Summary

• Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is the lowest-grossing Superman movie even when adjusted for inflation, thanks to its poor critical reception.
• Superman III, Superman Returns, and Superman II all performed better at the box office than Superman IV: The Quest for Peace when adjusted for inflation.
• Man of Steel, the DCEU's reboot of Superman, holds the highest box office total for a Superman movie but comes second to 1978's Superman when adjusted for inflation.

The many box office performance of Superman movies has often been at the forefront of superhero cinema. Richard Donner's Superman arguably kickstarted the so-called Golden Age of superhero movies, while franchises like the DCEU positioned the Man of Steel at the center of a sprawling franchise.

Even Superman movies have been ranked concerning quality, box office performance has always been studied. Interestingly, though, box office receipts are rarely adjusted for inflation, begging the question of how each Superman movie performed comparatively when placed on an even playing field.

The following list consists only of live-action Superman movies from Richard Donner's 1978 Superman and onwards.

6 Superman IV: The Quest for Peace - 1987

The Fourth Christopher Reeve Superman Film Is The Lowest-Grossing When Adjusted For Inflation

The lowest-grossing Superman movie in history is Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. The film was critically panned upon release, which likely contributed to its poor box office performance. As per numbers gathered by Box Office Mojo, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace garnered a measly $15 million gross domestically. When combined with a further $14 million from overseas, Superman IV slumped to a lowly worldwide total of just over $30 million upon its release in 1987.

Even when adjusted for inflation, Superman IV remains the lowest-grossing Superman movie. The rate of inflation between 1987 and 2024 means Superman IV grossed an adjusted worldwide total of $83 million. This falls short of the many other live-action Superman movies released both before and after The Quest for Peace, earning it the lowest ranking among its franchise peers both commercially and critically.

5 Superman III - 1983

Christopher Reeve's Third Superman Appearance Ranks Higher Than Its Successor

Superman III was released four years before Superman IV: The Quest for Peace in 1983. While not as panned as its successor, Superman III was still poorly received by fans and critics alike. This also saw dwindling returns at the box office from its predecessors, ranking as the second-lowest Superman movie at the worldwide box office. The poor reception criticized the film for its silliness, slapstick humor, and rehashing of plot points from its two predecessors, which likely contributed to its poor commercial run.

That being said, Superman III still earned almost double what Superman IV would go on to garner. A domestic total of just under $60 million and an overseas haul of $20 million saw Superman III earn a worldwide total of $80 million in 1983. Given that it came out before Superman IV, the inflation rate for Superman III's earnings is bigger. This means that, once adjusted to match 2024, Superman III's worldwide total is over $250 million, over three times the adjusted total for Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.

4 Superman Returns - 2006

Brandon Routh's First Outing As The Son Of Krypton Is A Middling Box Office Entry

After the disappointing box office returns of Superman III and especially Superman IV, the Man of Steel underwent a live-action hiatus. This hiatus lasted almost two decades until 2006 when Bryan Singer revived the franchise amid the increasing popularity of superhero cinema. In of overall box office, Superman Returns - which starred Brandon Routh in the titular role - is the second-highest-grossing Superman movie of all time with a domestic total of just over $200 million, which combined with an overseas total of $191 million for a worldwide haul of $391 million.

When counting Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Superman Returns is the third-highest-grossing Superman movie of all time.

Given that Superman Returns is the second most recent live-action Superman movie, its adjustment for inflation is not quite as drastic as some earlier iterations. This explains why the second-highest-grossing Superman film in history is only the fourth-highest when adjusted for inflation. The inflation changes between 2006 and 2024 see the adjusted worldwide total for Superman Returns sitting at just over $600 million, over double the total for 1983's Superman III.

3 Superman II - 1980

The Second Christopher Reeve Superman Performed Well At The Box Office

The second movie starring Christopher Reeve as Superman was Superman II, released in 1980. Like the first movie, Superman II is often considered one of the better solo Superman movies in history, before the third and fourth installments somewhat soured the franchise. Due to the strong release reception of the film, Superman II was a commercial success, grossing just beneath $110 million both domestically and overseas for a $216 worldwide haul, as per Box Office Mojo.

Superman II controversially changed directors during production, replacing Richard Donner with Lester, leading to the later release of Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut.

When this total is adjusted for inflation, Superman II becomes the third-highest-grossing Superman movie of all time. The movie almost gained second place due to the strong inflation between 1980 and 2024, but could not overcome a more recent, more successful Superman iteration. Regardless, Superman II's box office total after inflation is taken into stands at $825 million, proving how well the film was received in 1980.

2 Man of Steel - 2013

The DCEU's Reboot Of Superman Holds A Strong Box Office Total

Despite a reboot of Superman being released in 2006, Warner Bros. decided to do so again to match the success of Marvel Studios. The MCU began shortly after Superman Returns, making shared comic book movie universes the next big thing in Hollywood. DC did not want to be left behind, leading to the DC Extended Universe that began with 2013's Man of Steel. Recasting Henry Cavill as the titular hero, Man of Steel was a solid if somewhat divisive entry into the franchise, beginning the DCEU's movie timeline.

Divisive elements aside, Man of Steel was a commercial success upon its release in 2013. With a worldwide total of $670 million, Man of Steel is the fifth-highest-grossing DCEU movie, despite 14 installments coming after it. As the highest-grossing Superman movie in history, Man of Steel's inflation-adjusted box office total stands at around $903 million, just edging out Superman II​​​​​​. Man of Steel's success should arguably have led to more adventures for Cavill's character, but James Gunn's DCU Superman is taking over as of 2025.

1 Superman - 1978

The Superman Movie That Began It All Is The Biggest Box Office Success

When adjusting for inflation, the most successful Superman movie in box office history is the 1978 original. Despite only being the third-highest-grossing Superman movie with an original worldwide total of $300 million, Superman is also the most dated release in the franchise. As such, the inflation rate is much steeper, putting into context just how successful the first Christopher Reeve, Richard Donner-directed Superman movie was. Superman's box office run saw it cumulate a domestic total of over $130 million, with an overseas haul of just over $165 million totaling the aforementioned $300 million gross.

No other Superman movie has a box office total north of $1 billion when adjusted for inflation, proving the true success of 1978's Superman...

When adjusted for inflation, this $300 million total becomes a staggering $1.4 billion. No other Superman movie has a box office total north of $1 billion when adjusted for inflation, proving the true success of 1978's Superman. If anything, 1978's Superman being the highest-grossing film starring the DC icon after inflation proves that Superman needs more success on the big screen. James Gunn will be hoping to rectify this when Superman opens in theaters in July 2025, kickstarting the DCU and hopefully a new age of theatrical dominance for the Last Son of Krypton.