Superman in film the script, giving it a serious feel with Christ-like overtones. Christopher Reeve was cast as Superman, having initially failed to impress the Salkinds before bulking up. Brando meanwhile, despite spending less than two weeks on the shoot, and not even reading the script until then, earned $3.7 million up front, plus 11.75% of the gross profits from the film. The film was a success both critically and commercially, being released during the Christmas season of 1978; it did not have much competition, leading the producers to believe that this was one factor in the film's success. Shooting of the two
Publication history of Superman both of these changes were eventually reversed. Also Superman's Earth-2 counterpart married the Lois Lane of his world, and new rivals such as Terra-Man and Parasite appeared. In 1978 "Superman" was released. The film featured groundbreaking special effects and stars such as Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman, but it was the performance of newcomer Christopher Reeve under the direction of Richard Donner that made the film come alive in the eyes of many critics. The film engendered a series of sequels throughout the 1980s. However, the later three sequels proved to be less successful than the first. In 1970, the