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It used to be tourism kryptonite and pejoratively described as “The Mistake by the Lake”.
But today, Cleveland, on the southern shore of Lake Erie, has much going for it, not least as a mecca for movie fans. It doubled as New York in 2012’s The Avengers and Spider-Man 3, and was used for scenes in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
But it’s Superman fans who will be drawn to it most strongly. The bullet-proof alien who fights for justice was created by Cleveland teenagers, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and fans can visit their homes in the city.
To honor Cleveland’s legacy as the birthplace of Superman’s creators, director James Gunn transformed Cleveland into Metropolis for his new Superman movie, released in theaters on July 11 and starring David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luther.
Cleveland takes a star turn, with the film showcasing some of the Ohio city’s most iconic locations. Here we match them with scenes shown on the trailers and reveal more about the homes of Siegel and Shuster.
The Leader Building stands in as the exterior of The Daily Planet
Gunn uses the 15-story Leader Building on the corner of Superior Avenue, opposite the public library, as the exterior of The Daily Planet, where Clark Kent and Lois Lane ply their journalism trade.
It was an appropriate choice.
Not only is the 1913 Beaux-Arts-style tower highly photogenic, but it was once home to the Cleveland News and The Cleveland Leader newspapers.
The Cleveland Arcade – where Superman and Lois Lane kiss
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The Cleveland Arcade serves as a setting for a romantic kiss in 2025’s Superman, with the caped hero locking lips with Lois Lane beneath the historic glass ceiling.
A historic moment – in a historic location.
The arcade opened in 1890 and was America’s inaugural indoor shopping center, according to theclevelandarcade.com, and Cleveland’s first building to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Those who would like to linger there might consider a stay at the Hyatt Regency Cleveland at The Arcade, which is situated inside the shopping center.
Progressive Field hosts an explosive action sequence
The much-loved home of the Cleveland Guardians baseball team sees Superman ferociously attacked, the trailer reveals.
Can the Kid from Krypton stop his enemies scoring a home run at the 34,820-capacity stadium?
All will be revealed.
Cleveland City Hall is transformed into Metropolis’ City Hall
The trailer shows Superman being marched across the street in front of a grand building by black-clad bad guys.
In the film, this structure is the Metropolis City Hall, but in real life it’s the Cleveland City Hall, a beloved local landmark, according to thisiscleveland.com.
The site explains that the building, which was completed in 1916, took nearly a decade to erect and was designed by architect J. Milton Dyer, “a man known for his ornate style who [also designed] the Coast Guard Station on Whiskey Island, Cleveland Athletic Club and Lake and Summit County Courthouses”.
Detroit–Superior Bridge – multiple scenes, including a dramatic building collapse
Take a bow, Detroit-Superior Bridge.
This suspended-deck bridge, finished in 1917, is seen in multiple trailer shots, including a very dramatic building collapse scene.
Gunn was clearly taken with the structure, and quite right too.
Located just west of Public Square, it spans the Cuyahoga River and features an impressive arch that sits 96 feet above the water.
Terminal Tower – appears in sweeping skyline shots of Metropolis
Lofty Terminal Tower is a highly distinctive part of the Metropolis skyline in the Superman movie, and in reality, the same for Cleveland.
Thisiscleveland.com describes it as “essentially the center of Cleveland”, adding: “Located at 50 Public Square and soaring 52 stories high, it currently stands as the second tallest building in the city.”
An observation deck, costing just $5 a visit, affords visitors a Superman’s-eye-view of the city.
The Sherwin-Williams Headquarters – background in a dramatic rescue
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The 616 feet Sherwin-Williams tower is the Downtown headquarters of the paint behemoth. And you’ll be impressed by its role in the Superman movie.
For it’s the background to a hair-raising rescue of a young girl by the Blue and Red Blur.
The Superman creators’ homes
"This is the house where Superman was born," reads a sign hanging on the fence in front of 10622 Kimberly Ave, where in 1932 18-year-old Jerry Siegel invented the Man of Steel.
The apartment house where Joe Shuster, who illustrated Superman, lived is now a vacant lot.
However, the fence around it has been hung with 2x3-foot metal panels that reproduce the cover and first 13 pages of Action Comics #1, the first Superman story, which was published on April 18, 1938.
