DCEU Movies Ranked: From Man of Steel to Shazam! Fury of the Gods

For ten years, from 2013 to 2023, Warner Bros. and DC released entries in their DC Extended Universe series of movies, which connect heroes like Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and others across one superhero movie landscape. Of all the movies, a few have been solid, if even heroic, entries in the genre, while several others have been… yeah. Across them all, I’ve been watching each one and waiting — sometimes even eagerly — for the next additions, and in that time have assembled my list of the very best and very worst entries in our epic DCEU Movies Ranked list!. 

This list is of course not the end-all-be-all, and we will update it as time goes on and opinions change. But for now, these are how I feel the movies stack up amongst each other, although certainly your opinions may differ!

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13.) Suicide Squad (2016)

In 2014, Marvel and director James Gunn proved a ragtag squad of virtually unrecognizable comic book heroes could not only work but become a cultural sensation with Guardians of the Galaxy. Two years later, DC assembled their own group of mostly nobodies (sans a couple of rather popular crime clowns) and unveiled to the world David Ayer’s studio-cut Suicide Squad – and while it did about as well at the box office and gave us the gift of Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, the actual quality of the movie was far from sensational. A mixture of the kind of gritty crime drama that Ayer has been known for (which could be the only explanation for Jared Leto’s Joker looking like a low-level heroin runner) and the sort of bonkers comic book thrills a set-up like this should have warranted resulted in an ugly, shockingly dull misfire. Mostly forgettable characters that don’t live up to their comic book personas are stranded in an aimless plot and have to take on henchmen that look like what you would get if you overcooked a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Squad tried to be the “fun” entry after the morose Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman, but only manages to be an over-long headache. That’s why it sinks so low on our DCEU Movies Ranked list. That said, a David Ayer cut of this movie might place a whole lot higher, if it’s ever released.

12.) Justice League (2017)

Talking about movies that were supposed to be the “fun” entries in the DCEU, Justice League actually manages to achieve a sense of light entertainment value – but little else. Directed by Zack Snyder at first but reshot and finalized by Joss Whedon, JL is a concoction of two visions that ends up not being much of anything. Assembling the likes of Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, and newcomers The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg the film is a mess of introductions, expositions, and eventual CGI chaos that only benefits from a strong cast and suitably not taking itself as seriously as past entries. Yes, it’s fun in spots, but it’s also choppy, empty, and features a horrendous villain, Steppenwolf, that reminds one more of a demon goat than a conqueror of worlds. This movie can seem simple and fun at times, but once all that fades, it becomes painfully clear how nigh-unwatchable it really is, and it scrapes the bottom of our DCEU Movies Ranked list.

11.) Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Around the release of Man of Steel, it was announced that director Zack Snyder would be returning to work on a sequel, and about a month or so after, Snyder unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con that the follow-up would be the infamous Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Now, this movie is less a follow-up to MOS or an introduction of Ben Affleck’s Batman and much more a studio panicking that they were falling behind their Marvel counterparts in establishing a billion-dollar comic book franchise, so they decided to take years of development and cram it into a single movie. Taking the dour tone of
MOS and cranking it even higher (lower?), BVS is Snyder trying to somehow elevate the comic book genre by tackling ideas that very much exceed the movie’s grasp. There isn’t much going on between either Batman or Superman, there are several characters too many, and the titular dawn of the incoming Justice League feels shoehorned into an already cluttered story. Admittedly, and to Snyder’s credit, where the movie stands above the previous entries on this list (despite being the most critically-disapproved) is that it, at the very least, is a somewhat fascinating watch. Maybe it’s the boldness of what it’s trying to do or how much of a clusterf**k it is, but Snyder did make something that’s at least worth another watch or two. Factor in some genuinely great comic book movie moments (warehouse scene, Wonder Woman’s arrival, etc.), and BVS has a certain air about it that makes it unforgettable. Mostly in negative ways, but still…

10.) Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

As far as sequels go, Wonder Woman 1984 was the first true one in the DCEU. Batman v. Superman isn’t quite a Man of Steel sequel and Shazam 2 and Aquaman 2 came later, so in terms of having to live up to something that came before, WW84 had the most riding on it of any DCEU movie yet. Sadly, it face-planted what should’ve been a perfect landing. While the first movie from director Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot made use of goddess Diana’s unflinching moral code, presenting her as a beacon of hope with a focused story that gave her an ideological war to fight on the WWI battlefield, WW84 is a bizarre mess, juggling multiple storylines and numerous logic inconsistencies while leaving our title character stranded to play second fiddle to a cat-lady and Pedro Pascal’s lame villain. There are some bright spots in terms of performances and, admittedly, many of the themes Jenkins sought to explore — and when you mix that with the occasionally entertaining moment of action or general weirdness, it’s not totally a loss, but there’s virtually nothing about the movie from its plotting or character development that holds up to examination. Then there’s just the actual content. Kristen Wiig becomes a reject from Cats, Pascal takes massive bites out of the scenery as the only actor seeming to have fun here, and Chris Pine takes over the body of a random dude who will likely wake up with a gnarly hangover. There is a lot going on in this movie, much of it pure lunacy, but none of it adds up to the compelling story that Wonder Woman deserved for her second big-screen outing. Maybe this could’ve been the fourth outing when everyone’s just about done with it all, but not the second time out.

9.) Black Adam (2022)

Shazam had been in the works since the early 2000s, and by 2007, Dwayne Johnson was already in the running to play Shazam’s arch-nemesis Black Adam (who was reimagined as an anti-hero in the comics after decades of villainy). But as Shazam went in and out of development over the years, another idea arose: Johnson didn’t want to just play the villain in Shazam, he wanted to star in his own Black Adam movie. And he got what he wanted. Many were left wishing he hadn’t and the box office numbers were disappointing… but director Jaume Collet-Serra made a reasonably entertaining, fast-paced movie that’s not just about the titular anti-hero, who has interactions with a kid that are reminiscent of Terminator 2, taking on mercenaries that have overrun his home country, but also sees him crossing paths with the pretty cool group of hero characters that make up the Justice Society: the winged Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), the sorcerer Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), the wind-manipulating Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), who can change size. It would have been interesting to see more of these characters if the DCEU had continued. However, things do start to wear out their welcome when the Legions of Hell get summoned for some over-the-top climactic battles.

8.) Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

One of the most shocking things to happen during the wild ride that was the DCEU came when Shazam! Fury of the Gods turned out to be a massive box office failure, barely passing the $134 million mark even though its well-received predecessor had made almost $368 million. Sure, it made be sloppier and less interesting than the first movie, but it’s not that much of a step down. Director David F. Sandberg returned to bring the same sense of fun and heart to the film, the actors are still entertaining in their roles, and we get to see more of the “Shazamily.” Sure, the villain part of the story isn’t exactly fascinating, and it’s delivered in a way so that most of it will probably just fly over viewers’ heads (and viewers might not care if they understand what’s going on or not), but it’s serviceable and it allows for some good action, including scenes involving unicorns and a dragon. It does drag on for a bit longer than necessary, but so do most of these movies.

 7.) Man of Steel (2013)

After the immense success of The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer pitched their idea for a retooling of Superman to Warner Bros., bringing the same kind of grounded approach to him as they did to Batman. Director Zack Snyder was eventually hired and, years later, Man of Steel
hit theaters… and turns out, dramatic Superman isn’t as compelling as dramatic Batman. The nonlinear narrative starts with the epic destruction of Krypton and then spends time going back and forth between Kal-El/Clark Kent’s origins on Earth and his nomad years in obscurity, ultimately leading to him donning the suit and saving the world from complete destruction. Superman is a beacon of justice and hope, but via the “character study” approach of MOS, this take on the character as he learns to be the hero for Earth feels mostly feels cold and aimless as it fails to establish an emotional link between the lead and anything he’s doing. There is something admirable about the approach, trying to find a new way to tell the Superman origin story, but the execution doesn’t fit who Superman is and what the tone and style of his movies need to be. Snyder has undeniable vision as a filmmaker and no one crafts destruction quite like he does. In fact, he dropped so much destruction into this movie that it had to be addressed in the follow-up. The score from Hans Zimmer is the best thing about the movie, and the cast does some solid work with what they can. Despite the movie they’re in, they do a good enough job to make you want to see more of them – especially Henry Cavill as the Man of Steel himself. For better or worse, Man of Steel marked a turning point in DC at the movies, and on its own, is a fine middle-ground entry in the series.

6.) Birds of Prey (2020)

After she stole the show in Suicide Squad, it made sense to give Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn her very own movie far away from goth witches and dudes named Rick. Okay, even the title gives away its not entirely her own solo movie, but rather her story gathers several other kick-ass women from the DC universe so they can come together and, well, kick ass. A far cry from the rest of its DCEU peers, Birds of Prey embraces a low-budget and an R-rating, making grizzled ol’ Batman look like a real Boy Scout. Directed by Cathy Yan and written by Christina Hodson, the movie works at its very best when it’s embracing its colorful, wild self, which is basically every time Harley is on-screen or when Ewan McGregor can devour the scenery as Roman Sionis/Black Mask. It’s got a wicked sense of humor, some kinetic, bloody action, and best of all, allows Robbie to dig into the character of Quinn with far more depth. It’s a shame the rest of the characters — like Black Canary or Huntress — don’t get the same treatment. A cluttered script that doesn’t have the most compelling plot makes it feel like several stories crammed together, even though the theme of them all breaking free of male oppression comes through in the end. While much of the character work and storytelling is a big crux in making it the focused Quinn solo movie it should’ve been, there’s plenty of style, attitude and great performances to make it an often bonkers standout in the series.

5.) Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)

Before the dust from the disappointment of the 2017 Justice League could settle, fans who had committed to director Zack Snyder’s vision behind
MOS and BVS were demanding Warner Bros. give him a chance to complete and release his true version of the movie. While odds understandably seemed low, the folks at WB, in need of releases for the streaming service HBO Max, listened to the fan pleas that had literally reached the sky and gave Snyder (with $70 million) his shot. When the result hit HBO Max, many found it to be worth the long wait. The visual effects were greatly improved, the overall visual style was more consistent, the doubled runtime allowed for new character details and wholly different arcs (namely, for Cyborg), and it delivered on the spectacle that makes Snyder one of the most distinct directors around, for better or worse. The film is far from perfect (although many would probably argue it belongs much higher on our DCEU Movies Ranked list), and even the bloated runtime can’t fix the narrative problems from the first version, so said runtime doesn’t always feel justified. But even without comparison to the 2017 version, Snyder’s Justice League stands on its own as the director’s best take on DC heroes of his three outings, crafting a unique epic that happens to have the kind of emotional depth his movies are not often known for.

4.) Aquaman (2018)

With his comic book movie debut, Aquaman, director James Wan managed to do the impossible: he took a hero whose claim to fame was conversing with tuna and turned him into the DCEU’s resident badass. It goes without saying that just as much (if not more) credit goes to the naturally badass Jason Momoa, and Wan knew just how to craft a truly wild, visually arresting comic book movie unlike any other around his imposing-yet-lovable leading man. Like what Taika Waititi did when approaching Thor: Ragnarok, Wan realized a movie where the story involves an underwater society going to war with the surface world and the only man who can stop it can command all creatures of the deep can’t take itself too seriously, which means Aquaman
is never not a blast to watch. The story is whatever and the script has holes for depths, but there’s an octopus playing drums before Momoa and Patrick Wilson’s Orm have an underwater trident fight, which comes after Nicole Kidman does flips over deep-sea soldiers and before a final fight that shows us a sort of Kraken and sharks clashing with, I wanna say, crab people. It’s a visual feast that was made by people who knew exactly the movie they were making, and in the end, dared the audience to find something not to like about it.

3.) The Suicide Squad (2021)

After helming two (later three) Guardians of the Galaxy movies, James Gunn seemed like a natural fit to give the comic book team The Suicide Squad a new lease on life after Warner Bros.’s first attempt in 2016. To say he nailed the gig wouldn’t quite be giving his work the proper celebration. Rather, he blew it out of the park with C4, resulting in a colorful firework display of chaos and gore. He gathered a perfect cast to guide us through the mayhem, making it a ballet of destruction worth marveling at. Gunn leans into his trademarks with no restrictions for an uber-violent, uber-hilarious team-up flick that takes no prisoners and manages to make you care about and laugh with the cast of outcasts and villains at its core. The narrative won’t change the game, but its flaws are easily washed away in a sea of red that’s R-rated comic book moviemaking at some of its most fun. This one is definitely worthy of repeat viewings.

2.) Shazam! (2019)

Out of all of the movies on this DCEU Movies Ranked list, Shazam! is the one that had the most right to not work at all. With the name recognition of a pre-2015 Ant-Man, very few outside the comic fandom knew who this hero was, and selling the story of a boy who can transform into a mighty hero after given powers by a wizard named Shazam couldn’t have been an easy sell. But, amazingly, Shazam! came out one of the very best the DCEU has to offer, and it’s all thanks to how it embraces the more relatable angle of the Billy Batson story. Bouncing from foster home to foster home, the true core of the story is how Billy (Asher Angel) learns to embrace becoming part of his new family, and how that comes in tandem with becoming a hero. The two strands are seamlessly woven together by director David F. Sandberg and writer Henry Gayden, and the tone resembles the likes of Big with Tom Hanks mixed into a comic book movie. That means it may not have a ton of action, but it more than makes up for it with constant laughs, an ensemble of likable characters, winning performances from Zachary Levi and Jack Dylan Grazer, and a massive heart.

1.) Wonder Woman (2017)

And here we are! The original Wonder Woman tops our list of DCEU Movies Ranked, and I can’t imagine you should be surprised. Over the years, the DCEU has seen wild misfires and purely fun movies join its ranks, but nothing has the blend of spectacle and soul like Wonder Woman. Going back a solid 100 years from when we first saw her in BVS , the story traces Diana’s upbringing as the only child around on Themyscira, surrounded by warrior women hidden away from the rest of the world. Upholding the values of truth, justice, hope, and peace, Diana accompanies the dashing Steve Trevor to the human world to put an end to World War I – which she believes is being caused by the God of War, Ares. As this scenario plays out, a charming fish-out-water story gives rise to one of the most heroic moments put to film in the heart of No Man’s Land. Wonder Woman was made with confidence by Patty Jenkins, led with a statuesque command by Gal Gadot, and told with a focused story that allows Diana to live up to her most heroic qualities. Even in a messy final fight, the morals of Diana shine through and the heart of the story is never lost, and the movie itself came at a time when the DCEU movies were lacking in just that, heart. On its own and away from the others on the list, Wonder Woman is a towering achievement in the genre and deserves its place as one of the very best comic book origin stories yet.

Do you agree with this order? Talk back (nicely) below!