[6] The film stars Reeve, Gene Hackman, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure, Jon Cryer, Sam Wanamaker, Jim Broadbent, Mariel Hemingway, and Margot Kidder.

[7][8] The film also marks the final appearance of Reeve as Superman, who agreed to return in exchange for a large salary and some creative control, where he contributed to a script dealing with nuclear disarmament.

[7][9] The film received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics and fans, citing poor special effects and plot holes.

Superman saves the crew of a Russian space station before uncovering the capsule that brought him to Earth and retrieving a green Kryptonian energy module.

Meanwhile, Superman seeks guidance in the Fortress of Solitude after learning of escalating tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union over nuclear weapons.

Superman develops radiation sickness due to a shock from Nuclear Man, but he retrieves the Kryptonian energy module and uses it to heal himself.

With his powers restored, Superman frees himself and creates a solar eclipse by moving the Moon out of orbit, depriving Nuclear Man of sunlight.

Back in Metropolis, Perry White secures a loan to regain a controlling interest in the Daily Planet, reducing Warfield to a minority shareholder and ensuring the paper’s independence.

In a closing speech, Superman acknowledges that world peace cannot be achieved overnight but remains committed to guiding humanity toward that goal.

[7][4][13] After negotiations during the 38th Cannes Film Festival, Ilya Salkind agreed to sell the Superman franchise to Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus of The Cannon Group, Inc. for $5 million in June 1985.

[14][4][7] The studio enticed Reeve to return by offering him $6 million, financing for his pet project Street Smart, and approval over the story and director.

For example, Konner and Rosenthal wrote a scene in which Superman lands on 42nd Street and walks down the double yellow lines to the United Nations, where he gives a speech.

Richard Donner would have choreographed hundreds of pedestrians and vehicles and cut to people gawking out of office windows at the sight of Superman walking down the street like the Pied Piper.

The Metropolis metro train scene at the beginning of the film was shot at the now abandoned Aldwych tube station [19] and the city of Milton Keynes was used to represent the UN Headquarters in New York.

[20] According to writer Mark Rosenthal's commentary on the 2006 DVD, in the gallery of deleted scenes included on the disc, there are approximately 45 minutes of the film that haven't been seen by the general public.

The film had a Royal premiere at the Leicester Square Theatre in London on July 23, 1987, attended by Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

[5] Of the four Superman films starring Reeve, The Quest for Peace fared the worst at the box office, and the series went dormant for the following 19 years.

The site's critical consensus reads, "The Superman series bottoms out here: the action is boring, the special effects look cheaper, and none of the actors appear interested in where the plot's going.

[34] The film received a poor review by Janet Maslin of The New York Times, although she wrote that Kidder's portrayal of Lois Lane was "sexy, earnest".

In place of a voice-over from Lara in the early scene involving Superman finding the mysterious crystal, there is a projection of Jor-El himself, much like in the first film.

In the adaptation, Jeremy is seen in orbit with a space suit but in the deleted footage he is not wearing any vacuum protection of any kind, as was Lacy Warfield when she was rescued from the second Nuclear Man by Superman.