10. Man of Steel (and the DCEU Superman suits)
Worn by: Henry Cavill
The DC Extended Universe attempted to relaunch Superman for another generation. For a moment, it succeeded with 2013's Man of Steel kickstarting a new chapter in his cinematic legacy. For that, star Henry Cavill needed a new suit.
Zack Snyder's vision for the DCEU involved larger-than-life God-like heroes with medieval-esque armor. That came across right from the start in Superman's suit, which set itself apart from all of its predecessors pretty quickly. It's much shinier on the surface, but once you look closer, you can see why, as its created from a mixture of chainmail and foam latex. It gives it more of a skintight look and fully sells the idea that this Kryptonian bodysuit is actually a suit of armor incapable of being destroyed.
The House of El symbol on its chest is also strikingly different from all of its predecessors, as the DCEU slightly modified it. It works well (although the middle of the "S" is a little too big), and the muted colors work in the grim world of the DCEU. But that also presents an issue, because it doesn't feel as traditionally triumphant as Superman's suit of armor should.
One other minor issue is that the sleek look and the designs around its waist make it look a bit like a swimsuit. If this was Aquaman's suit, we'd buy it completely. But on Superman's, it looks a little strange.
Superman wore multiple suits during his DCEU stint but they were all essentially the same designs, so we're choosing to rank them as one. The black one in Zack Snyder's Justice League is a thing of beauty while the more colorful version in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice feels a little closer to the perfection the DCEU was striving for. It got oh-so-close.
9. Superman (2025)
Worn by: David Corenswet
From the very first moment that that first image of David Corenswet suited up in that iconic uniform surfaced, fans have had some very strong opinions. The young actor, a longtime fan-casting dream, is the next to don the cape of the Kryptonian and the glasses of Clark Kent as he headlines James Gunn's Superman. The film will act as a launching pad for the DC Universe, which looks to be what the former DCEU never quite managed to be: An equivalent to Marvel Studios' juggernaut MCU. So, yeah, people have strong opinions already.
The suit very quickly differentiates itself from the DCEU's iterations simply because of the decision to add more color. Yes, Corenswet's suit is full of color, taking us back to Superman's bright and light-hearted beginnings. It also has the iconic red trunks, which have not appeared in a live-action Superman movie since 2005's Superman Returns. To say this has delighted the fans who love comic-accuracy would be an understatement, for Gunn's Superman certainly looks like he stepped straight off the pages of a DC Comics storyline.
There are some differences, however. The Superman suit has opted for the sharper Kingdom Come House of El symbol on its chest, which certainly gives it its own identity - as does the more uniform-like look that takes its cues from the character's New 52 look. These are some of the elements that divided fans (mostly due to some out-of-context set photos) but given how great this suit looks in the film's trailer, something tells us we're in for a truly classic Superman look when this movie arrives in theaters.
We knew that David Corenswet had all the makings of a classic Superman when he was cast and that feeling has only increased after seeing him in the suit.