James Bond, Spider-Man and Doctor Who are just a few characters that come to mind when we think of roles that are so iconic that hundreds of actors would surely line up to play. And though each actor who embodies these characters might give their own interpretation of the character, and reach varying levels of success, there’s something special about these characters that remain immortalized through different actors through the years.
Superman, aka the Man of Steel, is another prime example. Though some actors like Henry Cavill and Christopher Reeve might immediately come to mind when you hear the name, the reporter-turned-superhero has been played by over 13 different actors through the years. Starting on the small screen in 1948 with Kirk Alyn, the superhero has taken different forms in movies, TV shows, animated movies and much more.
Most recently, David Corenswet, who’s starred in shows like Hollywood and movies like Look Both Ways, was announced as James Gunn’s newest selection for the role for the upcoming 2025 movie Superman: Legacy. Corenswet will be playing Clark Kent alongside The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel starRachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane.
In the running for Corenswet’s new job were The Great‘s Nicholas Hoult and UnREAL‘s Tom Brittney, per The Hollywood Reporter. As for Brosnahan’s role, the position was also coveted with Sex Education‘s Emma Mackey and Bridgerton‘s Phoebe Dynevor as the runners-up. Talk about tight competition!
In honor of Gunn’s recent Superman pick, we’ve compiled a list of all the handsome men who’ve played the iconic superhero over the years. Take a trip down memory lane below!
Kirk Alyn
Kirk Alyn made history in 1948 as the first-ever actor to play the iconic Man of Steel onscreen. Alyn first played the superhero in the 1948 serial film Superman, then returned in 1950 for Atom Man vs. Superman. The first of many!
George Reeves
Right after Alyn, the red cape was passed on to George Reeves, who became Superman for the first time in the 1951 theatrical film Superman and the Mole Men. Following the film’s success, Reeves also starred in a TV series about the hero, titled Adventures of Superman, which had six seasons from 1952 to 1958. Sadly, in 1959, Reeves passed away from a gunshot wound.
Bud Collyer
A few years after Reeves’ passing, the Man of Steel graced the screen again this time in an animated form. In 1966, Bud Collyer began voice-acting Superman in the animated series The New Adventures of Superman. The show went on for four seasons, ending in 1970.
Christopher Reeve
In 1978, Christopher Reeve became one of the most iconic iterations of the superhero as he starred in Richard Donner’s iconic 1978 movie Superman. Reeve would then continue wearing the cape in 1980’s Superman II, 1983’s Superman III and 1987’s Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.
In another unfortunate ending for an actor who took on the role, Reeve suffered a horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him quadriplegic. Following the accident, Reeve became an advocate for research into spinal cord injuries until his 2004 passing at age 52.
John Haymes Newton
Becoming one of the lesser known Supermans, John Haymes Newton played the superhero for a limited time in the TV series Superboy. Though the series ran for four seasons from 1988 to 1992, Newton only starred in the first season before being recast.
Gerard Christopher
Speaking of Newston’s recast, the actor was replaced by Gerard Christopher who would go on to continue the role in seasons 2 to 4.
Dean Cain
Right after the end of Superboy, ABC began production on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. In the series, actor Dean Cain starred as Superman opposite Teri Hatcher as Lois Lane. The show was later canceled in 1997 also after four seasons.
Tom Welling
Unlike the previous Superman-centered shows, Tom Welling’s portrayal of the character lasted much longer than four seasons. In fact, Welling played the Man of Steel in Smallville for ten seasons from 2001 to 2011. Given his iconic tenure as the hero, Welling even went on to return to the character in 2019’s Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Brandon Routh
While Welling continued starring in Smallville, Brandon Routh also took on the cape for 2006’s Superman Returns. Although the movie was a blockbuster fail, per Screen Rant, Routh garnered many fans through his portrayal. So much so that Routh also returned to the character in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Henry Cavill
Moving on to a very successful tenure as the Man of Steel, Henry Cavill as Superman opened Zack Synder’s DC Universe in 2013’s Man of Steel. Following its success, Cavill returned in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, 2017’s Justice League and even returned for a cameo in Black Adam.
Tyler Hoechlin
Speaking of cameos, Tyler Hoechlin’s role as Superman initially started as a small cameo in Melissa Benoist’s Supergirl. After that, Hoechlin continued the minor appearances in CW’s The Flash and Arrow as part of crossover events. Following the fan response, however, Hoechlin guaranteed a show of his own as the lead in the Superman & Lois series alongside Elizabeth Tulloch as Lois Lane. The show is currently airing its third season.
Nicolas Cage
Making this one of the most unexpected castings for the part, Nicolas Cage has played the role of Superman more than once. In addition to voice-acting as the hero in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies in 2018, Cage also almost had his very own Superman movie back in 1998 with Tim Burton’s Superman Lives. Though the movie was eventually scrapped, Cage got to live out his dream of wearing the blue and red uniform in this year’s The Flash as he made a brief but note-worthy cameo in the star-studded DC movie.
Channing Tatum
Although we’ve never seen Channing Tatum wear the blue and red suit himself, the actor has voice-acted the part three times for the Lego Movie franchise. Tatum played Lego Superman in 2014’s The Lego Movie, 2017’s The Lego Batman Movie and 2019’s The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part.
David Corenswet
David Corenswet is set to star as Superman in James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy on July 11, 2025.
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