Superman’s Importance in American Mythology and the Superman Films Ranked

As James Gunn’s reboot is unleashed, some reflections on the world’s most famous superhero, and a rundown of his prior cinematic outings

Superman (2025) starring David Corenswet. Credit: Warner Brothers

A new Superman film is released today. I’m as excited as anyone to see James Gunn’s take on the world’s most famous superhero, and I’m curious to see where this new instalment ranks compared with previous cinematic incarnations of the character. Some (including Fanfare Editor-in-Chief,Eric Pierce) have questioned the timing of this film, given current events in the United States. I understand such concerns, but believe they are unnecessary. Gunn himself has pointed to Superman’s political ideology as pro-immigrant; an interpretation that has always been inherent to me, but one that has curiously angered some on the MAGA side of America’s bitter political divide.

Why Superman remains timely

Speaking as an unapologetically pro-America Brit, I’ve always believed that a strong America is in the world’s best interests. That strength was built by immigrants over the centuries. To my mind, Superman epitomises the American ideal of “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” (as Emma Lazarus wrote in The New Colossus poem regarding the Statue of Liberty). Obviously, Superman is an immigrant. He just happens to be from another planet. As such, he is a vital, potent piece of US mythology, just like the uniquely American western genre (a subject I’ve written about at length elsewhere). Such mythology is as important to America as King Arthur and Robin Hood are to British mythology.

Here’s my advice to Americans who perhaps feel uncomfortable about celebrating Superman at this difficult point in US history: Don’t be ashamed of your mythology. Instead, consider it metaphorically instructive. “Truth, justice, and the American way” can mean something wonderful, even if the latter phrase may currently embody more repugnant ideas to many. The important thing about Superman is what he represents: An ideal to strive for. Regardless of how James Gunn’s film turns out, quality-wise, I believe cinematic portrayals of this ideal are timely.

Why Superman is more complex than some believe