The Death and Return of Superman

The Death and Return of Superman

Year: 2019

Runtime: 166 mins

Language: English

Directors: Sam Liu, Jake Castorena

ActionAnimationAdventure

This animated feature combines "The Death of Superman" and "Reign of the Supermen" into a seamless story. It depicts the intense conflict between the Justice League and the devastating alien force, Doomsday. Superman must confront this powerful adversary in a battle that reshapes Metropolis and leaves a lasting impact on the DC Universe.

Tense
Bittersweet ending
Emotionally heavy
High intensity
Fast pacing
Moderate complexity

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Death and Return of Superman (2019)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Death and Return of Superman (2019). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1990s

Set in the 1990s, the Death of Superman era used a bold publishing gambit to boost sales and redefine the superhero landscape. The storyline culminates with Superman's death in Superman #75 and the subsequent 'Reign of the Supermen!' arc introducing four impostor Supermen. Superman's eventual return from a healing coma makes death feel provisional rather than permanent.

Location

Coast City

Coast City is a fictional coastal metropolis in the DC Universe, best known as the home of Green Lantern and the site of major battles in DC’s superhero sagas. In this arc, Hank Henshaw destroys Coast City, triggering Hal Jordan’s descent into Parallax and reshaping the fate of the Green Lantern Corps.

❄️ Coast City 🗺️ DC Universe 🎨 Comic Book History

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:21

Main Characters – The Death and Return of Superman (2019)

Meet the key characters of The Death and Return of Superman (2019), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Clark Kent / Superman (Jerry O'Connell)

The iconic Kryptonian hero who dies in the Doomsday clash and later returns from a healing coma. His apparent absence opens the door for impostor Supermen and tests what it means to be 'the' Superman within the DC Universe.

🕊️ Hero 🦸‍♂️ Kryptonian 🌟 Icon

Hank Henshaw / Cyborg Superman (Patrick Fabian)

A formidable antagonist who defeats the other impostors and destroys Coast City, catalyzing Hal Jordan's fall into Parallax. He embodies the perils of taking power to extremes and the fragility of legacy in a dying city.

🗡️ Villain 🤖 Cyborg ⚡ Power

John Henry Irons / Steel (Cress Williams)

A brilliant inventor who becomes one of the four impostors claiming to be Superman, highlighting ingenuity and the struggle to live up to a legendary symbol after the hero's death.

🧭 Inventor 🛡️ Armor 🦸‍♂️ Hero

Connor Kent / Superboy (Cameron Monaghan)

A young clone stepping into the void left by Superman, representing the tension between legacy and identity as a new 'Superman' figure emerges.

🧒 Clone 🦸‍♂️ Hero 🧭 Legacy

Eradicator (Charles Halford)

A Kryptonian machine that takes on the role of a Superman-like protector, testing what it means to safeguard humanity without the human element of Clark Kent.

🤖 Machine 🛡️ Protector 🧭 Kryptonian

Hal Jordan / Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion)

The Green Lantern whose city suffers during Henshaw’s rampage, leading to a psychological breakdown that culminates in his Parallax persona and a drastic shift in his cosmic responsibilities.

🪖 Lantern 🗺️ Space 🌀 Parallax

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:21

Major Themes – The Death and Return of Superman (2019)

Explore the central themes of The Death and Return of Superman (2019), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕊️ Death & Resurrection

The arc centers on the death of Superman and the emergence of four impostors, testing what heroism really means beyond a single symbol. It shows how death can drive storytelling, sales, and fan engagement, even as the real hero returns. The temporary nature of Superman's death raises questions about permanence in myth and continuity.

💰 Industry & Fan Reactions

Executives lean into sensational events to boost relevance, as demonstrated by massive initial print runs and sold-out issues. Public reaction includes outrage at the resurrection, which shapes how future stories are marketed and published. The arc reveals death as a narrative device with significant business implications.

🧬 Legacy

Although Superman seems dead, the storyline reinforces that heroism leaves a lasting imprint, echoed by multiple successors stepping into the void. The resurrection motif becomes a recurring trope that DC would reuse, altering how death and continuity are perceived by fans.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:21

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Movies about deconstructing hero myths like The Death and Return of Superman

Stories that challenge and rebuild the fundamental myths of legendary heroes.If you liked The Death and Return of Superman and its exploration of legacy and impostors, you'll find similar stories here. These movies, often from comic book or epic fantasy genres, critically examine what happens when a hero falls, is replaced, or returns in a way that changes their myth forever.

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Narratives in this thread typically follow a pattern where an established, seemingly invincible hero is profoundly challenged, often through death, defeat, or the rise of multiple successors. This creates a period of uncertainty and chaos, forcing the world—and the audience—to re-evaluate the meaning and necessity of the hero, culminating in a restoration that is often bittersweet or transformative.

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These movies are grouped by their shared focus on meta-commentary about heroism itself. They share a heavy emotional weight, epic scale, and a tendency to use major, world-altering events to explore themes of legacy, fan expectation, and the cyclical nature of heroic storytelling.

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The narrative pattern involves a direct and escalating threat that quickly overwhelms conventional defenses, leading to a devastating confrontation with the central hero. The story moves at a rapid pace from crisis to climax, emphasizing the physical and emotional toll of the conflict, and often leaves a lasting impact on the fictional universe.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by a specific mix of medium (animation), genre (action/sci-fi), and tone. They share a high intensity level, fast pacing, heavy emotional weight centered on sacrifice and loss, and a visual style that brings large-scale destruction and powerful superhuman battles to life.

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The Death and Return of Superman Summary

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The Death and Return of Superman Summary

The Death and Return of Superman Timeline

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The Death and Return of Superman Timeline

The Death and Return of Superman Spoiler-Free Summary

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The Death and Return of Superman Spoiler-Free Summary

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