Watch order guide · DC

How to watch the DC movies in order

Updated October 21, 2026 · 18 min read · 25 titles · 74 hours

DC on OrderToWatch is three separate continuities: the DC Extended Universe (2013 to 2023, from Man of Steel), James Gunn's new DCU (from Creature Commandos and Superman in 2025), and Watchmen. Watch the DCEU in release order for the Snyder arc, or start the DCU fresh with Superman (2025), which does not depend on the older films.

Titles

25

Films

20

Series

5

Watch time

74 hours

Box office

$8.14 billion

Avg IMDb

6.8

DC movies in release order

Here is every DC (DCU) title in the order it came out, 2009 to 2026: 20 films and 5 series. Optional entries are marked; you can skip them on a first watch.

DC timeline: movies in chronological order

The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.

Release or chronological: which order is best?

Release order and story order disagree on 21 titles here. In release order you start with Watchmen (2009); in story order you start with Wonder Woman, set in 1918, which came out 8 years later.

First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns DC into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.

DC also runs 2 separate continuities: The DCU and Watchmen. Each has its own line on the timeline, so you can watch them on their own without breaking the main story.

Where to start

Every DC movie, explained

One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.

No. 01 · 2009 · Film · 2h 43m · 22nd in story order

Watchmen

In a gritty and alternate 1985, the glory days of costumed vigilantes have been brought to a close by a government crackdown. But after one of the masked veterans is brutally murdered, an investigation into the killer is initiated. The reunited heroes set out to prevent their own destruction, but in doing so they uncover a sinister plot that puts all of humanity in grave danger.

Why it matters: Zack Snyder's adaptation of the graphic novel; its own continuity.

Starring

Malin Akerman, Patrick Wilson, and Billy Crudup

Director

Zack Snyder

Box office

$185 million on a $130 million budget

Scores

IMDb 7.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 64%

No. 02 · 2013 · Film · 2h 23m · 3rd in story order

Man of Steel

A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.

Why it matters: Henry Cavill's Superman begins the DC Extended Universe.

Starring

Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, and Michael Shannon

Director

Zack Snyder

Box office

$668 million on a $225 million budget

Scores

IMDb 7.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 57%

No. 03 · 2016 · Film · 2h 32m · 4th in story order

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.

Why it matters: Ben Affleck's Batman and Wonder Woman arrive; sets up Justice League.

Starring

Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Jesse Eisenberg

Director

Zack Snyder

Box office

$874 million on a $250 million budget

Scores

IMDb 6.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 28%

No. 04 · 2016 · Film · 2h 2m · 5th in story order

Suicide Squad

From DC Comics comes the Suicide Squad, an antihero team of incarcerated supervillains who act as deniable assets for the United States government, undertaking high-risk black ops missions in exchange for commuted prison sentences.

Why it matters: Task Force X's first mission; Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn debuts.

Starring

Will Smith, Jared Leto, and Margot Robbie

Director

David Ayer

Box office

$749 million on a $175 million budget

Scores

IMDb 5.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 26%

No. 05 · 2017 · Film · 2h 21m · 1st in story order

Wonder Woman

An Amazon princess comes to the world of Man in the grips of the First World War to confront the forces of evil and bring an end to human conflict.

Why it matters: Diana's origin in World War I; works on its own.

Starring

Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, and Connie Nielsen

Director

Patty Jenkins

Box office

$824 million on a $149 million budget

Scores

IMDb 7.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 93%

No. 06 · 2017 · Film · 2h

Justice League

Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince assemble a team of metahumans consisting of Barry Allen, Arthur Curry and Victor Stone to face the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf and the Parademons who are on the hunt for three Mother Boxes on Earth.

Why it matters: The team assembles; the 2021 Snyder Cut is the longer alternative.

Starring

Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Amy Adams

Director

Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon

Box office

$661 million on a $300 million budget

Scores

IMDb 6 · Rotten Tomatoes 39%

No. 07 · 2018 · Film · 2h 23m

Aquaman

Half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry is taken on the journey of his lifetime to discover if he is worth of being a king.

Why it matters: Arthur Curry's standalone adventure in Atlantis.

Starring

Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, and Willem Dafoe

Director

James Wan

Box office

$1.15 billion on a $160 million budget

Scores

IMDb 6.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 66%

No. 08 · 2019 · Film · 2h 12m

Shazam!

A boy is given the ability to become an adult superhero in times of need with a single magic word.

Why it matters: A lighter, self-contained origin story.

Starring

Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, and Asher Angel

Director

David F. Sandberg

Box office

$368 million on a $80 million budget

Scores

IMDb 7 · Rotten Tomatoes 90%

No. 09 · 2019 · Series · 8h 50m · 25th in story order

Watchmen

Set in an alternate history where “superheroes” are treated as outlaws, “Watchmen” embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel while attempting to break new ground of its own.

Why it matters: HBO's sequel to the graphic novel, set 34 years later.

Starring

Regina King, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Jeremy Irons

Creator

Damon Lindelof

Scores

IMDb 8.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 96%

Episodes

9

No. 10 · 2020 · Film · 1h 49m · 9th in story order · optional

Birds of Prey

Harley Quinn joins forces with a singer, an assassin and a police detective to help a young girl who had a hit placed on her after she stole a rare diamond from a crime lord.

Why it matters: Harley Quinn after the Joker; optional.

Starring

Margot Robbie, Rosie Perez, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Director

Cathy Yan

Box office

$206 million on a $75 million budget

Scores

IMDb 6 · Rotten Tomatoes 79%

No. 11 · 2020 · Film · 2h 31m · 2nd in story order · optional

Wonder Woman 1984

A botched store robbery places Wonder Woman in a global battle against a powerful and mysterious ancient force that puts her powers in jeopardy.

Why it matters: Diana in the 1980s; optional.

Starring

Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, and Kristen Wiig

Director

Patty Jenkins

Box office

$170 million on a $200 million budget

Scores

IMDb 5.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 57%

No. 12 · 2021 · Film · 2h 12m · 10th in story order

The Suicide Squad

Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.

Why it matters: James Gunn's soft reboot of the Squad; it introduces Peacemaker.

Starring

Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, and John Cena

Director

James Gunn

Box office

$169 million on a $185 million budget

Scores

IMDb 7.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 90%

No. 13 · 2022 · Series · 5h 49m · 11th in story order

Peacemaker

The continuing story of Peacemaker, a vainglorious superhero/supervillain who believes in peace at any cost — no matter how many people he has to kill. After a miraculous recovery from his duel with Bloodsport, Peacemaker soon discovers that his freedom comes at a price.

Why it matters: Picks up after The Suicide Squad and carries into Gunn's new DCU.

Starring

John Cena, Danielle Brooks, and Freddie Stroma

Creator

James Gunn

Scores

IMDb 8.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 93%

Episodes

16 across 2 seasons

No. 14 · 2022 · Film · 2h 5m · 12th in story order · optional

Black Adam

Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods—and imprisoned just as quickly—Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.

Why it matters: A standalone antihero film; optional.

Starring

Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, and Noah Centineo

Director

Jaume Collet-Serra

Box office

$393 million on a $200 million budget

Scores

IMDb 6.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 39%

No. 15 · 2023 · Film · 2h 10m · 13th in story order · optional

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Billy Batson and his foster siblings, who transform into superheroes by saying "Shazam!", are forced to get back into action and fight the Daughters of Atlas, who they must stop from using a weapon that could destroy the world.

Why it matters: The Shazam family's sequel; optional.

Starring

Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, and Jack Dylan Grazer

Director

David F. Sandberg

Box office

$134 million on a $110 million budget

Scores

IMDb 5.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 49%

No. 16 · 2023 · Film · 2h 24m

The Flash

When his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry Allen becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. In order to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry's only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?

Why it matters: Barry Allen breaks time and resets the DCEU; Michael Keaton's Batman returns.

Starring

Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle, and Michael Keaton

Director

Andy Muschietti

Box office

$271 million on a $220 million budget

Scores

IMDb 6.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 63%

No. 17 · 2023 · Film · 2h 8m · 14th in story order · optional

Blue Beetle

Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab.

Why it matters: A standalone origin; optional.

Starring

Xolo Maridueña, Bruna Marquezine, and Susan Sarandon

Director

Ángel Manuel Soto

Box office

$131 million on a $104 million budget

Scores

IMDb 5.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 78%

No. 18 · 2023 · Film · 2h 4m · 15th in story order · optional

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Black Manta seeks revenge on Aquaman for his father's death. Wielding the Black Trident's power, he becomes a formidable foe. To defend Atlantis, Arthur (Aquaman) forges an alliance with his imprisoned brother. They must protect the kingdom.

Why it matters: The last DCEU film; optional.

Starring

Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Director

James Wan

Box office

$440 million on a $205 million budget

Scores

IMDb 5.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 33%

No. 19 · 2024 · Film · 1h 24m · 23rd in story order · optional

Watchmen: Chapter I

In 1985, the murder of a government-sponsored superhero draws his outlawed colleagues out of retirement and into a mystery that threatens to upend their personal lives and the world itself.

Why it matters: An animated retelling of the graphic novel; optional.

Starring

Troy Baker, Adrienne Barbeau, and Corey Burton

Director

Brandon Vietti

Scores

IMDb 7.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 92%

No. 20 · 2024 · Film · 1h 29m · 24th in story order · optional

Watchmen: Chapter II

Suspicious of the events ensnaring their former colleagues, Nite Owl and Silk Spectre are spurred out of retirement to investigate. As they grapple with personal ethics, inner demons and a society turned against them, they race the clock to uncover a deepening plot that might trigger global nuclear war.

Why it matters: The second half of the animated retelling; optional.

Starring

Troy Baker, Adrienne Barbeau, and Michael Cerveris

Director

Brandon Vietti

Scores

IMDb 7.1

No. 21 · 2024 · Series · 3h 15m · 17th in story order

Creature Commandos

Follow the exploits of the Creature Commandos, a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans. When all else fails... they're your last, worst option.

Why it matters: The first chapter of James Gunn's new DCU, in animation.

Starring

Alan Tudyk, Indira Varma, and Sean Gunn

Creator

James Gunn

Scores

IMDb 7.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 93%

Episodes

8 across 2 seasons

No. 22 · 2025 · Film · 2h 10m · 18th in story order

Superman

Superman, a journalist in Metropolis, embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent.

Why it matters: David Corenswet's Superman: the start of the new DCU and the place to begin it.

Starring

David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult

Director

James Gunn

Box office

$619 million on a $225 million budget

Scores

IMDb 7 · Rotten Tomatoes 83%

No. 23 · 2025 · Series · 5h 39m · 19th in story order

Peacemaker: Season 2

The continuing story of Peacemaker, a vainglorious superhero/supervillain who believes in peace at any cost — no matter how many people he has to kill. After a miraculous recovery from his duel with Bloodsport, Peacemaker soon discovers that his freedom comes at a price.

Why it matters: Peacemaker inside the new DCU, after Superman.

Starring

John Cena, Danielle Brooks, and Freddie Stroma

Creator

James Gunn

Scores

IMDb 8.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 94%

No. 24 · 2026 · Film · 1h 48m · 20th in story order

Supergirl

When an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice.

Why it matters: Kara Zor-El's film in the new DCU.

Starring

Milly Alcock, Eve Ridley, and Matthias Schoenaerts

Director

Craig Gillespie

Box office

$126 million on a $175 million budget

Scores

IMDb 5.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 52%

No. 25 · 2026 · Series · 7h 9m · 21st in story order

Lanterns

Two intergalactic cops, new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, are drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.

Why it matters: Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart in the new DCU.

Starring

Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, and Kelly Macdonald

Creator

Damon Lindelof, Chris Mundy, and Tom King

Scores

IMDb 7.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 91%

Episodes

8

DC box office and budgets

The 18 DC films with reported numbers have grossed $8.14 billion worldwide on about $3.17 billion in combined budgets, roughly 2.6 times what they cost. The biggest is Aquaman at $1.15 billion, 14% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice ($874 million) and Wonder Woman ($824 million).

Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to Aquaman, which made 7.2 times its $160 million budget. The weakest was Supergirl at 72% of its $175 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.

The best and worst rated DC movies

Across 25 rated titles, DC averages 6.8 on IMDb. The top of the list is Watchmen at 8.2, then Peacemaker (8.2) and Peacemaker: Season 2 (8.2). At the bottom: Wonder Woman 1984 (5.3) and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (5.6). Money and quality don't line up perfectly: the highest grosser, Aquaman, is only the 14th best rated.

1. Watchmen8.2 · RT 96%
2. Peacemaker8.2 · RT 93%
3. Peacemaker: Season 28.2 · RT 94%
4. Creature Commandos7.8 · RT 93%
5. Lanterns7.8 · RT 91%
6. Watchmen7.6 · RT 64%
7. Wonder Woman7.3 · RT 93%
8. The Suicide Squad7.2 · RT 90%
9. Man of Steel7.1 · RT 57%
10. Watchmen: Chapter I7.1 · RT 92%

Who appears in the most DC movies

Gal Gadot leads with 4 appearances as Diana Prince and Wonder Woman, ahead of Jeremy Irons (4) and Jason Momoa (4). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.

DC directors and creators

16 filmmakers have directed or created DC; James Gunn has the most, with 5.

• James GunnThe Suicide Squad (2021), Peacemaker (2022), Creature Commandos (2024), Superman (2025), and Peacemaker: Season 2 (2025)
• Zack SnyderWatchmen (2009), Man of Steel (2013), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), and Justice League (2017)
• Patty JenkinsWonder Woman (2017) and Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
• James WanAquaman (2018) and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)
• David F. SandbergShazam! (2019) and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
• Damon LindelofWatchmen (2019) and Lanterns (2026)
• Brandon ViettiWatchmen: Chapter I (2024) and Watchmen: Chapter II (2024)
• David AyerSuicide Squad (2016)
• Joss WhedonJustice League (2017)
• Cathy YanBirds of Prey (2020)
• Jaume Collet-SerraBlack Adam (2022)
• Andy MuschiettiThe Flash (2023)
• Ángel Manuel SotoBlue Beetle (2023)
• Craig GillespieSupergirl (2026)
• Chris MundyLanterns (2026)
• Tom KingLanterns (2026)

How long it takes to watch every DC movie

All 25 titles add up to 74 hours: 43 hours of film and 31 hours of series, counting every episode. That is about 37 two-hour evenings, or 8 days of ten-hour binges. The essentials cut it to 58 hours. The longest film is Watchmen at 2h 43m.

Which DC movies can you skip?

8 titles can go without losing the main story. They are side stories, spin-offs or entries the later films ignore. Dropping them saves 16 hours.

• Birds of Prey2020 · Film · 1h 49m · optionalHarley Quinn after the Joker; optional.
• Wonder Woman 19842020 · Film · 2h 31m · optionalDiana in the 1980s; optional.
• Black Adam2022 · Film · 2h 5m · optionalA standalone antihero film; optional.
• Shazam! Fury of the Gods2023 · Film · 2h 10m · optionalThe Shazam family's sequel; optional.
• Blue Beetle2023 · Film · 2h 8m · optionalA standalone origin; optional.
• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom2023 · Film · 2h 4m · optionalThe last DCEU film; optional.
• Watchmen: Chapter I2024 · Film · 1h 24m · optionalAn animated retelling of the graphic novel; optional.
• Watchmen: Chapter II2024 · Film · 1h 29m · optionalThe second half of the animated retelling; optional.

Upcoming DC movies

• Man of TomorrowJuly 9, 2027

Common questions

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