Rotten Tomatoes Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Superman Returns

Play trailer 2:34 Poster for Superman Returns PG-13 2006 2h 34m Adventure Action Sci-Fi Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
72% Tomatometer 289 Reviews 60% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
While Lex Luthor plots to destroy him once and for all, the Man of Steel returns after a long absence to a much-changed world. Lois Lane has moved on with her life, and society has learned to survive without him. Superman must find a way to reconnect with her and find his place in a world that may no longer need him.
Watch on Fandango Stream Now

Where to Watch

Superman Returns

Superman Returns

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Bryan Singer's reverent and visually decadent adaptation gives the Man of Steel welcome emotional complexity. The result: a satisfying stick-to-your-ribs adaptation.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Cosmo Landesman The Times (UK) 07/08/2025
4/5
What this film has — and what is missing from most superhero films these days — is a real sense of the heroic. Go to Full Review
Derek Malcolm London Evening Standard 07/07/2025
3/5
"Why The World Doesn't Need Superman" is the title of Lois Lane's Pulitzer Prize-winning essay in this...blockbuster. At times, during Bryan Singer's overlong reworking, one can only agree with her. It's all highly competent but pretty predictable stuff. Go to Full Review
Anthony Quinn Independent (UK) 07/07/2025
2/5
Two cheers for Brandon Routh and his revitalizing of the role, though you will search in vain for any new angle on the square-jawed hero from Marvel Comics. Go to Full Review
Bob Ross Tampa Tribune 07/08/2025
A
The effects are spectacular, the story's true to tradition and the guy in tights presents a perfect blend of superhuman strength and lovelorn vulnerability. Go to Full Review
Michael D. Reid Victoria Times Colonist (B.C., Canada) 07/08/2025
4.5/5
...[Superman Returns] isn't just an eye-popping, terrifically entertaining action fantasy with enough nostalgic poignancy to make a man-child cry. It's a cunningly inspired allegory in which Superman is akin to no less a saviour than Jesus Christ. Go to Full Review
James Vance Tulsa World 07/08/2025
3/4
Graced with arresting visuals, intelligent writing and decent performances, "Superman Returns" is a soulful, wistful, not-quite-romance with all the action a summer movie crowd could want. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Basil V @RT61460569 1d Superbad. They wrote Supes to be a dick. He’s selfish, whiny, glory seeking, and completely disconnected from any redeeming human virtues. Lois is just as bad, playing a stereotypical, narcissistic, jilted ex. Even Spacey who I wanted to like was pretty phoned in. Hackman did the masterclass on Luther. But again I blame the writing. Visuals were fine. Nothing too stand out, nothing too uncanny cgi…. Just ‘fine’. Sound was also ‘fine’. Music was a bit overbearing at times but at least I have to give MAJOR credit for allowing the dialog to be intelligible, if not intelligent. Story was fairly standard fare. Nothing surprising there that we haven’t seen hundreds of times. Really a missed opportunity to add something meaningful to the franchise. See more Thomas F @RT70557918 Jul 17 Last Superman film in the books. I thought this movie was fantastically made, I loved the film grain and the lighting. It had that vintage feel to it. I didn’t think the plot was all that interesting though, I mean Lex Luther just took some crystals from Superman’s fortress. I don’t know, not all that compelling to me. I do think Routh did a good job portraying Reeve’s Superman style from the originals though. Better than Man of Steel, but not quite as good as 1978, 1980, or 2025 Superman. See more diogo13 T @Tua_mera Jul 12 Filme para dormir de tão lento que é. See more Dan K @RT05142617 Jun 28 Brandon Routh did a decent job taking on a role with incredibly large shoes to fill. But this film drags between action sequences and would have been better as a complete restart of the character, instead of being an intended sequel to Superman II See more Andre T @andrestuckmannmoviereviews Jun 27 This movie is just kinda boring but flawed in a way that some of the characters show impact on themselves, Brandon Routh did fine as Superman, Kevin Spacey was good as Lex Luthor but Kate Bosworth was awful and she never had the tenacity to be Lois lane but I guess she was better than Adams but overall I will not watch this movie anytime soon. D+ See more Daniel H. @RT68448000 Jun 25 Pretty good. Well-played by Routh. The whole cast did well. Seeing what Superman could look like with CGI was awesome. However, the whole illegitimate super-child thing, the Superman left Earth (and Lois pregnant even if he didn't know it) thing, and the lack of action prevented this movie from being a worthy successor to Superman I and II. See more Read all reviews
Superman Returns

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING
Man of Steel 57% 75% Man of Steel Watchlist TRAILER for Man of Steel Green Lantern 25% 45% Green Lantern Watchlist TRAILER for Green Lantern X-Men: The Last Stand 56% 61% X-Men: The Last Stand Watchlist TRAILER for X-Men: The Last Stand The Incredible Hulk 68% 69% The Incredible Hulk Watchlist X2 85% 85% X2 Watchlist TRAILER for X2 Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis While Lex Luthor plots to destroy him once and for all, the Man of Steel returns after a long absence to a much-changed world. Lois Lane has moved on with her life, and society has learned to survive without him. Superman must find a way to reconnect with her and find his place in a world that may no longer need him.
Director
Bryan Singer
Producer
Jon Peters, Bryan Singer, Gilbert Adler
Screenwriter
Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Warner Bros.
Rating
PG-13 (Some Intense Action Violence)
Genre
Adventure, Action, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 28, 2006, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 2, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$200.1M
Runtime
2h 34m
Sound Mix
SDDS, DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings