Superman (Expanded Edition) (1978)

"Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman!" Christopher Reeve is the Last Son of Krypton, who must thwart notorious criminal mastermind Lex Luthor’s (Gene Hackman) evil plot to trigger an earthquake that could destroy all of California. You’ll believe a man can fly in director Richard Donner’s comic book fantasy classic, which heralded the stream of superhero epics in the decades to follow. Margot Kidder co-stars as Lois Lane, along with Ned Beatty, Valerie Perrine, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure, and Marlon Brando. 151 min. C/Rtg: PG

Superman II (The Richard Donner Cut) (1981)

The Man of Steel is back! As three Kryptonian super-villains threaten to take over the Earth, Superman (Christopher Reeve) renounces his powers for the love of Lois Lane (Margot Kidder). Can he get them back in time for a desperate final showdown on--and above--the streets of Metropolis? With Gene Hackman, Terence Stamp, Sarah Douglas, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure, Valerie Perrine, Ned Beatty. 116 min. C/Rtg: PG

Superman III (1983)

Slapstick fun mixes with action in this third entry that finds Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve) returning to his hometown of Smallville and going up against a computer whiz (Richard Pryor) who’s been hired to create a batch of synthetic Kryptonite that could spell trouble for Supes. Robert Vaughn, Annette O’Toole, Annie Ross, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure, and Margot Kidder also star. 125 min. C/Rtg: PG

Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987)

Christopher Reeve soars again as the Man of Steel, vowing to end the global arms race by "stealing" the world’s missiles and hurling them into space. Evil Lex Luthor, however, has other plans, including an atomic antagonist named Nuclear Man. High-flying thrills and action with Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, Jon Cryer, Mariel Hemingway. 90 min. C/Rtg: PG

Superman Returns (2006)

Following a five-year absence from Earth, Superman (Brandon Routh) resumes his old life as Clark Kent and discovers that Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) is living with her longtime boyfriend and has a child who may possess some extraordinary powers of his own. But when old foe Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) sets in motion a deadly real estate scheme, Supes faces the most dangerous challenge of his life. Co-stars James Marsden, Parker Posey; Bryan Singer directs. 154 min. C/Rtg: PG-13