After having its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, garnering universal acclaim from critics, ‘Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story’, a documentary on the life of the celebrated Superman actor is coming to US theaters and on Max.
The documentary follows Reeve’s rise to Hollywood stardom and his life after a life-threatening horse-riding accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down, leading him to a life of fighting for disability rights.
Release Date
Directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, ‘Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story’ opens in select US theaters for two nights on September 21 and 25, 2024 before it streams on Max.
Synopsis
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.
Reviews
Siddhant Adlakha in an IndieWire review praised the documentary, writing, “As much as it’s a movie about one man’s struggle, it’s a family drama too, and the way his paralysis shifts their dynamic over the years is enrapturing to watch.”
Mark Johnson in an Awards Daily review also praised the documentary, writing, “The film grapples with the question: what defines a hero? For Reeve, it was someone who found strength to persevere despite overwhelming obstacles. To me, it was simply Christopher Reeve.”
Official Trailer
Watch the official trailer for ‘Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story’.