Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. It is a sequel to the 1980s Superman films and stars Brandon Routh as Superman/Clark Kent, Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, and Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor. The film follows Superman's return to Earth after a five-year absence, during which he searches for remnants of his home planet Krypton. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor hatches a plan to create a new continent using Kryptonian technology. The film received mixed reviews from critics and was a moderate box office success. It was praised for its visual effects and Routh's performance as Superman.