Superman III

About Superman III

Superman III is a 1983 superhero film directed by Richard Lester. It is the third installment in the Superman film series following Superman II. The plot centers on the Man of Steel battling a malevolent wealthy businessman, Ross Webster, who exploits a young computer genius' inventions for his personal gain. Clark Kent faces his own challenges as he confronts his past, returning to Smallville and kindling a romance with childhood sweetheart Lana Lang.

Making / Production

Richard Lester, who also directed the second Superman movie, was the director of Superman III. The screenplay was written by David Newman and Leslie Newman. The production of the movie was a grand affair, with significant alterations made to the plot and character arcs that were different from the comics.

Actors

• Christopher Reeve returns as Clark Kent / Superman, maintaining his portrayal of the iconic hero with tenderness and humor.
• Richard Pryor plays Gus Gorman, an unemployed loser turned computer whiz, bring to the role a mix of comedic relief and human vulnerability.
• Annette O'Toole stars as Lana Lang, Clark Kent’s childhood friend and new love interest, she gives a warm and charming performance.
• Robert Vaughn plays villain Ross Webster, who takes on the role with calculated coldness and megalomaniacal relish.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• This was the first film in the series to not involve Superman's archenemy Lex Luthor.
• Annette O'Toole would later go on to play Martha Kent, Superman's adoptive mother, in the TV series Smallville.
• The comedic tone of this film was significantly different from the previous two installments.

Quotes

• "I ask you to kill Superman, and you're telling me you couldn't even do that one, simple thing." - Ross Webster
• "The Dude of Steel. Boy, he's something, huh?" - Gus Gorman
• "If the world's greatest computer can see it, so can the man I'm going to marry." - Lorelei

Music & Soundtrack

• John Williams' iconic Superman theme was used, however, most of the score was composed and conducted by Ken Thorne.
• The soundtrack includes an assortment of energetic and atmospheric tracks that suit the film’s tone and action sequences.