How to Watch DC Movies in Order

Are you impressed with the beauty of Zack Snyder Justice League on HBO Max? Do you want to start watching DC movies but do not know where to start? Well, understanding the order of series like Marvel and DC can be pretty hectic sometimes. But no need to agonize yourself because we will explain the order of DC movies so far.

Now, as far as the Marvel universe is concerned, it has expanded exponentially during the past decade. But unfortunately, DC movies had a rough start. The production of DC comics started back in 1966, but the production companies could never create content in proper order. While on the other hand, Marvel began production late but in a systemized manner.

Here we are going to discuss here the details about how to watch DC movies in order. To make it simple, we have arranged them in three different eras including DC universe movies in order.

DC Movies During the 1900s

If you are looking for all DC movies in order to watch then you might want to know how it all started. The DC movies were first recognized by the cinema during 1966 when Batman first made it to the big screen. The Batman (1966) was an adaption of TV series by the same name. The movie produced by "20th Century Fox" starred Adam West and Burt Ward as the lead role. It was the first step towards something great, but no one knew how long it would take for the next step.

About a decade later, Superman first hit the theater in 1978, followed by Superman II in 1980. With the success of these movies, many production companies started producing stories based on DC comics. Some of these movies even got global recognition, but there was still no order as many production companies made them according to their will.

It all changed in 1989 when Warner Bros took over the DC universe and released their first installment, Batman. The film starred Michael Keaton as Batman and Jack Nicholson as the Joker. Following this, Warner Bros created a complete series depicting the story of Batman during the 90s.

DC Movies After 2000

During the early 2000s, Warner Bros started introducing new characters like Catwoman, Constantine, Jonah Hex, Green Lantern, and Watchmen, etc. Most of these adaptations were applauded globally for their brilliance. Discussed below are some of the great movies during this time:

Constantine

Directed by Francis Lawrence and starring Keanu Reeves, Constantine was a different overlook of the DC comics. The story revolves around a cynical exorcist and demonologist who can communicate with half angels and half demons. The film was an adaption of the DC comic series Hell blazer and was released in early 2005.

Watchmen

Known for his graphic excellence, Zack Snyder directed this gem for Warner Bros. The movie starred Patrick Wilson and Malin Akerman in the lead role. The film takes us to an alternate timeline where the Cold War started between America and the Soviet Union during the 1980s. It elaborates the story of almost retired superheroes who are forced to investigate the murder of one of their own.

The Dark Knight Trilogy

Last but not least of the DC movies released during this time was the Dark Knight Trilogy. In 2004, Warner Bros contacted Christopher Nolan to create an overlook of the story of Batman. As a result, Christopher Nolan provided the ultimate entertainment package containing Batman begins in 2005, The Dark Knight in 2008, and The Dark knight rises (2012).

The leading cast includes Christian Bale, Michael Kane, and Morgan Freeman. The story revolves around the creation of Batman and his quest against evil. The movies are considered among the best adaptation of the DC comic series and are considered among the top 250 movies on IMDb.

DC Movies in Chronological Order

No doubt, DC comics have always done wonders in introducing fabulous characters and creating an incredible storyline. But the problem that DC faced over the years was that they could not make movies in proper order. In 2012, The dark knight rises showed great success and earned over $1 billion worldwide.

In late 2012, the "Watchmen" director Zack Snyder started working on the idea of DC Extended Universe (DCEU). But unfortunately, there were a lot of ups and downs on the way. Discussed below are the DC movies released after 2012 in chronological order.

1. Wonder Woman

Directed by Zack Snyder, Wonder Woman is the fourth installment in DCEU. The movie takes place in a flashback during the year 1918. Another thing that needs to be remembered is that the first cameo of wonder woman is made in Batman v Superman (the second installment).

The story is about women warriors created by Zeus on a secret island of Themyscira to protect mankind. Most of the story occurs during World War Ⅰ when a US pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), accidentally reaches the island. He is later accompanied by Diana (Gal Gadot) to Landon, where she fights alongside the allies.

2. Wonder Woman 1984

Wonder Woman 1984 is a sequel of Wonder Woman, released in late 2020. The story takes place in 1984 for most of the part. The movie has almost no connection to the so-called Snyder verse, but it still lets us explore the character of Wonder Woman

3. Man of Steel

Produced by Christopher Nolan and directed by Zack Snyder, Man of steel was the first installment in DCEU. The movie starred Henry Cavil and Amy Adams in the lead role, and it was released in June 2013. The idea behind the reboot of Superman was to kick off a series of films and eventually form Justice League, thus creating DC comics movies in order.

The story uncovers the life of Superman, his arrival on Earth, and his quest to be ordinary. Unlike the portrayal of Superman before, Man of steel offers a unique perspective regarding his personality. We have always known Superman for his kooky humor, but Zack Snyder reveals to us the dark and brutal side of the most loved character.

4. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

There are different timelines observed in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. There were scenes from Bruce's childhood when his parents were murdered; also, there are a couple of shots during the time of "Man of steel." But most of the story is set 18 months after the events of Man of steel.

The film released in 2016 features Ben Affleck and Henry Cavil as Batman and Superman, respectively. It might be hard for some Dark Knight trilogy fans to accept this sudden change of the Batman actor. But for what it's worth, Ben Affleck also did a fantastic job portraying Batman.

5. Suicide Squad

Released in 2016, Suicide Squad happens a year after the events of Batman vs. Superman. It revolves around a group of anarchists (supervillains) hired by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) to execute a seemingly impossible mission. The lead cast includes Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Jared Leto as the Joker, and Will Smith as Deadshot. Apart from that, there is also a cameo made by Ben Affleck's Batman.

6. Justice League

Justice League was the ultimate dream of creating the DC Extended Universe. The film released in 2017 was initially directed by Zack Snyder, who had to leave due to personal reasons, and it was completed by Joss Whedon and released in late 2017.

It happens after the events of Batman vs. Superman when Superman has died, and Stephen Wolf has arrived to invade the Earth. Batman is trying to create a team that can combat evil. Apart from the lead cast, other heroes were introduced like Flash, Aqua Man, and Cyborg during the two hours film.

7. Zack Snyder Justice League

As mentioned earlier, Zack Snyder had to leave the production of Justice League due to his daughter's death in 2017. Joss Whedon then completed the movie. However, it was released in late 2017 but was never accepted by DC fans. Not so long after that, the fans started demanding the Snyder cut.

The Snyder cut was finally released on March 18, 2021, on HBO Max. The four hours long film had everything that a DC fan could ever wish for. The action, narration, and cinematographic excellence take this movie to a whole new level. Although the film was released late, it still fits the timeline of Justice League (2017).

8. Aquaman

Aquaman, released in 2018, occurs a few months after the events of Justice League. The story revolves around Authur Curry (Jason Mamoa) and his attempts toward preventing a war between the Atlantian army and humankind. There are also flashbacks from 1985, but most of the story happens during the present time.

9. Shazam!

The DCEU created by Zack Snyder was considered dark and less cheerful. While on the other hand, Shazam seemed to be on the opposite track. The movie depicts the jolly and exuberant side of DC. It was a small-budget movie but still managed to earn $1 billion, primarily because of its release during the holiday season.

Although the movies don't seem to be a part of DCEU in any way, there was a Superman cameo in the ending scene. However, it was not confirmed if Henry Cavil was in the suit.

10. Birds of Prey

In 2020, Birds of Prey starred Margot Robbie on the big screen once again as Harley Quinn. Although the film was not much of a success but still managed to amuse a lot of fans. The film offers a unique perspective about the life of Harley Quinn as she leaves Joker, and it also introduces some other DC characters like The Huntress and Black Canary, etc. The portrayal of Harley Quinn by Margot Robbie was, once again worth appreciating.

11. Suicide Squad (2021)

Suicide Squad was the tenth and the most recent installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The timeline is not entirely clear, but we can safely presume that it happened after the Birds of Prey. It was directed by James Gunn, the man behind Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. I and II.

Joker can also be placed in the above list before Wonder Woman 1984. It takes place during the early 1980s, and the movie was a completely separate installment depicting the story of Joker.

DC Movies by Order of Release

What we described above is the DC movies in Chronological order. No doubt, it can help to understand the story's timeline, but watching in order of release can maintain the element of suspense.

• Man of Steel (June 14, 2013).
• Batman v Superman (March 25, 2016)
• Suicide Squad (August 5, 2016)
• Wonder Woman (June 2, 2017)
• Justice League (November 17, 2017)
• Aquaman (December 21, 2018)
• Shazam! (April 5, 2019)
• Joker (October 4, 2019)
• Birds of Prey: Harley Quinn (January 25, 2020)
• Wonder Woman 1984 (December 25, 2020)
• The Suicide Squad (August 6, 2021)

Frequently Asked Questions

• Will there be Zack Snyder Justice League Part II?

There seems to be no strong possibility of witnessing ZSJL Part II soon. As far as Zack Snyder I concerned, he is willing to come back and complete his dream of DC Extended Universe. But we can't say anything for sure now as it entirely depends upon Warner Bros.

• Are the upcoming DC movies going to be a part of DCEU?

The DC movies released during the past couple of years are a part of the 2017 Justice League. But as for Batman (2022), it will be a separate movie as Joker (2019).

• Are all DC movies connected?

DC has produced a lot of standalone movies over the years. Unlike Marvel, DC could not create movies in proper order. But the DCEU adaptation from Man of Steel to Justice League can be considered in perfect order.

Conclusion

DC movies have progressed over the years and are now recognized as an essential part of cinema. During the past decade, Warner Bros has done a great job delivering some masterpieces. Here we have discussed all DC movies in order, let it be Chronological and release date order. You can easily watch according to release date order as the storyline has been beautifully narrated throughout. Furthermore, apart from the movies discussed above, Warner Bros has provided us with DC animated movies in order.