All 8 Superman Films Ranked from Least to Most Impressive

      In celebration of the new Supergirl, which showcases David Corenswet’s Superman, here’s a ranking of all eight Superman films from least to most impressive.

      A few notes: Animated films and Justice League are excluded from this list for specific reasons we’ll explain.

      So, with that said, here's the ranking of the eight Superman films from worst to best.

      Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

      Warner Bros. – Credit: Warner Bros.

      Henry Cavill delivers a great performance as Superman, yet the scripts for his films did not do justice to his character.

      By far the weakest entry is Batman v Superman, a loud, chaotic film where Cavill's Superman battles Ben Affleck's poorly developed Batman — only to have the movie stolen by Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman.

      The low point of Cavill’s Superman was Justice League, which included awkward scenes where digital technology removed his mustache from Mission: Impossible — Fallout, which was filming concurrently during Justice League’s reshoots.

      However, Justice League is omitted from this list since Superman is deceased for a significant portion of the film.

      Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

      Warner Bros.

      No one is arguing that Superman IV is a good film — it suffered from a reduced budget and introduced a poor new villain, Nuclear Man (Mark Pillow), along with a preachy storyline about the dangers of nuclear arms. The special effects were subpar at times, and the film’s disappointing box office resulted in the decline of the Christopher Reeve-led Superman franchise.

      Nonetheless, Superman IV has its charms. Reeve stands out as the best actor to portray Superman so far. Additionally, we get brief appearances by the late Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor and Margot Kidder as Lois Lane. It's also amusing to see Jon Cryer as Lex’s nephew, Lenny Luthor.

      Interestingly, this movie indirectly contributed to Morgan Freeman's rise to fame. While he doesn't appear in the film, Reeve agreed to do Superman IV in exchange for the go-ahead on the gritty drama Street Smart, where Freeman shone as a pimp who clashes with Reeve’s journalist character.

      Superman Returns (2006)

      Warner Bros.

      This attempt to reboot the Superman franchise struggled against two comparisons: First, despite Brandon Routh and Kate Bosworth's appealing performances as Superman and Lois, following Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder was a tall order.

      Second, the film released shortly after Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale successfully revived Batman with Batman Begins, the start of their Dark Knight trilogy.

      Still, we appreciate Superman Returns. Kevin Spacey was a solid choice for Lex Luthor, and the film can be viewed as a direct sequel to Superman II — disregarding Superman III and IV.

      Man of Steel (2013)

      Warner Bros.

      Director Zack Snyder aimed to make Man of Steel as grand as possible, succeeding in various ways.

      Henry Cavill was exceptionally well-cast as Superman, and Amy Adams delivered a modern interpretation of Lois Lane. The impressive supporting cast included Kevin Costner and Diane Lane as Clark’s adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent, along with Russell Crowe and Ayelet Zurer playing Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, Superman's biological parents. The fathers had more substantial roles compared to the mothers.

      The film's primary flaw was Snyder's tendency to darken the tone excessively, peaking with the controversial choice to have Superman kill Michael Shannon’s General Zod — an act that still feels out of character for Superman.

      Superman III (1987)

      Warner Bros.

      This film showcases Superman in his silliest moments as he battles the forgettable industrialist Ross Webster (Robert Vaughn), who employs Gus Gorman, a desperate yet brilliant computer programmer played by Richard Pryor.

      There's an undeniable appeal in watching the straight-laced Reeve share the screen with the erratic Pryor, one of history's most influential comedians. It’s also amusing to witness how a film from 1983 depicted Gus’ computer expertise. (His scheme was clever enough to warrant a nod in 1999’s Office Space.) The goofy yet entertaining split of Superman into good and evil sides is another highlight.

      However, the film loses points for the absence of Gene Hackman and sidelining Margot Kidder, who had conflicts with producers Ilya and Alexander Salkind over the decision to replace director Richard Donner with Richard Lester on Superman II. We prefer Superman films where Lois takes center stage.

      Superman II (1980)

      Warner Bros.

      In terms of plot, this is the most engaging of all Superman films, as it tackles the deep question of whether he wishes to embrace his humanity or remain an alien superhero striving to save Earth. It's the most romantic superhero film to date.

      Realizing he can't be Superman and remain married to Lois, Clark Kent relinquishes his powers. He’s compelled to don the cape again when three