Superman: The Movie

Superman (also known as Superman: The Movie, as it was called in pre-release advertising), is a popular and critically acclaimed superhero film. It was the first major motion picture to feature the popular DC Comics character of Superman, who had previously appeared throughout the 1940s and 1950s in a radio program, two movie serials, and a television series. The film was released by Warner Bros. in 1978. It was directed by Richard Donner and executive produced by Ilya Salkind, with music by John Williams. It starred top-billed Marlon Brando as Jor-El, and Christopher Reeve as Superman.

The movie was filmed and produced at the same time as its sequel, Superman II (1980), although this arrangement was beset by production difficulties, and the sequel was not completed until two years later. There were two further installments in the series: Superman III (1983) and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987), as well as several canceled sequel attempts after 1987. Superman and Superman II are treated as a loose backstory for the 2006 film Superman Returns.