How to watch the Superman movies in order

If you’re prepared to see all the cinematic portrayals of the mild-mannered reporter during the day and Superman, Well, at any time of the day or night, now is the perfect time to be an HBO Max subscriber. You can watch all the movies from the original race con Christopher Reeve and two of the reboots of the 2010s, courtesy of the integration of the DC Universe with the platform HBO streaming.

These and other Superman movies are spread across various streaming platforms for viewing with a subscription, rental, or purchase. Grab your popcorn and watch in premiere order, by series, or have a little fun with showing order.

Note:

Although they do not appear on this list, several serials were created in 1948 and 1950, which you can find on YouTube. And in 1951 Superman appeared in an independent black-and-white film call Superman and the mole men and which is available at Amazon Prime.

How to watch the Superman movies in order of release

If you have a decent amount of free time for a movie marathon, you could easily get through all four of the original Superman movies in one weekend. The whole gang is there: the ambitious Lois Lane who inexplicably can’t spell, the Clark Kent costume punctuated by oversized glasses and a different hairline, the trusty camera and the enthusiasm of Jimmy Olsen, and the no-nonsense editor of the Daily Planet, Perry White.

Let’s not forget two other important supporting characters from these films: the impressive precision of the yes from Superman and her favorite changeable vessel: the trusty phone booth.

Watch the Superman movies in order
Watch the Superman movies in order

The stories of Superman of the decade of 2000 largely eliminate styling marks eighties of the Man of Steel and his fondness for phone booths, but your favorite characters are the same and timelessly different. Ready to compare notes? Here is the best way to do it on the platform streaming that you have chosen.

Film plot highlight where to look
Superman: The Movie (1978) The classic Superman origin story that sets the stage for the ongoing battle between Superman and Lex Luthor. hbo max
DCUniverse
Amazon-Prime
Youtube
Voodoo
AppleTV
google play
Superman II (1981) General Zod and company. escape imprisonment and wreak havoc on earth in partnership with Lex Luthor. hbo max
DCUniverse
Amazon-Prime
Voodoo
AppleTV
google play
Superman III (1983) Superman becomes apathetic after exposure to a synthetic kryptonite devised by power-hungry millionaire villain Ross Webster. hbo max
DCUniverse
Amazon-Prime
Voodoo
AppleTV
google play
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) Lex Luthor returns to create a new obstacle for Superman in his quest for world peace. hbo max
DCUniverse
Amazon-Prime
Voodoo
AppleTV
google play
superman returns (2006) Superman emerges after a five year absence. Netflix
Amazon-Prime
Youtube
Voodoo
AppleTV
google play
man of steel (2013) Another version of the Superman origin story. hbo max
Amazon-Prime
Youtube
Voodoo
AppleTV
google play
sling
Hulu
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) Man of Steel follow-up. Battle of Batman and Superman. hbo max
Amazon-Prime
Youtube
Voodoo
AppleTV
google play
sling

How to watch Superman movies by series

You can also split your viewing with a couple of strategic groupings by series.

Film Serie where to look
Superman: The Movie Christopher Reeve era hbo max

DC Universe

Amazon-Prime

Youtube

Voodoo

AppleTV

google play

Superman II Christopher Reeve era hbo max

DC Universe

Amazon-Prime

Voodoo

AppleTV

google play

Superman III Christopher Reeve era hbo max

DC Universe

Amazon-Prime

Voodoo

AppleTV

google play

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace Christopher Reeve era hbo max

DC Universe

Amazon-Prime

Voodoo

AppleTV

google play

superman returns singer (independent) Netflix

Amazon-Prime

Youtube

Voodoo

AppleTV

google play

Iron Man Snyder/DC Extended Universe (DCEU) hbo max

Amazon-Prime

Youtube

Voodoo

AppleTV

google play

Sling

Hulu

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Snyder/DC Extended Universe (DCEU) hbo max

Amazon-Prime

Youtube

Voodoo

AppleTV

google play

Sling

Note:

To watch all the movies on this list, you’ll need to spend about 900 minutes or 15 hours, give or take to account for snacks and bathroom breaks. If the viewing is divided by series, it will take approximately 480 minutes or 8 hours for the original era of Christopher Reeve and 7 hours and 20 minutes for new independent deliveries and the DCEU. If you start early, you could still have more than half a day left over.

Alternative ways to watch the Superman movies

If you’re less concerned with chronological order or release order and more interested in comparing similar story lines, here are some non-linear matchup suggestions.

Compare origin stories

Origin stories are an essential part of all things superheroes. There’s a considerable time gap between the two, 1978 vs. 2013, but all things considered, 1978’s special effects still hold their own (often comedic) ways.

If you’re interested in seeing more, various platforms offer extended cuts and special editions of both the Christopher Reeve-era and DCEU Superman movies. Look for these versions on Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu and YouTube.

Something old, something new, something newer

If you want to experience the era of Christopher Reeve but you don’t want to watch the whole series, you don’t have to. Superman II does a great job of summing up the first film in the opening credits and introduces two formidable enemies: The General Zod and Lex Luthor.

As for the latest options, you can choose from a few. You could go for the mid-1980s standalone retelling or one or both movies in the DCEU.

How to watch the Superman movies in order

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