The first super hero took his time making it to the silver screen.  Superman: The Movie was released in 1978 to great excitement with blockbuster budget and a cast mixed with stars and unknowns.  Christopher Reeves played the Man of Steel, a virtual unknown matched wits with Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor.  Marlon Brando actually earned top billing and the top paycheck ($3.7 million plus a percent of the film’s earnings) for his 10 minutes as Superman’s father, Jor-El.

The film still stands up as an iconic film interpretation of the classic character, with Christopher Reeve forever glued to the role.  Even the recent Superman Returns tried to emulate the original Superman, failing to reclaim the magic that made all movie fans believe a man can fly.