Superman (Christopher Reeve) takes on General Zod (Terence Stamp) and his crew at the Fortress of Solitude -- with Lois Lane caught in the middle, in this clip from Superman II. Watch the movie now on HBO Max.
Superman II is the 1980 sequel to the hit movie Superman, both based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It is the second film in the 1970s Superman film series.
Reeve returns to the role that made him a cinematic icon. Torn between his responsibilities as a hero and his love for Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), Clark contemplates undergoing a process that will allow him to shed his superpowers and become a normal human, capable of having a relationship. His timing couldn't be worse, with his father's nemesis General Zod (Stamp) escaping his Phantom Zone prison and arriving on Earth where he plans to rule as a God. The movie sees Sarah Douglas and Jack O'Halloran joining the returning cast Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure and Valerie Perrine.
Richard Donner, who directed the original, helmed the bulk of the movie, but clashed with the film's producers over budgetary concerns. The producers paused production and dismissed Donner, replacing him with Richard Lester, who had served as an associate producer and second unit director on the film already.
The resulting film was well-received by critics and fans enjoyed the increased stakes of having Superman battle physical villains. Decades later a restored version called Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut was released on the home entertainment market.
The movie is followed by Superman III.
