The man you knew, the story you didn’t. Check out the Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story trailer for a look at this upcoming film. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is in theaters September 21 and September 25.
The story of Christopher Reeve is an astonishing rise from unknown actor to iconic movie star, and his definitive portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman set the benchmark for the superhero cinematic universes that dominate cinema today. Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor, before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.
After becoming a quadriplegic, he became a charismatic leader and activist in the quest to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, as well as a passionate advocate for disability rights and care - all while continuing his career in cinema in front of and behind the camera and dedicating himself to his beloved family.
From the directors of McQueen, Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, this film includes never-before-seen intimate home movies and an extraordinary trove of personal archive material, as well as the first extended interviews ever filmed with Reeve’s three children about their father, and interviews with the A-list Hollywood actors who were Reeve’s colleagues and friends. The film is a moving and vivid cinematic telling of Reeve’s remarkable story.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is produced by Passion Pictures (Searching For Sugar Man, The Territory) and Misfits Entertainment (McQueen, Rising Phoenix).
New York-based production studio Words + Pictures financed and also produced the film. Words+Pictures, founded in 2021 by Connor Schell, is led by the creators and producers of the 30 for 30 series, the Emmy Award-winning The Last Dance, and the 2017 Oscar-winning O.J.: Made in America. The film is a presentation of DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films, CNN Films and Words+Pictures.
The story of Christopher Reeve is an astonishing rise from unknown actor to iconic movie star, and his definitive portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman set the benchmark for the superhero cinematic universes that dominate cinema today. Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor, before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.
After becoming a quadriplegic, he became a charismatic leader and activist in the quest to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, as well as a passionate advocate for disability rights and care - all while continuing his career in cinema in front of and behind the camera and dedicating himself to his beloved family.
From the directors of McQueen, Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, this film includes never-before-seen intimate home movies and an extraordinary trove of personal archive material, as well as the first extended interviews ever filmed with Reeve’s three children about their father, and interviews with the A-list Hollywood actors who were Reeve’s colleagues and friends. The film is a moving and vivid cinematic telling of Reeve’s remarkable story.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is produced by Passion Pictures (Searching For Sugar Man, The Territory) and Misfits Entertainment (McQueen, Rising Phoenix).
New York-based production studio Words + Pictures financed and also produced the film. Words+Pictures, founded in 2021 by Connor Schell, is led by the creators and producers of the 30 for 30 series, the Emmy Award-winning The Last Dance, and the 2017 Oscar-winning O.J.: Made in America. The film is a presentation of DC Studios, HBO Documentary Films, CNN Films and Words+Pictures.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Everybody's looking for a hero.
00:09I am not a hero.
00:11That was a part.
00:12I played the part.
00:13I'm not that man.
00:18Hands down, he was Superman from day one.
00:21I realized that if I could pull off this part, it would change my life.
00:25John Housman said, Mr. Reeve, it is very important to become a serious classical actor.
00:30Unless, of course, they offer you a load of money to do something else.
00:36He convinced me when I first met him that he would fly.
00:40Doing things with my dad, it was all about activity and action.
00:44Riding bikes, playing soccer, skiing.
00:47Carpe diem, Al.
00:50My dad was very competitive, and he didn't necessarily slow down.
00:54We said goodbye, and he gave this wave.
00:59That was the last time I saw him on his feet.
01:06Mr. Reeve currently has no movement or spontaneous respiration.
01:10Superman, crazy.
01:11Just that simple little thing over the horse.
01:14I'd ruined my life and everybody else's.
01:18I won't be able to ski, sail, throw a ball to Will.
01:22Won't be able to make love to Dana.
01:24Maybe we should let me go.
01:27She came flying in, and she just yelled, I love you.
01:31I love you.
01:32And then she said, the words saved my life.
01:36You're still you, and I love you.
01:42He and Robin were such good friends because they could match each other.
01:45Robin also had struggles that he dealt with his whole life,
01:49and I think that they both were aware of darkness.
01:53Brother Chris is fighting like crazy.
01:55When you find people who fight like that but still keep their humanity,
01:57that gives you great hope.
01:59That is tough because I can feel him, but he can't feel me.
02:03It must have been hell for my mom, too, knowing that she had lost.
02:10I felt I needed to do something, not just for myself,
02:14but for everyone else in the same condition.
02:17The fact that Superman was in a wheelchair
02:19and was willing to go public with it was huge.
02:24Help is on the way.
02:32The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act.
02:37People are literally walking because of him.
02:41What is a hero?
02:43My answer was that a hero is someone who commits a courageous action
02:50without considering the consequences.
02:54Now my definition is completely different.
02:57I think a hero is an ordinary individual
03:00who finds the strength to persevere and endure
03:03in spite of overwhelming obstacles.
03:06I wouldn't have missed this for the world.