Superman leaped onto the screen in a single bound soon after his comics debut in 1938, and he’s remained a fixture of film and television ever since! Here’s a round-up of who plays the Man of Steel in every live-action Superman movie and TV show from the last 87+ years.
Note: The following list only covers live-action Superman-centric movies and TV shows. So, stuff like Nicholas Cage’s cameo in The Flash and the brief shot of an uncredited extra wearing Supes’ signature red boots in Titans doesn’t count. Oh, and no Clark Kent-only actors; you’ve gotta actually wear the cape to make the cut!
Kirk Alyn (Superman Serials)
The first live-action Superman actor, Kirk Alyn portrayed the Last Son of Krypton in two low-budget film serials, Superman (1948) and Atom Man vs. Superman (1950). In both productions, he’s effectively uncredited; unlike his co-stars, Alyn is listed by his character’s name in both serials! That said, promotional materials produced for Superman and Atom Man vs. Superman gave the OG screen Man of Steel his proper due, at least.
George Reeves (Superman and the Mole-Men, Adventures of Superman)
Kirk Alyn’s successor, George Reeves, was the first (but not the last) actor to play Superman on both the big and small screens. Reeves first filled the legendary role in 1951 cheapie Superman and the Mole Men, which was essentially a feature-length pilot for the better remembered Adventures of Superman TV show that aired from 1952-1958. A retooled version of Mole Men even served as Adventures of Superman‘s two-part series opener!
Christopher Reeve (Superman, Superman II, Superman III & Superman IV)
Christopher Reeve is the definitive Superman actor for an entire generation of fans. An unknown when he scored the gig, Reeve shot to stardom playing the Man of Tomorrow in 1978’s Superman. He reprised the role three more times, in Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). There were also plans for Reeve to make a cameo in 1984 spinoff Supergirl, however, the star backed out before shooting began.
John Haymes Newton (Superboy)
We deliberated over whether to feature the 1988-1992 Superboy (later retitled “The Adventures of Superboy”) on this list. But given the classic incarnation of Superboy is just Superman’s younger self, we’ve included original series lead John Haymes Newton and his successor, Gerard Christopher, in our round-up. Of the pair, Newton had the shorter tenure, exiting Superboy after Season 1 (supposedly in part due to a salary dispute with the producers).
Gerard Christopher (Superboy)
As noted above, when John Haymes Newton bowed out of Superboy, Gerard Christopher replaced him. Christopher remained in post for the remainder of the series, portraying both Superboy and his mild-mannered alter-ego Clark Kent for three seasons. He was also slated to return for a bunch of made-for-TV movies, however, rights issues ultimately scuppered these projects.
Dean Cain (Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman)
Dean Cain starred as Clark Kent/Superman in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, which aired on ABC from 1993-1997. He beat out dozens of candidates for the role – including Hercules: The Legendary Journeys headliner Kevin Sorbo! Like many one-time Men of Steel, Cain has since turned up in non-Superman roles in other franchise media, guest starring in Smallville and Supergirl.
Tom Welling (Smallville)
For the bulk of CW series Smallville‘s 10-season run, Tom Welling’s Clark Kent doesn’t go by Superman. He doesn’t sport DC Comics’ flagship superhero’s famous costume, either. Even so, Welling is playing Superman in Smallville – even if we only see him sport a red-and-yellow S-insignia on his chest for a few brief moments in the show’s series finale!
Brandon Routh (Superman Returns)
When director Bryan Singer decided to mount a quasi-relaunch of Reeve-era Superman flicks with 2006’s Superman Returns, he picked Reeve lookalike Brandon Routh for the titular role. Unfortunately, Routh’s debut as the Metropolis Marvel wasn’t as well-received as his predecessor’s, and a Superman Returns sequel never materialized. But hey: at least he got to play the part again in 2019 Arrowverse crossover “Crisis on Infinite Earths.”
Henry Cavill (DC Extended Universe)
Following the muted response to Superman Returns, Warner Bros. enlisted Zack Snyder to reboot the franchise with 2013’s Man of Steel. Snyder chose British actor – and Superman Returns reject! – Henry Cavill to play Superman in the big screen do-over. Cavill then reprised the role in several of the DC Extended Universe blockbusters that followed, including Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Justice League (2017), Black Adam (2022), and The Flash (2023) (the last of which is an all-CGI cameo). Meanwhile, stand-ins Ryan Hadley and Brad Abramenko doubled for Cavill in Shazam! and Peacemaker Season 1, respectively.
Tyler Hoechlin (Superman & Lois)
Before heading up his own show, the Arrowverse’s Superman debuted in Supergirl Season 1. Here, uncredited actor Kevin Caliber portrayed the Last Son of Krypton, whose face goes unseen. But when it came time for Superman’s “true” Arrowverse introduction in Season 2, Tyler Hoechlin took over for Caliber. And when the CW unveiled spinoff series Superman & Lois in 2021, it was Hoechlin who once again suited up as Superman – even though he’s technically playing a different version of the character.
David Corenswet (Superman; 2025 Reboot)
Rounding out this list of actors who’ve played Superman in live-action movies and TV shows is David Corenswet, star of James Gunn’s upcoming franchise reboot. Aside from 2025’s Superman, Corenswet is also expected to slip into Supes’ spandex in future installments of Gunn and fellow DC Studios co-head Peter Safran’s overhauled cinematic DC Universe. However, whether this actually happens presumably depends on how well Superman does at the box office!
The latest Superman actor, David Corenswet, debuts in James Gunn’s Superman reboot, slated for release on July 11, 2025.