Superman is a character that needs no introduction, as he's become one of the most popular characters in all of fiction. His iconic costume, especially his "S" symbol (a.k.a. the House of El's coat of arms), is revered throughout the world, and the character is still being discussed and adapted into movies and TV to this very day.
Actor David Corenswet is the next actor to put on the red cape in this summer's Superman film, directed by one of the heads of DC Studios James Gunn. Promotion for the film has begun and, with the release of the teaser for the movie just recently, now would be a good time to discuss which actor portrayed Superman the best in the character's many incarnations.
Out of the myriad of live action Superman actors, I can only think of two that really embodied the characters of both the Man of Steel and Clark Kent in their performances - and they are Christopher Reeve and Tyler Hoechlin. With that in mind, let's look at the projects they have appeared in, and see if we can conclude with which one is my favorite live action Superman.
First up, the newest kid on the block, Tyler Hoechlin!
Tyler Hoechlin brought a new layer to the classic Superman
Tyler Hoechlin has had an interesting run as Superman. He first debuted as the character in the season 2 premiere of Supergirl (after the first season used a CGI stand-in for the Man of Steel and didn't show his face). He recurred throughout the second season before eventually returning for more sporadic appearances, both in Supergirl and throughout the other Arrowverse shows The Flash, Arrow, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman, appearing in the Crisis on Earth X and Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover events.
The early years of Hoechlin's Superman were, for me, a little underwhelming, mainly because his Superman wasn't seen on screen enough for me to care a great deal about what happens to his version of the character. And I thought that after Crisis on Infinite Earths and the overall end of the Arrowverse, that his time as Superman wouldn't be all that well-remembered because of his limited appearances. However, Hoechlin not only continued to play Superman beyond that, he headline his own series titled Superman and Lois, which first aired in February 2021. He and Supergirl costar Elizabeth Tulloch reprised their roles as the titular characters, playing alternate versions of Superman and Lois Lane.
If any of you have read Bam Smack Pow's coverage of Superman and Lois' final season, then you will know that this series defied everyone's expectations, including yours truly. By the time that the show premiered, I was out from the Arrowverse and its myriad of shows, so I wasn't particularly excited for this one's premiere. Nevertheless, I was intrigued. So, I sat down and watched the premiere, and guess what? I was pleasantly surprised by how good the premiere was, and from that point on, I was hooked!
Superman and Lois did something that no other live action Superman show has done: It showed us Clark and Lois as parents! Most people associate Superman as the bumbling news reporter trying to get Lois Lane to fall in love with his whole self, Superman and Clark Kent, while battling crime and supervillains. Superman and Lois explored the superhero side of the Man of Steel, of course, but it added the family drama that was a welcome change to the usual Superman formula. Everything about this show felt and looked different from any of the past Arrowverse shows, and Hoechlin's performance very quickly placed him among the very best actors to ever play the role.
Hoechlin embodied the best qualities of Superman from the comics, such as his love for his fellow man and family, and that was present whenever he was on screen. Plus, he was a badass as well! The scene that everyone talked about after it aired was when Clark confronted Emmitt Pergande, the father of his son's girlfriend, after he threatened Jonathan's life. That was a very powerful scene that showed Hoechlin's Superman wasn't one you should mess around with, despite his restrained, delightful, Clark Kent attitude most of the time.
Tyler Hoechlin delivered one of the most nuanced, grounded, and comic-accurate takes on Superman that paid tribute to the comics and tried its own thing at the same time. The result was very impressive.
Christopher Reeve's heartfelt Superman is timeless
There isn't a lot that I can say or add that hasn't already been said about Christopher Reeve's Superman, but I'm going to try. Reeve was a relative unknown when he was cast to play the part of the Man of Tomorrow, but once movie audiences saw him flying across cinema screens for the first time in 1978, it was movie magic at its finest. While today some of the effects might seem a little dated or hokey, back when Superman was released it was revolutionary. The tag line on the posters leading up to the release stated "You'll believe a man can fly" - and to me and to generations of fans, Reeve's Superman did just that and more.
When I was growing up, I never really liked any of the live action Superman films before Man of Steel in 2013, mainly because I thought they were dated and campy, but as I've grown older and learned more about the character of Superman from other adaptions and the comics, I grew to appreciate and even enjoy the Reeve films. The main reason for that was Reeve's performance.
Are the films still corny? Yes, but that's part of the charm of these films, and Reeve was honestly the best choice to play Superman. Whenever he was on screen, he perfectly encapsulated both Superman and Clark Kent personas effortlessly. He could easily make you feel bad (or cringe, even) for Clark Kent's bumbling antics, while as Superman he could make you feel safe and reassured that he'd do anything to protect you from the bad guys.
To put it simply, Reeve as Superman felt - and continues to feel - like a warm hug. But he wasn't all fluff, because when he's on the job as Superman he can dish it out to criminals and super villains and take the punishment for the good of all mankind. Even though the quality of the original Superman movies took a nose dive after Superman II, the bottom line is: Christopher Reeve deserves the praise and adulation from people around the world for his Superman portrayal, and the world is a much better place for him having been in it.
And the winner is...
Finishing this article took quite a while for multiple reasons, but one of the main reasons was down to the fact that I was trying to figure out who was the best Superman between Reeve and Hoechlin, because both have proven themselves worthy of the legendary character and all he stands for. Taking everything into account, I'm going to have to go with Reeve, mainly because of those comforting feelings he brings whenever I see him on screen, and that is as relevant as ever because, in today's world, we need more people with a kind heart than ever before.
Don't get me wrong, I love Hoechlin's performance as well, but there is just something about the way that Reeve manages to resonate with audiences on the screen even all these years later; it's timeless. I am not saying every Superman actor has to do that in the same way, but it does set Reeve apart.
My opinion might change over time, but as of right now and after a lot of soul searching, I believe Reeve is the best live action Superman of all time.
What do you think? Between Hoechlin and Reeve, who's your favorite? Is there another live action Superman that you like better?