary titled Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story which explores his life both before and after the fateful accident that left him paralyzed, paying special attention to his partnership with his wife and caregiver Dana Reeve and his lasting legacy as the Man of Steel.

Reeve’s Superman legacy is so powerful that his film is known in comic creative circles for inspiring the imaginations (and careers) of countless A-list writers and artists, as well as filmmakers. Superman was so inspiring to the president of Marvel Studios Kevin FeigeFor example, that he pursued a film career as an intern for film director Richard Donner, learning the ropes of superhero movie storytelling, which would eventually lead to the creation of Marvel Studios, which in turn revolutionized what superhero movies could be.

Geoff Johns, who brought Reeve’s Superman into comics with artist Gary Frank in the story Superman: Secret Origin, was also an intern at Donner alongside Feige, meaning Reeve’s Superman has had a direct hand in shaping how we see modern superhero stories in the media see for the last time several decades.

Reeve’s take on Kal-El is still considered Superman’s most iconic live action portrayal, and in many ways the version against which all subsequent versions of Superman have been measured – not just in movies, but on TV and even in his original version. medium of comic strips. And while production continues with director James Gunn‘s upcoming Superman reboot moviecomparisons have inevitably returned to how new Superman actor David Corenswet could go up against Reeve, whose Superman is considered one of the greatest and most formative superhero movie performances of all time.

“I think our dad has done a fantastic job of playing the part in that vision. I think this new movie is its own thing. And you know, reintroducing the character to a whole new generation,” Reeve’s son Matthew tells GamesRadar+. the upcoming restart. “But I think our father’s performance has stood the test of time. In many ways, it still sets the benchmark for bringing this reality to a comic book character that will hopefully continue to inspire this film and other films to come in some way. movies.”

What really makes Christopher Reeve and his performance as Superman so beloved and so inspiring to the foundations of Superman as a modern character – and even to the modern concept of superheroes and superhero movies?

A lot of it comes down to how damn good Reeve looks in the role. His dark, s-curled hair, piercing blue eyes and sculpted chin all combine with the film’s perfect suit to encapsulate decades of Superman stories with different versions of the Man of Steel in a visual incarnation of the hero who feels like he’s almost jumping off the comic book page.

Reeve’s youthful beauty and towering six-foot-eight frame exude a kind of gentle yet unyielding masculinity as Superman that goes directly against today’s late ’70s action movie archetype of violent leading men who revel in toxic machismo like Dirty Harry and Death Wish’s Paul Kersey has a kindness in Reeve’s Superman that strips away all the character’s fear and replaces it with a sense of purpose and a will to do good that has come to define how we view Superman as a character.

This is somewhat in contrast to the character’s previous best-known live-action portrayal in the 1950s TV show The Adventures of Superman, in which coincidentally named actor George Reeves portrays the Man of Steel as a more stern father figure, tough but fair, and his alter ego Clark Kent as a generally straightforward (if occasionally hapless) reporter. There is sometimes a strange cold streak in this version of Superman, where he must threaten his enemies as much as he must comfort those in need. This is often reflected in the comics of the time, where Superman is as likely to embark on a bizarre revenge plan as he is to save the world.

On the other hand, Reeve’s rumpled, stumbling Clark Kent is the key to the real beauty of his dual performance as a man who can easily tower over humans but prefers to live among them. Reeve’s Superman is almost never threatening; He is often straightforward and always confident, but he wields his power with a measured hand, deliberately paying attention to the fragile world around him and leading first and foremost with compassion.

Reeve’s Superman has become emblematic of both a great superhero performance in a movie and a vision of what Superman has come to look like as a hero in the nearly 50 years since Reeve first made us all believe that a man could fly. His take on a softer, stronger and more confident Superman has become the benchmark for the Man of Steel’s broader role as a hero who embodies the fantasy that someone with immense power can wield it for good, while remaining level-headed with an ‘aw shucks “kindness that lets everyone know they are safe in his hands.

Will David Corenswet’s Superman live up to Reeve’s formative version? That’s a difficult but natural bar to set. Perhaps the better question is: How will Corenswet find a way to bring Superman into the modern cinematic landscape while embodying the qualities that make the character so timeless, as Christopher Reeve was definitively able to do?

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story opens in UK cinemas on November 1. Meanwhile, James Gunn’s David Corenswet reboot starring Superman is set for release in July 2025.

For everything hitting the big and small screen, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2024 and beyond, or skip straight to the good stuff with our comprehensive list of movie release dates.