Man of Steel (film)

Man of Steel is a 2013 superhero film directed by Zack Snyder from a screenplay written by David S. Goyer who developed the story with producer Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Superman, the film is a reboot of the Superman film series, depicting the character's origin story. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures, DC Entertainment, and Syncopy, it is the first installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film stars Henry Cavill as Superman in the title role, along with Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, and Russell Crowe. In the film, Clark Kent learns that he is a superpowered alien from the planet Krypton and assumes the role of mankind's protector as Superman, making the choice to face General Zod and stop him from destroying humanity.

Development began in 2008 when Warner Bros. took pitches from comic book writers, screenwriters, and directors, opting to reboot the franchise. In 2009, a court ruling resulted in Jerry Siegel's family recapturing the rights to Superman's origins and Siegel's copyright. The decision stated that Warner Bros. did not owe the families additional royalties from previous films, but if they did not begin production on a Superman film by 2011, then the Shuster and Siegel estates would be able to sue for lost revenue on an unproduced film. Nolan pitched Goyer's idea after a story discussion on The Dark Knight Rises, and Snyder was hired as the film's director in October 2010. Principal photography began in August 2011 in West Chicago, Illinois, before moving to Vancouver and Plano, Illinois.

Man of Steel premiered in the Alice Tully Hall in New York City on June 10, 2013, and was released by Warner Bros. Pictures in the United States on June 14. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who felt the film's visually-appealing action sequences were not enough to overcome its descent into "generic blockbuster territory", and they were divided over Cavill's performance as Superman. It grossed $670.1 million worldwide, becoming the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2013. A follow-up, titled Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, was released on March 25, 2016.