Superman's Best Movie Was Only Possible Thanks To A 3-Time Oscar Winning Gangster Movie

Summary Mario Puzo's involvement in the 1978 Superman movie was crucial, paving the way for its success in the then-unproven superhero genre.

The connection between The Godfather and Superman adds a cool factor, as both films explore themes of justice and morality in different ways.

The star power of actors like Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman, combined with Puzo's script, gave Superman a sense of pathos and weight that still resonates today.

The creation and success of the 1978 Superman movie is owed in part to one of the most critically and commercially acclaimed mafia movies of all time. Some 46 years after the debut of the original Superman movie, the cinematic landscape - especially when it comes to the matter of superhero movies - is decidedly different. With upcoming DC movies about the likes of Batman or Superman being almost a given at this point in history, the matter of how the genre took off is naturally the subject of considerable interest.

This is especially true for the 1978 Superman film, both because of its status as the first ever Man Of Steel movie, and because it was one of the first steps towards the colossal success the genre would see in the coming decades. With the movie even making it into the National Film Registry in the Library Of Congress - a place afforded only to the most significant movies of years passed - it's clear the release only looks more noteworthy the more time passes, making the fact it was made possible thanks to one epic crime movie all the more eye-catching.

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Mario Puzo Was Crucial To 1978's Superman's Success

While it's hard to imagine a time in which superhero movie adaptations weren't even truly conceived of as a concept yet given the multibillion-dollar industry they are today, this is exactly the scenario the 1978 Superman was first conceived and crafted in. As such, the process of funding the movie was somewhat more fraught, as the genre had yet to truly prove itself, and with the main DC adaption at this point being the Adam West Batman show, the general public perhaps was set to think of a Superman movie as more fun and silly than dramatic and emotive.

However, the film project would indeed receive funding, in no small part because of the iconic faces and names that would become involved with the installment. Indeed, the movie documentary Taking Flight: The Development of Superman describes one Mario Puzo leading the charge in this regard, stating that, "It was Puzo’s name that first leant credibly to the Superman project, and allowed the Sorkins to start generating finances. Puzzo’s script laid the groundwork for the stories that would make up not one, but two Superman movies."

This makes sense, given that Puzo is still famous as the writer of The Godfather book, and its eventual iconic movie adaptation, though his DC contributions are less well-known to modern audiences. With The Godfather having released 6 years before the first Superman premiered - and the sequel a mere 4 years before, only 3 years before production began - it's clear to see how such a well-established and well-regarded figure could indeed make the difference when it came to securing funding, especially given what it suggested for the movie itself.

Why Superman's Link To The Godfather Makes The Movie Even Better

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While The Godfather and 1978's Superman have very different plots to say the least, both explore ideas surrounding justice and morality. While these are explored from quite different perspectives, the idea that themes and aspects of the DC movie may have come in part from the same place as some of The Godfather adds an undeniable cool factor to the story.

This is especially true when it comes to performances from the likes of Marlon Brando or Gene Hackman, whose star power combined with the script to create a real sense of pathos and weight to moments that could have otherwise felt too larger-than-life. As such, while elements of The Godfather and Superman crossing over might sound a recipe for disaster at first, the 1978 movie makes it clear that the very opposite is true, given its place in superhero movie history even almost half a century later.

Superman Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Richard Donner's Superman brought DC's Man of Steel to the big screen, making millions believe that a man could fly. Christopher Reeves plays Clark Kent, the alter-ego of Kal-El, the famous alien orphan sent to Earth as his home planet is destoryed. Raised in Smallville, Kansas by Jonathan and Martha Kent, Clark grows up and must balance his life as a Daily Planet journalist with his superhero duties, as villainous mastermind Lex Luthor threatens both him and millions of US citizens. Director Richard Donner Release Date December 13, 1978 Cast Marlon Brando , Gene Hackman , Christopher Reeve , Ned Beatty , Jackie Cooper , Glenn Ford