Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film produced, co-written and directed by Bryan Singer. The film serves as the fifth and final installment of Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology. It stars Brandon Routh as Superman/Clark Kent, Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor, James Marsden as Richard White, Frank Langella as Perry White, and Sam Huntington as Jimmy Olsen. Marlon Brando (who died in 2004) reprises his role of Jor-El from the 1978 Superman film through the use of previous footage combined with computer-generated imagery.
The film tells the story of Superman returning to Earth after a five-year absence. Director Singer has said that Superman Returns uses Superman: The Movie and Superman II as a vague history to the events of the film. By establishing the plot as taking place after the first two films, it consequently retcons Superman III, and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace out of existence.
It was to be followed by a sequel Superman: The Man of Steel, but due to the film being a commercial disappointment and critical failure it was cancelled. DC later rebooted the Superman film series with 2013's Man of Steel which had no relation to Donner and Singer's films.
Brandon Routh later reprised his role for the Arrowverse crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Cast[]
- Brandon Routh as Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman
- Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane
- James Marsden as Richard White
- Frank Langella as Perry White
- Eva Marie Saint as Martha Kent
- Parker Posey as Kitty Kowalski
- Kal Penn as Stanford
- Sam Huntington as Jimmy Olsen
- Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor
Gallery[]
Promotional images[]
Trivia[]
- Marc McClure, who played Jimmy Olsen in the original Superman Anthology, cameoed as a taxi driver.
- Superman director Richard Donner had previously worked with Superman Returns director Bryan Singer on X-Men.
- John Williams' musical score and themes were used in the film as another homage to the earlier films.
- After Superman saves Lois Lane on a passenger plane he tells them not to be put off flying as it is still statistically the safest way to travel, echoing the same line from Superman: The Movie after Superman saved Lois from a runaway helicopter.
- The Superman Returns novelization is significantly longer; in the final movie, almost all of Krypton's scenes, nearly a third of the story, is cut. Superman's visit to and subsequent escape from the remains of Krypton is available as a finished but deleted scene. The novelization, in general, portrays Superman as a less godlike character who struggles more both physically and emotionally. Lex Luthor has a dramatic breakdown upon witness Superman lifting his island, as opposed to his stoic reaction in the film. Perhaps the biggest story divergence is in the novelization, Jason, Lois' son, does not do anything superhuman and is not implied to be Superman's son.
| Films | |
|---|---|
| Released films | Superman • Superman II • Superman III • Supergirl • Superman IV: The Quest for Peace • Superman Returns |
| Alternate cuts | Superman: The Movie - Special Edition • Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut • Superman the Movie: Extended Cut |
| Unproduced films | Superman V: Reborn • Superman: The Man of Steel |