The 10 Best Animated Superman Movies, Ranked

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The most iconic superhero of all time has had a rough history with live-action movies. Aside from Richard Donner’s take on Superman, there hasn’t really been a film universally loved by fans. However, Superman has fared much better in animated formats, thanks largely to DC’s incredible animated studios.

Superman’s animated adventures aren’t as numerous as Batman’s, nor do they quite reach the epic scale of their comic book counterparts, but they are highly accessible and generally well-paced. Some of Superman’s best stories have been adapted into animated movies, and these films rank among the greatest Superman adaptations ever made.

10

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse Final Fight Between Darkseid and Superman is One of the Best

After the World’s Finest were hunted down by nearly every Earth supervillain in their first movie, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse ups the ante by having them face Darkseid and his elite. This installment doesn’t quite hit the same notes as its predecessor, as both Superman and especially Batman take a narrative backseat. Much of the plot focuses on Supergirl’s origins and character development.

There’s a false ending in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse that makes it seem like everything will wrap up cleanly, without the need for an overly dramatic climax. Then, out of nowhere, Darkseid appears in Smallville. The ensuing fight is an absolute highlight, with Superman unleashing his full strength and trading devastating blows with Darkseid. While most of the movie is fairly standard, it’s worth watching for the Darkseid fight alone.

9

Superman: Unbound Has the Most Intimidating Adaptation of Brainiac

Geoff Johns’s run on Action Comics was legendary, with Superman: Brainiac arguably standing out as the best among its many brilliant stories. Superman: Unbound is a direct adaptation of that arc and captures all the elements that made the comic such a thrilling read.

Brainiac comes across as incredibly threatening in Unbound. His character design places him in visually striking frames that evoke fear and unease. The voice acting and dialogue reinforce how cold and alien he is, making him genuinely frightening. While many Superman stories lean into slice-of-life moments, Superman: Brainiac is more straightforward, focusing on action and intense problem-solving as Superman takes on one of his most formidable foes.

8

Reign of the Supermen Combined the Best Stories From the Death of Superman’s Aftermath

The Death of Superman was followed by two stories that arguably surpassed it: Funeral for a Friend and Reign of the Supermen. The animated adaptation of Reign of the Supermen combines the best elements of both into a single, cohesive film. This movie captures the somberness, melancholy, and surreal atmosphere of a world coping with the loss of its greatest hero. Much of the Superman cast is shown grappling with his death, and many believe Clark Kent died as well.

The action centers around several new characters, such as Steel and the Eradicator, who act as stand-ins for Superman. Ultimately, Superman returns—sporting a sleek black suit and an unmistakably cool 90s-style mullet. Cyborg Superman exudes an intense, violent energy that makes his actions feel dangerously unpredictable. Superman’s final victory, achieved while still greatly weakened, stands as one of his most impressive feats in any movie.

7

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies Spotlights the World’s Finest Superheroes

There’s been an obsession in mainstream media with having Batman and Superman fight, but the pair is usually more entertaining when they work together. Batman becomes more endearing when his dark, brooding nature is balanced by Superman’s optimism and cheerfulness. Despite their differences, the two come across as genuine best friends—something Superman even states outright in the film.

Despite his countless felonies, Lex Luthor has become President and has convinced the public he’s a changed man. In reality, he’s as petty as ever, framing Superman for the death of Metallo and placing a billion-dollar bounty on his head. Superman and Batman take on countless supervillains—and even a few heroes—for good measure. The one-hour runtime results in some awkward pacing, and some of the dialogue is poorly written, but the action is nearly nonstop.

6

Superman: Man of Tomorrow is Superman’s Best Animated Origin Movie

Origin stories are among Superman’s most entertaining tales, but they can start to feel repetitive. Superman: Man of Tomorrow makes some unique plot choices that help this Year One-style story stand out. Despite this being an early adventure for Superman, there are exciting appearances from Martian Manhunter, Parasite, and the Main Man himself—Lobo!

Even with all these characters, along with well-executed portrayals of Lex Luthor and Lois Lane, Man of Tomorrow manages to juggle them effectively while maintaining strong narrative momentum. The film is only held back toward its climax, when Superman delivers a forced and pretentiously written speech to save the day. Still, everything leading up to that moment is thrilling.

5

The Death of Superman Surpasses the Groundbreaking Comic in Scope and Violence

The first animated movie officially credited to DC’s animated studios is often considered to be Superman: Doomsday, which was fairly mediocre due to poor animation, uninspired fight choreography, and a rushed plot. However, DC Animated Studios improved significantly in the following years and eventually retold the story within its New 52-inspired shared universe.

The Death of Superman is one of the few movie adaptations that is clearly superior to its comic book counterpart. In the original comics, the Justice League lacked iconic members at the time, instead fielding lackluster heroes like Booster Gold. Doomsday didn’t face any credible threats before fighting Superman. In contrast, the animated film features thrilling fights involving major characters like Wonder Woman and Batman, which helped build excitement for the final showdown between Superman and Doomsday.

4

All-Star Superman Focuses on the Most Important Aspect of Superman: His Heart

The personal and heartwarming stories are what have made DC fans develop such a strong affection for Superman. Similar to an anthology of legends, Superman goes through a series of heroic deeds before knowingly succumbing to a terminal condition. The inevitability of his death makes all his actions feel impactful and truly reinforces the idea that Superman isn’t too big to do anything—he would gladly take the time to rescue someone’s cat from a tree.

Due to the movie’s short runtime, it doesn’t cover many of the important stories from the comic, such as the Bizarro arc. If All-Star Superman had been 90 minutes like more modern DC animated films, it could have allowed more time to develop the emotional beats. Still, All-Star Superman remains a faithful adaptation in terms of tone and narrative, even if it lacks some of the comic’s gravitas.

3

Superman vs. The Elite is the Brilliant Reminder Why Superman Will Never Be Out of Vogue

The question of whether today’s cynical world has room for a superhero as “uncool” as Superman remains just as relevant now as it was in 2007, when What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way? showed the enduring importance of a non-brooding superhero.

Much like that iconic issue of Action Comics, Superman vs. The Elite deconstructs the criticisms of Superman from both a meta and in-universe perspective. Superman isn’t extreme in his actions; villains don’t fear him because they know he won’t kill them. The Elite see themselves as the next generation of superheroes, whose crime-fighting style is more aligned with modern sensibilities. Superman vs. The Elite is a pivotal story in understanding what makes Superman the greatest superhero of all time.​​​​​​​

The ’90s were a golden era for animated series. Superman: The Animated Series is often overshadowed by its Batman counterpart, but it’s just as good. The start of the series is a three-part episode that was shown as a television movie. It covers Jor-El’s last days on Krypton and follows Clark Kent’s growth into Superman.

While the Superman aspect is handled well, what this TV special truly nailed was the destruction of Krypton. Jor-El is given ample time to develop as a character, and the stakes feel high despite the inevitable outcome. This initial saga also features a fantastic retcon of Brainiac, reinventing him as an advanced A.I. created for Krypton. This change made Brainiac feel like a more personal nemesis to Superman throughout the rest of the series.

1

Max Fleischer’s Superman Might Be Old, But It Is Beautiful

In the 1940s, Fleischer Studios released 17 short films in theaters that collectively came to be known as the Fleischer Superman cartoons. This wonderful collection of shorts offers the best portrayal of Golden Age Superman. The plots aren’t overly complex—usually involving Superman stopping a force of nature or a mad scientist—but they’re filled with heart and feature incredible production quality.

The animation in this series remains unmatched by any other Superman show to date. A tremendous amount of labor went into making Superman’s movements fluid. Primary colors like blue and red pop vividly on screen. The short run times of each episode complement the simplistic plots, ensuring they never overstay their welcome. While not a traditional movie, the total runtime is under three hours, making it easy to binge in one sitting.​​​​​​​

“}]] Superman’s live-action movies aren’t always so hot, but the original superhero has a collection of animated movies that are considered hidden gems.  Read More