DC Movies in Order: Complete Viewing Timeline (2026)
DC Comics has one of the richest and most complicated film histories in Hollywood — spanning eight decades, multiple continuities, a dozen actors who've worn the cowl, and a complete reboot that's happening right now. From Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy to Zack Snyder's DCEU to James Gunn's brand-new DC Universe that kicked off with Superman in 2025, the DC film landscape is more exciting and more confusing than ever. This guide breaks down every major DC film continuity — pre-DCEU classics, DCEU release order, DCU chronological order, and the animated universe — so you can watch with confidence no matter which timeline you choose.
Pre-DCEU: The Classic DC Films
| # | Movie | Year | Director | Runtime | IMDb | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Superman: The Movie | 1978 | Richard Donner | 2h 23m | 7.3 | Max / Prime Video |
| 2 | Superman II | 1980 | Richard Lester | 2h 07m | 6.8 | Max / Prime Video |
| 3 | Batman | 1989 | Tim Burton | 2h 06m | 7.5 | Max / Prime Video |
| 4 | Batman Returns | 1992 | Tim Burton | 2h 06m | 7.0 | Max / Prime Video |
| 5 | Batman Begins | 2005 | Christopher Nolan | 2h 20m | 8.2 | Max / Prime Video |
| 6 | The Dark Knight | 2008 | Christopher Nolan | 2h 32m | 9.0 | Max / Prime Video |
| 7 | The Dark Knight Rises | 2012 | Christopher Nolan | 2h 44m | 8.4 | Max / Prime Video |
| 8 | Joker | 2019 | Todd Phillips | 2h 02m | 8.4 | Max / Prime Video |
| 9 | Joker: Folie à Deux | 2024 | Todd Phillips | 2h 18m | 5.4 | Max / Prime Video |
| 10 | The Batman | 2022 | Matt Reeves | 2h 56m | 7.8 | Max / Netflix |
The Dark Knight Trilogy: Nolan's Masterpiece
Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy redefined what a superhero movie could be — treating Batman as a grounded, psychologically complex crime-fighter in a world that feels frighteningly real. Batman Begins (8.2) is the best origin story in the genre, giving Bruce Wayne a genuine emotional arc and making Gotham feel like a character in its own right. The Dark Knight (9.0) is the highest-rated comic book movie on IMDb — Heath Ledger's Joker is one of the greatest performances in cinema history, a force of chaotic anarchy that elevates what could have been a standard crime film into something transcendent. The Dark Knight Rises (8.4) is a flawed but ambitious conclusion that stumbles with pacing and plot holes but nails the emotional resolution for Bruce Wayne. These three films exist entirely outside any shared universe — Nolan's Gotham has never crossed over with other DC heroes, and it's better for it. All three stream on Max and are available on 4K Blu-ray.
DCEU: The DC Extended Universe in Release Order
| # | Movie | Year | Runtime | IMDb | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man of Steel | 2013 | 2h 23m | 7.1 | Max / Netflix |
| 2 | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | 2016 | 2h 31m | 6.4 | Max / Netflix |
| 3 | Suicide Squad | 2016 | 2h 03m | 5.9 | Max / Netflix |
| 4 | Wonder Woman | 2017 | 2h 21m | 7.3 | Max / Netflix |
| 5 | Justice League | 2017 | 2h 00m | 6.0 | Max |
| 6 | Aquaman | 2018 | 2h 23m | 6.8 | Max / Netflix |
| 7 | Shazam! | 2019 | 2h 12m | 7.0 | Max / Netflix |
| 8 | Birds of Prey | 2020 | 1h 49m | 6.1 | Max / Netflix |
| 9 | Wonder Woman 1984 | 2020 | 2h 31m | 5.3 | Max / Netflix |
| 10 | Zack Snyder's Justice League | 2021 | 4h 02m | 7.9 | Max |
| 11 | The Suicide Squad | 2021 | 2h 12m | 7.2 | Max / Netflix |
| 12 | Black Adam | 2022 | 2h 05m | 6.1 | Max / Netflix |
| 13 | Shazam! Fury of the Gods | 2023 | 2h 10m | 5.9 | Max / Netflix |
| 14 | The Flash | 2023 | 2h 24m | 6.5 | Max / Netflix |
| 15 | Blue Beetle | 2023 | 2h 07m | 6.1 | Max / Netflix |
| 16 | Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom | 2023 | 2h 04m | 5.6 | Max / Netflix |
The DCEU: A Rocky Road
The DCEU was Warner Bros.' answer to the MCU, and it had a famously bumpy ride. Zack Snyder's Man of Steel (7.1) kicked things off with a serious, almost somber take on Superman that divided audiences — the final battle's destruction of Metropolis was controversial, but Henry Cavill's performance as Kal-El was widely praised. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (6.4) was a mess of competing visions — the theatrical cut is borderline incomprehensible, but the Ultimate Edition (3h 02m) improves significantly. Wonder Woman (7.3) was the DCEU's creative high point — Patty Jenkins delivered a genuinely inspiring superhero origin with Gal Gadot perfectly cast as Diana Prince. Justice League (6.0) was a disaster of studio interference, leading to the release of Zack Snyder's Justice League (7.9) in 2021 — a four-hour epic that restored Snyder's vision and became a cult phenomenon. James Gunn's The Suicide Squad (7.2) rebooted the franchise's tone with an R-rated, wildly creative action-comedy that proved DC could do fun. The Flash (6.5) served as a soft reboot, introducing Michael Keaton's Batman and essentially resetting the DC movie timeline — which paved the way for James Gunn's new DCU.
James Gunn's DCU: A Brand-New Beginning
James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios in 2023 with a bold plan to reboot the entire franchise into a cohesive, interconnected universe. The new DCU officially began with Superman (2025), written and directed by Gunn himself and starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel. The film has an IMDb rating of 7.0 and was praised for its hopeful, optimistic take on Superman after the gritty Snyderverse era. Creature Commandos (2024–2025) kicked off the animated side of the DCU and has been a sleeper hit on Max. The upcoming slate is ambitious: The Batman Part II (dir. Matt Reeves, starring Robert Pattinson) releases in 2027 but exists in its own 'Elseworlds' continuity separate from the main DCU. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (2026) continues the DCU story with Milly Alcock as Supergirl. Lanterns (2026) is a TV series starring Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart. The Brave and the Bold will introduce a new Batman and Damian Wayne, while a new Teen Titans movie is also in development. Gunn's DCU is still in its infancy, but the early signs are promising — a unified creative vision with room for standalone stories.
DC Animated Movies in Order
- Superman: Brainiac Attacks (2006) — A loose adaptation of the Superman animated series. IMDb: 5.8. Max.
- Justice League: The New Frontier (2008) — Set in the 1950s, adapting Darwyn Cooke's acclaimed graphic novel. IMDb: 7.0. Max.
- Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) — One of the best DC animated films ever made. The Jason Todd resurrection story. IMDb: 8.0. Max.
- Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) — The animated adaptation of Flashpoint, the event that rebooted DC's comics. Essential viewing. IMDb: 8.1. Max.
- Batman: The Killing Joke (2016) — Controversial R-rated adaptation of Alan Moore's classic. The Batgirl prologue is divisive. IMDb: 6.4. Max.
- The Death and Return of Superman (2019) — Two-part adaptation of the iconic Death of Superman storyline. IMDb: 7.3. Max.
- Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020) — The epic conclusion to the DC Animated Movie Universe. Dark, violent, and ambitious. IMDb: 7.7. Max.
- Batman: The Long Halloween (2021) — Two-part adaptation of the legendary mystery. Josh Duhamel voices Batman. IMDb: 7.2. Max.
- Watchmen (2024) — An animated two-part adaptation of the iconic graphic novel. Faithful to the source material. IMDb: 6.8. Max.
Where to Stream DC Movies in 2026
The streaming situation for DC movies is split primarily between Max and Netflix in the US. Max is the home of all DC content — it carries every DCEU film, the Dark Knight trilogy, Tim Burton's Batman films, Joker, The Batman, Superman: The Movie, and most of the animated DC library. Netflix has a rotating selection of DCEU films — currently Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Shazam!, The Suicide Squad, Black Adam, The Flash, Blue Beetle, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom are available on Netflix as of June 2026. The Batman is also on Netflix periodically. A handful of older DC films (the Christopher Reeve Superman movies, the Burton/Schumacher Batman films) are also available on Prime Video. For the most comprehensive access, a Max subscription ($10.99/month with ads) is the single best investment for DC fans. Almost nothing in the DC catalog is on Disney+, Hulu, or Peacock.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best order to watch DC movies?
It depends on what you want to watch. For the DCEU, release order is the only sensible approach — start with Man of Steel (2013) and work through the timeline as listed above. Make sure to watch Zack Snyder's Justice League instead of the theatrical cut. For standalone masterpieces, the Dark Knight trilogy is best watched as its own three-film sequence. For James Gunn's new DCU, start with Superman (2025) and follow the release order of Gunn's planned Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters. If you want to watch everything in true chronological order by real-world release, start with Superman: The Movie (1978) and work through to Superman (2025). The timelines don't connect, so you can jump between them freely.
How many DC movies are there?
Counting every theatrically released DC film across all continuities, there are over 50 movies spanning from Superman and the Mole Men (1951) to Superman (2025). The most significant counts: the DCEU has 16 films (2013–2023), the new DCU has 1 released film so far (Superman in 2025), the Dark Knight trilogy has 3 films, and the DC Animated Movie Universe has 16 films. If you count standalone films like Joker, The Batman, and the Tim Burton Batman films, there are roughly 30 major live-action theatrical DC releases in the modern era. The full count including serials, direct-to-video, and international productions exceeds 100.
Where can I stream DC movies?
Max (formerly HBO Max) is the primary streaming home for DC content in the US, carrying almost every major DC film from the past 45 years. Netflix also has a rotating selection of DCEU films — currently 10 DCEU titles are available on Netflix as of June 2026. Prime Video carries some older classics like Superman: The Movie and the Batman serials. Disney+ has no DC content. For the most complete experience, subscribe to Max at $10.99/month (with ads). The Dark Knight trilogy, all DCEU films, Joker, The Batman, and the animated library are all included.
What is the difference between the DCEU and the new DCU?
The DCEU (DC Extended Universe) was the shared continuity that ran from Man of Steel (2013) through Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023). It was characterized by Zack Snyder's darker, more serious tone and a troubled production history with multiple recuts and director changes. The new DCU (DC Universe) is a complete reboot overseen by James Gunn and Peter Safran, starting with Superman (2025). It has a lighter, more hopeful tone with interconnected storytelling across film, TV, animation, and video games. The Flash (2023) served as an in-universe reset that allowed the DCEU to end and the DCU to begin. Several actors have been recast: David Corenswet is the new Superman, and Milly Alcock is the new Supergirl. Some projects (like The Batman and Joker) exist as 'Elseworlds' stories outside the main DCU continuity.
What is the best DC movie ever made?
According to IMDb ratings, The Dark Knight (2008) is the highest-rated DC film at 9.0/10 — it's also the fourth-highest-rated film of all time on IMDb, behind only The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, and The Godfather Part II. It's widely considered not just the best superhero movie but one of the best films of any genre. For the DCEU, Wonder Woman (7.3) and Zack Snyder's Justice League (7.9) are the highest-rated. Among the animated films, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (8.1) is the top-rated. The general consensus among critics and fans is that The Dark Knight, The Batman (7.8), and Wonder Woman represent the absolute best that DC has produced in live action.
Ready to Explore More Superhero Universes?
DC is just one side of the superhero coin. Check out our complete guide to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in chronological order — 39 films and counting across six phases.