It's an exciting time to be a DC fan, with James Gunn working on a new cinematic shared universe – the DCU. This renewed slate is set to kick off later this year, with Creature Commandos among the most important upcoming DC movies out there – although all eyes are on 2025, when a new Man of Steel will be vying for a place on our ranking of the best DC movies with Superman: Legacy.
Of course, that's a long time to wait if you're a fan of superhero films, but don't worry too much. Over the last half-century or so, the folks over at DC have released plenty of movies to keep even the most ravenous of superhero fans busy while we wait for our first look at Gunn's new world of gods and monsters. The problem is that, at the time of writing, there are nearly 40 DC movies to choose from – so how's someone new to the cape and cowl crowd supposed to know where to start?
Well, that's where we come in. We've been through the entire DC filmography, from the greats to the not-so-greats, to bring you a list of the 10 best DC movies ever made. This list has it all, from grounded takes on classic characters to bold and exciting introductions to heroes you need to get to know.
10. Shazam!
Director: David F. Sandberg
Released: 2019
Of all the movies set in the old DCEU, Shazam! was one of the few that felt unashamed to embrace the colorful and energetic spirit of the comic books that inspired these terrific stories of daring dynamics. As a result, Shazam! feels like the black sheep of that particular cinematic universe in both its optimistic tone and vibrant aesthetic. Still, don't think Shazam! is all fun and games because Mark Strong's sinister Dr. Sivana presents a surprisingly dark foil to Billy Batson's (Zachary Levi and Asher Angel) goofy superhero persona. Although, with all that in mind, do yourself a favor and skip the sequel; it lacks the magic of the original.
RELATED: Shazam! review: "One of the most irresistibly likeable superhero films in ages"
9. Blue Beetle
Director: Ángel Manuel Soto
Released: 2023
The newest movie on this list of the best DC movies, Blue Beetle, tells the story of Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña), a down-on-his-luck college graduate who becomes bonded to a symbiotic alien scarab that grants him incredible powers. So far, so superhero, right? Well, what separates this delightful film from the milieu of mediocre superhero movies is its focus on Jaime's lovable family, who nearly steal the show from the titular bug-themed hero. Luckily, Xolo's charismatic enough to stop that from happening (although we'd give the minigun-toting grandma a spin-off), and we're excited that James Gunn has confirmed the character has a future in his new DCU. That said, if that's the plan, Gunn needs to bring back director Ángel Manuel Soto as well. Soto clearly understands what makes the character tick, and it'd be a shame to lose that.
RELATED: Blue Beetle review: "There's life in the old DCEU yet"
8. The Batman
Director: Matt Reeves
Released: 2022
There have been plenty of grim and gritty reinterpretations of Gotham's lantern-jawed vigilante. Still, director Matt Reeves found new ground amongst Gotham's pearl-strewn alleys with The Batman by making his superhero movie a David Fincher-style crime drama. As a result, the always-brilliant Robert Pattinson was allowed to showcase Bruce Wayne's detective abilities, a trait often neglected by filmmakers who prefer to flaunt Batman's impressive ability to punch clowns. Don't go thinking The Batman's all method and no madness, though. Paul Dano's Riddler is arguably the most chilling big-screen villain since Heath Ledger smeared white makeup all over his face, and the scene where he and the Caped Crusader finally come face to face in Arkham is probably one of the tensest scenes in any DC movie ever.
RELATED: The Batman review: "Exactly the fresh start needed"
7. Birds of Prey
Director: Cathay Yan
Released: 2020
David Ayer's Suicide Squad wasn't a great movie, but it did do one thing right. It gave us Margot Robbie's unforgettable Harley Quinn – a piece of casting so superb it'll go down in superhero movie history alongside the casting of JK Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson. Harley stole the show from the rest of Task Force X, so a spin-off was inevitable. Sure enough, four years later, we got Birds of Prey, or to give it its proper title, "Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn". Frantic and anarchic, Birds of Prey is an action-packed and deliciously violent break-up movie with Harley finding new friends (and enemies) after the Joker kicks her out of his house. While the plot is a little formulaic at times, the colorful cast of characters Harley meets on her adventures more than makes up for that. Director Cathy Yan also keeps the action lively and characterful, so even veterans of the caped genre will find themselves enraptured by the spectacle.
RELATED: Birds of Prey review: "Like Harley Quinn, it's relentless, hyperactive, and viciously entertaining"
6. The Suicide Squad
Director: James Gunn
Released: 2021
What's that in the sky? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's James Gunn coming to save film fans from bad Suicide Squad movies. Yes, The Suicide Squad might technically be a sequel, but let's be honest: this is a full-on reboot wearing a pair of cheap glasses in the hope no one realises, and it's all the better for it. As a result, The Suicide Squad is a weird and wonderful picture that breathlessly revels in the outlandishness of comic books and has a lot of fun doing so. It's not all jokes and gags, though. Gunn and his incredible cast of actors manage to inject a surprising degree of pathos into a film that ends with our heroes battling a giant starfish from space. So I guess we're saying that bad guys have all the fun, and no film on this list proves that quite like The Suicide Squad, a movie that elevates irreverence to an art form.
RELATED: The Suicide Squad review: "James Gunn’s lively, funny, and very bloody take on Task Force X"
5. Wonder Woman
Director: Patty Jenkins
Released: 2017
Easily Gal Gadot's best movie and probably her most iconic big-screen role (although who knows what the future holds for Gisele Yashar?) Wonder Woman is a film that reviews itself; it's wonderful. The entire thing is a thrilling period piece that skillfully manages to tell Wonder Woman's somewhat confusing origin story (better told in many of the best Wonder Woman comics) without falling into the pitfalls that mar the genre. A lot of that comes down to Patty Jenkins' deft directorial touch and the way she weaves action into the narrative in such an interesting way that you never feel like the film's taking a break from the story to give you a dose of adrenaline. This is probably most notable in the No Man's Land scene, a sequence that deserves to go down in DC movie history for its beauty and poignance.
RELATED: Wonder Woman review: "Delivers old-school thrills with heart and conviction"
4. Superman
Director: Richard Donner
Released: 1978
The film that made us believe a man could fly, Superman, is a modern masterpiece that sets the bar all superhero movies aspire to. It's action-packed, full of heart and humor, and Richard Donner does deft work in making the character's labyrinthian origin story into something easily digestible. While the cast's magnificent, Christopher Reeve is clearly the MVP, playing the Man of Steel and Clark Kent as essentially two different characters simultaneously. We also can't miss the opportunity to mention John Williams's soaring score. Williams' Superman theme is the Superman theme. It embodies everything the character stands for. It's hopeful, heroic, and, most importantly, inspirational. Here's hoping Gunn brings it back for Superman: Legacy.
3. Batman
Director: Tim Burton
Released: 1989
Many credit Christopher Nolan for reinterpreting Batman as a serious superhero divorced from the inherent campiness of a man who dresses as a bat and fights crime, but that's not entirely true. It was Tim Burton, inspired by the adult themes in two of the best Batman comics, The Dark Knight Returns and The Killing Joke, who put the 'dark' in the Dark Knight with his brooding Batman '89. Gothic in tone and effortlessly stylish (Burton was actually criticized for being more interested in set design than Bruce Wayne), Batman proves that just because your movie's dark, it doesn't have to be poe-faced and dour. Indeed, a large part of why the film works is the lively lunacy of Michael Keaton's and Jack Nicholson's performances, which brings much-needed energy to the film. Decades later, it remains one of the best Batman movies ever made.
2. Superman 2
Director: Richard Lester
Released: 1980
Potentially a controversial choice, Superman 2 had a difficult production, to say the least, but as the old saying goes, pressure makes diamonds, and no film on this list proves that like Superman 2. The movie improves on its predecessor in almost every way, it's more exciting, the jokes are better, and the entire cast is on the top of their game. Still, what really elevates Superman 2 is its story. Stripped of the need to explain Superman's origin, this marvelous movie is free to soar and explore the more interesting elements of the world's greatest superhero. As a result, Superman 2 takes the time to investigate the dichotomy between Clark Kent and his superheroic persona in a surprisingly effective way, asking the question, 'Who is Clark without his powers?' The answer is of course, as it is in so many of the best Superman comics, a hero – but this is the film that proves it. We've just one bone to pick with the film. What was that weird plastic Superman S that Clark threw at Non?
1. The Dark Knight
Director: Christopher Nolan
Released: 2008
A contender for the best superhero movie ever made, if not one of the best films of all time, The Dark Knight is a complex thriller about the dangers of escalation that just so happens to feature a billionaire dressed as a bat. Director Christopher Nolan takes everything he did in Batman Begins and takes it to that next level; the story's more compelling, the characters better rounded, and the set pieces more exciting than ever (the opening bank heist alone would have been the final set piece in most thrillers).
Of course, the secret sauce that makes The Dark Knight such an impressive piece of work is the late Heath Ledgers' malevolent take on the Harlequin of Hate, the Joker. It's a hypnotic performance that won Ledger a posthumous Oscar and a permanent place on the list of best movie villains. However, what makes it most impressive is how it's informed all future interpretations of the Joker, who've either tried to ape Ledger's chaotic take on the character or tried to play against it.
RELATED: From Following to Oppenheimer, we rank the best Christopher Nolan movies
While you wait for the next era of DC movies to begin, why not check out all of the upcoming superhero movies that are coming out soon.
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