A never-before-seen photo of Christopher Reeve on the set of 1978's Superman has surfaced online.Widely considered the definitive Superman actor, Reeve starred as the Man of Steel in four films, and later appeared as Dr. Virgil Swann on Smallville. He passed away in 2004 at age 52.RELATED: Amazing Fan-Film Pits Reeve’s Superman vs Ferrigno’s Hulk – In Space!As a reminder of just how great Reeve was in the role, Tucker Hall posted a photo reportedly taken by his grandfather on the set of 1978's Superman. It shows Reeve in his iconic costume standing beside what appears to be Lois Lane's car, buried in a sinkhole following an earthquake.

Richard Donner's masterpiece charted a new era for Superman and for superheroes. Also starring Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman and Margot Kidder, Superman was the most expensive film ever made at the time. Nominated for three Academy Awards, the film was praised in particular for Reeves performance. Seen as groundbreaking at the time, it still took until 2017 for Superman to be inducted into the Library of Congress' National Film Registry.

There have been many photos of Reeve in Superman's classic costume over the decades, so it's rare for a never-before-seen image to emerge after all of these years. These days, it is all too easy for anyone to take a picture of Cavill on the set of Justice League, but back in the '70s, Tucker's grandfather's photo is a snapshot of history.

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After parting ways with his Superman days, Reeve was given the pick of many Hollywood roles, but turned down parts in movies such as Lethal Weapon, Pretty Woman and Hannibal. Sadly, Reeve was tragically paralyzed in 1995 after being thrown from a horse.

Just like Adam West helped to shape the future of Batman in cinema, Reeve brought the Man of Steel to life from the pages of DC comics to the silver screen. Similar to West's portrayal of the Caped Crusader, Reeve became synonymous with Superman. Even with Henry Cavill leading the character into the future of Warner Bros.' DC Extended Universe — and hopes of a sequel to Zack Snyder's Man of Steel — fans of Superman will never forget the legacy that Reeve left us.