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All 7 Superman movies ranked from worst to best

By Bryce Olin

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 22: Henry Cavill attends the European Premiere of 'Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice' at Odeon Leicester Square on March 22, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 22: Henry Cavill attends the European Premiere of 'Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice' at Odeon Leicester Square on March 22, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Anthony Harvey/Getty Images) /
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Crisis on Infinite Earths - Superman Returns
NEW YORK – JUNE 27: “Superman Returns” star Brandon Routh unveils the new Superman wax figure at Madame Toussauds New York June 27, 2006 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Getty Images) /

3. Superman Returns

  • Release Year: 2006 
  • Director: Bryan Singer
  • Cast: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Frank Langella, Eva Marie Saint, Parker Posey, Kal Penn, Sam Huntington, and Kevin Spacey

Think of Superman Returns as Superman 3, basically. It’s the sequel to the second Superman movie, but it was released about 25 years after the sequel. Brandon Routh stars as Superman in the film, and he does an excellent job.

In the film, Superman, played by Brandon Routh, as he returns to Earth after a five-year absence to find that things have changed. His arch-nemesis Lex Luthor, played by Kevin Spacey, has hatched a new plan to create a new continent using Kryptonian crystals stolen from the Fortress of Solitude. Meanwhile, Clark Kent attempts to reconnect with Lois Lane, played by Kate Bosworth, who has moved on with her life and is now engaged to Richard White, the nephew of Daily Planet editor-in-chief Perry White. Superman must stop Lex Luthor’s evil plan and save the planet.

While Routh moved on from the Superman role following Superman Returns, he rejoined the DC Universe in the slate of DC shows on The CW, including Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl as Ray Palmer/The Atom. He returned to the role of Superman in Crisis on Infinite Earths in 2019. It was really cool to see Routh as Superman again, especially after what happened with the more recent Superman movies.

We’re going way back for the top two Superman movies. Up next is Superman II. 

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