All the Actors Who Have Played Superman on Screen
- - - All the Actors Who Have Played Superman on Screen
Zoey Lyttle, Stephanie SengweJuly 11, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty; Cannon/Dc Comics/Kobal/Shutterstock; Warner Bros. Entertainment
Kirk Alyn, Christopher Reeve, and Henry Cavill as Superman
Superman and Clark Kent might be the same person, but they've been seen with several different faces.
Several actors have donned the famed crimson cape on big and small screens through the years, in black and white and in vibrant color film. Playing the DC Comics character — who debuted in graphic periodicals back in 1938 — has become a coveted, career-altering role for performers.
From Kirk Alyn's live-action start to Henry Cavill's multiverse run and David Corenswet's upcoming appearance, see the list of Supermen who've flown into the robust franchise over the years.
Kirk Alyn
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Kirk Alyn
Superman first took live-action action form in 1948, when Kirk Alyn stepped into the role in a 15-episode film serial. He continued playing the hero and his alter ego, Clark Kent, in the sequel serial production Atom Man vs. Superman, which was released in 1950.
George Reeves
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George Reeves
In 1951, George Reeves played the gallant superhero in the first feature film based on a DC Comics character, Superman and the Mole Man. Then he took the comic book character into the world of television. The Adventures of Superman ran from 1952 to 1958 and starred Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane. The show initially aired in black and white, but after two seasons, Superman's classic costume could be seen in its full blue, red and yellow glory.
Though there was interest in continuing Superman's story, Reeves' time in the role ended abruptly. Just over one year after production ended, Reeves died at age 45; his death was ruled a suicide but remains controversial.
Christopher Reeve
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Christopher Reeve
Superman got a blockbuster makeover in 1978, when Christopher Reeve flew into the franchise. The movie saw Reeve sharing the big screen with Marlon Brando (playing his father) and Gene Hackman (playing enemy Lex Luthor), as well as Margot Kidder as Lois Lane.
The critically acclaimed production led to three sequels, all of which featured Reeve in the cape. He reprised the dual role of Superman and Clark Kent in 1980, in 1983 and again in 1987 with Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.
In 1995, Reeve suffered a spinal injury in a horse riding accident and became paralyzed from the neck down. The incident prevented him from playing Superman again, but Reeve remained a significant part of the franchise until and even after his death in 2004.
Dean Cain
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Dean Cain
Dean Cain played the Man of Steel in the TV show Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. The ABC series – which also starred Teri Hatcher as Superman's love interest Lois Lane – aired for four seasons from 1993 through 1997.
Tom Welling
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Tom Welling
Tom Welling's portrayal of Superman stood out from other actors' takes on the character – mainly because he wasn't playing "Superman" at all.
Welling first appeared as Clark Kent in 2001, when Smallville premiered on The WB. (It later aired on The CW.) The series instead explored the hero's origin story over its 10 seasons on the air; Welling's character didn't embrace the Superman identity or wear the iconic suit until the series finale, which jumped seven years into Clark's future.
Despite its departure from standard Superman imagery, Smallville consistently paid tribute to earlier adaptations. The series featured cameos from franchise alumni, including Welling's predecessors Christopher Reeve and Dean Cain; it also cast previous Lois Lane Margot Kidder (and, fun fact, a future Lois, Amy Adams).
Brandon Routh
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Brandon Routh
The comic book legend made a comeback on screens in 2006. Brandon Routh saved the day in the Warner Bros. flick Superman Returns. According to Variety, the actor also auditioned for the role of Clark Kent in Smallville but lost out to Tom Welling.
Henry Cavill
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Henry Cavill
Henry Cavill made history as the first non-American actor to play Superman in 2013. The British star starred in Man of Steel, the next big-screen, big-budget reboot. Beyond the 2016 follow-up film, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Cavill's Superman has extended out into the DC Universe. He appeared with other heroes in later films Justice League and Black Adam.
Despite his excitement about reprising the role, Cavill announced that he wouldn't be playing Superman in the next film. He shared the "sad news" of his departure on Instagram in late 2022, noting that he'd just finished a meeting with the co-CEOS of DC Studios, James Gunn and Peter Safran.
"After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn't the easiest, but that's life," read Cavill's text post on social media. "The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that. James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them and all involved with the new universe the best of luck, and the happiest of fortunes."
Tyler Hoechlin
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Tyler Hoechlin was already a seasoned hero by the time his current series Superman & Lois premiered in 2021, as he first stepped into the role on the shows Supergirl, The Flash and Arrow. While all of Hoechlin's Superman appearances have been on CW shows, those three series exist in a decidedly separate universe from Superman & Lois.
David Corenswet
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David Corenswet
Superman is getting a fresh face in James Gunn's latest film installment, Superman. Pearl actor David Corenswet dons the cape on screen alongside a new Lois Lane, Rachel Brosnahan.
For Corenswet's part, the news that he'd be playing the Man of Steel coincided with other personal news: his wife was pregnant.
“She told me that she was pregnant two days after I found out I was going to screen test for Superman,” the actor revealed to PEOPLE. “For the first several months of her pregnancy, as is sort of protocol, we weren’t telling anybody. We had these two quite huge secrets that we just had between the two of us. And that was intense.”
The film, out July 11, 2025, already has fans talking.
on People
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