Trailer for Christopher Reeve 'Super/Man' documentary offers glimpse into late actor's life

Several actors have famously played Superman throughout the 21st century. Still, Christopher Reeve's portrayal of the Kryptonian has been revered by many, including the directors of a new documentary which dropped its first trailer.

The trailer for "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story" was released on Monday and previews what Reeve and Superman fans can expect when the film hits theaters only on Sept. 21 and Sept. 25.

"The story of Christopher Reeve is an astonishing rise from unknown actor to iconic movie star, and his definitive portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman set the benchmark for the superhero cinematic universes that dominate cinema today," according to the trailer's description.

The documentary, directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, will go beyond Reeve's performance as Superman and look at his life before and after the near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down. The film originally premiered at the 40th edition of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, where it was met with tears, applause and a "rousing standing ovation," according to The Guardian.

"This film includes never-before-seen intimate home movies and an extraordinary trove of personal archive material, as well as the first extended interviews ever filmed with Reeve’s three children about their father, and interviews with the A-list Hollywood actors who were Reeve’s colleagues and friends," the trailer description says. "The film is a moving and vivid cinematic telling of Reeve’s remarkable story."

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What does the 'Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story' show?

The three-and-a-half-minute trailer opens with clips of Reeve playing Clark Kent in the 1978 film "Superman" while a voiceover of the late actor is heard saying, "I am not a hero. That was just a part. I played the part. I am not that man."

The trailer then progresses and shows more behind-the-scenes looks at Reeve and words can be heard from "Superman" director Richard Donner and the actor's son and daughter, Matthew and Alexandra Reeve.

"Doing things with my dad, it was all about activity and action," Matthew Reeve says in the trailer. "Riding bikes playing soccer, skiing. We said goodbye and he gave this wave. That was the last time I saw him on his feet."

Actors Glenn Close and Susan Sarandon also make appearances in the trailer, and even discuss Reeve's relationship with late comedian Robin Williams. The trailer also takes a brief look into how Reeve established the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation which is "dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by advancing research and improving the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis."

"What is a hero? My answer was that a hero is someone who commits a courageous action without considering the consequences," Reeve is heard saying in the trailer. "Now my definition is completely different. I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to preserve and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."

When did Christopher Reeve die?

Reeve died on Oct. 12, 2004, of heart failure at the age of 52. Reeve developed a pressure wound after years of being in a wheelchair, and that injury became severely infected.

The infection spread through Reeve's body and led to the actor going into a coma. He then went into cardiac arrest and died, according to a 2004 New York Times report.

Dana Reeve, Christopher Reeve's wife, died on March 6, 2006, at the age of 44 from lung cancer, CBS News reported. She was diagnosed with the disease on Aug. 9, 2005, although she was a nonsmoker.

Contributing: Saman Shafiq/ USA TODAY