From Kirk Alyn to Henry Cavill – Here’s What Every Actor Earned For Playing Superman Before David Corenswet Took Flight(Photo Credit –Instagram)
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Before David Corenswet debuted in James Gunn’s Superman, Henry Cavill had established himself as the DC superhero, having featured in Man of Steel in 2013.
Cavill later continued to play Superman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017). He even made a special appearance in Black Adam, which was released in 2022. However, his abrupt exit from the DC world left everyone disheartened.
Soon after his departure, James Gunn announced that David Corenswet would be the new Superman. Over the years, we have seen different actors wear the same cape and channel the powers of Superman. While Corenswet tries to sweep the audience with his charm, did you know how much the other actors earn from playing Superman from time to time? Scroll ahead.
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How Much Did the Actors Get Paid As Superman?
According to reports, the salaries of Superman movie actors have always been quite on the edge. Before Christopher Reeve made the character popular, Kirk Alyn was the first one to portray the character in two serials. Even though bucks started to come in after Reeve took over, during the reign of Alyn, he once stated that his pay wasn’t much in an interview with superman.nu.
Christopher Reeve NO 1 SUPERMAN
Do you agree? I do.
Christopher Reeve Soars as Fans’ #1 SupermanIn a recent poll by ComicBasics, Christopher Reeve was crowned the ultimate Superman, cementing his iconic status nearly five decades after his 1978 debut. pic.twitter.com/SW8vT2gZDP
In 1978, Christopher Reeve debuted as Superman on the big screen in front of the audience for the first time. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he was offered $250,000. He continued to play the character in Superman II in 1980, for which he earned $500,000. In 1983, he reprised the role in the third sequel of the film franchise for which he got paid $1 million. And for Superman IV: The Quest For Peace, which was released in 1987, he got a paycheck of $1 million.
Goosebumps every time I rewatch Brandon Routh’s Superman healing in the Sun
Y’all talk about Cavill’s solar recharge which is epic but Routh’s scene was calm emotional powerful and that score gave me serious Raimi Spider Man 2 energy
Why don’t we talk about it more pic.twitter.com/kFt8X8F9P5
After Reeve retired from the role, Brandon Routh took the baton but couldn’t continue to roar on the big screens. He was only seen in 2006’s Superman Returns, and as per Celebrity Net Worth, the actor had earned $1 million. After Routh, Henry Cavill made an appearance as Superman in 2013 with Man of Steel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor got a paycheck of $300,000, which is almost like a peanut-sized salary compared to Christopher Reeves, who got a big buck in his debut era. Even then, Cavill continued to feature in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. Although we don’t know how much he earned for those films, the franchise definitely put him on the map.
— DC Classic #RestoreTheSnyderVerse (@6Roboto) July 8, 2025
After appearing in Zack Snyder’s Superman movies, Henry Cavill became a huge name in the industry. This is why, when he made a cameo in Black Adam (2022), he could have demanded $250k for his appearance, as stated by Umberto Gonzalez via X (previously known as Twitter).
Cavill got paid $250k for the cameo in Black Adam and another $250k for the now deleted Clark Kent scene at the end of The Flash. https://t.co/kJA5AFsnGD
