All 10 Actors Who Played Superman, Ranked From Total Miscast to Chef's Kiss
Did your favorite actor make the top three?
Over the decades of Superman adaptations, not only the costumes and special effects have changed, but also the actors who embodied the legendary superhero.
Some have gone down in history as the exemplary Clark Kent, while others are best forgotten. We recalled all the performers of the role, from the first black-and-white series to modern blockbusters.
10. Dean Cain
From 1993 to 1997, the Superman saga continued with the series Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, which focused primarily on the relationship between Clark Kent and Lois Lane.
Dean Cain had planned to become a professional athlete, but an injury ended his career. He appeared in the series Beverly Hills 90210 and a couple of movies before being cast for the role of Superman with little competition.
Dean Cain seemed rather awkward as Superman. Although he tried to imitate the acting styles of 1940s and 1950s actors George Reeves and Kirk Alyn, he was unable to capture their charisma and charm.
9. John Newton
In the early seasons of the Superboy series, John Newton played the main role of a young Clark Kent. Despite the successful casting, Newton's career in the role ended quickly. After attempting to negotiate a salary increase, he was immediately replaced.
Unlike modern interpretations, where Superboy is a separate character, this series portrayed him as a young Kal-El. However, Newton was not allowed to reveal his potential.
8. Kirk Alyn
Superman debuted in comics in 1938, and ten years later, producer Sam Katzman released a series of the same name. Initially, Katzman was planning to make a full-length movie, but it was later decided that the film would be divided into fifteen episodes.
Kirk Alyn was cast as the main role. Subsequently, Alyn starred in another Superman movie – this time playing General Lane in the 1978 Richard Donner film with Christopher Reeve.
Alyn was able to convincingly embody Superman for his time. While his series seems naive today, he became the perfect embodiment of the Man of Steel for viewers of that era.
7. Gerard Christopher
After Newton, Gerard Christopher played Superboy for three seasons. The series, later renamed The Adventures of Superboy, was quite popular.
However, Christopher was already 30 years old, so he did not look very convincing as the young Clark Kent. The series attempted what Smallville later achieved, but its execution was rather weak.
6. Tyler Hoechlin
The CW introduced the character in Superman & Lois as a loving husband and father who struggles with everyday issues.
Tyler Hoechlin, star of Teen Wolf, masterfully conveyed the character's inner conflict. Torn between his duty to humanity and his desire to care for his family, Hoechlin's portrayal of the superhero turned out to be one of the most grounded.
5. Tom Welling
In Smallville, Tom Welling played a young Clark Kent – not yet Superman, but rather a farm boy with superpowers. The series ran for ten years, allowing viewers to grow up with the hero.
Unlike earlier attempts to show Kal-El's younger years, Smallville had the well-thought-out plot and Welling's charisma that made the project so successful.
4. Brandon Routh
In 2006, Superman Returns was released, starring Brandon Routh. It was a sequel to Superman II, starring Christopher Reeve.
Other actors considered for the lead role included Keanu Reeves, Josh Hartnett, Ashton Kutcher, Brendan Fraser, and Paul Walker. Routh received positive reviews from critics and was well received by viewers.
3. George Reeves
George Reeves first played Superman on screen in the 1951 movie Superman and the Mole Men and the TV series Adventures of Superman, which aired from 1952 to 1958.
Initially, the superbly built former boxer did not want to star in the rather cheap production, but he was persuaded by producers. The movie's success made a full-fledged series possible, and Reeves took it very seriously.
2. Henry Cavill
Director Zack Snyder took on the reboot and for the first time, the lead role went to a British actor. Henry Cavill created a unique image for a new generation of viewers: a hero who is physically powerful but emotionally vulnerable. Clark doubts himself and tries to find his place in a world where he feels like an outsider.
In 2022, the star of The Witcher officially announced his return. However, shortly after a change in leadership at DC, the studio announced a reboot of the franchise with a new actor – David Corenswet.
1. Christopher Reeve
Both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone wanted to play Superman in Richard Donner's movie, but the director chose Christopher Reeve, who was relatively unknown at the time.
Reeve became famous thanks to the depth of his portrayal, becoming the most humane Superman. His first film was followed by three sequels, and there would have been more if tragedy had not struck the actor early in his career.
Reeve fell from a horse, broke his spine, and was forced to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. However, the trauma didn't break him. He helped disabled people undergo rehabilitation and continued to act.
