Six actors who have donned the cape of Superman came together at MegaCon Orlando on February 8 to pay tribute to the late Christopher Reeve, whose portrayal of the superhero in the 1978 Superman film remains one of the most iconic in cinema history.
A Gathering of Supermen
Tyler Hoechlin (Superman & Lois), Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), Dean Cain (Lois & Clark), Tim Daly (Superman: The Animated Series), George Newbern (Justice League animated series), and Tom Welling (Smallville) joined forces on stage to celebrate Reeve’s legacy both on and off the screen.
Welling, 47, reminisced about working with Reeve during Smallville’s second season. Reeve played Dr. Virgil Swann, a character pivotal to Welling’s portrayal of a young Clark Kent. What was supposed to be a brief four-hour shoot turned into an eight-hour session as Reeve insisted on staying to film Welling’s scenes alongside him.
"He was like, 'No, I’m not leaving,'" Welling recalled. Eventually, Reeve’s nurse had to intervene, threatening to call the police if he didn’t leave. Reeve’s response? "They’re always telling me what to do."
Carrying on Reeve’s Legacy
Brandon Routh, 45, spoke about how Reeve’s influence shaped his own portrayal of Superman in 2006’s Superman Returns. "It was always gonna be like Chris," he said.
"Even if it was some other movie, some other version of that slightly altered Superman, because I wasn’t playing Chris. I wasn’t playing Superman. [I was] playing the feeling, the love when you’re Superman."
Reeve’s journey — marked by tragedy and resilience — was revisited in Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, a documentary that premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and is now streaming on Max. The film includes interviews with Reeve’s children and late wife Dana Reeve, as well as insights from Hollywood peers like Whoopi Goldberg, Susan Sarandon, and Glenn Close.
The Superman Legacy Continues
The MegaCon tribute arrived just months before James Gunn’s upcoming Superman reboot, starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. In a touching full-circle moment, Reeve’s son, Will Reeve, makes a cameo in the film. "I had a free day, so we made it happen," Will, 32, told TMZ in July 2024. Though he remained tight-lipped about his role, he hinted, "Blink and you’ll miss it."
As the Superman franchise evolves, the legacy of Christopher Reeve continues to inspire both actors and fans alike, proving that even decades later, he is still the definitive Man of Steel.
