Man of Steel has roots in Ohio

VW independent staff/submitted information

Fans of Superman know his roots aren’t just from the planet Krypton – they’re in Ohio as well.

Before he became known around the world as the ‘Man of Steel,’ Superman was created by two Cleveland teenagers, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who dreamed up the superhero while attending high school in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood in the early 1930s. Now, nearly a century later, the superhero is back in Ohio in a new movie filmed in the city that gave him life.

Superman (2025) opens in theaters nationwide today.

“The story of Superman has captivated generations of families from all over the world — from grandparents who grew up reading the original comics to kids who’ll be heading to the theaters to enjoy the newest iteration of this classic adventure,” Governor Mike DeWine said. “This is a proud moment for Cleveland, for Ohio, and for all of us who still believe in the power of imagination.”

Several iconic Cleveland locations make an appearance in Superman, including Headlands Beach State Park in nearby Mentor. Governor DeWine visited the state park during the filming, watching as the cast and crew filmed scenes on a production set depicting a vintage U.S. Army base.  

Other Cleveland sites that played key roles in the film’s portrayal of Metropolis include:

• A central piece of downtown Cleveland, Public Square — including the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument — was transformed into Metropolis’ bustling city center.  
• The Leader Building, Cleveland’s last remaining historic newspaper building, was used as the exterior of the Daily Planet — the news hub of Metropolis and workplace of reporters Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Clark Kent.
• Progressive Field, home to the Cleveland Guardians, was transformed into Metropolis Meteors’ baseball stadium for a major action sequence.
•  The Cleveland Arcade, America’s first indoor mall and a favorite among both Clevelanders and visitors, served as the backdrop for a romantic, airborne kiss between Superman and Lois Lane.
• Cleveland City Hall was used as a fitting stand-in for Metropolis’ own city hall, while Terminal Tower, which offers a 360-degree view of the city, was featured in several sweeping shots of Metropolis’ skyline.
•  Ontario Street, and the former Cleveland Greyhound Station, were part of fast-paced street scenes, and PNC Plaza provided the dynamic urban views that only the largest skyscrapers can offer.
•  Key Tower was depicted as the fictional headquarters of Stagg Enterprises, a research-and-development firm founded by billionaire Simon Stagg.

The Superman crew also filmed scenes in Cincinnati at the Lytle Tunnel on Interstate 71 and the iconic Cincinnati Museum Center (formerly Union Terminal) – the latter of which had served as the inspiration for the original Hall of Justice in DC Comics.

The Department of Development awarded Superman, filmed under the code name Genesis, an $11 million Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit in February 2024 to bring production to Cleveland. The tax credit was part of a larger round of awards, totaling more than $44 million, to support 23 feature film and TV projects across the state.