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Perfect Order for Enjoying All the Superman Feature Films

What to Know

In release order:Superman: The Movie >Superman II >Superman III >Superman IV >Superman Returns >Man of Steel >Batman v. Superman >Justice League.
Christopher Reeve era:Superman: The Movie >Superman II >Superman III >Superman IV.
DCEU:Man of Steel >Batman v Superman >Justice League.

This article explains how to watch all the_Superman_ movies in order of release and by series, along with some non-linear ways to watch.

Note

While they’re not featured on this list, several serials were created in 1948 and 1950, which you can find on YouTube. And in 1951, Superman appeared in an independent black-and-white film called_Superman and the Mole Men_ , and that’s available on Amazon.

How to Watch the ‘Superman’ Movies in Release Order

If you have a healthy chunk of time to spare for a movie marathon, you could easily get through the original four_Superman_ movies in a weekend.

The whole gang is there: ambitious Lois Lane who inexplicably can’t spell, Clark Kent’s gee-whiz disguise marked by oversized glasses and his hair parted on the opposite side, Jimmy Olsen’s trusty camera and enthusiasm, and the no-nonsense_Daily Planet_ editor Perry White.

Keystone / Getty Images

Let’s not forget two other important supporting characters from these films: the impressive precision of Superman’s S-shaped forehead curl and his favorite changing vessel: the trusty phone booth.

The Superman retellings from the 2000s largely phase out the trademarks of the Man of Steel’s 80’s hairdo and his penchant for phone booths, but your favorite characters are still there.

Ready to compare notes? Here’s the best way to do that on your chosen streaming platform.

If a movie isn’t available on your streaming platform of choice, you can likely buy or rent it from someplace like Amazon, Apple TV, or Google Play.

Movie	Summary	Where to Watch
Superman: The Movie (1978)	The classic Superman original story sets the stage for the ongoing battle between Superman and Lex Luthor.	Max
Superman II (1981)	General Zod and co. escape imprisonment and wreak havoc on earth in partnership with Lex Luthor.	Max
Superman III (1983)	Superman grows apathetic after exposure to synthetic kryptonite devised by power-hungry millionaire villain Ross Webster.	Max
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)	Lex Luthor returns to create a new obstacle for Superman.	Max
Superman Returns (2006)	Superman emerges after five years of absence.	Max
Man of Steel (2013)	Another take on the Superman origin story.	Max
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)	A follow-up to Man of Steel. Batman and Superman battle.	Max
Justice League (2017)	Aquaman, Batman, Cyborg, the Flash, Superman, and Wonder Woman join up to save Earth from an alien invasion.	Max
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)	A four-hour version of the 2017 film by original director Zack Snyder. This one contains restored footage and reworked scenes.	Max

How to Watch the ‘Superman’ Movies By Era

You could also break up your viewing with a couple of strategic groupings by series.

The Christopher Reeve Era

These films feature many fans’ favorite Superman, Christopher Reeve, who played both the strong and confident Man of Steel and the bumbling, mild-mannered Clark Kent perfectly.

While not officially a part of the Christopher Reeve era,Superman Returns includes many elements of that run, including the theme music and Marlon Brando as Jor-El. You also can’t ignore Brandon Routh’s strong resemblance to Reeve.

Film	Where to Watch
Superman: The Movie	Max
Superman II	Max
Superman III	Max
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace	Max
Superman Returns	Max

DC Extended Universe

The DCEU ran from 2013 (Man of Steel ) to 2023 (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom ). Henry Cavill plays Superman in this franchise, and the character appears in several installments.

Here are all of Superman’s appearances in the DCEU, including cameos.

Film	Notes	Where to Watch
Man of Steel (2013)	First appearance by Henry Cavill as Superman.	Max
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)	Max
Justice League (2017)	Max
Shazam (2019)	No Henry Cavill here; Ryan Hadley plays Superman in a cameo (his face isn’t visible).	Max
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)	While it came out four years later, this movie is an alternate version of the 2017_Justice League_ .	Max
Black Adam (2022)	Henry Cavill’s last appearance as Superman.	Max
Peacemaker (TV-2022)	Brad Abramenko plays Superman in a non-speaking role.	Max
The Flash (2023)	Cavill–along with several other former Superman actors–appears in a multiversal hub.	Max

Alternate Ways to View the ‘Superman’ Movies

If you’re less concerned about chronological order or release order and more interested in comparing similar storylines, here are a few suggested non-linear pairings.

Compare Origin Stories

Origin stories are a quintessential part of superhero anything. Watch the original_Superman: The Movie_ and_Man of Steel_ to see where the two meet and diverge. There’s a considerable time gap between the two, 1978 versus 2013, but all things considered, the special effects from 1978 still hold up in their own (often comical) way.

If you’re interested in seeing more, several platforms offer extended cuts and special editions of both the Christopher Reeve era and DCEU Superman movies. Look for these versions on Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu, and YouTube.

Something Old, Something New, Something Newer

If you want to experience the Christopher Reeve era but don’t want to watch the whole series, you don’t have to.Superman II does a great job of summarizing the first movie in the intro credits and features two formidable enemies: General Zod and Lex Luthor.Superman III and_Superman IV_ are not as good, so you can leave it at the second one.

As for the newer options, you have your pick between a few. You could opt for the stand-alone retelling in the mid-aughts or a_Man of Steel_ /Batman v. Superman /Justice League triple-feature.

What Is ‘Superman’ (2025)?

The upcoming_Superman_ , directed by_The Suicide Squad_ writer-director James Gunn, is the start of the next franchise of DC movies: the DCU. It was formerly called_Superman: Legacy_ .

David Corenswet (Pearl ) is putting on the suit as Superman, while Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ) is playing Lois Lane. We’ll also see Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), Perry White (Wendell Pierce), and Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo).

How to Watch the Batman Movies in Order

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