Summary

A cardinal expression toSupermanstories , the city of Metropolis has had as many different incarnation as the Man of Steel himself , with just as much mutation between them . Sharing a name with the eponymic city ofFritz Lang ’s 1927 scientific discipline fable progenitor plastic film , Metropolis , the localization serve as one of the most important orbit in the DC macrocosm . With each version of Superman that appears in movie and on video , a new Metropolis word picture usually get along for the ride .

Compared to the variousmovie and television version of Gotham , Batman ’s hometown , Metropolis does n’t have quite as solid of an identity . Frequently qualify by futurist architecture and an overall sunny inclination , Metropolis is an idealized version of New York City that acts as the daytime reflection to Gotham ’s broody atmosphere . go the additional mile to craft a recognizable Metropolis for Superman to inhabit has been key to the eccentric ’s sound version .

9The 90’s TV Metropolis Was A Clear California Sound Stage

A forgettable city from an equally forgettable series

An exceedingly ninety variant of Superman , the little - acknowledge drama seriesLois & Clark : The New Adventures of Supermancame far ahead of the curve of the superhero genre ’s plosion of popularity . With a shoestring budget , the show sought to modernize Superman ’s story , taking place ina Metropolis that was evidently a series of pristine set that felt about as lived - in as a dollhouse . The modified orbit of the serial even squeeze the Daily Planet earth , an iconic fixture of the city ’s skyline , down to basis level as a unknown arch that could loom over the articulatio humeri of the nominal duo .

8Christopher Reeve’s Metropolis Was New York With Some Set Dressing

Superman’s most iconic movie series had a lukewarm vision for the city

For all the unfathomed impact theChristopher Reeve Superman movieshad on the character ’s popularity and recognition , their portrayal of Metropolis was n’t on the dot as iconic as the torpedo who inhabited it . As a globose economical ball of fire sitting in the North East , Metropolis ' New York City correlations are light – But the Reeve films did n’t do enough to give the city its own discrete identity . More or less just The Big Apple with a Daily Planet earth slapped on top of the skyline , the Reeve movies ' Metropolis does n’t inspire the sense of wonder the famed location should .

7The DCEU’s Metropolis Is A Boring, Gray City

The franchise’s twin cities saw their share of destruction

A cold , tenacious city whose feeling clearly take inspiration from Zack Snyder ’s other work , the Metropolis introduced inMan of Steelhad a few classifiable characteristic . The DCEU leaned in to Gotham and Metropolis being twin cities just across the embayment from one another , a sometimes recurring quality from the comics . Though Metropolis may be the more economically privileged of the two , in the DCEU , it in the main serves as a sterile landing zone , a gray flat coat zero for General Zod ’s intrusion that is n’t given too many chance to smoothen before being nearly rase to its groundwork .

6My Adventures With Superman’s Metropolis Has A Storybook Feel

The animated series lends itself to a dreamy city

My Adventures with Supermanmade waves as a sunny Superman series with a striking gum anime - inspired artistic production style and an overall cheerier note resonant of Clark and Lois ' other incarnations . The Metropolis inhabit by its role does a ripe job bridge the gap between future and preceding , featuring sleek military golem lurch shipping districts alongside simple bodega reminiscent of its NYC influences . However , the urban center does n’t feel very know in , the picturesque story - Word graphics presenting a Metropolis that ’s just a littletooclean , with every bound sanded off and polish to a mirror radiancy .

5Bryan Singer’s Metropolis Took Things Back To The 30s

Superman Returns incorporated elements of the past and the future

From a space , Bryan Singer ’s vision for Metropolis in Superman Returns seemed like just another run - of - the - grind New York City dead ringer , despite most of the filming having study place in Australia . But on closer inspection , Singer ’s efforts to throw in some of the appeal of Superman ’s origins into his vision for the city become unmistakable , with glowing art - deco computer architecture reminiscent of the roar 20s and XXX . It ’s a ignominy that audiences were n’t given more prison term to explore this version of Metropolis , as a result of thecancelation of Singer ’s design sequel to Superman Returns .

4The Arrowverse’s Metropolis Leans Further In To The Future

The CW’s DC universe took the time to craft a believable Metropolis

Between its 6 visual aspect in the multi - series - spanning franchise , the Arrowverse ’s Metropolis got tidy sum of clip to beam . While it had all the typical trappings of a modern - day New York City interpretation , with snug unpaid district strung with fairy lights co - live alongside ailing crime - depend upon alleys , the Arrowverse also took the time to hone Metropolis ' unique computer architecture , not going overboard with the futuristic feel while still feeling distinctive . Even smaller buildings like Metropolis High School had ultramodern curvature that made their localisation instantly easy to site as within Metropolis ' city limits .

3Smallville’s Metropolis Felt Like A Real Midwest City

The series small change to Metropolis' location made a big impact

ThoughSmallvilleobviously sharpen much more on its titular metropolis , Clark Kent ’s true hometown , it still made the periodic foray into Metropolis as the plot demanded , especially in later seasons . Smallvillemade the startling change to place Metropolis in Kansas rather than New York or Delaware , putting it in well-off drive distance of Clark and the gang . The show pull to this effort , train the time tonoticeably vary the feel of Metropolis to be more align with a Midwestern urban center nestled within the Great Plains rather than a New England coastal city , giving it a unique indistinguishability .

2Man of Tomorrow’s Metropolis Felt Like A City Of Tomorrow

The Tomorrowverse’s premiere locale lives up to its name

First premiering in the animated filmSuperman : Man of Tomorrow , which would go on to spawn its own animate series , the second major animated version of Metropolis took full reward of the enfranchisement ’s trademark artstyle . With a crowded skyline full of daringly - designed skyscraper on the out-and-out cutting edge of computer architecture and characterized by thoughtfully - order green spaces that break up the sameness of concrete , the Tomorrowverse ’s Metropolis lives up the form of address of The City of Tomorrow . If only it did n’t have to contend with dangerous baddie like Braniac , Parasite , and Solomon Grundy , it would be the perfect place to populate .

1The Animated Series’ Metropolis Was Retrofuture Perfection

Elements of the past and elements of the future were both the DCAU’s trademark

As great as other versions of Metropolis ' commitment to a futurist aesthetic is , they ca n’t reserve a candle to the gorgeous break of day and fondly - rendered scenery of the DC Animated Universe ’s version of the urban center . Primarily have inSuperman : The Animated Series , the 90s cartoon took the clip to incorporate the present and future tense into Metropolis ' identity , combining the art deco trappings of Superman ’s past with improbable wonders of civic engineering like the Metro Tower and Metropolis Gold Exchange . The DCAU ’s Metropolis will forever be the standard by which otherSupermanmedia are evaluate in terms of represent the iconic city .

Josh Hartnett looking shocked in Fight or Flight

Ben-Stiller’s-$128M-Dark-Comedy-Lands-On-Netflix’s-Global-Charts-18-Years-Later

In a dusty landscape Finn stares out into the distance in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Superman can be seen flying through the skies of Metropolis in an image drawn by Alex Ross in DC Comics

Superman (Dean Cain) looks off into the distance in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

Lois Lane jumps from a buliding in My Adventures With Superman episode 5

Superman Returns Action Comics Easter Egg

Metropolis as represented in the Arrowverse

The Smallville Skyline in Smallville

Superman_ Man of Tomorrow Metropolis skyline

Superman

DC Extended Universe