Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

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Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

PG

1987

1h 29m

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Fantasy

Action

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Popcornmeter

17%

Tomatometer

127 Reviews

16%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Seeing the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a nuclear arms race that could lead to Earth's destruction, Superman (Christopher Reeve) decides that he must take action. He collects all the nuclear warheads from the world and throws them into space. Meanwhile, Superman's nemesis, Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman), has broken out of prison with a new scheme. He clones Superman with radioactive material to create Nuclear Man (Mark Pillow), a being just as powerful as the man of steel.

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Critics Consensus

The Superman series bottoms with The Quest for Peace -- the action is boring, the special effects look cheaper, and none of the actors appear interested in where the plot's going.

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Jeff Millar

Houston Chronicle

Jun 8

The film's just one big piece of coal in a Christmas stocking.

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Joe Kane

New York Daily News

Sep 12

While the FX are pretty cheesy... Superman IV supplies enough B-movie fun to make a bijou visit worthwhile.

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Juliann Garey

Village Voice

07/03/2025

Superman IV seems like a sloppy, low-budget echo of the original.

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Peter McPhee

Winnipeg Sun

Jun 8

Preachy and simple-minded, even the special effects here are third rate.

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Bill Brownstein

Montreal Gazette

Jun 8

Unbelievably boring.

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John Danakas

Winnipeg Sun

Jun 8

Kids might put up with it, but adults will see Superman IV for what is really is: boring.

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John K

@WQCMI Jul 18

This is some of the worst editing I have ever seen and is so pathetic.

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Thomas F

@RT70557918 Jul 17

Best way I can describe this movie is “comic booky.” I liked it. Was the CGI bad? Of course! It got its budget severely slashed, so I can’t complain. This film had a compelling plot with more Reeve than the third. Highly underrated movie. Worth a watch for Superman fans.

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diogo13 T

@Tua_mera Jul 11

Conseguiu ser melhor que o 3 filme, mas mesmo assim é uma porcaria.

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Dan K

@RT05142617 Jun 28

Christopher Reeve couldn't even save this mess. The worst of the Superman films made.

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Daniel H.

@RT68448000 Jun 25

A case study in how to kill a successful franchise for nearly a generation. Awful.

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Jer J.

@Jeratthemovies Jun 15

This is the final film with Christopher Reeve as Superman and while it was considered a flop, it still brings that level of hope from the original film. Coming off the very shaky Superman III, this time we see Superman battling Nuclear Man. After not seeing this movie since my childhood in the 80’s, I decided to rewatch it recently. I went back in it with low expectations and came out pleasantly impressed. It’s not Superman The Movie but it does bring it back to that. Reeve shines again as the Man of Steel and Margot Kidder is back in full form as Lois Lane. This film also brings back Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor and introduces his creation, Nuclear Man played by Mark Pillow. I throughly enjoyed watching this movie again and think more people should give it another go.

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Sidney J. Furie

Director

Christopher Reeve

Clark Kent

Gene Hackman

Lex Luthor

Mariel Hemingway

Lacy Warfield

Jackie Cooper

Perry White

Marc McClure

Jimmy Olsen

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Superman IV: The Quest for Peace: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Seeing the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a nuclear arms race that could lead to Earth's destruction, Superman (Christopher Reeve) decides that he must take action. He collects all the nuclear warheads from the world and throws them into space. Meanwhile, Superman's nemesis, Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman), has broken out of prison with a new scheme. He clones Superman with radioactive material to create Nuclear Man (Mark Pillow), a being just as powerful as the man of steel.

Director: Sidney J. Furie
Producer: Yoram Globus, Menahem Golan
Screenwriter: Lawrence Konner, Christopher Reeve
Production Co: Warner Bros., Cannon Films
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $14.9M
Runtime: 1h 29m
Sound Mix: Surround