From amazing character journeys to thrilling battles with gods and monsters, these solo Superman animated films showcase why we love the Last Son of Krypton and everything he stands for. These are the best Superman animated movies of all time.
13. Superman: Brainiac Attacks (2006)
With the same director from the animated series Superman: The Animated Series, Superman: Brainiac Attacks, unfortunately, has many flaws.
The plot is not too complicated, seeing Superman taking on Brainiac and Lex Luthor as the main antagonists. Essentially, Brainiac crash lands on Earth and hijacks Lex Labs to gain information about Earth’s weapons. He and Superman battle, and audiences are left to believe that Brainiac has been defeated. However, Lex Luthor decides to utilise Brainiac as a weapon to destroy the caped hero after seeing that Brainiac can effectively use his satellite against Superman.
Where the film falls flat is with the representation of Lex Luthor’s character. Instead of giving us the usual villainous representation of his character, he is more playful and light-hearted. While there is nothing wrong with having a whimsical villain, it feels oddly out of place here.
However, while Superman: Brainiac Attacks has its flaws, it does have its strengths, too. One of them is Superman’s relationship with Lois Lane. Their relationship is more deeply explored, and Clark is struggling with whether he wants to reveal his identity to her. This aspect could be a great addition to other films on this list, as it really adds depth to their romance.
12. Superman: Unbound (2013)
As the 16th comic book movie of DC Universe Animated Original Movies, James Tucker and Bob Goodman bring us a direct-to-video film of Geoff Johns’ 2008 Superman: Brainiac comic book arc. The film sees the Man of Steel go up against Brainiac once again. After Superman intercepts a meteor approaching Earth, he quickly discovers it is a robot sent by Brainiac and destroys it. Through his cousin, Supergirl, he discovers that Brainiac is a scientist who had given himself many mechanical enhancements and then wreaked havoc on Krypton by miniaturising the capital city of Kandor. Of course, Supergirl is terrified of him but chooses to help Superman regardless.
The biggest issue with Unbound is how Superman comes across as very dislikeable. And this is mainly due to his treatment of Supergirl. One would think he would be more excited to discover that he is not the last survivor of the dead planet Krypton, but no. Instead, he seems very annoyed by her presence.
11. Superman: The Last Son of Krypton (1996)
Serving as the premiere for the Superman: The Animated Series cartoon, the film sees scientist Jor-El send his son, Kal-El, to planet Earth for safety after being shunned by the leaders of Krypton for his theories concerning planetary destruction. Here, Kal-El is raised as an American named Clark Kent while living a seemingly normal life. That is until he begins developing unusual superhuman abilities.
Based on Elliot S. Maggin’s 1978 graphic novel of the same name, the film can easily be praised for its accurate portrayal of Superman. In fact, some critics believe the film to be the most accurate representation of the DC Comics version of Superman.
10. Reign of the Supermen (2019)
As a direct sequel to the hit 2018 animated movie Death of Superman, the story takes place six months after Superman’s defeat at the hands of Doomsday. During this time, four new ‘Supermen’ have emerged to take his place. They consist of Lex Luthor’s clone, Superboy, Eradicator, Steel and Cyborg Superman, all of which sparked controversy amongst the general public. After Lex announces the arrival of Superboy, the heroes all battle, each believing they are the true Superman. Meanwhile, the real Superman is recuperating at the Fortress of Solitude.
Unfortunately, Reign of the Superman isn’t half as good as Death of Superman. Still, it manages to capture some really epic moments from the comic books. We just wish it had added more depth to the characters.
9. Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam (2010)
The film begins with Black Adam’s crash landing on Earth, which people mistake for a meteor. Simultaneously, Billy Batson, an orphan boy whose parents abandoned him, is on his way to meet Clark Kent at a nearby diner. Upon arriving, Black Adam descends on him with the sole purpose of defeating him, so he does not gain his powers as the next champion from The Wizard. Superman intervenes, and the two battle as Billy escapes into the subway station, where he is granted his powers.
The film did an impressive job of condensing the comic book story into a 25-minute runtime. Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos and written by Michael Jelenic, Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam, unfortunately, proved to be Garner’s last performance before the actor passed away in 2014.
8. Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020)
Directed by Chris Palmer and written by Tim Sheridan, Man of Tomorrow serves as the first instalment of the soft reboot Tomorrowverse. The plot revolves around Clark Kent discovering his origins and that he is actually the last Kryptonian alive. We get to see him up against the bounty hunter, Lobo, but the ultimate foe in this film is a human-turned-monster named Parasite (Rudolph “Rudy” Jones).
There are some interesting dynamics to the film, and it really fleshes out the human side of Clark Kent, truly giving audiences the sense that he was raised among humans.
Furthermore, the animation style is very good but different from the usual comic book film style. There are bolder lines and brighter colours that pop off your screen. More importantly, it brings us a fresh take on Superman’s origin story.
But despite the many praises one can give this film, there is one flaw that is very hard to overlook. And that is the movie’s horrific sound design. This may be a subjective aspect, but unfortunately, all the awkward silences and bad sound effects break one’s immersion.
7. All-Star Superman (2011)
All-Star Superman sees our beloved hero exposed to radiation, which, in turn, leads to him gaining heightened abilities. Unfortunately, this does not come without consequences, as it means that he is slowly dying. As he learns this heartbreaking news, he reveals his identity to Lois Lane and takes her to the Fortress of Solitude. Here, he grants her superpowers as a birthday gift.
Unfortunately, Superman is often portrayed as cold and feels like the alien he actually is. Some might argue that this is because he knows he is dying, but the contrast between his caring demeanour and this is jarring. This is made worse by how Clark Kent’s persona is represented as a goofy, incompetent reporter at the Daily Planet.
Overall, All-Star Superman is definitely above average and deserves its spot this high on the list. That said, the comic book does work a lot better than the movie does.
6. Superman/Batman: The Apocalypse (2010)
Despite this film focusing more on Batman, it is also one of the better animated Superman movies and a standalone sequel to Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009). The animation is impressive, and the action sequences are even better.
The film follows “The Supergirl from Krypton” comic book narrative. When Darkseid, the evil overlord of Apokolips, learns of Kara Zor-El’s arrival on Earth, he takes action and goes after her. Superman welcomes his cousin with open arms and teaches her how to survive on Earth. Batman, however, remains suspicious. When Darkseid’s clones eventually arrive, the Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel team up and do everything possible to protect her.
The dynamic between Batman and Superman is highly entertaining to watch.
5. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009)
With great animation and fast-paced action, Public Enemies is one of the best Superman films on this list.
The plot follows Superman and Batman’s fight against Lex Luthor, who is now the president of the United States. At first it seems he has good intentions to make the world a better place. As can be expected, this is not the case, and he tries to pin the tragic events of Metallo on Superman using altered footage. Before long, Batman and Superman team up and are on an intense mission through the city to prove the Man of Steel’s innocence while being attacked by multiple enemies.
This is what Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice should or could have been.
4. Superman: Doomsday (2007)
As the title suggests, this animated film is once again dedicated to a battle between Supes and Doomsday (which continues for a full ten minutes here). Once again, Superman ends up dead, and Lex Luthor raises a clone to take his place. His plan backfires as the clone turns against him. Meanwhile, a Kryptonian robot resurrects Kal-El.
And in terms of what the film got right, the first thing is Lois Lane’s story arc in the movie. She quickly figures out that Clark is Superman, which brings out a more human side to his character. So, before he dies, we see Clark’s softer and more caring side because of Lois.
Superman: Doomsday is definitely one of the best animated superman movies of all time.
3. Superman: Red Son (2020)
If you have ever wondered what would happen if Superman had crash-landed on Earth in a different time period, then this film is for you. In fact, what makes it so good is the fact that we get to see not only a darker Superman retelling but also one where he isn’t necessarily evil but highly conflicted. Red Son explores what would happen if Superman were alive during the Soviet Union and takes place in 1955 when we see Superman as a Soviet soldier.
With great animation and a unique storyline, the film does not hold back on its darker themes. It sees Superman taking on communist ideas and spreading them across the world in an attempt to stop civil conflicts. However, he is conflicted by some of the more questionable tasks he is given, which shows Superman’s true nature. We also see him with Wonder Woman and what his journey through these changing times looks like. And, of course, there cannot be a Superman film without Brainiac making an appearance too.
Superman: Red Son tops many lists as one of the best animated movies featuring the Man of Steel.
2. Superman vs The Elite (2012)
While many people believe that Superman is boring, this film takes steps to address this issue. Within the film’s narrative, the general public has grown disdainful of Superman and his method of combatting crime. They believe he should do more when defeating a villain, as imprisoning them does not help. As a result, many of the villains escape and become problematic again. Everyone insists that Superman should have a more… permanent means of eliminating his enemies. This goes against everything he believes in.
What makes this film so good is that we see Superman really struggle against his newfound foes, especially since they aren’t villains in the eyes of the public.
Superman vs The Elite is definitely one of the best animated superman movies of all time.
1. Death of Superman (2018)
As the first half of the sequel film, Reign of Supermen (2019), it is insane to think about how much better this movie is in comparison. As this narrative has been discussed multiple times in this article, let’s jump straight into why Death of Superman (2018) has earned its spot as the best animated Superman movie of all time. In fact, this film could arguably and easily be one of the best DC animated films of all time.
As mentioned above, this film adapts the first half of Superman’s passing from the comic book storyline of the same name. What makes this film so great is how the focus is on Lois and Clark’s relationship instead of Lois and Superman. It makes their relationship feel more sincere, and Lois seems less vain. Likewise, this adds to the emotional impact of Superman’s inevitable disappearance as their time together sees Clark’s genuine personality and character development. Their romance adds more to the narrative than it takes away, and this is very difficult to find in many other forms of media, not just films.
Another great thing about the film is how well Doomsday is set up as the villain. Despite Superman being seen as the OP member of the Justice League, the group of heroes are extremely strong on their own. But they struggle to take down Doomsday alone. He is menacingly strong, and super terrifying, and his presence makes the reality of Superman’s impending passing seem more real. Not only is the way he takes Wonder Woman down ruthless, but when he goes up against Superman in the movie’s final act, it is so brutal you have to turn away.
Death of Superman deserves a solid five-star rating for its fantastic storytelling, action sequences, and animation. It definitely deserves first place on this list of the best animated Superman movies.
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What do you think is the best animated Superman movie of all time?
