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Superman

Superman

You'll believe a man can fly.

1978143 minPGMidcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
Director
Richard Donner
Starring
Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando

Mild-mannered Clark Kent works as a reporter at the Daily Planet alongside his crush, Lois Lane. Clark must summon his superhero alter-ego when the nefarious Lex Luthor launches a plan to take over the world.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Superman?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Superman streaming on HBO Max and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Superman?

Superman earns 15 badges, led by Top 5% in Action and Top 10% of films.

Show 7 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Superman worth watching?

Superman's Midcredits score is the 91st percentile of all films, from 504K ratings across 6 sources. 79% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

91st percentile

Better received than 91% of films

95th percentile among Action92nd percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)90th
Approval (how many liked it)89th

75 /100

90th percentile of all films

96th percentile among Action92nd percentile among 1970s

Critics 82 · Audience 74

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.5 — solid but not unanimous.

79% liked it

89th percentile of all films

93rd percentile among Action91st percentile among 1970s
79% rated it 7–1021% rated it 1–6

Critics 87% · Audience 86%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 3 Oscar noms · 17 wins / 22 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Film Editing
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Music, Original Score

98th percentile

504K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Action99th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 12% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$55M
Opening weekend$7.5M
Domestic gross$134M
Worldwide gross$300M

Returned 5.5× its budget — 94th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is the first big-budget superhero blockbuster and established the template for the genre, despite its dated effects and tonal inconsistencies.

Fans praised

  • Christopher Reeve's dual performance as a bumbling Clark Kent and heroic Superman
  • John Williams' iconic, soaring score that defines the character
  • Genuine charm, warmth, and heartfelt sincerity that avoids cynicism

Detractors panned

  • Convoluted, illogical plot centered on a real estate scheme
  • Lex Luthor portrayed as a campy, goofy clown rather than a credible threat
  • Ending in which Superman reverses time by flying around Earth feels like a deus ex machina

What stands out

ActingDivisive95

Christopher Reeve is widely praised as the definitive Superman/Clark Kent; Brando and Hackman also lauded

Sound and music95

John Williams' score is universally hailed as iconic and heroic

CharactersDivisive80

Well-drawn hero and love interest but villains often seen as cartoonish

Emotional impactDivisive80

Flying date and Superman's grief are moving; detractors find it saccharine

Effects and spectacleDivisive60

Revolutionary for 1978, especially flying and helicopter rescue, but now visibly dated

PacingDivisive50

Overlong first act on Krypton and in Smallville; picks up once in Metropolis

Plot and storyDivisive40

Praised for epic scope but heavily criticized for logical holes and absurd scheme

EndingDivisive40

Reverse-time climax is highly divisive: uplifting to fans, nonsensical to detractors

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 11 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Superman like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and uplifting: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be moved and come out lifted.

It has a few laughs and leaves you fired up.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Moving and uplifting.

Moods
TriumphantRomanticMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsEpic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its material with earnest sincerity and a sense of wonder, even the comedic moments are warm and genuine.
The rideThe film builds from awe and wonder through a romantic flight sequence to a tense climax with Lois's death and the time reversal, finally ending on a triumphant note.
StructureLinear origin story told in a clear beginning, middle, and end.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

The answer rests on this: Rousing · 10% of filmsFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you uplifted and inspired, with a joyful, triumphant feeling that lingers.
How it ends · evidence
Happy endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeSuperman's journey from Krypton to Earth to fulfill his destiny as Earth's protector drives the story, with the mission to stop Lex Luthor's plan.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsIdentity · 14% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeClark Kent's journey is about discovering why he was sent to Earth and choosing to use his powers for good; his love for Lois Lane motivates him but takes second place to his mission.
StanceThe film celebrates heroism, purpose, and the choice to do good, treating Superman's mission with earnest reverence.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRuralWildernessInstitutionalFantasy
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score · John Williams
SettingKrypton, Smallville Kansas, Metropolis, and the Fortress of Solitude
MusicThe iconic fanfare is one of the most recognizable themes in cinema history.

Content guide

Is Superman okay for kids?

PG

Superman is rated PG. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at mild (32/100), language at mild (28/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (29/100) and frightening material at moderate (41/100). Overall it is heavier than 51% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 19 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • IrelandPG
  • JapanG
  • South KoreaALL
  • BrazilL
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark15
  • Hungary12
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands6
  • PortugalM/12
  • SK12
  • SpainA
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 15% of all filmsHeavier than 51% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 41%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 73%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 52%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 56%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 60%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 60% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Superman have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Superman?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor; Christopher Reeve won the BAFTA for this film.

Christopher Reeve
as Superman
BAFTA win: BAFTA Award — Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film RolesTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Margot Kidder
as Lois Lane
Gene Hackman
as Lex Luthor
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Marlon Brando
as Jor-El
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ned Beatty
as Otis
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Jackie Cooper
as Perry White
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Glenn Ford
as Pa Kent
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Trevor Howard
as 1st Elder
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Jack O'Halloran
as Non
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Valerie Perrine
as Eve Teschmacher

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Superman?

Movies like Superman include Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (2006), Superman II (1980) and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Leslie Newman and Mario Puzo, and most are sci-fi films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its world: superhero. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Superman?

552 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: supervillain. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.