SUPERMAN THE MOVIE

A TRIP THROUGH TIME AND TELEVISION

For over 40 years SUPERMAN THE MOVIE has graced tv screens all across the U.S. in many forms and versions. Below is a comprehensive list of its flight through cable, network, and syndicated television.
Researched and complied by Alex Serpa.

A breakdown of the different televised versions of SUPERMAN THE MOVIE:

1- Theatrical version: This is the version released to theaters in 1978, clocking in at 2-hours 24-minutes. This version was presented on television from 1980-2001 in mono and in stereo surround. Airings of this version after 2001 feature the newly created 5.1 sound mix. Network and syndicated airings of this version may have been edited for language or to run in a certain time allotted, and usually played in a 3 hour time slot with commercials. The cable airings of this version are unaltered. This version is currently available on bluray and streaming services.

2- Extended TV Version: Longer version of the film produced in 1982 by the film’s production company for network and syndicated television airings, featuring an added 45 minutes of scenes deleted from the Theatrical Version, clocking this version at 3-hours 8-minutes, and intended to run in a 4 hour time slot with commercials. Though many stations airing this version would screen the complete version of film, some would independently edit it for content or to fit their airing time allotment needs.

3- Extended TV Version 2 Parter: This version is same as the Extended TV Version (#2) but edited to air as a two part film on consecutive nights. The part 1 airing would conclude with a cliffhanger of Lois falling out of the helicopter and cutting to the end credits. Part two would begin with the opening credits into a 14-minute built in recap that would lead into the helicopter cliffhanger payoff and finish off the rest of film. Though many stations airing this version would screen the complete version of film, some would independently edit it for content or to fit their airing time allotment needs. This 2 Parter version is most commonly known as the first ABC network premiere airing of the film in 1982.

4- Expanded Version: 2001 cut of the film with a newly created 5.1 sound mix, and featuring 8 minutes of scenes deleted from the Theatrical Version, clocking in at 2-hours 32-minutes. Syndicated airings of this version may have been edited for language or to run in a certain time allotted, and usually ran in a 3 hour time slot with commercials. This is the same version first released on DVD in 2001. The cable airings of this version are unaltered. This version is currently available on bluray and streaming services.

Channel marker:

Cable: Paid, commercial free, premium channels. HBO, Cinemax, The Movie Channel, Spotlight, WHT, Encore, Starz, etc.
Network TV: Free television networks. ABC, CBS, NBC.
Syndicated: Basic cable channels (with and without commercials) and independent television stations. PBS, The Disney Channel, Turner Classic Movies, American Movie Classics, USA Network, The Family Channel, TV Land, ScyFy, TBS, TNT, A&E, etc.
*Months not shown denotes no airings of the film or no airings I could trace.

*Note that “unaltered” refers to the film’s running time and not the aspect ratio or sound mix.

October 1980 – December 1981
Cable.
Theatrical Version. World home media premiere of the Theatrical Version.

SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- HBO ad. October 1980.
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- Showtime ad. October 1980.
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- ON-TV ad. October 5, 1980.
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- The Movie Channel ad. December 15, 1980.

February 1982 – August 18, 1985
Network.
ABC. Four airings.
February 7 and 8- Extended TV Version 2 Parter. U.S. network television premiere.
November 14, 1982- Extended TV Version.
December 23, 1984- Theatrical version. Edited for network standards.
August 18, 1985- Theatrical Version. Edited for network standards.

SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- ABC ad. February 7, 1982.
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- ABC ad. February 8, 1982.
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- ABC ad. November 14, 1982.

January 4, 1986
Network.
CBS. One airing.
Theatrical Version. Edited for network standards.

SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- CBS ad. January 4, 1986.

July 1986 – October 1987
Cable.
Theatrical version.

February 1988 – January 1991
Syndication.
Theatrical Version, Extended TV Version, Extended TV Version 2 Parter.

SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WYAH ad. February 7, 1988.
FEBRUARY 7, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KPLR ad. February 14, 1988.
FEBRUARY 14, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KPLR ad. February 14, 1988.
FEBRUARY 14, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- ABC ad. February 17, 1988.
FEBRUARY 17, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WPIX ad. February 23, 1988.
FEBRUARY 23, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WGN ad. February 24, 1988.
FEBRUARY 24, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WOFL ad. February 26, 1988.
FEBRUARY 26, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WXIN ad. February 28, 1988.
FEBRUARY 28, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WFLX ad. March 1, 1988.
MARCH 1, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KMSP ad.
April 30, 1988.
APRIL 30, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WSBK ad.
May 3, 1988.
MAY 3, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WEVV ad. May 10, 1988.
MAY 10, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WFLX ad. March 1, 1988.
MARCH 1, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KMSP ad.
April 30, 1988.
APRIL 30, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WSBK ad.
May 3, 1988.
MAY 3, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WEVV ad. May 10, 1988.
MAY 10, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KCOP ad. November 22, 1988.
NOVEMBER 22, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WXIN ad. November 23, 1988.
NOVEMBER 23, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WXIN ad. November 23, 1988.
NOVEMBER 23, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WXIN ad. November 23, 1988.
NOVEMBER 23, 1988
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WSBK ad. February 22, 1989.
FEBRUARY 22, 1989
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WZTV ad. May 3, 1989.
MAY 3, 1989
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KPTV ad.
May 7, 1989.
MAY 7, 1989
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WACH ad. May 8, 1989.
MAY 8, 1989
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KOKH ad.
May 21, 1989.
MAY 21, 1989
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KGSW ad.
July 31 and August 1, 1989.
JULY 31, 1989
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KGSW ad.
July 31 and August 1, 1989.
AUGUST 1, 1989
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WPIX ad.
May 14, 1990.
MAY 14, 1990
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- Newspaper WPIX ad. May 14, 1990.
MAY 14, 1990
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KOKH ad.
May 20, 1990.
MAY 20, 1990
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KDSM ad.
July 27, 1990.
JULY 17, 1990
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KOKH ad. November 4, 1990.
NOVEMBER 4, 1990

February 1991 – May 1991
Cable.
Theatrical Version.

November 1992 – December 1993
Syndication.
USA Network.
Theatrical Version.

April 1994 – November 1999
Syndication.
Theatrical Version, Extended TV Version, Extended TV Version 2 Parter.

SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KCOP ad.
November 6, 1994.
NOVEMBER 6, 1994
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WSTR ad. February 26, 1995.
FEBRUARY 26, 1995
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- KBHK ad. April 26, 1996.
APRIL 26, 1996
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- WSTR ad. May 10, 1998.
MAY 10, 1998

April 2000 – March 2001
Syndication.
American Movie Classics exclusive.
Theatrical Version.

April 2001 – September 2001
Syndication.
Turner networks exclusive. TBS, Tuner Classic Movies, TNT.
Theatrical Version with 2001 sound mix.

October 2001 – December 2001
Cable.
Expanded and Theatrical Version with 2001 sound mix.

January 2002
Syndication.
ABC Family Channel.
Theatrical Version with 2001 sound mix.

March 2002
Cable.
Theatrical Version with 2001 sound mix.

April 2002
Syndication.
Sci-Fi Channel.

May 2002
Syndication.
Theatrical Version with 2001 sound mix.

August 2002 – November 2003
Syndication.
Sci-Fi Channel exclusive.

December 2003 – April 2005
Syndication.
Turner networks exclusive. TBS, Tuner Classic Movies, TNT.

May 2005
Syndication.
The Family Channel.

June 2005
Syndication.
A&E.

July 2005 – October 2006
Cable.
HBO/Cinemax exclusive.

December 2006 – May 2007
Syndication.

SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- The Family Channel ad.
January 17, 2007.

June 2007
Syndication.
ION Television.

May 2008
Syndication.
ION Television.

November 2008 – December 2008
Syndication.
TV Land.

SUPERMAN THE MOVIE- TV Land ad. December 14, 2008

April 2010 – July 2010
Syndication.
American Movie Classics.

October 2010 – January 2011
Cable.

February 2011 – April 2011
Syndication.

July 2012 – January 2014
Cable.

November 2014 – December 2014
Syndication.

June 2015 – August 2015
Syndication.

March 2016 – April 2016
Syndication.
ScyFy Channel.

March 2018
ScyFy Channel.

March 2019 – April 2019
Syndication.
Sundance Channel.

For more TV airing ads visit the PROMOTION page