Christopher Reeve documentary 'emotional, cathartic, but difficult' for his children to watch

Christopher Reeve became an international household name when he was cast as Superman in the 1978 blockbuster.

Viewers called him the perfect casting choice and the success of the first film spawned three more sequels with Reeve donning the red cape.

But when an equestrian accident in 1995 left him paralysed from the neck down, Reeve turned his focus to spinal injury and stem cell research.

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Reeve sadly passed away in 2004, but his legacy both in front of the camera and in his personal life lives on, with his three children coming together to tell his incredible life story in a new documentary, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.

Nine Entertainment editor, Richard Wilkins sat down with Reeve's children, Matthew, Alexandra and William, to hear more about their father's incredible life story.

"I think all three of us feel incredibly lucky to be his children and to have this unique perspective and to experience dad's growth and his evolution after the accident and how he embraced this kind of responsibility," Matthew said.

When her father passed, Alexandra said the family were overwhelmed by the love and support they received from people all around the world.

"After his accident and after his death, letters poured in from around the world, including school kids in Australia," she said.

"And that notion that people everywhere connected with him for the character he played, but also the man he was, is something we're really, really proud of to this day."

William was 12-years-old when his father passed away and his mother died just two years later.

So he said it was very "emotional, cathartic but also difficult" to watch his story told in the new documentary.

"I was also full of joy to get to see our family story told in such a cinematic way," he said.

"This is a comprehensive look at a very human story and for all the tragedy and despair that has come our way, we've had equal, if not exceeding measures of joy and triumph and happiness and laughter."

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Peter Ettedgui and Ian Bonhôte direct Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story and Peter said he didn't hesitate when the project was pitched to him.

"I grew up with the story, he was my Superman," he said.

"When we had the opportunity, when it came to us, we didn't hesitate - we just kind of thought, this is a story we have to tell."

But as much as the film will have you grabbing for the tissues, Ian said they don't want people to leave the cinema feeling sad about Reeve's story.

"The family went through a lot, but we always wanted the film to have a message of hope, his legacy and his message and what he stood for, what he lived through and what his children lived through," he said.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story will be in cinemas tomorrow.

Hear more of Dickie's chat with the Reeve family in the video above