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Summary
Supermanis one ofDC’smost popular character reference and has had 8 alive - action moving-picture show appearances in a conduce persona since 1978 , but gross boxwood office profits for the projects have varied importantly . The character started out with a box office hit , andSuperman(1978 ) also found critical acclaim withthe first superhero Oscar winnings . From there , however , Superman has check heavy box - post ups and down feather .
Box power earnings fromBox Office Mojoshow thatthe successes and loser of Superman movies have n’t been a linear progression . Moreover , giventhe multi - decade span of Superman on film , the business leader of puffiness also complicate looking at raw loge - berth earnings . no matter , here ’s how every live - activity Superhero movie has preformed from 1978 to the present .
Movie
Box Office profits
Superman IV : The Quest for Peace ( 1987 )
$ 30,281,020
Superman III ( 1983 )
$ 80,250,623
Superman II ( 1981 )
$ 216,385,706
Superman ( 1978 )
$ 300,478,449
Superman Returns ( 2006 )
$ 404,231,192
Justice League ( 2017 )
$ 661,326,987
Man of Steel ( 2013 )
$ 670,145,518
Batman V. Superman : Dawn of Justice ( 2016 )
$ 874,362,803
There is a long and rich history of picture found on DC Comics , but an exceptional few projects have reached fantastic corner - office milestone .
8Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987) Is The Lowest-Earning Superman Movie Of All Time
$30,281,020 Worldwide Box Office Earnings
Sequels are difficult , but coming fourth in a series and maintaining the same success as the first movie is nearly unsufferable . Superman IV : The Quest for Peacefaced this problem afterSupermanhad been such a monolithic achiever in 1978 . In addition to gross hundred of 1000000 of dollar less than its early predecessor at the box office , Superman IVreceived pregnant criticism from fan and critics alike .
Widely consider as the bad Superman film , the fourth installment in Christopher Reeve ’s Superman dealership has an amazingly down 3.7/10 score onIMDBand a 10 % critic score onRotten Tomatoes . The consultation score is n’t much better , at 16 % . Reasons for the movie ’s flop despite the magnanimous achiever of Reeve ’s Superman include monumental gash to the duration of the motion-picture show that left the plot unsatisfying and difficult to keep up , disappointing visual impression , and a lack of originality . The unfavorable judgment is apparently bring in , kick in thateven Reeve regretted makingSuperman IV .
7Superman III (1983) Performed Better Than IV But Considerably Worse Than Its Two Predecessors
$80,250,623 Worldwide Box Office Earnings
While not nearly as criticise asSuperman IV , Superman IIIcomes in as the second - low-spirited - earning Superman picture . especially in light of how successful and celebratedSupermanandSuperman IIwere , the drop in box office earnings and interracial reviews from audiences and critic signaled the origin of the close for Reeve ’s Superman . In fact , Reeve lumpedSuperman IIIin with his regret over harmonize to makeSuperman IVbecause the two shared several flaws .
Superman IIIhad a slightly better response than its sequel , earning a 5/10 onIMDBand a 29 % critic score onRotten Tomatoes . Interestingly , critics seem to have care it more than fans did ; the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is 23 % . Even so , audiences were unhappy with the changes this installing made to the Superman type , who had become pop in the first two pic . Superman IIIis view as being goofier and a number more campy , and the tonic transformation did not go over well .
6Superman II (1981) Started Superman’s Trend Of Sequels' Declining Box Office Numbers
$216,385,706 Worldwide Box Office Earnings
Superman IIis widely regarded as an excellent Superman film , with many regard it just as good as the first — a major feat for a sequel . The film has a complicated history , though , even given its success . While it was first released in 1981 to fairly cosmopolitan acclamation , the moving picture had undergone changes when tension began between producers and the original director , Richard Donner . Donner had directedSuperman , a major achiever , but conflicts on set lead to his removal from the 2nd pic during production .
Eventually , in response to lover curiosity , Superman II : The Richard Donner Cutwas free , with some feeling that it would have been a better motion-picture show . Despite this bit of disputation , though , even the original cut perform passing well . While it ’s technically third lowest in footing of Superman movie box seat government agency earnings , inflation must be taken into news report . $ 216,000,000 in 1981 is equivalent to significantly more money in 2024 , which have in mind that , if puffiness - adjusted , Superman IIwould have a much higher ranking .
5Superman (1978) Was Christopher Reeve’s First and Highest Grossing Superman Appearance
$300,478,449 Worldwide Box Office Earnings
Despite the last installments of Reeve ’s Superman picture being poorly find , Superman : The Movieis considered by many to bethe best Superman movie . As Superman ’s first live - action , full - length movie appearance , it became something of a cultural phenomenon , but the piece of writing , acting , and result of the picture show are largely view to hold up even now . While a pocket-sized part of this might be chalked up to nostalgia , Reeve ’s depiction of Superman and the thoughtfulness behind the script more than clear their success .
Adjusted for inflation , Superman(1978 ) would have made over $ 1 billion if released in 2024 .
Superman’sbox post earnings , again accounting for inflation ’s encroachment on those numbers , speak for themselves , as does its 94 % critic rating onRotten Tomatoes . A $ 300,000,000 boxwood office murder in 1978 , adjusting for inflation , puts the motion picture above the Man of Steel ’s more innovative cinematic sashay . That high slot would likely be more appropriate for the pic , cut - and - wry numbers aside , devote its prominence in the long argumentation of Superman films .
4Superman Returns (2006) Brought Superman Into The 21st Century With A Bang
$404,231,192 Worldwide Box Office Earnings
After the flop ofSuperman IV , audiences demand a unexampled Superman story , andSuperman Returnsoffered on the button that . Perhaps due in part to this expectation ( and doubtless with the aid of inflation ) , this pic grossed more at the box spot thanSuperman , and it was generally well - received . Interestingly , despite the gamey earnings , the movie did n’t fare as well asSupermanin terms of critic and hearing piles . OnRotten Tomatoes , Superman Returnshas a 74 % from critics and a much low-spirited 61 % audience musical score .
Reasons for its grudge included slow pacing and some serious plot holes , but much of the criticism revolved around comparing it toSuperman . Many ascertain that it paled in equivalence to the classic . It ’s important to commend , though , that most of these assessment are made long after the movie premiered . Reception at the time of the film ’s spillage was likely more positive . This is specially reliable forSuperman Returns , which came out a few years beforeIron Man(2008 ) . Since then , the MCU and DCEU have set off , perhaps makingSuperman Returnsseem less telling .
3Justice League’s (2017) Ensemble Cast Drew Audiences To The Theater
$661,326,987 Worldwide Box Office Earnings
jurist Leaguewas an exciting update for the DCEU as the titular team ’s only live - action movie to date , and it spark off significant interest for that grounds , draw in over $ 600 million in box billet pay . Despite add up in third in condition of highest - earn Superman movies , though , it performed very naughtily with critics and isconsidered prejudicious to the big DCEU . OnRotten Tomatoes , Justice Leaguehas an astoundingly low critic scotch of 39 % . hearing liked it a piece more , but it ca n’t be considered a true achiever with an audience grievance of 67 % .
The reason for the gap , despite its higher earnings , may be rising prices , specially because it was reckon a boxful office disappointment . The earnings might be better impute to the fact that it was extremely anticipated , get devotee to theaters , but was then a letdown . Critics cite lean character and chaotic action scenes among the movie ’s publication . Interestingly , Justice Leaguefollowed in the footsteps ofSuperman II , with itsZack Snyder ’s Justice Leaguecut in 2021 . Like its predecessor , Justice League’supdated cut was better get than the original .
2Henry Cavill’s Man Of Steel (2013) Was A Success
$670,145,518 Worldwide Box Office Earnings
As the new Superman on the scene following Brandon Routh ’s portrait inSuperman Returns , Henry Cavill had an uphill battle . Superman movies up until that period had mostly faced a mixed reception , except forSupermanand its direct continuation . serviceman of Steelperformed importantly good thanJustice Leaguein interview and critic reviews , with a 75 % interview score and a 56 % from critics onRotten Tomatoes . This split also mean that critic foundMan of Steelto be much worse thanSuperman Returns , while audiences marginally wish it more .
Despite the movie ’s fairly poor reception from critic , Man of Steelhas cured welland remains fairly pop with the fans . Cavill , in particular , has become increasingly dear as an actor since 2013 , and that has likely boosted fan perceptions ofMan of Steeland Cavill ’s portrayal of Superman more broadly . Given that audiences had also favour Zack Snyder ’s cut ofJustice League , it ’s perhaps unsurprising thatMan of Steel , lead by Snyder , is democratic enough to have earned the 2d - stead spot for highest - earning Superman movies .
1Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016) Is The Top-Grossing Superman Movie Of All Time
$874,362,803 Worldwide Box Office Earnings
Batman V Superman : Dawn of Justicewas a extremely - foresee movie , and its box office profit muse that . These number are a spot deceptive , though , give the very dissentious responses to the movie . Despite being the highest - earning motion picture with Superman in a leading part , Batman V. Supermanwas exceedingly poorly receive by critics , earning an unfathomable 29 % critic score onRotten Tomatoes . audience prefer it significantly more , collapse the flick an overall 63 % mark , but that meanswhile it was the highest - earning Superman movie at the box office , it was not the best received .
These water parting between critic and audience scores , particularly latterly , may signal a trend for superhero motion picture . Generally , audience have rated late DC films eminent than critic have , and , establish on how often critics reference dizzying action sequences as a pitfall of the movies , audiences and critics may be looking for different things . This would n’t be all that surprising for superhero movies , which tend to be massively pop as a musical genre for devotee , but less so for film critics . disregarding , the miscellaneous story ofSuperman’slive - action movie appearances sets up an interesting challenge for the upcomingSuperman : Legacy .
Every Superman picture in this list can be streamed on Max .
