Can You Read My Mind

Superman
Theatrical release poster by Bob Peak
Directed by	Richard Donner
Produced by	Pierre Spengler
Screenplay by	Mario Puzo David Newman Leslie Newman Robert Benton
Story by	Mario Puzo
Based on	Superman by Jerry Siegel Joe Shuster
Starring	Marlon Brando Gene Hackman Christopher Reeve Ned Beatty Jackie Cooper Glenn Ford Trevor Howard Margot Kidder Valerie Perrine Maria Schell Terence Stamp Phyllis Thaxter Susannah York
Music by	John Williams
Cinematography	Geoffrey Unsworth
Edited by	Stuart Baird Michael Ellis
Production companies	Film Export A.G. Dovemead Limited International Film Productions
Distributed by	Warner Bros. (United States) Columbia-EMI-Warner (United Kingdom)
Release date	December 10, 1978 (1978-12-10) (Kennedy Center) December 14, 1978 (1978-12-14) (United Kingdom) December 15, 1978 (1978-12-15) (United States)
Running time	143 minutes
Country	United Kingdom Switzerland Panama United States
Language	English
Budget	$55 million
Box office	$300.2 million

Superman (informally titled Superman: The Movie in some listings and reference sources) is a 1978 superhero film directed by Richard Donner and based on the DC Comics character of the same name. The film is a British, Swiss, Panamanian and American joint venture, produced by Warner Bros., Film Export A.G., Dovemead Limited and International Film Productions. Superman stars Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Glenn Ford, Phyllis Thaxter, Jackie Cooper, Trevor Howard, Marc McClure, Terence Stamp, Valerie Perrine, and Ned Beatty. The film depicts Superman's origin, including his infancy as Kal-El of Krypton and his youthful years in the rural town of Smallville. Disguised as reporter Clark Kent, he adopts a mild-mannered disposition in Metropolis and develops a romance with Lois Lane, while battling the villainous Lex Luthor.

Several directors, most notably Guy Hamilton, and screenwriters (Mario Puzo, David and Leslie Newman, and Robert Benton), were associated with the project before Richard Donner was hired to direct. Tom Mankiewicz was drafted in to rewrite the script and was given a "creative consultant" credit. It was decided to film both Superman and its sequel Superman II (1981) simultaneously, with principal photography beginning in March 1977 and ending in October 1978. Tensions arose between Donner and the producers, and a decision was made to stop filming the sequel, of which 75 percent had already been completed, and finish the first film.