It’s hard to think of a superhero more universally well-known as Superman.
Undoubtedly among the most iconic comic book characters ever created, Superman also continues to stand tall as one of the most easily recognizable faces in DC’s expansive universe, right alongside other notable heroes like Batman or Wonder Woman.
As James Gunn’s rebooted Superman continues to dominate at the worldwide box office, we thought it only fitting to look back at some of the many past faces to portray the Man of Tomorrow, ranking them in order from worst to best.
8. Dean Cain
Though he might have embroiled himself in public controversy for his politicized stance on 2025’s Superman, even the harshest critics can’t take anything away from Dean Cain’s performance in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Sure, Lois Lane might have been the de facto star of the show, but Cain maintained some fantastic chemistry with his on-screen co-star Teri Hatcher, outfitting Lois & Clark with a sense of joyful playfulness not seen since the early days of Christopher Reeve’s Superman films.
7. Brandon Routh
Superman Returns might have earned a fairly polarized response in 2006, but it’s worth pointing out that none of said criticism was aimed at Brandon Routh himself. A worthy successor to the red and blue mantle of Superman, Routh also handed in a performance worthy of the late Christopher Reeve, eloquently showcasing Clark Kent’s fascinating growth into a far wiser, more self-certain Man of Tomorrow.
6. George Reeves
Admittedly, many of the Superman projects starring George Reeves have aged horribly in the decades since their initial release. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the stoic presence of Reeves himself, who set a remarkably high bar for every future Superman actor that followed in his footsteps. Taking his character seriously and committing himself to the larger-than-life role of Superman, Reeves made the Kryptonian superhero jump from the flat pages of DC Comics into the three-dimensional world of the 1950s, inspiring generations of viewers in the process.
5. Tom Welling
As with almost every superhero portrayal, it’s just as much about how an actor chooses to play the person behind the mask than it is about the hero themselves. Case in point with Tom Welling’s stupendous performance as Clark Kent in Smallville, which introduces viewers to an awkward, more insecure iteration of the Man of Steel amidst his teen years in Kansas. Embracing the timid adolescence of a younger Clark Kent, Welling hands in a wonderfully relatable portrayal of DC’s famed hero, offering up occasional glimpses into the Superman we’d all come to know and love.
4. Tyler Hoechlin
Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman might not have had the same superheroic presentation as audiences have expected. But therein lies the appeal. Rather than hitting the same notes perfected by his predecessors in Christopher Reeve or Dean Cain, Hoechlin instead offers up a more realistic exploration of the character, illustrating his gradual but certain growth into a hero and husband dedicated to his family. And if that’s not the essence of Superman, we don’t know what is.
3. Henry Cavill
If Henry Cavill had only gotten a decent Superman solo film, it’s very likely he’d be universally associated with the role to this very day, not unlike Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine or Robert Downey Jr.’s Wolverine. Though his tenure in the DCEU came with its fair share of issues, Cavill’s performance itself offers a profound glimpse of what might have been. Emphasizing the character’s quiet yet intimidating presence, Cavill took the Big Blue Boy scout in surprisingly bold new directions, standing in sharp contrast to practically every other version of the Kryptonian we’ve seen before or since.
2. David Corenswet
David Corenswet had a ton of pressure riding on him heading into 2025’s Superman, bearing the literal weight of the fledgling DCU on his stout shoulders. Amazingly, in an ironic feat of almost Superman-level strength, Corenswet somehow not only met fans’ expectations for the film – he actually exceeded them in every way possible. Balancing out the bumbling every man qualities of Clark Kent with his powerful but slightly conflicted performance as Superman, Corenswet nails every facet of Kal-El’s personality, spelling out a bright future for both the DC Universe and Superman along with it.
1. Christopher Reeve
When it comes to Superman, most actors either excel as Clark Kent or the Man of Steel, failing to properly balance out the character’s diametrically opposed alter egos. But in 1978, Christopher Reeve found the perfect combination of meek timidity as Clark and boyish charm as Superman, paving the way to the single best portrayal of the character to date. Effortlessly alternating back and forth between absentminded reporter and self-certain superhero, Reeve seemed like he literally walked out of a vintage Joe Shuster or John Byrne comic book panel, bringing all the grace, selflessness, and unwavering love for truth and justice synonymous with Superman to life on the big screen.
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