AceShowbiz -

Portraying the Man of Steel in the highly anticipated and long awaited movie "Superman Returns" has made Brandon Routh an idol, especially for female fans. It wasn't a surprise then to see hundreds of movie fans soaked the red carpet at Century 20 Theater at the Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines for a glimpse of the starlet.

The actor and his girlfriend for two and a half years, Courtney Ford, walked the red carpet before a private charity screening as he glad-handed fans for more than an hour.

"I'm very excited to be able to do the premiere here," Routh said. "It's such a great film. It's pretty awesome." Proceeds from Sunday's event go to Variety, The Children's Charity. Margie Gibbons, the organization's director of events, said Routh deserves credit for treating his hometown fans to a premiere.

Variety, invited about 250 Des Moines-area children for a free, 1 p.m. showing, expected to raise more than $4,500 from the screening, which was organized by Routh's father, Ron Routh.