DC has been churning out superhero films based on its comic book universe since 1978. But if you want to get the full story, where should you start? Here, we present the chronological order in which to watch the DC Superhero films.
The DC cinematic universe started back in 1978 with the highly iconic Superman: The Movie .The film was directed by Richard Donner and stars Christopher Reeve, with Marlon Brando featured in a supporting role. The movie is an adaptation of the classic Superman comic book series, detailing the origins of Kryptonian super-being, Superman.
The 1978 film was so impactful, it spawned sequels Superman II (1980) and Superman III (1983). However, the third installment is widely considered to be the weakest in the series and thus is often overlooked.
The next movie in the DC timeline is 1984’s Supergirl, a spin-off from the Superman series. This film follows the story of Superman’s Kryptonian cousin, Kara Zor-El, as she attempts to save the planet Argo City from Darkseid, a powerful space-lord.
The following DC film was the 1989 Batman, directed by Tim Burton. The movie was a huge success, introducing viewers to the dark, Gothic interpretation of Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego, Batman. It also featured Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne, Jack Nicholson as The Joker and Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale.
In 1992, Burton continued the franchise with Batman Returns, which gave The Penguin (Danny DeVito) and Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) big screen debuts. It also saw the return of Michael Keaton as Batman/Bruce Wayne.
Two years later, Joel Schumacher directed Batman Forever. This instalment saw a major shift to a brighter and more comedic tone, as seen in the casting of Robin (Chris O’Donnell) and Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones). Val Kilmer replaced Michael Keaton as Batman for this movie.
The series continued with Batman & Robin in 1997.Although critically panned, the movie featured a memorable villain in Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and introduced Batman’s daughter, Barbara Wilson (Alicia Silverstone). George Clooney replaced Val Kilmer as Batman and Chris O’Donnell returned as Robin.
The Dark Knight trilogy
Christopher Nolan took the director’s chair for the much-anticipated re-imagining of the Caped Crusader with Batman Begins in 2005. Christian Bale took the helm as Bruce Wayne, while Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman and Cilian Murphy featured in supporting roles. This is essential viewing as it sets up the events of the subsequent movies.
The 2008 follow-up, The Dark Knight has cemented its place as one of the greatest comic book movies of all time. This psychedelic tale follows the Joker’s (Heath Ledger) attempt to cause chaos in Gotham City, forcing Batman to confront the ultimate villain.
The finale – The Dark Knight Rises released in 2012 and gives viewers a fittingly epic conclusion. In a truly breathtaking film, Batman is tested to the limit as he takes on a new enemy, Bane (Tom Hardy).
Man of Steel
Zack Snyder ushered in a new era of Superman with his 2013 reboot Man of Steel. Starring Henry Cavill as the Man of Steel and Amy Adams as Lois Lane, this stunningly shot film gives viewers one of the best interpretations of the beloved character to date.
In the same year, Snyder followed with Man of Steel Batman Vs Superman:Dawn of Justice. The movie creates a new incarnation of the Batman character, with Ben Affleck taking on the role. The story features an all-star cast including Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luther, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, and Jeremy Irons as Alfred.
Snyder kept us in the Batman universe with Justice League in 2017. In this installment, Batman and Wonder Woman recruit a team of metahumans, Aquaman, Flash and Cyborg, to take on a new extraterrestrial threat.
Wonder Woman
In the same year, Wonder Woman released and offered the first solo female superhero film of the genre. Starring Gal Gadot in the titular role, alongside Chris Pine and Robin Wright, the movie tells the origin story of Diana as she battles Ares, the God of War.
In 2018, Snyder returned to the DC timeline with Aquaman starring Jason Momoa as the eponymous hero. The movie follows the story of half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry as he attempts to save the underwater kingdom of Atlantis from his power-hungry brother, Orm.
The most recent movie in the DC Universe is Shazam!. This 2019 movie stars Zachary Levi as the titular hero, a teen boy with the physical strength and powers of a god who is mentored by an ancient wizard (Djimon Hounsou).
The Joker
In 2019, DC released its latest movie, Joker. Set in a Gotham City in the 1980s, it stars Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role of Arthur Fleck, a failed stand-up comedian who turns to a life of crime.
Not only does Phoenix give an incredible performance, the movie is a bleak and powerful exploration of a neglected and psychologically damaged character.
It stands apart from the rest of the DC Universe, exploring themes of mental health and providing further insight into Batman’s greatest foe.
The Multiverse
The DC Multiverse is a large collection of parallel universes that exist within the DC Comics universe. It allows for different versions of characters and stories to coexist, resulting in a vast number of possibilities.
The DC Multiverse encompasses the various adaptations of characters in movies, television, video games, and other media. The franchise is constantly expanding with projects such as the Suicide Squad spin-off The Suicide Squad, as well as more adaptations of DC Comics’ storylines and characters.
There are several “earth” dimensions in the Multiverse, with stories such as DC’s animated series The Batman and movies such as Birds of Prey or Wonder Woman 1984 all taking place in different earths. While these stories may diverge from the main DC cinematic universe, they still add to the ever expanding world of DC.
The Snyderverse
Zack Snyder’s DC movies make up the ‘Snyderverse’, a collection of movies taking place in the same earth. It includes Man of Steel, Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.
The Snyderverse is its own unique storytelling universe, going beyond traditional superhero tropes and creating something entirely its own. With its dark colours and complex storytelling, Snyder’s unique vision is sure to please those seeking something a bit different from the average superhero movie.
The Snyderverse’s future remains unclear, with rumors that his original vision of Justice League may be released towards the end of 2021.
The Future of DC Movies
DC’s cinematic universe is ever-expanding and with more spin-offs and adaptations in the works, there’s plenty of excitement for fans.
Upcoming movies include Black Adam, starring Dwayne Johnson in the titular role, and The Flash, starring Ezra Miller as the Scarlet Speedster.
DC also has a number of TV and streaming adaptations in the works, such as The Suicide Squad, based on the popular comic book series, as well as several new shows on the DC Universe streaming service, including Titans and Doom Patrol.
There’s no doubt the DC Universe will continue to evolve, giving us new and exciting stories for years to come.
