The story of Christopher Reeve, his 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.
STATEMENT FROM THE REEVE FAMILY
We’d considered participating in projects about our dad before, but it had never felt quite right. We are our father’s children: always on the go, moving forward, looking ahead, dedicating ourselves to our families and careers and passions. If we were ever going to hand over decades’ worth of home movies, ask key family and friends to share raw and vulnerable memories in on-camera interviews, and do the same ourselves, it would need to be done with the perfect team at the perfect time. As we approach the 20th anniversary of our dad’s death, that’s precisely what we have in Passion Pictures, Misfits Entertainment, and Words + Pictures and the documentary they’ve made.
What is now Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story began as a series of transatlantic Zoom calls. The Passion folks put together a sizzle reel to articulate their vision. We loved that. They brought in Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui. We loved them. When Connor Schell and Libby Geist and Words + Pictures agreed to come on board, we knew we had our team and we believed this film could fly.
What mattered most to us as we thought about taking this leap of faith was that the film told “the Christopher Reeve story” holistically and without favor and examined him as broadly and deeply and fully as he lived his life. He was an actor, an author, a director; an activist, an athlete, an adventurer; a son, a husband, a father. This documentary is the definitive exploration of all the parts of Christopher Reeve that combined to make a hero.
Our dad is our hero, and we’re touched to know millions of people across generations around the world see him the same way. We are proud and thrilled to share Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story with fans who loved the Superman films, or who were inspired by his courage after his spinal cord injury, or who were moved by his enduring love story with our mom/stepmom, Dana, or anyone who could use a hero right now. This documentary is a story of perseverance, commitment, love, family, bravery, tragedy, triumph, hope, and so much more. Above all, it is a story of humanity, embodied by an ordinary man who found the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.
We take very seriously the pursuit of maintaining our father’s legacy. We strive to do that daily by the way we live, the values we uphold, and the causes we’re involved in—most notably the work of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which aims to help find cures for spinal cord injury and provide quality of life support for people living with paralysis. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is now and forever a cornerstone of that legacy.
We gave Ian and Peter and the teams at Passion, Misfits, and Words + Pictures our full support and blessing to make the film they wanted. They rewarded our trust in them by crafting a masterwork that captures the spirit of our father and tells his story from his early days to the Superman years to his final act artfully, accurately, and movingly. We are profoundly honored to be associated with Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, and we can’t wait for the world to see it.
—Matthew Reeve, Alexandra Reeve Givens, Will Reeve
The documentary will be in theaters, via Fathom Events.
Here is where to get tickets.
SCIFI.radio is listener supported sci-fi geek culture radio, and operates almost exclusively via the generous contributions of our fans via our Patreon campaign. If you like, you can also use our tip jar and send us a little something to help support the many fine creatives that make this station possible.
I remember the shock I felt when “Superman” became paralyzed. And, ironically, not while using a car or truck or motorcycle, but while riding a horse.
My hope is it won’t be long before doctors will be saying: “In regard to your major paralyzation, I am sorry but that can take up to a month to completely heal.”