Larry Konner and Mark Rosenthal wrote the screenplay for Superman IV, based on the premise, proposed by Christopher Reeve, that Superman would intervene in the nuclear arms race.  The way Reeve saw it, Superman had been used as a morale booster for the troops in World War II and he felt that the character could once again have an effective role in the real world.

Gene Hackman returned to the role of Lex Luthor, criminal mastermind.  Among other things, Luthor manages to create a super-powered adversary for Superman, using the genetic material from a single strand of Superman's hair as a starting point.

The film also brings a new insight to the relationship between Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and Superman.