Superman (franchise)

The character Superman, first appearing American comic books in 1938, has appeared in many types of media since the 1940s. Superman has appeared in radio, television, movies, and video games each on multiple occasions, and his name, symbol, and image have appeared on products and merchandise.

Among the actors who have played Superman / Superboy (and/or his alter ego, Clark Kent) are:

Superman was a daily newspaper comic strip which began on January 16, 1939, and a separate Sunday strip was added on November 5, 1939. These strips ran continuously until May 1966. In 1941, the McClure Syndicate had placed the strip in hundreds of newspapers. At its peak, the strip, featuring Superman, was in over 300 daily newspapers and 90 Sunday papers, with a readership of over 20 million.

There is a tradition of past Superman actors returning for new works in the franchise. The first instance in live action was Noel Niell, who played Lois Lane in the serial films, reprising the role in the first TV series. Niell is also one of three Lois actresses to have subsequently played Lois' mother Ella. Aside from reappearances by actors, Christopher Reeve's son Will Reeve appears in the 2025 film as a tribute to his father. Below is a table showing actors who have made appearances across multiple live-action works that feature unobscured Superman characters.