Superman (1978): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Where to Watch
Superman is a 1978 action thriller directed by Richard Donner, starring Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder and Christopher Reeve. It brings to the screen characters from Superman: The Golden Age, Vol. 1 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. It runs 2 hours 23 minutes and earned $300.5 million worldwide on a $55 million budget. It won 1 Oscar, including Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects), and 3 awards in all. Stream it on HBO Max and YouTube TV, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 23m (143 min)
- Director
- Richard Donner
- Original language
-
Malayalam - Studio
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Budget
- $55M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Superman About?
The premise of Superman without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A determined police officer, Nithya, is tasked with investigating a dangerous assassination attempt targeting the Home Minister. As she delves deeper into the mystery, she finds herself drawn into a complex web of deceit and becomes unexpectedly involved with the mysterious Superman. Torn between her duty to uphold the law and a burgeoning romantic connection, Nithya must uncover the truth while navigating a world of secrets and hidden agendas.
Superman Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- superhero
- based on comic book
- superhero origin
- dam burst
- superman character
- famous score
- hero
- alien
- orphan
- blockbuster
- action hero
- alien superhero
+38 more Show fewer
- 1960s
- flying
- crystal
- megalomaniac
- father son relationship
- flying superhero
- krypton the planet
- cape
- fainting
- christ allegory
- reporter
- super strength
- outer space
- new york city
- falling from height
- alien contact
- lightning
- newspaper
- helicopter
- cheerleader
- rescue
- photographer
- police chase
- glowing crystal
- swimming pool
- thunderstorm
- time reversal
- x ray vision
- prison
- rooftop
- farm
- hologram
- foundling
- product placement
- cemetery
- funeral
- loss of husband
- barn
Where to Watch Superman
Stream it on HBO Max and YouTube TV, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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Superman Cast
Gene Hackman leads the cast, with Margot Kidder and Christopher Reeve. Directed by Richard Donner.
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Director Richard Donner
Superman Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Superman 82 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.4/10.
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IMDb 7.4 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 82 Metascore
User score 7.9
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 71% User score
See on TMDB
Superman Plot Summary
What happens in Superman from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 17 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
June 1938 marks the beginning of an epic tale. The film opens with a child engrossed in a comic about the Daily Planet, Metropolis’s most prominent newspaper. As the child flips the pages, the scene transitions to the majestic skyline of the Daily Planet, leading up to a captivating journey through space that ultimately reveals the beautiful yet doomed planet of Krypton. This planet, home to a sophisticated race resembling humans, possesses a remarkable molecular structure shaped by its heavy gravity and the influence of a red sun.
Full summary
The whole story of Superman, scene by scene
Superman Box Office & Budget
Superman grossed $300.5 million worldwide on a $55 million budget, 5.5 times what it cost. $134.5 million came from the US and Canada and $166 million (55%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$300.5M
5.5× its budget
- US & Canada
- $134.5M
- International
- $166M
- Budget
- $55M
Superman Awards & Nominations
Superman won 1 Oscar, including Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects), and 3 awards in all. Its biggest night was the BAFTA 1979, with 2 wins from 6 nominations.
3 wins10 nominations2 ceremonies
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BAFTA 1979 2 wins · 6 nominations- Won Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles – Christopher Reeve
- Won Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema
- Nominated Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Gene Hackman
- Nominated Best Cinematography
- Nominated Best Production Design
-
Oscars 1979 1 win · 4 nominations- Won Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects)
- Nominated Film Editing
- Nominated Music (Original Score)
- Nominated Sound
Superman Trailers & Videos
28 videos: 3 trailers, 11 clips, 10 featurettes and 4 behind-the-scenes videos.
- Trailer Original Theatrical Trailer
- Trailer Modern Trailer Recut
- Clip Full Movie Preview
- Clip DC Super Scenes: Lois & Clark's Night Out
How Well Do You Know Superman?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What catastrophic event forced Jor-El to send his son Kal-El to Earth?
Superman Also Known As
24 alternative titles, including “Superman: The Movie” and “Super-Homem”.
- Also known as
-
- Superman: The Movie
- Super-Homem
- Superman: The Movie - Special Edition
- Superman - Der Film
- Superman: La Película
- Superman: Film
- Superman: Film - Režisérská verze
- Superman: The Movie - Extended Cut
- Superman: První část
- Superman - Special Edition
- စူပါမန်း
- Superman 1 - Der Film
+12 more Show fewer
- Супермен
- 超人
- Superman the Movie
- Σούπερμαν
- סופרמן
- スーパーマン
- 슈퍼맨
- Superman: O Filme
- ซูเปอร์แมน
- Superman : Le film, სუპერმენი
- Siêu Nhân
- سوپرمن
Seen Superman?
Movies Like Superman
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Superman, Superman and Superman.
Superman FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Box Office
Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office, ratings and awards of Superman, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Superman?
Superman runs 2 hours 23 minutes (143 minutes).
When was Superman released?
Superman was released on December 15, 1978.
Who directed Superman?
Superman was directed by Richard Donner.
More films by Richard Donner Who is in the cast of Superman?
Superman stars Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder and Christopher Reeve.
Where can I watch Superman?
In the US, Superman is streaming on HBO Max and YouTube TV and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).
How much did Superman make at the box office?
Superman grossed $300.5 million worldwide ($134.5 million domestic, $166 million international) on a budget of $55 million.
How is Superman rated?
Superman has 7.4/10 on IMDb, 82 on Metacritic and 71% on TMDB.
What awards did Superman win?
Superman won 3 awards from 10 nominations, including Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles at the BAFTA 1979.
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