Lois Lane is a fictional character first appearing in DC Comics Action Comics #1 (June 1938). An intrepid reporter commonly portrayed as the romantic interest of the superhero Superman and his alter-ego Clark Kent. Since her debut in comic books, she has appeared in various media adaptations, including radio, animations, films, television and video games.

Radio In the 1940s radio serial The Adventures of Superman (1940–1951), Rolly Bester first voiced Lois Lane, followed by Helen Choate. Joan Alexander voiced the character for most of the series run. In 1988, BBC Radio 4 produced a documentary drama Superman On Trial celebrating the 50th anniversary of Superman. Following its success, BBC commissioned a six-part radio drama series The Adventures of Superman. Shelley Thompson voiced Lois first and Lorelei King in the latter series. In 1993, BBC Radio 1 produced a radio series Superman: Doomsday & Beyond, based on the DC Comics story arc "The Death of Superman", featuring Lorelei King as Lois Lane and Stuart Milligan as Clark Kent/Superman.

Broadway musical In 1966, Patricia Marand played Lois Lane in the Broadway musical It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's a Superman. For her performance, she was nominated for the Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actress (Musical). Actress Lesley Ann Warren portrayed Lois in the television production of It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman in 1975 opposite David Wilson. Warren was among the many actresses who auditioned for the role of Lois Lane in the 1978 film Superman. In the March 2013 Encores! production of the musical held at the New York City Center, Lois was played by Jenny Powers.

Live-action films 1940s Superman serials

Noel Neill played Lois Lane in the first live-action appearance of Superman on film in the Columbia Pictures 15-part film serial Superman (1948) with Kirk Alyn as Clark Kent/Superman. The film was a popular success and launched Neill's career as an actress. A sequel, Atom Man vs. Superman, also starring Neill and Alyn was released in 1950.

Neill previously had a recurring role in producer Sam Katzman's "The Teen Agers" musical comedy series, playing a reporter for a high school newspaper. When Katzman was making the Superman serial, he remembered Neill's newshawk portrayals and cast her to play Lois.

Superman and the Mole Men Released by Lippert Pictures, Superman and the Mole Men (1951) is the first theatrical feature film based on any DC Comics character. The film served as a trial balloon release for the syndicated TV series Adventures of Superman, and later became the two-part episode "The Unknown People". In the film, Lois is portrayed by Phyllis Coates.

Stamp Day for Superman Stamp Day for Superman is a 1954 short film made for the United States Department of the Treasury to promote the purchase of U.S. Savings Bonds, distributed to schools as a means of educating children about the program. Warner Bros. released the film as part of the Adventures of Superman season 2 DVD set. Noel Neill reprised the role of Lois, with George Reeves as Superman.

Christopher Reeve Superman films

Canadian-born actress Margot Kidder played Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve in Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987).

The filmmakers had a very specific concept for Lois: liberated, hard-nosed, witty and attractive. Kidder was cast because director Richard Donner and the producers agreed that her performance had a certain spark and vitality, and because of her strong interaction with Christopher Reeve. Donner feels Kidder seemed to convey the general American concept of Lois Lane—pretty, pert and perky, intelligent and ambitious without being pushy. Actresses who auditioned for the role include Anne Archer, Deborah Raffin, Susan Blakely, Stockard Channing, and Lesley Ann Warren.

Kidder later guest starred on the fourth season of the television series Smallville as Bridgette Crosby in the episodes "Crusade" and "Transference".

Superman Returns (2006) Directed and produced by Bryan Singer, Kate Bosworth played Lois Lane in the 2006 film Superman Returns opposite Brandon Routh as Clark Kent/Superman.

In the film, Superman has disappeared for many years. On his return to Earth, he finds the world he left behind has changed in ways he did not expect. Lois is a mother and is engaged to Richard White (Perry White's nephew). Lois and Richard's son, Jason White, is later revealed to be Superman's son after the child begins to show superpowers.

DC Extended Universe

Man of Steel

Amy Adams portrays Lois Lane in the 2013 Superman reboot film Man of Steel with Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman, directed by Zack Snyder and produced by Christopher Nolan.

In casting Lois, Snyder said: "Amy has the talent to capture all of the qualities we love about Lois: smart, tough, funny, warm, ambitious and, of course, beautiful." Snyder said they cast Adams because she is "supermodern." Producer Deborah Snyder says, "Lois is independent and definitely not a damsel in distress. And she's never afraid to get her hands dirty." Adams said: "Lois is just very natural, nothing about her is contrived or manufactured." Adams on her character as following the idea of the independent, feisty woman, but set in a more identifiable world, "Snyder's film has a modern take on journalism: a world of blogs, instant news, online paranoia. She has become more of a free-ranging journalist, someone who likes to be hands-on. The nature of the newspaper business has changed so much. There is so much more pressure." This was the third time Adams auditioned for the role of Lois Lane. She previously auditioned for the role in Superman Returns and the aborted Superman: Flyby.

In the screenplay, Lois's background as a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist is filled out with a mention of her stint as an embedded reporter with the First Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. In the film, Lois suggested Clark call himself "Superman" after she noticed the symbol on his chest resembled an English "S." Clark explains that the symbol is the El family crest and on his home planet, it means hope. Screenwriter David S. Goyer has revealed a deleted scene from the film, where after Lois is captured by the FBI, they interrogate her and she refuses to reveal Superman's identity.

In the film, Lois arrives in the Arctic to research a story about an alien occurrence in the Arctic. She follows a mysterious man into an ice tunnel (a disguised Clark Kent tracking a buried Kryptonian scout ship). After being attacked by a security droid protecting the ship, Lois is made aware of Clark's abilities when he saves her life. As a result of those events, Lois begins writing an expose piece for the Daily Planet on her mysterious savior. She tracks down Clark's identity to Smallville and interviews his mother. After learning the circumstances surrounding his adopted father's death and Clark's desire to remain hidden from society, Lois ceases writing the piece.

When General Zod arrived on Earth, he demanded the citizens of Earth relinquish Kal-El into his custody. Shortly thereafter, Lois is apprehended by the government once her association with Kal-El is known. Superman confronted the government officials to secure Lois' release at a military installation while turning himself over to them. Superman, in cooperation with the military, agrees to surrender to Zod's emissary, who also takes Lois aboard their spaceship. On the ship, Lois escapes with the help of Jor-El, she restores Earth's atmosphere on the ship, restoring Superman's powers and enables him to escape Zod's trap and eventually defeating the Kryptonian forces when they attack Earth. When Zod forces Superman to kill him, Lois consoles Superman, who is distraught after ending Zod's life. At the conclusion, Clark is introduced by Perry White to Lois as the new stringer for the Daily Planet, which will become Clark's new secret identity. Lois, surprised but willing to keep his secret, plays along and welcomes him.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Adams reprises her role as Lois Lane in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). On Lois's role in the film, Adams said: "Lois is still sort of like the key to the information" explaining that the character is still very much in the mix because she's the one acquiring information and putting the pieces together.

At the beginning of the film, Lois is in Africa interviewing a terrorist group. A massacre breaks out, she is held hostage by the group's leader and is saved by Superman. It is shown Clark and Lois have moved in together and their relationship is still going strong. Lois flies to Washington D.C. to investigate who is behind the attack in Africa when Superman is blamed for the incident. She discovers that Lex Luthor orchestrated the attack and witnesses the bombing at the congressional Superman hearing. Lois tries to convince Clark that Superman still means hope to people, but Clark filled with guilt for not detecting the bomb at the hearing goes on a self-imposed exile.

Lex lures Superman from exile by abducting Lois and pushing her off a building. Superman learns that Lex has also kidnapped his mother Martha and knows he is Clark Kent and forced him to fight Batman for Martha's life. Lois eventually arrives at the area where Superman and Batman are fighting. She helps Clark convinces Batman not to kill him for Martha's sake and later tries to retrieve the Kryptonite spear in nearby water when Doomsday shows up. Superman tells Lois he loves her and she is his world, before sacrificing himself, killing Doomsday. Lois is devastated by Clark's death. At the funeral, Martha revealed to Lois that Clark was going to propose to her and gave Lois the engagement ring. In Batman's nightmare/dream, Bruce sees the Flash trying to tell him that "It's Lois, it's Lois Lane. She's the key."

Justice League Adams reprises her role as Lois Lane in the film Justice League (2017). Lois becomes Batman's contingency plan when Batman and his allies decide to resurrect Superman to help fight off the threat of Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons. After regaining part of his memory upon seeing Lois, Superman leaves with Lois to his family home in Smallville, where Clark and Lois reaffirm their love for each other. After Steppenwolf is defeated, Superman resumes his life as reporter Clark Kent, and Lois publishes an article in the Daily Planet about her belief in heroism and hope.

In Zack Snyder's Justice League, the 2021 director's cut of the film, a pregnancy test is shown in Lois' bedside drawer, and Snyder has confirmed that Lois was pregnant during the film's events. The film also includes a scene where Martian Manhunter, disguised as Martha Kent, visits Lois in her apartment and persuades her to return to work at the Daily Planet.

Superman (2025)

Rachel Brosnahan portrayed Lois Lane in the film Superman (2025), opposite David Corenswet as Superman/Clark Kent. Lois is a journalist working for the Daily Planet and a colleague and love interest of Clark Kent. Brosnahan described Lois in an interview as "fiercely intelligent" and “feisty”.

After Superman's battle with the Hammer of Boravia, Lois interviews Superman about his actions on stopping the conflict between Boravia and Jarhanpur without the authority of the United States government. Clark defends his actions as life-saving. He cuts the interview short, and as Lois laments that their relationship is doomed, Clark walks out from their apartment. After Lex Luthor infiltrates the Fortress of Solitude and recovers half of a damaged message from Superman's parents, revealing that Superman was intended to conquer humanity, Lois witnesses it on the Daily Planet office. Later that night, Superman apologizes for his argument with Lois and the two embrace.