8. Tim Daly
Appeared in:Â Superman: The Animated Series
While weâve only included the actors to play Superman in live-action on this list up until now, it would be wrong of us to go on without appreciating the performance of Tim Daily in Superman: The Animated Series. The often underappreciated spinoff of Emmy-winning juggernaut Batman: The Animated Series , this classic show ran from 1996 until 2000 and it was part of the iconic DC Animated Universe.
Daly provided the voicework for Clark Kent and his heroic alter-ego, and he really helped shape the idea of what a modern Man of Steel should sound like. Gone were the days of bellowing voiceover and movie-star accents, and in its place was a gentle, reassuring, and soft-spoken hero. As the series showcased the beginnings of Superman, it was important that those around him, including Lois Lane, as well as those watching at home, could understand that he wasnât a threat. He really was there to do good, and Dalyâs gentle, nuanced performance went a long way in capturing that.
Unfortunately, he wasnât able to reprise his role for Justice League and Justice League Unlimited (likely due to his work on the series The Fugitive at the time), but his successor George Newburn was a worthy one, channelling Dalyâs beloved performance while also approaching it from a more authoritative angle, which worked perfectly now that the character was one of the leaders of the Justice League.
7. Henry Cavill
Appeared in: Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, Zack Snyderâs Justice League, Black Adam
Henry Cavill was tasked with launching a brand new Superman franchise when he headlined 2013âs Man of Steel. This was a post-Dark Knight world, where many superhero origin stories were trying to follow the Batman movieâs example and offer up more serious and grounded stories, and Cavill certainly delivered in the role, updating the Man of Steel for a modern generation while also giving us the beginnings of the triumphant hero we were familiar with.
Unfortunately, the DC Extended Universe would drop the ball with follow-up installments, with tonal inconsistencies and grim scripts preventing Cavill from following through on Kal-Elâs evolution. Instead of the hopeful hero bringing light to the darker DCEU, we were given a Superman that also struggled under all that darkness.
Superman does have the weight of the world on his shoulders, but the thing about him is that heâs supposed to remain a hopeful, positive symbol through all of that. While we always appreciate seeing the more human side to him that struggles with that balance (see: Superman and Lois), the DCEU failed to get the balance right. It looked like Zack Snyderâs Justice League might finally set him on the right path, but Warner Bros.â refusal to acknowledge that movie as canon created a huge roadblock. And that robbed Henry Cavill of the heroic Man of Steel sequel we all wanted to see.
Just like the controversy over his exit from the DCEU, the fault here lies with the powers that be. Cavill had all the makings of an excellent Superman and did a great job with the material he was given, but he deserved so much better.