There have been a number of DC movies throughout the years, from Superman in the 1970s to last year’s “Aquaman,” “Birds of Prey” and “Wonder Woman 1984” are set for release in 2020, with many more in the pipeline. One of them is “The Batman,” which is scheduled to begin filming again soon. Robert Pattinson will take over as the Caped Crusader, while Paul Dano has been cast as The Riddler. Anticipation is building for these future films, and it’ll be interesting to see if any of them can reach the high bar set by the six films below. They are, in our estimation, the top DC movies of all time.
Superman (1978)
The original Superman isn’t technically the first DC film, but it was one of the first hits for the franchise. Apart from its seamless blending of humor, action, and superhero gravitas due to the perfectly-cast Christopher Reeve, the movie was also a momentous effort in terms of practical effects – a limitation that the makers of more current Superman-related movies and media don’t have to worry about. In modern cinemas, Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice are both well known for their high-intensity CGI-powered action scenes. Superman also continues to be DC’s top brand across multimedia platforms. On the web, the Superman online slot has helped the iconic character find new audiences within the gaming community and the mobile gaming generation. Meanwhile, Rocksteady’s upcoming game promises to finally take the Superman experience in a satisfactory manner to both PCs and next-gen consoles. In short, Superman is one of DC’s most successful, multimedia characters ever, and it all began with this gem of a film from 1978.
The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005, 2008, 2012)
Christopher Nolan’s trio of Batman films were game-changers, and will be taken as one entry on this list. The highlight was 2008’s The Dark Knight, hailed by The Atlantic’s culture writer David Sims as conferring "instant validity on the comic-book movie.” Nolan turned Batman and the Joker ”into jarring archetypes who are incongruous to the world of gangsters and cops.” Batman Begins was a great starting point, while The Dark Knight Rises ended the trilogy on an iconic note.
Wonder Woman (2017)
Wonder Woman was a massive hit, grossing over $800 million worldwide. But unlike its predecessors, which Empire Online describes as critically savaged affairs, Gadot’s feature film won widespread praise. It is an origin story with a pulse, thanks to Patty Jenkins’ superb storytelling and Gal Gadot’s regal portrayal of the Amazonian princess. Wonder Woman’s success made Princess Diana the DCEU’s top character, which has further been demonstrated by the amount of new media created around her. This has ranged from animated content (Wonder Woman: Bloodlines) to video games (Injustice) that put the character front and center. Even jewelry makers Alex and Ani have created their own Wonder Woman-inspired collection. All of these products illustrate the character’s global popularity, which is sure to grow even more with the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984.
Joker (2019)
Todd Phillips’ Joker inspired both controversy and debate, as it explored, with disturbing depth, the backstory of how the Joker became a horrifying figure. Joaquin Phoenix is exceptional as Arthur Fleck, the troubled would-be comic transformed into a monster by an unforgiving society. In fact, Phoenix — cackling like a hyena one time, then weeping intensely the next — carried the film, and gave a performance that will be remembered for decades.
Shazam! (2018)
Shazam!, notes renowned film critic Peter Travers, is a “wacky, breezy take on the veteran DC Comics character,” and is “absolutely super.” Director David F. Sandberg “keeps things light with a hilarious and heartfelt package” with Zachary Levi portraying the titular character with “rollicking, rock-the-house energy.”
Watchmen (2009)
Zack Snyder insisted that Watchmen be faithful to its comic book roots, and that decision resulted in a DC film classic. It captures much of the original’s apocalyptic grim with added visceral visuals. Despite original creator Alan Moore distancing himself from the film, it was a great adaptation of one of the world’s most iconic graphic novels.
The film has taken over the Telluride Film Festival. It’s a best picture contender. Julianne Moore is a best actress frontrunner. Paul Giamatti might win his first Oscar for as supporting actor.