Every Superman Movie Ranked from Worst to Best

11. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

Superman tosses Earth’s nukes into the Sun, but Lex Luthor turns the stunt into the mulleted menace “Nuclear Man.” The rock-bottom budget shows in every frame, and the series flat-lined after this bargain-bin farewell. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

10. Supergirl

Kara Zor-El (Helen Slater) lands on Earth chasing a runaway Omegahedron, tangles with Faye Dunaway’s over-the-top witch, and even sneaks into high school as “Linda Lee.” With no Christopher Reeve cameo to steady the ship, the camp overload flopped hard, nabbing Razzie nods for both Dunaway and Peter O’Toole. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

9. Superman III

Richard Pryor’s slick hacker builds a runaway super-computer for crooked mogul Ross Webster, even goading Superman into brawling with his own corrupted self. The jokier vibe and recycled story beats had fans wishing for the grandeur of the first two films. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

8. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Lex Luthor goads a brooding Ben Affleck Batman into treating Henry Cavill’s Superman as humanity’s top threat, sparking a heavyweight showdown, right until an even uglier monster shows up. Fans got their first live-action pairing of DC’s icons, but the film’s joyless mood, tangled plot and jittery Lex left critics cold. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

7. Justice League

Batman rallies Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash and Cyborg to stop Steppenwolf from uniting the Mother Boxes and wrecking Earth. Trouble is, Snyder left mid-shoot and Joss Whedon’s patch-job made the finished film feel like two clashing movies bolted together. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

6. Zack Snyder's Justice League

Snyder’s four-hour cut pumps life into Justice League, adding depth to Cyborg and a scarier Steppenwolf under his trademark moody style. Most critics admit it beats the 2017 version, even if its marathon runtime and somber tone still test patience. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

5. Man of Steel

Zack Snyder’s reboot follows Henry Cavill’s Clark Kent from Kansas farm kid to Earth’s last line of defence against Michael Shannon’s raging General Zod. The brawl-heavy spectacle wowed some with its scale but left others cold, wishing for a lighter touch. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

4. Superman

David Corenswet’s rookie Supes squares off with Nicholas Hoult’s Luthor while juggling Lois, Hawkgirl and a mouthy Guy Gardner. It’s messy but bold – critics call it the sharpest Superman movie in twenty years. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

3. Superman Returns

After five years away, Superman (Brandon Routh) returns to find Lois Lane and everyone else has moved on. He thwarts Lex Luthor’s new scheme in a film critics praised for its quiet, human moments despite its box office stumble. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

2. Superman

Superman kicked off the superhero movie era, following Clark Kent from a Kansas farm to his first heroic acts in Metropolis. Christopher Reeve’s earnest charm, Marlon Brando’s holographic father and Gene Hackman’s scheming Lex Luthor turned this origin tale into a timeless classic. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

1. Superman II (1981)

General Zod and his cohorts team up with the crafty Lex Luthor to turn Metropolis into their playground, pushing Superman to his limits. As Clark Kent dreams of a normal life with Lois, every choice between love and his vow to protect Earth makes the stakes feel epic and deeply personal. | © Warner Bros. Pictures