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Superman Adaptations on the Big and Small Screen - Best Portrayals
Posted on 8/14/25 at 8:36 pm
Posted on 8/14/25 at 8:36 pm
In all of the Superman movies and TV shows, which actor did you like most as each character? Confession: I have not seen the new movie.
My faves:
Superman: Christopher Reeve or Henry Cavill
Clark Kent: Reeve
Lois Lane: Amy Adams (I like that she figured it out)
Jor-El: Russell Crowe (though I did think Brando's Fortress of Solitude speech may have been better)
Jonathon Kent: Glenn Ford (not even close)
Lex Luthor: Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville)
Lana Lang: Kristin Kreuk (not really fair since the character did not get much/any screen time in many other adaptations than Smallville)
Bonus: Favorite scene from all movies and TV shows: Helicopter rescue with Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, and the pimp.
My faves:
Superman: Christopher Reeve or Henry Cavill
Clark Kent: Reeve
Lois Lane: Amy Adams (I like that she figured it out)
Jor-El: Russell Crowe (though I did think Brando's Fortress of Solitude speech may have been better)
Jonathon Kent: Glenn Ford (not even close)
Lex Luthor: Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville)
Lana Lang: Kristin Kreuk (not really fair since the character did not get much/any screen time in many other adaptations than Smallville)
Bonus: Favorite scene from all movies and TV shows: Helicopter rescue with Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, and the pimp.
11
Posted on 8/14/25 at 9:17 pm to Broadside Bob
quote:
Lois Lane: Amy Adams (I like that she figured it out)
You saw Smallville and thought Amy Adams was better?
quote:
Lana Lang: Kristin Kreuk (not really fair since the character did not get much/any screen time in many other adaptations than Smallville)
The most prominent big screen Lana is in Superman III played by future Martha, Annette O'Toole.
Posted on 8/14/25 at 9:19 pm to saintsfan22
Adams is a great actress, but her and Cavill didn't have much chemistry
Posted on 8/14/25 at 9:27 pm to Broadside Bob
Bitsie Tulloch was better in Superman and Lois, but she had more time to develop.
quote:I think the plane crash rescue in Superman Returns embodies Superman better than any other live action showing.
Bonus: Favorite scene from all movies and TV shows: Helicopter rescue with Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, and the pimp.
This post was edited on 8/14/25 at 9:29 pm
Posted on 8/14/25 at 9:35 pm to Broadside Bob
Christopher Reeve will always be Superman and Gene Hackman will always be Lex Luthor to me.
Posted on 8/14/25 at 9:48 pm to Broadside Bob
The animated series from the 90’s trumps any film adaptation, but…
Superman: Reeve
Clark: Reeves
Lois: Brosnahan
Luthor: Rosenbaum
Jimmy: Gironde
Jor-el: Brando
Pa Kent: Ford
Ma Kent: Lane
Lana: O’Toole
Perry: Cooper
Superman: Reeve
Clark: Reeves
Lois: Brosnahan
Luthor: Rosenbaum
Jimmy: Gironde
Jor-el: Brando
Pa Kent: Ford
Ma Kent: Lane
Lana: O’Toole
Perry: Cooper
Posted on 8/14/25 at 9:52 pm to Broadside Bob
Rosenbaum was the best Lex. Having Lionel Luthor made his role even better
Posted on 8/14/25 at 10:19 pm to Broadside Bob
I just know the movies.
Cavill looked the best. Reeve had the most iconic portrayal. Corenswet is great and kind of in between those two. More of a human portrayal. Less brooding than Cavill, also less Boy Scout than Reeve. I don’t have a favorite and like all of them for different reasons in their own movies. They all fit perfect in their universe.
Clark is Reeve irl lol. He’s the only Clark that really had his own personality completely different from Superman.
Margot Kidder is the best Louis imo. Rachel Brosnahan did a great job though.
Kevin Costner is the best Jonathan. Minus the death scene, and his advice. But he looked the best in the role lol. No other Jonathan really had much involvement in the other movies.
Russell Crowe is the best Jorel.
Gene Hackman is the best Lex. But Hoult did a great job.
Michael Keaton is my Batman. I know, not Superman related lol.
Cavill looked the best. Reeve had the most iconic portrayal. Corenswet is great and kind of in between those two. More of a human portrayal. Less brooding than Cavill, also less Boy Scout than Reeve. I don’t have a favorite and like all of them for different reasons in their own movies. They all fit perfect in their universe.
Clark is Reeve irl lol. He’s the only Clark that really had his own personality completely different from Superman.
Margot Kidder is the best Louis imo. Rachel Brosnahan did a great job though.
Kevin Costner is the best Jonathan. Minus the death scene, and his advice. But he looked the best in the role lol. No other Jonathan really had much involvement in the other movies.
Russell Crowe is the best Jorel.
Gene Hackman is the best Lex. But Hoult did a great job.
Michael Keaton is my Batman. I know, not Superman related lol.
This post was edited on 8/14/25 at 10:26 pm
Posted on 8/14/25 at 10:42 pm to abellsujr
Ron Rico is the best Captain.
Posted on 8/14/25 at 10:46 pm to abellsujr
quote:
Kevin Costner is the best Jonathan. Minus the death scene, and his advice. But he looked the best in the role lol. No other Jonathan really had much involvement in the other movies.
Russell Crowe is the best Jorel.
+1 the Snyder films had some great casting
Posted on 8/14/25 at 11:16 pm to Broadside Bob
(no message)
This post was edited on 5/6/26 at 12:27 am
Posted on 8/14/25 at 11:21 pm to OMLandshark
(no message)
This post was edited on 5/6/26 at 12:27 am
Posted on 8/15/25 at 12:01 am to OMLandshark
(no message)
This post was edited on 5/6/26 at 12:26 am
Posted on 8/15/25 at 5:13 pm to Broadside Bob
This is the definitive list:
Superman: Reeves of course, but Corenswet is the best since.
Clark: Welling (He was really young Superman without the suit and flight - he had all his powers, the Fortress with Joe-El, a job at the Planet by the end, marrying Lois, and battling Zod, Bizzaro, Brainac, Lex, etc.). I really wish he had a movie in the suit - Welling changed his mind later on and wanted to do it - but it was too late.
Lex: Rosenbaum by a mile
Lois: Durance but Kidder is classic Lois
Jonathan Kent: Glenn Ford but Schneider was a great modern day Paw Kent
Lana: Kreuk (so freakin’ hot and because Scotty doesn’t know)
Martha Kent: O’Toole
Jimmy: Jack Larson
Perry White: Jackie Cooper
Superman: Reeves of course, but Corenswet is the best since.
Clark: Welling (He was really young Superman without the suit and flight - he had all his powers, the Fortress with Joe-El, a job at the Planet by the end, marrying Lois, and battling Zod, Bizzaro, Brainac, Lex, etc.). I really wish he had a movie in the suit - Welling changed his mind later on and wanted to do it - but it was too late.
Lex: Rosenbaum by a mile
Lois: Durance but Kidder is classic Lois
Jonathan Kent: Glenn Ford but Schneider was a great modern day Paw Kent
Lana: Kreuk (so freakin’ hot and because Scotty doesn’t know)
Martha Kent: O’Toole
Jimmy: Jack Larson
Perry White: Jackie Cooper
Posted on 8/15/25 at 5:41 pm to Bham4Tide
For a WB/CW "teen" show, Smallville produced:
The best Lex
The best Lois (but Bitsie Tulloch is a damned strong 2nd)
The best Ma and Pa Kent
The best Clark
The most developed Lana
And also created two characters that were so good they became canon:
Chloe Sullivan
Lionel Luther
The best Lex
The best Lois (but Bitsie Tulloch is a damned strong 2nd)
The best Ma and Pa Kent
The best Clark
The most developed Lana
And also created two characters that were so good they became canon:
Chloe Sullivan
Lionel Luther
Posted on 8/15/25 at 8:59 pm to Broadside Bob
Superman: Cavill
Jor-El: Russell Crowe
Pa Kent: Costner
Zod: Michael Shannon
Lois: Brosnahan
Luthor: Hoult
Jor-El: Russell Crowe
Pa Kent: Costner
Zod: Michael Shannon
Lois: Brosnahan
Luthor: Hoult
This post was edited on 8/15/25 at 9:02 pm
Posted on 8/15/25 at 9:16 pm to udtiger
Smallville was just fricking awesome.
Posted on 8/15/25 at 9:16 pm to Proximo
Best rescue scene in ANY Superman movie
Posted on 8/15/25 at 9:23 pm to Broadside Bob
Superman: Christopher Reeve (especially if you consider his Clark Kent)
Lois Lane: Hatcher
Jor-El: Brando
Pa Kent: Glenn Ford
Lex: Hackman
Lana: Emmanuelle Chriqui
This is the charged image of all of the film adaptations of the character. It's almost as iconic as the Superman character itself and that's saying a lot.
Lois Lane: Hatcher
Jor-El: Brando
Pa Kent: Glenn Ford
Lex: Hackman
Lana: Emmanuelle Chriqui
quote:
Bonus: Favorite scene from all movies and TV shows: Helicopter rescue with Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, and the pimp.
This is the charged image of all of the film adaptations of the character. It's almost as iconic as the Superman character itself and that's saying a lot.
Posted on 8/16/25 at 7:38 am to MemphisGuy
quote:
Best rescue scene in ANY Superman movie
Agreed.
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