Superman

A 1978 American superhero film directed by Richard Donner, based on the DC Comics character. The film depicts Superman's origin, beginning with his birth on the planet Krypton. His parents, Jor-El (Marlon Brando) and Lara (Susannah York), send their infant son, Kal-El, to Earth just before Krypton's destruction. The spacecraft lands in Kansas, where he is found and raised by Jonathan (Glenn Ford) and Martha Kent (Phyllis Thaxter), who name him Clark. As he grows, Clark (Christopher Reeve) discovers his superhuman abilities, including flight, super strength, and invulnerability. After the death of his adoptive father, he travels to the Arctic and uses Kryptonian crystals to create the Fortress of Solitude. There, he learns of his true heritage and destiny from a holographic projection of Jor-El. Moving to Metropolis, Clark becomes a reporter at the "Daily Planet," where he meets colleagues Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), Jimmy Olsen (Marc McClure), and editor Perry White (Jackie Cooper). When Lois is involved in a helicopter accident, Clark dons the Superman suit for the first time and saves her, revealing himself to the world as a superhero. He thwarts various disasters, including stopping hijackers aboard Air Force One and rescuing people from a flood. Meanwhile, criminal mastermind Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) devises a plan to launch nuclear missiles to create a new coastline by destroying part of California. Superman confronts Luthor, who uses kryptonite to weaken him. With the help of Luthor's assistant, Eve Teschmacher (Valerie Perrine), Superman escapes and intercepts one missile, but the second causes an earthquake that results in Lois's death. In anguish, Superman defies his father's warning by reversing Earth's rotation, turning back time to save Lois. The film concludes with Superman delivering Lex Luthor and his henchman Otis (Ned Beatty) to prison, restoring order. The film received critical acclaim and was a commercial success, grossing approximately $300 million worldwide, and is regarded as a classic in the superhero genre.