Christopher Reeve as Superman

Brandon Routh might have become the iconic Man of Steel, but audiences didn’t exactly love him in 2006’s Superman Returns. Then Henry Cavill brought to life a brand new Superman. But something didn’t quite work with that version, either.

Or maybe they just couldn’t follow the original. Of course, we’re talking about Christopher Reeve as Superman, the movie character that was a true celebration of his comic book counterpart. The movie wasn't as action-packed as today’s superhero flicks, but it featured some really incredible superpowers (albeit still not as fast as Silver Surfer!)

Almost everyone thinks of Reeve when the topic of the definitive Superman actor comes up.