It would be difficult to find a fan of the Man of Steel who doesn’t rate Christopher Reeve as the best live-action Superman to date, and for many, his portrayal of the iconic DC Comics superhero is among the best we’ve seen in a comic book film.
Reeve played Clarke Kent/Superman in four films, and his performances remain just as influential and inspiring today. The actor went on to star in numerous other films after his career ended before suffering a fatal injury in a near-fatal horse riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.
After his accident, Reeve became a tireless activist in the search for a cure for spinal cord injuries and a passionate advocate for the rights and care of the disabled – all while continuing his film career in front of and behind the camera.
A new film by McQueen Directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Storyfocuses on the extraordinary life and career of the legendary actor and features never-before-seen interview excerpts and behind-the-scenes footage.
The first trailer is set to be released tomorrow. You can check out a poster below.
Husband. Father. Fighter. Hero. Trailer tomorrow. #ChristopherReeveStory pic.twitter.com/aNBg5aLkY7
— Superman (@Superman) 25 August 2024
“A nuanced and inspiring portrayal of the life-changing legacy of lead actor and disability activist Christopher Reeve.
Reeve rose to worldwide fame in the 1970s as Hollywood’s era-defining Superman, but his life changed forever when a spinal cord injury left him paralyzed from the neck down in 1995. From his beginnings as a stage actor to his worldwide fame as a superstar to his life as an activist after the accident, this beautiful, candid portrait weaves a warming cinematic blanket of archival footage, home videos, interviews with friends and family, the recurring presence of his longtime friend Robin Williams, and Reeve himself, narrating from his 1999 autobiography, Still Me.
This emotional film portrait, which drew a standing ovation at its premiere at Sundance, is as complex and at times contradictory as Reeve himself. While directors Ian Bonhôte (McQueen, MIFF 2018) and Peter Ettedgui chronicle the struggles and controversies Reeve faced after 1995, they also position the actor as a figure to examine disability advocacy and the under-recognized struggles within the disability community. Both Super/Man and its title character are powerful vessels of empathy and humanity.”
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story The Last Man is scheduled to premiere in the US on Saturday, September 21st, with repeat screenings on September 25th, Reeves’ birthday. Fans in the UK can see the film in theatres on November 1st.
