All DC Extended Universe (DCEU) Movies Ranked
8. Suicide Squad (2016) directed by David Ayer
Ah, Suicide Squad – what once held so much potential as the black sheep of the DCEU was completely squandered through inept character decisions, unbelievably terrible editing and incoherent story beats despite standout performances by Will Smith (Floyd Lawton/Deadshot), Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn), and Viola Davis (Amanda Waller). The story of Suicide Squad sees a group of ragtag prisoners with special powers or abilities brought together by the United States government as Task Force X for a top-secret mission in exchange for leniency on their jail time. The prisoners plot to take advantage of this unusual opportunity by escaping their imprisonment while the Joker (Jared Leto) makes a desperate attempt to free his girlfriend, Harley Quinn. While the team’s dysfunctional dynamic initially shows promise, the film does not serve most of its characters well enough to provide for an overall enjoyable movie-going experience. This issue is particularly present with the film’s brand-new incarnation of the Joker, relegated to only a few scenes in favor of a far less interesting villain, Enchantress (Cara Delevingne). With a new edit led by the film’s director and possibly an alternate soundtrack, Suicide Squad may have become something a bit more bearable; for now, though, it remains by-far the most disappointing installment in the DCEU.
7. Aquaman (2018) directed by James Wan
Though not as fundamentally frustrating as Suicide Squad, Aquaman is just as, if not more, cheesier due to its cringe-worthy dialogue and mediocre CGI (the latter of which serves as a recurring issue for many entries within the DCEU). Fortunately, Jason Momoa shines once again as Arthur Curry/Aquaman after coming off an impressive performance in Justice League. Aquaman follows the half-human, half-Atlantean powerhouse along with the fierce Atlantean warrior Mera (Amber Heard) as they set out off on an adventure across the high seas in search of the Trident of Atlan, a magical weapon belonging to the first ruler of Atlantis. The primary purpose of this journey is to provide Aquaman with the means to overthrow his half-brother, Orm/Ocean Master (Patrick Wilson) as King of Atlantis before Orm unites the seven underwater kingdoms and attacks the surface world in retribution for polluting the ocean. The story and setting of Aquaman surely sound thrilling and are met with decent pacing throughout despite pushing 143 minutes in runtime; unfortunately, the film never truly resonates as a fully compelling piece – even if the beautifully-crafted underwater city of Atlantis is a sight to behold onscreen.
6. Justice League (2017) directed by Zack Snyder
What should have been a grand slam for Warner Bros. with Justice League instead became the period on the exclamation mark of their critical and financial failure with the DCEU at that point in terms of handling a DC Comics live-action shared cinematic universe. Justice League throws together a hastily formed group of superheroes with the objective to stop an alien invasion in the absence of Superman. Exciting performances and intriguing interactions between newcomers Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Victor Stone/Cyborg (Ray Fisher), with established characters Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck), Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and Clark Kent/Superman (Henry Cavill), heavily anchor this fast-paced affair, only to constantly combat atrocious CGI and an incredibly boring villain, Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds). It’s clear there are conflicting visions for the film by original director Zack Snyder (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Man of Steel) and replacement director Joss Whedon (The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron) through uneven tonal shifts that vary wildly from scene-to-scene, but the film largely plays it safe to satisfactory results. Summed-up, Justice League is an imperfect spectacle to behold as it strings together some of DC Comics’ most recognized superheroes in live-action for the very first time. Nevertheless, the film was ultimately a financial and critical disaster for Warner Bros. and now stands as an example of how movie studios should not to do a superhero team-up movie.
5. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) directed by Zack Snyder
Extremely divisive, but generally misunderstood, the appeal of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice lies in its monumental clash between the two most iconic superheroes ever: Batman and Superman. Fearing the immense power of Clark Kent/Superman (Henry Cavill) after the catastrophic events in Man of Steel, Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck) sets out to tackle what he now perceives as humanity’s biggest threat while Lex Luthor (Jessie Eisenberg) orchestrates both superheroes into an epic showdown. A relentlessly dark tone, outlandish character decisions and irrelevant ideas to the film at hand hold back Batman v Superman from reaching its full potential. These problems are only highlighted by the fact that the introduction of a new Batman who is willing to murder criminals never really sits well despite how well the character is captured cosmetically. However, the film’s masterful buildup toward the title showdown and mysterious introduction of Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) save the film from falling apart in its third act. It’s a shame the film is often remembered best for its ridiculous “Martha” scene because it has so much more to offer thematically and morally as it frequently begs the question: What kind of superhero does the world really need?
4. Shazam! (2019) directed by David F. Sandberg
Much akin to Aquaman and Wonder Woman, Shazam! injects a lighter tone into the DCEU, serving as an important reminder to Warner Bros. that showcasing the unique attributes of each individual superhero in a single shared cinematic universe can produce excellent results. Orphaned teenager Billy Batson (Asher Angel) is unexpectedly bestowed superhero powers by the wizard Shazam (Djimon Gaston Hounsou), transforming the young boy into an adult man (Zachary Levi) with the pronunciation of one word: “Shazam!” Now possessing the powers of flight, superhuman strength and speed, as well as lightning manipulation, Billy and his new foster family - including his foster brother, Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer) - must fend off the evil Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong), who desires the wizard’s power for his own. Unlike other DC Films, Shazam! experiments with a teenage protagonist whose playful exploration of superhero powers makes for a completely different flavor than anything else in the DCEU. While the film suffers from a bit of corny dialogue and almost overstays its welcome at 132 minutes long, Shazam! is by and large a wonderfully unexpected, but most-welcome surprise with hopeful implications for the future of the DCEU.
3. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020) directed by Cathy Yan
The first and only R-rated entry in the DCEU thus far, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) places substantial emphasis on Harley Quinn’s (Margot Robbie) life beyond her recent romantic split from the Joker years after the events of Suicide Squad, and follows her into a new conflict with Roman Sionis/Black Mask (Ewan McGregor) and his accomplice, Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina). This struggle draws together an unlikely group of heroes (some super, some not), the Birds of Prey: Dinah Lance/Black Canary (Jurnee Diana Smollett), Helena Bertinelli/Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), in addition to Cassandra “Cass” Cain (Ella Jay Basco). Although her name is secondary in the film’s title, this is undoubtedly a Harley Quinn movie that happens to feature the Birds of Prey, a component that works mostly to its advantage. The film is brutally stylish and delightfully energetic in its approach to these gleeful characters and the bloody action they participate in. Birds of Prey is nothing short of a truly jubilant, feminine and entertaining ride inside the unruly mind of one Harley Quinn.
2. Wonder Woman (2017) directed by Patty Jenkins
Wonder Woman is quite simply the crowning achievement of the DCEU in terms of box office and critical reception. Much like Man of Steel, Wonder Woman incites impactful themes of courage, kindness and morality to bring forth a superhero who not only possesses superhuman strength, speed and flight, but has the power to inspire others into becoming the best version of themselves. After crash-landing on the hidden island of Themiscyra, World War I soldier and American pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) and Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) join forces to leave the island and pursue who Diana understands to be the culprit behind the “war to end all wars” - the God of War, Ares. Everything from Diana’s reaction to the world outside of Themiscyra to the No Man’s Land scene is wonderfully shot and paced. The relationship between Diana and Steve is a major highpoint within the film and a testament to the natural chemistry between both Gadot and Pine. The third act is notably weaker than the first two and lacking once again in the CGI Department, but still connects as whole on a deeply emotional level to leave a lasting impression. Despite the shortcomings of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, Wonder Woman does Diana Prince true ‘justice’ in her first live-action solo outing.
1. Man of Steel (2013) directed by Zack Snyder
The first entry into the DCEU is also the reintroduction of the most influential superhero of all time: Superman. Often mischaracterized by its moody tone and vicious ending, Man of Steel is an absolute masterpiece of superhero cinema. The story follows an alien infant arriving on Earth in Smallville, Kansas from the doomed planet Krypton. Growing up initially unaware of who he is, where he comes from and why he’s different from others, Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman (Henry Cavill) embarks on a journey of self-exploration as an adult, hoping to find his place in the world as he comes to terms with his unbelievable power and the responsibility that power asserts, especially in the face of evil. That evil is expertly illustrated through General Zod (Michael Shannon), a disgraced Kryptonian who escapes his imprisonment from the Phantom Zone and travels to the Earth, seeking to terraform the planet into a new Krypton. With the careful guidance of his adoptive mother, Martha Kent (Diane Lane), and adoptive father, Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner), as well as his biological father, Jor-El (Russell Crowe), and romantic partner, Lois Lane (Amy Adams), Clark accepts his newfound identity as the Superman to stand as a beacon of hope in mankind’s darkest hours. From the short-lived look at the fantastical world of Krypton, to the quiet, idyllic town of Smallville and into the bustling streets of Metropolis, Man of Steel has it all: incredible spectacle, jaw-dropping action and high emotional stakes. In serving his role as a vital pillar in the realization of “truth, justice and the American way,” Man of Steel reminds us how great Superman can be when he’s at his best. Featuring the most impressive CGI across all DC Films (including films outside of the DCEU), Man of Steel exhilarates and astonishes from start to finish to deliver the most well-rounded DCEU film to date.
Thank you for checking-out this list, ranking every film in the DCEU!
The Mercer County Library System (MCLS) catalog features an enormous number of movie and television titles for both adults and children of all genres.
Browse the MCLS catalog for various movie and television titles, including DCEU and other DC titles here.
- Jamie Anderson, Lawrence Headquarters Branch
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