Here’s how to watch the DC movies in order, chronologically and by release date.
DC movies in chronological order
1. Wonder Woman (2017)
After Batman v. Superman took a critical pounding and disappointed at the box office, Patty Jenkins’ origin story of Diana Prince surprised just about everyone and made Gal Gadot an international star. The events of the film are mostly during World War I, with bookends in present day.
2. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Jenkins’ divisive—though overall undeniably successful—sequel is mostly set in, well, 1984. Part three was greenlit shortly after WW84’s successful HBO Max/theatrical day-and-date launch; the now-scrapped Wonder Woman 3 would have been set in present day.
3. Man of Steel (2013)
Co-produced by Christopher Nolan a year after he concluded his zeitgeist-ruling Batman trilogy, Zack Snyder’s Superman picture received praise for the performances of Henry Cavill, Amy Adams and Russell Crowe—and a lot of flack for its numbing, excessive sequences of Metropolis’s destruction. It’s a far cry from the touching, idealistic actions of Diana Prince; it’s largely about ego.
4. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Man of Steel performed moderately well at the box office, but not at the level of the MCU’s biggest hits. Warner Bros. pulled out the big guns for this one, casting Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman in a convoluted, mean-spirited butt-number (the theatrical cut was 151 minutes and the extended edition tops three hours) that critics were less than kind to. Zack Snyder’s Justice League is better than expected, mostly a robust delight. It doesn’t make Dawn of Justice any better retroactively, though. This is still a bad movie.
5. Suicide Squad (2016)
Following a publicized, turbulent production, David Ayer’s antihero team-up was blasted by critics as a hot mess. Audiences mostly enjoyed it, though, and the film grossed over $1 billion worldwide. It’s set about a year after the events of Dawn of Justice, with Affleck making a cameo.
6. Justice League (2017)
Aside from a Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) backstory that flashes back thousands of years, Joss Whedon’s takeover of Snyder’s original vision is mostly set shortly after Suicide Squad. The theatrical cut of Justice League is a flat, micromanaged and confused disaster; it’s impossible to recommend over the mostly brilliant, if flawed and excessive “Snyder Cut” that’s available on HBO Max.
7. Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
Fitting in essentially the same part of the EU timeline as the 2017 flop, this one is technically non-canon, sadly. Though, given the enthusiastic response to the redux out of the gate, restoring the #Snyderverse just doesn’t seem impossible. Only time will tell.
8. Aquaman (2018)
Thanks to dynamic, huge-scale direction from James Wan—and a million-watt Jason Momoa—Aquaman is dumb fun that enticed international audiences in search of a breezy good time. It grossed over $1 billion and remains the highest-earning film in this franchise.
9. Shazam! (2019)
The most charming film of this series is David F. Sandberg’s giddy action-comedy about adolescent boys who channel the supernatural. It’s mostly set over Christmas 2018, with a prologue in the 1970s.
10. Birds of Prey (2020)
Margot Robbie reprises fan-favorite Harley Quinn in an uneven, underrated action pic that disappointed at the box office. A spotty script is at odds with Cathy Yan’s sharp direction and fine performances from Robbie and Ewan McGregor. Birds of Prey is worth a watch at home for sure, and possibly would have grossed more money with a simpler title—like, Harley Quinn.
11. The Suicide Squad (2021)
Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn is back in this flick also starring Idris Elba, John Cena and more. The film was largely thought of as better than the original Suicide Squad, but was a disappointment at the box office—earning less than its production budget.
DC movies in order of release date
1. Man of Steel (2013)
2. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
3. Suicide Squad (2016)
4. Wonder Woman (2017)
5. Justice League (2017)
6. Aquaman (2018)
7. Shazam! (2019)
8. Birds of Prey (2020)
9. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
10. Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
11. The Suicide Squad (2021)
Where to watch all the DC movies
All DCEU titles are available to stream on HBO Max. Next, check out the epic backstory behind Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
