You can skip 8 of the 25 titles in the DC franchise and still follow the main story: Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984, Black Adam, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Blue Beetle, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Watchmen: Chapter I, and Watchmen: Chapter II. The essentials (17 titles) take about 58 hours instead of 74 hours.
- Skippable
- 8
- Essentials
- 17
- Time saved
- 16 hours
Safe to skip
- 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.
Why each one is optional
What each skippable title is, what it adds if you do watch it, and who is in it.
No. 01 · 2020 · Film · 1h 49m · 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. 02 · 2020 · Film · 2h 31m · 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. 03 · 2022 · Film · 2h 5m · 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. 04 · 2023 · Film · 2h 10m · 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. 05 · 2023 · Film · 2h 8m · 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. 06 · 2023 · Film · 2h 4m · 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. 07 · 2024 · Film · 1h 24m · 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. 08 · 2024 · Film · 1h 29m · 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
The essentials, in release order
- Watchmen2009 · Film · 2h 43mZack Snyder's adaptation of the graphic novel; its own continuity.
- Man of Steel2013 · Film · 2h 23mHenry Cavill's Superman begins the DC Extended Universe.
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice2016 · Film · 2h 32mBen Affleck's Batman and Wonder Woman arrive; sets up Justice League.
- Suicide Squad2016 · Film · 2h 2mTask Force X's first mission; Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn debuts.
- Wonder Woman2017 · Film · 2h 21mDiana's origin in World War I; works on its own.
- Justice League2017 · Film · 2hThe team assembles; the 2021 Snyder Cut is the longer alternative.
- Aquaman2018 · Film · 2h 23mArthur Curry's standalone adventure in Atlantis.
- Shazam!2019 · Film · 2h 12mA lighter, self-contained origin story.
- Watchmen2019 · Series · 8h 50mHBO's sequel to the graphic novel, set 34 years later.
- The Suicide Squad2021 · Film · 2h 12mJames Gunn's soft reboot of the Squad; it introduces Peacemaker.
- Peacemaker2022 · Series · 5h 49mPicks up after The Suicide Squad and carries into Gunn's new DCU.
- The Flash2023 · Film · 2h 24mBarry Allen breaks time and resets the DCEU; Michael Keaton's Batman returns.
- Creature Commandos2024 · Series · 3h 15mThe first chapter of James Gunn's new DCU, in animation.
- Superman2025 · Film · 2h 10mDavid Corenswet's Superman: the start of the new DCU and the place to begin it.
- Peacemaker: Season 22025 · Series · 5h 39mPeacemaker inside the new DCU, after Superman.
- Supergirl2026 · Film · 1h 48mKara Zor-El's film in the new DCU.
- Lanterns2026 · Series · 7h 9mGreen Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart in the new DCU.
Common questions
Do I need to watch every DC title?
No. You can skip 8 of the 25 titles in the DC franchise and still follow the main story: Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984, Black Adam, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Blue Beetle, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Watchmen: Chapter I, and Watchmen: Chapter II. The essentials (17 titles) take about 58 hours instead of 74 hours.
How long are the DC essentials?
About 58 hours for 17 titles, in release order starting with Watchmen.
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