Release OrderRecommended
0 / 12 watchedAll Superman eras in the order they arrived. Recommended for first timers.
- 1 Superman
- 2 Superman II Theatrical cut 1980; Donner Cut (2006) as alternate.
- 3 Superman III
- 4 Supergirl 1984 spin-off tied to the Reeve era.
- 5 Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
- 6 Superman Returns 2006 continuation of the first two Reeve films.
- 7 Man of Steel
- 8 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
- 9 Justice League Theatrical cut 2017, or Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) as alternate.
- 10 Superman DCU reboot, July 2025. Start of the new continuity.
- 11 Supergirl DCU film, June 26, 2026. Adapts Woman of Tomorrow.
- 12 Man of Tomorrow DCU sequel dated July 9, 2027.
About Superman
Superman on film splits into eras that reboot rather than continue, so release order is the practical path. The Christopher Reeve run lasted from Superman in 1978 through The Quest for Peace in 1987 with the Supergirl spin-off in between, then Superman Returns arrived in 2006 as a loose continuation of the first two Reeve films.
The DCEU years gave us Man of Steel in 2013 plus Batman v Superman and Justice League, before James Gunn rebooted with Superman in July 2025 and Supergirl in June 2026. The next DCU entry, Man of Tomorrow, is dated July 9, 2027 and continues the new continuity.
Good to know
Do not force the Reeve, Returns, Snyder and Gunn versions into one timeline, since each restages the origin and contradicts the others on Krypton and Smallville. Supergirl (1984) belongs to the Reeve era while Supergirl (2026) belongs to the DCU, so check the year before pressing play. Man of Tomorrow is the only future entry with a firm date, and the older films hold up best as period pieces.
