What is the iRankMovies score for Superman Returns?

Name: Superman Returns
Director: Bryan Singer
Genre: action, adventure, science-fiction
Released: 2006
Duration: 2 h 34 min
Rating: 6.1

Superman Returns has an iRankMovies score of 65.8/100, based on a weighted combination of IMDb (×3.0), Rotten Tomatoes (×2.0), Metacritic (×1.5), and TMDb (×1.0).

Superman Returns (2006)

Look up in the sky!

Release:2006

Runtime:2h 34m

Country:United States

Director:Bryan Singer

Language:English

Genre

ActionAdventureScience Fiction

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Keywords

Saving The World superheroInvulnerabilityBased On ComicSequelAlien Super PowerSuperhuman Strength

iRank66

Superman Returns rating: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic

IMDb6.1/10· 302K votes

Rotten Tomatoes72%

Metacritic72%

TMDb5.815/10· 5K votes

With 72% on Rotten Tomatoes, backed by 6.1/10 on IMDb and 72/100 on Metacritic, critical reception of this film has been positive.

About Superman Returns

Superman returns to discover his 5-year absence has allowed Lex Luthor to walk free, and that those he was closest to felt abandoned and have moved on. Luthor plots his ultimate revenge that could see millions killed and change the face of the planet forever, as well as ridding himself of the Man of Steel.

Cast of Superman Returns

Brandon Routh
as Clark Kent / Superman
Kate Bosworth
as Lois Lane
Kevin Spacey
as Lex Luthor
James Marsden
as Richard White
Parker Posey
as Kitty Kowalski
Frank Langella
as Perry White
Sam Huntington
as Jimmy Olsen
Eva Marie Saint
as Martha Kent
Marlon Brando
as Jor-El
Kal Penn
as Stanford
Tristan Lake Leabu
as Jason White
David Fabrizio
as Brutus

Superman Returns facts

Budget: $223M
Box office: $391.1M

Our take on Superman Returns

Bryan Singer's 2006 superhero film picks up after a five-year absence: Superman comes home to find that his time away let Lex Luthor walk free, and that the people closest to him felt abandoned and have moved on with their lives. Luthor, meanwhile, schemes a vast revenge that could kill millions and reshape the planet, while also aiming to be rid of the Man of Steel for good. More melancholy and reflective than most comic adaptations, the film weighs the cost of Superman's absence on those he loves as much as the external threat. It suits viewers drawn to a wistful, character-focused take on the icon rather than nonstop action.

Ranked by the iRankMovies editorial teamUpdated August 2026Methodology Data sources

Audience opinions

What the audience liked

•Alien superhero mythology and invulnerability concept deliver action-adventure spectacle appeal
•Saving-the-world stakes and super power demonstration provide comic book adaptation satisfaction
•Bryan Singer direction ensures visual grandeur and emotional character arc development

What the audience disliked

•Sequel setup undermines standalone narrative satisfaction and character resolution closure
•Pacing occasionally stalls between action set pieces with extended dramatic exposition