As one of the earliest and most-loved superhero films, this film has a marked impact on pop culture.
Anime & Manga
- Superman Vs. Meshi: This incarnation of Superman heavily resembles Christopher Reeve. Like Reeve's Superman in the 1978 movie, he rescues Lois from a dangling helicopter and is mentioned to be from Kansas.
- Superman: Birthright: The publisher of the Daily Planet, mocking Lois for her belief in the Superman story before Superman publicly reveals himself, says, "You will believe a man can fly!". Later, Superman calls Luthor a "diseased maniac".
- In Quest for Camelot, when Devon and Cornwall save a hawk from the Griffin, the Superman fanfare (from the Helicopter Rescue) plays.
- Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation: At one point, Buster, Babs, and Byron are falling off a waterfall. When Buster grabs Babs and tells her that he's got her, she asks him "But who's got you?" This is immediately followed by the three of them being caught in midair by Superman himself, while some music similar to the John Williams theme is played in the background. However, the rabbits soon start to complain about the Man of Steel rescuing them:Buster: Hey pal, this is our story!
Babs: Yeah! Get your own video!
Superman: It's your call. (drops them to their doom before leaving)
- The Avengers (2012): Loki arrives in Germany and forces a crowd to kneel to him. There is also an action sequence involving a nuclear missile being sent into space.
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: When Dr Strange flies off to fight the Gargantos monster, he suits up in a manner similar to Superman suiting up to fly off after hearing Lex Luthor's transmission.
- SHAZAM! (2019): Freddy Freeman's newspaper articles are the headlines from Superman (1978) ("Caped Wonder Stuns City", "It Flies!", "Look Ma - No Wires" and "Blue Bomb Buzzes Metropolis". There is also a deleted scene of Freddy Freeman flying alongside a plane like Superman. note
- Transformers: This film contains tributes to the original Superman: similar locations (a dying planet, the Arctic, an underground base, and the Hoover Dam), a glowing green artifact from another world. A scene is directly copied where Starscream flies towards the Dam. Optimus Prime catches a falling Sam the same way Superman saves Lois Lane (both even say the same line). And Starscream, like Superman, flies into space at the end.
- Wonder Woman (2017): Director Patty Jenkins has cited 1978 Superman as an influence on Wonder Woman. The scene with Diana and Steve Trevor being ambushed in an alley and Diana blocking bullets is a gender flipped homage to the mugging scene. Gal Gadot even wears a hat and glasses that look an awful lot like those Christopher Reeve wore in that scene.
- Wonder Woman 1984 has Max Lord acting as a Lex Luthor Expy.
- The Muppet Show: "Episode 418: Christopher Reeve" is rife with jokes about Reeve's role as Superman in the 1978 movie, such as being able to change in a phone booth, having super strength, and leaving "faster than a speeding bullet". Miss Piggy's room is also decorated with a lot of Superman merchandise, including posters.
- Muppets Tonight: Has a Murder on the Orient Express sketch with Jason Alexander as Hercule Poirot, most of the Muppets mistake the detective for the mighty Hercules, one gets even more confused and suggests witnessing the murder by flying around the Earth to reverse time.
- Pushing Daisies: In the second season episode "The Norwegians", Ned and Olive are hanging off a cliff, with Olive holding on to Ned. When Ned's father, whom Ned thinks is actually Chuck's father, grabs Ned's arm and pulls him up, Ned says to Olive, "I've got you, to which Olive responds, "You've got me? Who's got you?"
- The Looney Tunes Show: The episode "Super Rabbit" has Bugs Bunny telling Daffy Duck the story of Superman II, with Bugs as Superman, Daffy as General Zod, Elmer Fudd as Lex Luthor, and Marvin the Martian as Brainiac.
Anime and Manga
- City Hunter: One story involved Ryo Saeba helping out a disabled little girl so that she can walk again. She has a fantasy where Ryo dressed up as Superman (with the S for Saeba) beats up bad guys.
- Lupin III: One episode of the Red Jacket show had a con involving a guy dressed up as Superman. Lupin and Fujiko dress up as Lupinman and Fujikowoman respectively. The gang is also mentioned as going to see the film itself in the cinema.
