Fan Animation Shows Christopher Reeve in “Man of Steel” Costume

After the recent release of Part 4 of his long-running “Superman vs Hulk” fan-created animated fight sequence, animator Michael Habjan has posted another new video, this one showing what Christopher Reeve would have looked like in Henry Cavill’s Superman costume.

72 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
MattComics
MattComics
January 30, 2018 9:08 pm

Nicely animated. I’m unsure if the MOS costume really suits Reeve (no pun intended) but it also does not look bad on him either. I’d kinda like to see the same shot done with Reeve’s actual costume or maybe a hybrid?

Though I think what’s really selling it is having Reeve with Cavill’s physique.

MattComics
MattComics
January 30, 2018 9:43 pm
Reply to  MattComics

Whoops sorry didn’t realize this was a redone shot from a previous video. This is some really neat work. I like the way he combines Ruffalo and Ferrigno’s Hulks.

jer
jer
February 4, 2018 10:14 am
Reply to  MattComics

I concur, smooth as silk animation and fx, congrats to the creator of this snip it short.

Would like to see same with the “Red Trunks” and how the “S”- shield would look on the cape in place for the last added touch, as well as, making a good alpha / beta test of how such “features” would look going forward for live action movies 🙂

Superman2878
January 30, 2018 9:36 pm

I think Its still the Reeve physique. He’s just in Cavill’s suit. This does prove that no matter what type of superman outfit Reeve is in, he would still look like Superman.

MattComics
MattComics
January 30, 2018 9:47 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Hmm. You might be right. I guess for some reason the MOS suit made it seem to me like the animator had added some more muscle to him.

Superman2878
January 30, 2018 10:06 pm
Reply to  MattComics

I think the man of steel suit emphasizes any muscle. So Reeve and Cavill may have similar muscle tone.

redcape
redcape
January 31, 2018 1:29 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

I’m sorry…..but absolutely NO WAY. I’m not dissing either of their physiques but there is no comparision between the two. Cavil is hands down the most muscular and realistic looking Superman EVER!

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 1:31 pm
Reply to  redcape

That’s your opinion, and I disagree with it. I believe Reeve is the best Superman! You have your Superman, and I have mine.

redcape
redcape
January 31, 2018 7:00 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

It’s not just an opinion. It’s a fact. If you like smooth 1978 Superman then good. But Henry’s body is second to none when it comes to how ALL the comics have drawn him and quite frankly how he should look.

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 7:28 pm
Reply to  redcape

” It’s a fact”
Not when others disagree with your opinion. It’s an opinion.
That’s a “Fact”
Superman’s powers do not come from his muscle . I always thought that Cavill’s take was too over the top for the hero. They wanted to do realistic, well I believe that they did to much with how he looked. Superman’s power comes from the sun not from his muscle. Christopher Reeve’s Superman looked realistic enough to me. And he’s the only actor Who made me “believe a man can fly.”
“That’s a fact”

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 7:47 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Cavill is not my Superman. Reeve is my Superman. And as I said before, you have your Superman, and I have mine. The reality of this debate is that the ” perfect Superman” depends on the viewer. I will never change my mind about Reeve’s version. That’s my opinion. Just like you are a fan of Cavill. Again that’s your opinion. What is a fact, is that we both have a superman that we believe to be the best. You may prefer the version that has muscle definition. I prefer the one that is of the classic take, smiles a… Read more »

redcape
redcape
January 31, 2018 8:33 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Again, if 1978 smooth Superman is your bag than so be it. You can it break down all you want. We can also have tons of fat blubber Superman by your reasoning. Powers from the sun doesn’t effect fat.

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 9:14 pm
Reply to  redcape

But the sun doesn’t affect Superman’s muscle tone either.I prefer my superman with character not one that is overly muscled. Cavill’s version barely acted as superman at all. It wasn’t until in the justice league that he acted like Superman. Reeve acted like superman since his first movie. And there’s nothing fat about Christopher Reeve. If anything at all he had to put on muscle because he was so thin for his audition for the role Superman. The video of his audition is on YouTube “That is a fact” and he achieved his muscle tone through a hard work out… Read more »

JasEl
JasEl
January 31, 2018 9:21 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Fact means that it can be proven true or false. Whether or not you agree with it has nothing to do with it.
Fact, Superman is drawn as a large muscular man in the comics and always has. Fact, Henry Cavill is noticeably more muscular than Reeve ever was.
It is your opinion that Superman’s powers come from the Sun and not his muscles, therefore, Reeve is the better Superman physically.

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 9:34 pm
Reply to  JasEl

Superman powers act like a solar battery. There was an issue about 14 years ago or so where the man of steel went up against Dracula. Dracula bit him and turned into dust. The reason is, biting superman for a vampire is like biting into the sun

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 9:42 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Another example I could give would be in batman v Superman. The space scene where a drained superman is revived by the sun. Similar to the art in the Dark Knight Returns where Superman went through the same thing. Then there is the story of when superman went into the sun to become a more evolved golden version of himself in the DC 1000000 story back in the early 2000’s. The sun gave him those powers.

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 9:48 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

I know they mentioned the yellow sun giving Superman his powers when Jor-el spoke in Superman the movie and in Man of Steel

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 9:51 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

But all of those examples are facts. Don’t believe me? It’s there in those movies!

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 9:58 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

And since I’m talking about facts, the fact that I prefer Reeve over Cavill as Superman is a fact. That’s what I meant. Not on who is the better superman for everyone. I was talking about a fact of my own preference. Yes it’s an opinion, but it’s also a fact about who I prefer as Superman.

JasEl
JasEl
January 31, 2018 10:09 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

All of which has nothing to do with the fact that he is always drawn as a muscular guy. I never argued that he was solar powered, I’m saying he is and always has been a big man.

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 10:24 pm
Reply to  JasEl

And I’m not saying he isn’t. In fact, (and I hope I stop saying fact soon) I’ve been saying all along that Reeve was a muscular guy. Maybe not as muscular as Cavill, but still Muscular.

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 10:29 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

In fact( and this is the last time I say the word fact) Superman was always drawn in muscular form. Yes it may not always be the same kind of muscular form, but still always drawn with muscles of some kind.

Superman2878
February 4, 2018 1:49 am
Reply to  Superman2878

And where is the falseness in Reeve not having any muscle?

Rod
Rod
February 3, 2018 11:32 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

False, Superman is a solar battery, he stores up energy from the Sun, not that he has sun powers – that is just silly.

This is further cemented in The Death of Superman story line, which is DC canon, the Dracula thing wasn’t.

Superman2878
February 4, 2018 1:47 am
Reply to  Rod

“Superman powers act like a solar battery. There was an issue about 14 years ago or so where the man of steel went up against Dracula. Dracula bit him and turned into dust. The reason is, biting superman for a vampire is like biting into the sun.” That’s what I said. I never said he had sun powers. It happened in the comics. I’m not making this up.

Superman2878
February 4, 2018 12:21 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

The event of when Superman met Dracula happened in the early to mid 2000’s when he decided to change the yellow part of his symbol to black. So it was a red S in a red diamond symbol on top of a black background, instead of a red S in a red dimond on top of a yellow background. This was after the world’s at war story arc.

MattComics
MattComics
January 31, 2018 1:39 pm
Reply to  redcape

In the comics my favorite artists tend to draw him in either a more slender gymnast type build or one more towards a body builder and they both have their pros and cons. I like them each for different reasons.

The gymnast build looks really great for flying shots while the more body builder type looks really cool when he’s lifting or punching.

To me Christopher Reeve looks more like the gymnast build represented by artists like Garcia-Lopez and Henry Cavill reminds me more of the way John Byrne or Dan Jurgens draws him.

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 2:10 pm
Reply to  MattComics

I liked Byrne as well.
I always thought it was interesting that superman was made in a birthing matrix which later was used to create a body for the cyborg superman. I guess that’s no longer cannon now. I do have to ask, since he was made in that matrix pod, was he theoretically born on earth? Because I remember only seeing baby Kal-el in the pod after it landed on Smallville when the Kents first found him. So he was created on Krypton, but born on Earth?

Amazing how stories can change over the coarse of decades.

Clark_Jo
Clark_Jo
February 2, 2018 3:37 pm
Reply to  MattComics

He did, even in the original video with the 1978 suit, you can see that he bulked up Reeve’s arms, shoulders and neck.
Comparing them side by side, freeze framing the video at the same points, you can see it’s the same body model from the first video with a different suit.
The original video with the ’78 suit makes him look even bigger than this one to me.

Superman2878
February 2, 2018 3:57 pm
Reply to  Clark_Jo

I wonder if there will be a conclusion to Superman vs the Hulk at some point. No doubt Superman will win the contest!

Clark_Jo
Clark_Jo
February 2, 2018 8:11 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

I like Superman tons more, because he’s a more interesting and dynamic character to me, but it all depends on the author of the video really. One of the reasons I never liked Hulk is due to him being “unbeatable” for lack of a better term. He’s has no weaknesses and is supposed to get stronger, faster, more invulnerable with limitless stamina the angrier he gets. He should never lose, to lose the writer has to break the rules of the character. Lamé. That being said, on paper Superman shouldn’t be able to beat him because aside from golden era… Read more »

redcape
redcape
February 3, 2018 6:46 pm
Reply to  Clark_Jo

For god sake your saying that Superman has limitations and Hulk has none??? So what does that mean? He grows to 100′ tall, screams more and can keep going if necessary to best an opponent? Sorry but he can grow as much as they want him to imagine but Superman would do him under long before that happened.

Rod
Rod
February 3, 2018 11:38 pm
Reply to  Clark_Jo

Well in the DC cross over with Marvel, although Superman was taken the to the edge, he did knock out the Hulk. Keep in mind that is various issues Superman has admitted to holding back because he doesn’t want to hurt of kill anyone and Superman once threw a punch so hard it shattered reality … that was pulverize the Hulk.

jer
jer
February 4, 2018 8:40 pm
Reply to  Clark_Jo

You bring up an interesting topic for debate, in that Superman really has too many weaknesses / dependencies between “Kryptonite”, “Red Sun”, and”Magic” which is really code for “take the easy way out”

Kal-Ed
January 31, 2018 4:35 pm

Looks really cool. But in all honesty, the costume is all Henry.
Every body has his/her Superman….just like everybody has his/her James Bond.

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 4:45 pm
Reply to  Kal-Ed

I agree with you on every one has their own superman.That’s what I’ve been saying. For me it’s Christopher Reeve. For others it may be Tom Welling, or Brandon Routh, or Dean Cain, or George Reeves, or Kirk Alan, or even Henry Cavill.

But I do think they just put Cavill’s suit on Reeve’s body. Looking at the most recent Hulk vs Superman video, and comparing it to this footage,I think they just changed the look of the suit. His physique looks the same to me.

Kal-Ed
February 1, 2018 5:14 am
Reply to  Superman2878

It is. The physique looks like Reeve’s.

I mean playing Superman is as much as prestigious and a privilege as playing Batman, James Bond and Jack Ryan. Every one has their favourite version as you stated, but the essence of the character remains the same.

Superman2878
February 1, 2018 9:10 am
Reply to  Kal-Ed

“Every one has their favorite version as you stated, but the essence of the character remains the same.” True. I can agree with that.

GodzillaofSteel
GodzillaofSteel
January 31, 2018 6:59 pm

Michael Habjan has created excellent animation with our favorite hero, Superman. As a big fan of both Christopher Reeve and Henry Cavill, I really enjoyed this video of Reeve in Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel suit.

Kal-Elvis
January 31, 2018 7:21 pm

It’s amazing how good that suit looks when it’s got decently saturated color and isn’t blue-filtered into oblivion. Easily the best of the DCEU suits.

Reeve makes any suit work, frankly. Or maybe I think Henry just needs a spitcurl. lol

Superman2878
January 31, 2018 7:25 pm
Reply to  Kal-Elvis

I think Michael Habjan has done amazing work with this animation. He should work for DC’s animation department. It would be so cool to see a full length animated superman movie from his work.

MattComics
MattComics
January 31, 2018 8:39 pm
Reply to  Kal-Elvis

Yeah it’s funny how I’ll see some shot of him on the red carpet or on a talk show or something and he’ll totally just have the Superman hair going but he’s never wearing it that way in his movies.

sundevil82
sundevil82
January 31, 2018 10:20 pm

Weight training is different than it was in 1978 so it’s unfair to cvompare the two. Now you can get a specific look and that’s what they did with Henry. That’s not to take anything away from Chris’s training, I’ve seen the videos of him training and dude was also jacked for 1978. Henry’s suit emphasizes the muscles more than reeves suit did. Chris was also taller than Henry so that could make him appear more slender. I think both men filled out the suit well. You can tell the difference in superman and Superman 2 where Chris is clearly… Read more »

Superman2878
February 1, 2018 1:18 am
Reply to  sundevil82

I do remember seeing a video somewhere of Reeve saying that his training was different for the fourth installment of the film series, and that’s why he looked smaller in Quest for peace.

redcape
redcape
February 1, 2018 1:03 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Yea…it sure was different! CR was so un-interested in doing a forth installment that he himself said in an interview that he didn’t even bother to work out for it.

Superman2878
February 1, 2018 1:37 pm
Reply to  redcape

David Letterman, I think that was the interview. If I remember correctly, he did the film because of the issues of nuclear disarmament. Hence the theme of the film. Although as far as I could tell he still worked out for the part. Not as intensely as the first two films, but he still got in shape for the role.

Superman2878
February 1, 2018 2:07 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Also by that time Reeve was reaching his 40’s. So it is harder to gain muscle growth around that age than it is around age 30. But he still pulled it off.

Superman2878
February 1, 2018 2:27 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

I am wondering if Henry Cavill’s latest superman suit from justice league had more padding than in previous movies. Did he not work out as much?

Superman2878
February 2, 2018 12:23 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Cavill’s ab muscles for his superman suit looked kinda fake in Justice League.

redcape
redcape
February 2, 2018 8:44 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

He’s really the first Superman that actually has show-able ab’s.

Superman2878
February 2, 2018 9:48 pm
Reply to  redcape

I’m pretty sure Reeve had abs. How about this. We all have a Superman that we look up to right? You have Cavill’s Superman, you look up to him. I can respect that. I can see why you would look up to him. I have my Superman which is Reeve. He’s the Superman that I look up to. As long as Superman gets the respect he deserves regardless of the actor playing him,it’s a win for everyone. I’ll respect others opinions on who their superman is. All I ask is that my views on who I look up to be… Read more »

Superman2878
February 4, 2018 1:41 am
Reply to  Superman2878

Wow. a -1 for trying to reason. I don’t see the logic in that.

Superman2878
February 4, 2018 2:00 am
Reply to  Superman2878

Ya know what, I’m not going to debate about this topic anymore. This started out as posting on how cool the cgi Reeve looks in Cavill’s suit. Now it’s become a debate.I don’t understand the logic in this.

redcape
redcape
February 2, 2018 8:42 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Cavil works out plenty for the role. Regardless of who we like …..there hasn’t been any one that has had a more muscular physic than Henry. And it’s that obvious! If there’s any slight flatness to him in the JL it would show during the re-shoots as he wasn’t supposed to come back and do them in the capacity he had to.

Rod
Rod
February 3, 2018 11:43 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

In Snyder’s shots for Justice League Cavil worked out for, for Whedon’s garbage reshot scenes, the suit had padding, as did Batman’s suit.

Superman2878
February 4, 2018 10:46 am
Reply to  Rod

So they threw out all of Cavill’s scenes where he had a suit that showed his abs? Wow. Somehow I don’t believe that.

Superman2878
February 4, 2018 11:02 am
Reply to  Superman2878

I believe that the superman suit we saw in Justice league was the only suit Cavill wore for that film. It would be a waist of film if they threw out film.

Superman2878
February 4, 2018 12:33 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Plus it wouldn’t make sense to change a scene of a film within a few months with a suit that’s different. Yes there were scenes that were changed, but it most likely it had to do with scenes with dialogue. For example the scene with Lois Lane and Clark Kent out in the cornfield. Or a scene with the other justice league members talking among themselves. Or possibly the Alfred and Clark scene, which most likely was the same suit that was in the film that was shown at the theatre.Maybe even scenes with characters that had been taken out… Read more »

Superman2878
February 4, 2018 12:45 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

I’m done debating this. The movie is no longer in theaters. It’s coming to blue ray and DVD soon.So I don’t see the point in debating about the suit anymore. I wanted to talk about how cool this cgi video was and I wanted to talk about how cool superman is. Superman! That’s the hero I care about talking about, not on who played him best. Yes everyone has a favorite superman actor, I understand that, I have a favorite too,but more importantly,Superman is more than just one actor who has played him. I was hoping to avoid debating yet… Read more »

Superman2878
February 1, 2018 2:20 pm
Reply to  sundevil82

What you say is true about the styles of weight training sundevil82

zendog
zendog
February 1, 2018 4:18 am

We all have our favourite Superman style for whatever reason. The world is full of opinions. That’s what diversity is all about. The world would be a boring place if we all had the same opinion – particularly about Superman. I couldn’t help but also watch the similar Supes vs Hulk, but with the retro suit on. Cool scenes. DC really need to talk to Mike Habjan – if they haven’t already. What I do like about these clips is the realism of being above Earth and land mass that looks real and attention to small details, even if the… Read more »

Superman2878
February 1, 2018 2:16 pm
Reply to  zendog

Well said Zendog.

LarGand
LarGand
February 1, 2018 5:27 am

Looks absolutely great on him … The Man of Steel suit is still my favourite live-action look for my favourite superhero.

MattComics
MattComics
February 2, 2018 10:52 pm

In the modern movies they tend to show Superman flying but with the camera either really far away from him or up real close.

IMO The Donner movies really let you believe a man can fly because you were actually allowed to see it. I would love to see this animator to just do an extended flying sequence with different environments and speeds.

redcape
redcape
February 4, 2018 1:33 pm

In the first place this is all animated. It’s more of a photo chop that has a likeness of CR’s head on Cavil’s body.

Superman2878
February 6, 2018 3:29 pm
Reply to  redcape

Nope. It’s Reeve in Cavill’s suit. To be more precise, Gary Frank’s inspiration of Reeve in Cavill’s suit.

redcape
redcape
February 7, 2018 11:47 am
Reply to  Superman2878

No….it’s an animated Reeve that’s been manipulated more to the look of Cavil by placing him in the suit that is WAY more closer to what Cavil’s body looks like. The only comparative look regarding Reeve is his head!!

Superman2878
February 7, 2018 1:49 pm
Reply to  redcape

“No….it’s an animated Reeve that’s been manipulated more to the look of Cavil by placing him in the suit that is WAY more closer to what Cavil’s body looks like. The only comparative look regarding Reeve is his head!!”

Nope. I don’t agree.

Superman2878
February 7, 2018 2:14 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

I don’t even know why anyone would think that that’s Cavill’s body. It’s all Reeve! Except for the suit, of course.

redcape
redcape
February 7, 2018 5:05 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Keep dreaming for the sake of your love affair with CR. But if that’s the way you see it, then so be it! Have a good time.

Superman2878
February 7, 2018 6:05 pm
Reply to  redcape

I could say the same to you about Cavill. But I won’t act childish . And to debate over an animated film? An animated film? Wow I can’t believe we debated over a cartoon.

Superman2878
February 7, 2018 6:26 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

I can’t believe that I was arguing over a cartoon. Ya know what, believe what you want about that animation. Your beliefs are not mine. I can think of better things to debate about than a 1 minute animation. Arguing over a cartoon. Talk about silly.
You win! It’s Cavill! Even though it looks like Reeve. Ya want to say it’s CavillI, go right ahead. I don’t care. It’s just a cartoon!