There have been many actors that have donned the cape and red spandex of Superman over the years; in fact, we're getting a brand new actor to do so, David Corenswet, in 2025's Superman. But for many, the first person that comes to mind when they think of Superman is Christopher Reeve, who is the subject of a 2024 new movie Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, a documentary about not just his time playing the iconic superhero, but his inspirational tale after he suffered a tragic accident that left him paralyzed.
After first being shown at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story garnered rave reviews. It actually hails from DC Studio, which is setting a new path forward with James Gunn. However, before they look to the future, they produced this documentary (in partnership with HBO Documentary Films and CNN Films) to honor the legacy of Reeve.
Here is everything you need to know about Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story how to watch
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is now available to watch via digital on-demand platforms. It premieres on Max in the US on December 7.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story premise
Here is the official synopsis for Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story:
"The story of Christopher Reeve is an astonishing rise from unknown actor to iconic movie star, and his definitive portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman set the benchmark for the superhero cinematic universes that dominate cinema today. Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor, before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.
"After becoming a quadriplegic, he became a charismatic leader and activist in the quest to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, as well as a passionate advocate for disability rights and care — all while continuing his career in cinema in front of and behind the camera and dedicating himself to his beloved family.
"From the directors of McQueen, Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, this film includes never-before-seen intimate home movies and an extraordinary trove of personal archive material, as well as the first extended interviews ever filmed with Reeve's three children about their father, and interviews with the A-list Hollywood actors who were Reeve's colleagues and friends. The film is a moving and vivid cinematic telling of Reeve’s remarkable story."
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story cast
Christopher Reeve himself will be front and center in the documentary through archival footage. There will also be more recent interviews with members of Reeve's family, including his three children (Matthew Reeve, Alexandre Reeve Givens and Will Reeve), as well as interviews with Hollywood stars who worked with him throughout his career, including Susan Sarandon, Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels and Whoopi Goldberg.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story trailer
Watch the official trailer for Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story right here to begin to get a sense of the man at the heart of this documentary:
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story reviews
As we said, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story already premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, and as a result, reviews have already been written about it. The documentary has a 98% "Certified Fresh" score on Rotten Tomatoes, including Variety's Owen Gleiberman, who wrote that the movie is "a moving, wrenching, compelling well-made documentary."
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story awards
Here's a quick look at some of the major awards and nominations that Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story has earned:
National Board of Review
- Top 5 Documentary
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story directors
The acclaimed documentarians Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui took on the directing responsibilities for Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. The pair have worked together on two previous documentaries, the BAFTA nominated McQueen about legendary fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen and the Netflix documentary Rising Phoenix about the legacy of the Paralympic Games.
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