The many adaptations Superman In cinema and TV we have seen certain characters altered to become practically unrecognizable. Long before the DCEU films, Superman was the most famous character in DC cinema. Perhaps the most iconic superhero in pop culture, the Man of Steel has been adapted for the screen many times, in film and TV, both in live-action and animation. This saw many different takes on the hero and his supporting characters.
Many different actors who have played Superman have put their own spin on the character, and likewise, many varied approaches to adapting his world have occurred over the years. This has led to many Superman characters being altered almost beyond recognition in some adaptations, with creative license being applied in the process of translating DC's history from page to screen. With that in mind, here are the 10 Superman characters who changed the most in the movies and shows.
10
My Adventures with Superman's Braniac
First appearance: My Adventures With Superman, season 1, episode 10, "Hearts of the Fathers"
Brainiac has been one of Superman's most formidable foes, and his adaptable nature has made him one of the most versatile figures in films and TV shows after Superman. My Adventures with Superman gave an interesting new twist to many of its DC characters, taking their animated nature as a cue to update the stories of several supporting figures. One of those characters was Brainiac, whose story changed considerably for the show.
My Adventures with SupermanBrainiac was rewritten to be solely responsible for the destruction of Krypton. Brainiac was the one who almost eradicated all Kryptonians and destroyed their home world is a change from many of Superman's more common origin stories, and saw My Adventures with Superman offer a very different view of the villain. Although he was still recognizable in some aspects, My Adventures with SupermanBrainiac's was still considerably different from more traditional depictions.
9
Lois' Superman and Superman
First appearance: Superman & Lois, season 1, episode 1, "Pilot"
As the titular hero of Superman and Lois cast, Tyler Hoechlin's Clark Kent stands out as a subtly unique take on the iconic hero. While much of the show's story is in line with more traditional depictions of Superman, Hoechlin's Superman story begins much later than many others, following his family life with Lois Lane rather than his youth as a hero. This led to a major change shortly before the end of the show.
The end of Superman and LoisSeason 4, Episode 7 saw Hoechlin's Superman announce his secret identity to the world. While this has happened in a few Superman stories over the years, it actually played a pivotal role in his narrative arc that has remained permanent. This - and the way the show's finale handled Clark's aging - sets it a bit apart from other iterations.especially those from its film and TV history.
8
Lex Luthor by Jesse Eisenberg
First appearance: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Over the years, many actors have played Lex Luthor in live-action, each of them bringing something a little different to the role. However, the DCEU's Lex Luthor, played by Jesse Eisenberg, put a unique spin on the iconic villain that was considered divisive, to say the least. Eisenberg's Luthor not only began his time in the DCEU looking very different from the more traditional version of the character, but his behavior and mannerisms were also far from other iterations.
Eisenberg brought to his version of Lex Luthor a frenetic energy that was never considered typical of the character. His energetic performance made his Luthor look incredibly differentsomething that was only promoted by the character's long, full hair. Seeing such a different take on Luthor was shocking, although at the end of Batman v Superman he took on a more recognizable appearance.
7
My Adventures with Superman's Mr. Mxyzptlk
First appearance: My Adventures with Superman, season 1, episode 7, "Kiss Kiss Fall in Portal"
Mister Mxyzptlk is one of Superman's strangest antagonists, with his reality-warping abilities making him an especially versatile and strange character. While many Superman shows have adapted the character, not all of them have strayed too far from his typical comic book depiction. However, My Adventures with Superman took a slightly different approach to the character, which saw him change considerably from his comic book counterpart.
My Adventures with SupermanMister Mxyzptlk is a multiversal imp and a self-proclaimed god of chaos. He is decidedly less human-looking than most other incarnations, and his personality has also changed significantly for the show. Furthermore, he is an enemy of the League of Lois Lanes, who managed to lower his power levels. While many of these changes are relatively small, when combined they result in a version of the character that is quite different. than your usual self.
6
Jimmy Olsen from Smallville
First appearance: Smallville, season 6, episode 1, "Zod"
For decades, Jimmy Olsen has been one of Superman's most consistent supporting characters. Serving for a time as a kind of sidekick to the hero, Jimmy Olsen works alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet as a photographer. When Smallville first introduced its own take on the character, he seemed relatively in line with other versions, but it was where the series took his story that made him stand out so substantially.
Jimmy was introduced at the beginning of Smallville Season 6, and quickly became a regular before being upgraded to the show's main cast. He was then shockingly killed, and the show revealed that he was not the real Jimmy Olsen, but his older brother with the same name. It was a strange choice for Smallville have done, as it added practically nothing to the character other than making him unexpectedly expendable.
5
Martha Kent from Smallville
First appearance: Smallville, season 1, episode 1, "Pilot"
Smallville He took a lot of liberties with his characters' stories. Expanding Superman's youth by ten years was no easy task and required a significant amount of creative license to use some elements of the hero's origins. These changes have caused many characters to change considerably over the course of the show, with few becoming as drastically different as Martha Kent, Clark's adoptive mother.
At the beginning of the show, she is the kind-hearted farmer's wife she normally should be. Throughout its 10 seasons, she gradually also becomes a US Senator and finds herself privy to state secrets and involved in various political schemes to protect Clark. It's easy to see why Smallville felt the need to give her a larger role, but this also meant that the show's Martha Kent was very different from the comics.
4
The Brainiac from Superman and Lois
First appearance: Superman & Lois, season 4, episode 8, "Sharp Dressed Man"
Although the specifics of Brainiac's story are sometimes changed for new depictions, Superman and LoisThe villain's version was decidedly different from most other iterations of the character. Introduced in the 4th season of the show, Superman and Lois' Brainiac was not an AI or Kryptonian or Coluan scientist, but a relatively ordinary human being. Despite being nicknamed Brainiac and being known as the villain's occasional alias, he shared very little resemblance to the comic book character, appearing to take more inspiration from the human artist named Milton Fine, whose mind was controlled by Brainiac in the comics.
In the show, Milton Fine is simply a hacker who supports Lex Luthor in his revenge crusade against Superman. He helps build various equipment and technology to facilitate Luthor's plans to fight and kill Superman, including the villain's armor. His role in the series is necessary and logical, although it's difficult to express just how different a character he really is from his original DC Comics namesake.
3
Clark Kent from Smallville
First appearance: Smallville, season 1, episode 1, "Pilot"
As Superman's human alter ego, Clark Kent is the hero's true personality. Smallville follows Clark's youth, before he adopted the iconic mantle of Superman. One of the basic principles of the program was “no pantyhose, no flights”, meaning it was never intended to show Superman in his iconic costume or taking to the skies. However, over its 10 seasons, the rule became difficult and Clark's character was changed to keep the show's story fresh.
SmallvilleClark Kent embarked on many more adventures than Superman traditionally did in the comics during his youth. He also developed several hero personas and made contacts with superheroes long before he became Superman, all of whom were aware of his secret identity. In many ways, that does SmallvilleClark Kent is completely different from the common representation of Supermanas so many elements of its origins were changed to keep the show going.
2
DCEU's Jimmy Olsen
First appearance: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Introduced early in the DCEU film timeline, the franchise's Jimmy Olsen shared very little resemblance to his comic book counterpart. Instead of the lovable bumbling sidekick, the DCEU's Jimmy Olsen was a tall, confident character who commanded the attention and respect of those around him. At least, he seemed to be in his brief appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceas he only lasted a few minutes before being unceremoniously killed.
The DCEU's Jimmy Olsen was a secret CIA agent investigating the same criminal as Lois Lane. What initially appears to be the setup for the duo's friendship and the future of the DCEU turns out to be nothing more than a farce, making Olsen's character incredibly different from the comics. Not only is the character not traditionally a secret agent, but he also doesn't usually die moments after its introduction.
1
Superman and Lois' Doomsday
First appearance: Superman & Lois, season 4, episode 9, "To Live and Die Again"
When it comes to Superman characters being changed for movies and TV shows, Superman and Lois'Judgment Day is by far the most drastic example. First introduced as the villain Bizarro, the show's story about the villain takes several unexpected turns. Although he started out as a version of Superman from an alternate reality, he changed over the course of the show to become the villain Doomsday after being experimented on by Lex Luthor.
Combining two distinct Superman villains into a single character was a bold creative move. Combining Bizarro's story with Doomsday, having the former become the latter, was innovative and unexpected, offering an entirely new backstory to the villain traditionally responsible for Superman's death. As a result, Superman and Lois'Doomsday is by far the character that has changed the most in the history of Superman movies and TV shows.
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