Screenplay: Superman (screenplay)

Overview
Mario Puzo was among the writers who helped shape the screenplay for Richard Donner's Superman (1978), contributing early drafts and story material that contributed to the film's sweeping, mythic tone. The screenplay blends intimate human moments with blockbuster spectacle, tracing an immigrant origin story that places moral conviction and wonder at its center. The resulting narrative anchors superhero action in character-driven stakes, pairing grand visual set pieces with quieter scenes of identity and belonging.

Plot
The screenplay opens on the dying planet Krypton, where scientist Jor-El recognizes the coming doom and sends his infant son to Earth. The child, discovered by a Kansas farming couple, grows into Clark Kent, a man with extraordinary powers who struggles to reconcile his alien heritage with a Midwestern upbringing. Clark eventually leaves Smallville for Metropolis and finds work at the Daily Planet, where his alter ego as a mild-mannered reporter allows him to observe humanity even as his Superman persona intervenes when disaster strikes.
In Metropolis, Clark meets Lois Lane, an intrepid reporter whose fearlessness both attracts and confounds him. A parallel thread follows Lex Luthor, a charismatic and ruthless schemer whose plans for personal gain threaten public safety. As Superman stops bank robberies and natural catastrophes, he pieces together Luthor's plot and confronts escalating threats that endanger the city and the wider world. The screenplay culminates in acts of rescue, sacrifice, and a final test of Superman's moral code, including a dramatic moment in which the hero must reverse the consequences of a tragedy to save the person he loves.

Main characters
Clark Kent/Superman is written as an outsider seeking to belong, balancing humility with a growing sense of responsibility. Lois Lane is crafted as courageous and skeptical, a reporter driven by truth who becomes both Superman's human connection and the catalyst for several key choices he makes. Lex Luthor appears as an intelligent, narcissistic antagonist whose schemes are driven by greed and a desire for control, providing a human foil to Superman's altruism. Supporting figures, including Clark's adoptive parents and colleagues at the Daily Planet, round out the world and emphasize the emotional roots of Clark's moral compass.

Themes and tone
The screenplay treats superheroics as a lens on human values: hope, sacrifice, and the immigrant experience. It juxtaposes the cosmic , Krypton's destruction and Superman's near-divine abilities , with the everyday, portraying Midwestern kindness and journalistic integrity as essential counterweights to villainy and spectacle. Moments of humor and warmth are interwoven with suspense and danger, producing a tone that is at once earnest and playful. Mythic elements are underscored by personal dilemmas, making Superman's choices resonate beyond action set pieces.

Production context and legacy
Puzo's early contributions helped establish the narrative foundation and thematic ambition that other writers and the director would refine for the final shooting script. The collaborative process produced a screenplay that became a template for cinematic superhero storytelling, combining origin myth, romantic subplot, and blockbuster scale. The film's blend of heart and heroism left a lasting imprint on popular culture, influencing how subsequent adaptations approached the balance between character and spectacle.