I talk a lot of Marvel. The world talks a lot of Marvel. In our combative society, it’s not particularly kosher to like both sides of a competitive coin.
Coke vs. Pepsi. Target vs. Walmart. Jordan vs. Kobe vs. LeBron. Cinemark vs. AMC. Whataburger vs. In-N-Out Burger. Republican vs. Democrat. Edward vs. Jacob.
These debates have shaped our history. But is there one more relevant now than Marvel vs. DC? The answer is yes. The world is a mess and this comic book feud is laughably unimportant.
BUT!
There is no hotter property right now than Marvel. And while DC is playing catch-up, they remain home to the three biggest, most iconic superheroes —Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman— despite their muddled efforts in recent cinema.
I’ve ranked a lot of movies —and the Marvel Cinematic Universe alone— but I’ve yet to do DC.
For me, it’s not a contest. Competition is only healthy, and while I prefer Marvel because of the depth in their hero roster, and frankly the quality of their films, there are few superheroes of them all that I may like better than Batman.
Since you asked, there are just two: Spider-Man and Captain America. Those two and Batman are my “Holy Trinity.”
So, without any more prologue, here’s Batman’s origin story.
Honorably Mentioned: The two Injustice video games are not on this list because, well, duh, but I can’t help to mention the incredible narrative spun over the two games, as well as over a prequel comic that is one of the most addicting page-turners I have eve read.
...
79. Catwoman
It will always amaze me that a group of people, who are paid to produce movies, can sit in a room and actually decide to invest in a project. It takes a lot of time, money, effort and people to make a motion picture. Yet, we will always get films like Catwoman.
78. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Speaking of studios, studio interference and internal problems are definitely nothing new. Both DC and Marvel have had plenty of drama trying to make decisions when it comes to these extremely popular comic book properties.
Richard Donner barely got to make two Superman movies. By the time Christopher Reeve’s fourth outing came around, the wheels were well off. Cut funding, a rushed production and an uninspired leading man made for one of the worst superhero movies ever.
77. Batman & Robin
Speaking of terrible. Everything in Joel Schumacher’s second Batman movie is just awful. The dialogue is painful. The acting is ridiculous. The story is hollow. The script is dead. And nearly Batman with it.
The movie was a giant advertisement, which Schumacher claims was what the studio wanted. The only person who hated Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze more than the audience was Arnold Schwarzenegger.
George Clooney, in my opinion, is actually one of the bright spots of the movie. I’m sure the Bat-nips and Bat-card were not his idea. And shoutout to Michael Cough for playing Alfred to three different Batmans in four different movies over nine years.
76. Justice League: The New Frontier
The first team-up Justice League movie in the DC animated universe starts off with some promising moments of character development, particularly for Martian Manhunter. It quickly goes off the rails and ends up feeling like very poor cartoon propaganda.
75. Superman: Man of Tomorrow
Skipping the origin story was a good call as this 2020 film is yet another new version of Superman. It's hardly a Superman story. It's hardly a story at all. And the creative team goes to extra lengths to make Lois Lane the biggest you-know-what. The film ends with a poop joke.
I went into BoP:AFEooHQ (wtf) with fairly low expectations. Everything about this movie, from Margot Robbie's over-the-top portrayal, Ewan McGregor's even more over-the-top portrayal, bad trailers, a mess of a "prequel" in Suicide Squad and just everything about this over-the-top attempt at something more than a bad movie with no story...looked bad. I hoped to be wrong. I was not.
73. Justice League: Doom
MEANWHILE AT THE LEGION OF DOOM......... It's never been so easy to break apart a superhero squad.
72. Gotham (TV series, 2014-2019)
The premise for Gotham is questionable from the start. It's a police procedural starring detective James Gordon chasing down the scum of Gotham. The problem is Bruce Wayne is still a kid in the show and Batman's rogues gallery is all on the loose. Whatever, it's a different take, sure, it just doesn't work for long.
71. Suicide Squad
I was excited for Suicide Squad. How awesome were the trailers? The Joker-Harley Quinn relationship is one of the many great things from the Batman universe. I was tepid about Jared Leto’s tattooed take on the character, as well as trying to introduce the Suicide Squad so early in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe). Oh well, maybe they could make it work.
Leto’s Joker, Enchantress’ hula hoop and nearly everything else in this movie is utter garbage. Margot Robbie’s Harley is redeeming and……..trying to think of something else positive……….SO THAT’S IT? WE SOME KIND OF SUICIDE SQUAD?
70. Batman and Harley Quinn
In my defense, it didn’t look that great and I went in with tapered expectations mostly held aloft by the source material and Kevin Conroy’s voice acting. Everything about the 2017 animated experiment is experimental and the result is a tonal nightmare that’s cringeworthy on so many Bat-levels.
69. Constantine
The remarkably hit-or-miss Keanu Reeves registers in the “miss” column here, as does pretty much everything involved with the John Constantine movie. Tilda Swinton and Shia LaBeouf cash a check here along with Reeves, who would play a different “John” a decade later to much greater success.
DC never built a shared universe, and I’m not even sure they wanted to. But outside of Batman, movies like Constantine were not going to push the cinematic needle.
68. Green Lantern
I think Ryan Reynolds is not only a good actor and a great human being, but a fantastic Deadpool. He’s a natural at comedy. But a straight arrow hero like Green Lantern? It didn’t work for me. Which is just the tip of the iceberg in this underwhelming movie.
It came out in 2011 and boasts 2005 CGI. Listen to this interview at the premiere with Taika Waititi (yes, of Thor: Ragnarok fame) and tell me you can’t feel the excitement.
67. Batman: The Movie
I feel like I’m dissing the legendary Adam West here. But I’m not really one to mix comedy and superheroes, and Batman: The Movie is an extension of the unbearably campy television show. It was a different time back in ‘66 and the show literally hit home in homes, just not my type.
66. Superman/Batman: Apocalypse
For some reason, this film is called what it’s called. It’s not completely terrible, but it is not an animated movie centered around DC titans Superman and Batman. It’s really a Supergirl movie with DC’s “Holy Trinity” — Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman— just along for the ride.
65. Superman III
After the triumphant but hard-earned success of Superman II, the table was set for a third installment with the Man of Steel. This superhero movie doesn’t feel like a superhero movie. After two brilliant outings by Reeve as both Clark Kent and Supes, he doesn’t look like he’s having as much in spandex anymore.
Margot Kidder’s Lois Lane is also sadly on autopilot, in lieu of introducing Clark’s childhood crush Lana Lang. (Guy likes his L.L. girls.) The gimmicky nature of Richard Pryor’s “villain” doesn’t quite land for me, either. At least the movie gave the guys from Office Space their idea.
64. Reign of the Supermen
The second part of the entire cinematic Death of Superman narrative, Reign of the Supermen is based very loosely off its comic counterpart. So was part 1, as the comic included no other legitimate Justice League members and was full of C-listers.
Released in theaters via fathom events, the animated conclusion was a bitter disappointment. Voice acting took a dip, any sort of comprehensive storytelling was nowhere to be found, and Darkseid was included for no reason at all.
63. Wonder Woman 1984
One of my least favorite sentences in the human language is "turn off your brain for two hours." This is, of course, a common utterance in movie reviews for films that end up stinking but look nice. That is a bar I will never set and a poor mentality to take into a film. Also, turning off your brain sounds extremely dangerous.
Unfortunately, that sentence describes the sequel to one of the most impactful superhero movies ever. I didn't view 2017's Wonder Woman in such historic light, but there's no denying its quality. WW84 is a failure in storytelling, character development, world-building, and unless the Covid shutdown is to blame, the visual effects are about a decade out of date.
62. Shazam! Fury of the Gods
There's a window of four DC films in 2023 that exist after the death of the DCEU and before the birth of James Gunn's DCU and because the Shazam! sequel no longer mattered to the upcoming reboot, it was not marketed much and was a dud at the box office. After streaming the film -- because I wasn't interested enough to be bothered at the theater (RANT HERE!) -- there's more to its failure than marketing or The Rock's alleged interference: it stinks.
61. Superman Returns
Superman Returns is not a reboot. It’s a remake. Literally each creative choice feels like an attempted replication of the original 1978 Superman. Brandon Routh as Christopher Reeve. Kevin Spacey as Gene Hackman. Lex Luthor’s goons as Lex Luthor’s goons. And then there’s James Marsden getting abruptly killed off in X-Men: The Last Stand so he could migrate over to this project along with director Bryan Singer.
Even John Williams' score, as epic as it is, is brought back. I guess the title is original. There’s never been a “Batman Returns," he says sarcastically and contemplating the meaning of entertainment.
60. Batman Forever
The first Schumacher effort, following Tim Burton’s two acclaimed Batman movies, is average. I would call it certifiably average. The dark tone is cast extremely far away for the giggles and goofs of Tommy Lee Jones’s Two-Face and Jim Carrey’s Riddler.
Chris O’Donnell is also introduced as Robin, which is unfortunate. Val Kilmer as Batman is…average. Everything here is just average - at the very best.
59. Batman/Superman: Public Enemies
If Lex Luthor being elected President and managing to turn the masses against two of the world's greatest heroes sounds farfetched...it is. (But Norman Osborn also once replaced a disgraced Tony Stark as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Comics are weird.)
59. Batman/Superman: Public Enemies
If Lex Luthor being elected President and managing to turn the masses against two of the world's greatest heroes sounds farfetched...it is. (But Norman Osborn also once replaced a disgraced Tony Stark as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Comics are weird.)
58. Green Lantern: First Flight
Right after DC animation gave Wonder Woman a solo film, Hal Jordan was next. The movie's plot and attention are completely taken over (in true villainous form) by Sinestro.
Right after DC animation gave Wonder Woman a solo film, Hal Jordan was next. The movie's plot and attention are completely taken over (in true villainous form) by Sinestro.
57. Smallville (TV series, 2001-2011)
Smallville genre bends the teen dramas of the 2000s with the native superhero. I didn't stick with it 'til the end, and all I really remember is the theme song of the show, "Save Me" by Remy Zero, and Michael Rosenbaum's Lex Luthor.
56. Superman (2025)
So long to the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). 15 films over 10 years and just a couple of them worth remembering. Enter the DC Universe (DCU), which technically began in 2024 with a streaming show, but no, this is what we were all waiting for. Not only is Superman an extraordinarily important character, this was the movie to kick off producer/director/writer/press tour superstar James Gunn's nascent franchise. So... how was it?
Early on, Gunn made two big decisions. Henry Cavill, despite literally everyone loving him, was out. Newbie Davi Corenswet was in. Decision number two: no origin story. Which is fine, but just like the titular character, this movie violently drops you right smack dab in the middle of a story with absolutely no proper buildup.
What we get is a very, very long text introduction. This movie is so hyper and out of control, it has the brains and patience of a TikTok. Kids will love that. What they won't love is having to read a full page of text to start the movie.
Gunn must think he's clever the way he frames the opening paragraphs with the theme of THREE's. Three centuries, three decades, three years, three months, three minutes... do the three's mean something? No.
The number I thought of after watching this new Superman was ONE. That's how long it feels like Gunn spent crafting this ridiculous, shallow story.
There are some highlights, specifically Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane... and that's kind of it. And there isn't even that much of her. Instead we get "treated" to annoying subplots like the hoky "Justice Gang," Lex Luthor's obsession with Battlefield (you'll get it when you see it), Jimmy Olsen getting all the girls, a foreign conflict that is barely developed, and a prison in a pocket universe that gets even less explanation.
Perhaps worst of all is the fact that Corenswet's Clark Kent/Superman never gets the chance to be, well, super. He's a punching bag that everyone walks all over, nobody takes seriously, and I left the theater feeling the opposite of super about this new DC Universe. (What even is the opposite of super?)
55. Aquaman
From horror aficionado James Wan, Aquaman had the same, unfortunate task that Patty Jenkins had with Wonder Woman over a year earlier: tell an origin story after being introduced in another movie. Wan does a good job of pretty much completely ignoring Justice League, but the praise mostly ends there.
His movie is a tonal disaster, unsure about when to be funny vs. when to take itself seriously or when to have action vs. character beats. A lot of the script is woeful, like a pee-pee joke or a huge dramatic, reveal that even I saw from oceans away. Visually it’s stunning, but that isn’t enough (anymore).
The cast is uninspiring, though Jason Momoa makes the best of it. But the movie somehow found a way to waste Willem Dafoe. In any event, it’s not completely terrible and it’s a step up from the franchise’s previous effort. Barely.
54. Justice League: Throne of Atlantis
Does the title mean it's an Aquaman story involving the Justice League? Or is it supposed to be a Justice League team-up adventure with a focus on Aquaman and his home. I'm not sure Warner Bros. Animation knows, either.
Does the title mean it's an Aquaman story involving the Justice League? Or is it supposed to be a Justice League team-up adventure with a focus on Aquaman and his home. I'm not sure Warner Bros. Animation knows, either.
53. The Suicide Squad
The first Suicide Squad movie was so bad that instead of a sequel, Warner Bros. decided to just add "The" to the title and reboot it under James Gunn's supervision. Gunn does better than the 2016 version, but he hasn't created anything special here.
The Suicide Squad ramps up on the blood, gore, and violence, a specialty of Gunn's. It has more soul than its predecessor, but most of the character development for the incredibly large ensemble cast is brief and very forced.
The mission for Suicide Squad: Let's Try This Again was probably to make a fun movie and that's that. It's definitely not boring, but the story isn't interesting at all. However, Gunn's ability as a director makes the film enjoyable to watch at times. It's just too dumb.
52. Justice League: Gods and Monsters
Another animated Justice League movie that has no Justice League members except the “Trinity.” In its defense, it’s about an alternate universe where the JL is just Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. It’s not Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent and Diana Prince, though. It’s also not that good. Story is fine, but why so many sex jokes?
51. Black Adam
Black Adam is perfectly mediocre. If it came out 15 to 20 years ago, it would have been on par with the likes of Ben Affleck's Daredevil or Ang Lee's Hulk. It has value as a visually stimulating popcorn fest... and that's pretty much it. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson wanted this movie made and I respect the heart and soul he puts into the film. Only nobody else - especially those behind the camera - got the memo.
To describe the elements of this movie as "random" would be too kind. The story is poor, the supporting cast is mid (Pierce Brosnan gives it a go), and where the film could have had something interesting to say about anti-heroism, it just wants to punch stuff instead.
50. The Flash
October 2014. That's when The Flash was announced. Over the next nine years, nearly A DOZEN directors played musical chairs with this project, several scripts were written, read and subsequently thrown out, and to somehow make matters worse, the movie's star Ezra Miller went off the deep end.
The final Frankenstein of a film is a mix of Flashpoint (one of my favorite DC films - see below), a Man of Steel sequel with Supergirl pinch-hitting for Superman because DC and Henry Cavill are on the outs, it wants to be a Batman Beyond adaptation and while it doesn't come close, this pulled not one, not two, BUT THREE Batmans into a film which wants to be about anything but Miller's leading character.
Ben Affleck makes an appearance - heck, even Gal Gadot shows up to cash a check for what was surely a lucrative half-day on set - but it's the OG cinematic Batman Michael Keaton who... returns... 32 years after Batman Returns. (I won't spoil the third Bruce Wayne cameo.) Keaton was front and center in the marketing instead of Miller and is the reason to see this hodgepodge of a movie.
49. Justice League
Originally penned to be a two-part extravaganza by Zack Snyder —a la Marvel’s Infinity War— the cold response to Snyder’s previous DC entry and the ensuing Suicide Squad disaster caused the studio to go home and rethink their life.
At least Wonder Woman, whose movie came out months prior and set numerous records, could try and salvage the over $300 million dollar production.
As it happens, Gal Gadot’s Amazon warrior is a non-factor in Justice League. The movie tried to do a lot, not the least introducing three of the DC Comics most popular heroes, two of them teen adult titans of the industry (sorry Cyborg, not you).
The Superman return(s?) was wasted, surely originally intended as a cliffhanger for part two after the BvS ordeal. There’s a lot broken at DC. The long-awaited big screen team-up of the League was unfortunately the opposite of Marvel’s 2012 Avengers display. But it’s not a contest.
* = Zack Snyder's Justice League (see below) was released in 2021
48. Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
The third of three DC animated movies in 2018, following two outstanding films (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight and The Death of Superman), this one was about those silly rogue bad guys. The Suicide Squad, aka Task Force X, are battling against other equally unenviable folks to find a get-out-of-hell-free card. The animated movies embrace the wacky comic book world for better and for worse.
47. Zack Snyder's Justice League
I detested the idea of a four hour movie right from the start, but Snyder really does tell this thing like a miniseries, or a Frank Miller graphic novel that these movies draw inspiration from. It took me about six hours to get through this beast of a film, and I can't deny it's epic nature. However, it felt every bit of its runtime.
A three hour movie is long enough, but I never really felt the weight of the runtime when I was watching a film like Titanic, Schindler's List, or Avengers: Endgame. Zack Snyder's Justice League takes its sweet time to tell this gargantuan tale. But when you are introducing so many new characters to eventually form the iconic Justice League, this was really the only way to do it.
I hold Snyder accountable for his vision. His over-the-top yet glossy and his self-important yet entertaining products are exactly what he does. The blame for the disaster that has been the DCEU falls squarely on the shoulders of Warner Bros. If you are going to not only hire Zack Snyder to kick off your universe with Man of Steel, but also hand him the keys to the car all the way through Justice League, you might as well honor his vision.
It's grandiose, oftentimes ridiculous, and takes plenty of storytelling liberties, but this is what you signed up for. See it through. I just hope it's over now.
46. Batman: Death in the Family
It's not a film, it's a short film, with an emphasis on short. Several other obscure DC characters were added in the form of anthologies to fill out the run time, but the meat on the bone here is a short trip down memory lane. That memory is #4 on this list below.
45. Justice League Dark
Since Nolan’s super duper dark take on an already dark Batman changed the tone of movies, “dark” has been in high demand. Justice League Dark doesn’t mean that, however, it’s simply a different roster of Justice League players. Old chap John Constantine is their Batman, but the movie has him too!
44. Batman: Bad Blood
Animated movies often share a universe, but are rarely direct prequels or sequels. Batman: Bad Blood rounded out the Damian Wayne trilogy, proceeding Son of Batman and Batman vs. Robin. Bad Blood is definitely the weakest of three, falling back on some familiar tropes and lame writing after two fantastic movies before it.
43. Wonder Woman (2009)
A rare true and through origin story in the DC Animated world, the lesser popular of two Wonder Woman's covers all the basic bases and has some cool action scenes. Not a fan at all of horndog Steve Trevor though.
43. Wonder Woman (2009)
A rare true and through origin story in the DC Animated world, the lesser popular of two Wonder Woman's covers all the basic bases and has some cool action scenes. Not a fan at all of horndog Steve Trevor though.
42. Superman: Red Son
Based off Mark Millar's incredibly written graphic novel, Superman: Red Son made quite a few changes in its transition to film. The concept is genius: what if Superman landed in Mother Russia and became a force for communism instead of capitalism? Millar's comic is chalk full with intriguing themes and political text. The movie crams a lot into a little over 80 minutes and it just doesn't work. It's not bad, but doesn't properly utilize a truly great story. Sam Liu has done a lot for DC animation, but I think it's time for a fresh perspective in the director's chair.
41. Superman: Doomsday
For better and worse, it's non-stop. The very first entry in the DC Animated Universe, Doomsday packs both halves of "The Death of Superman" tale into the customary 75-minute run time. Not a moment is wasted but this tale needs two parts and eventually got that treatment in 2018 and 2019.
Based off Mark Millar's incredibly written graphic novel, Superman: Red Son made quite a few changes in its transition to film. The concept is genius: what if Superman landed in Mother Russia and became a force for communism instead of capitalism? Millar's comic is chalk full with intriguing themes and political text. The movie crams a lot into a little over 80 minutes and it just doesn't work. It's not bad, but doesn't properly utilize a truly great story. Sam Liu has done a lot for DC animation, but I think it's time for a fresh perspective in the director's chair.
41. Superman: Doomsday
For better and worse, it's non-stop. The very first entry in the DC Animated Universe, Doomsday packs both halves of "The Death of Superman" tale into the customary 75-minute run time. Not a moment is wasted but this tale needs two parts and eventually got that treatment in 2018 and 2019.
40. Man of Steel
The first hour and about 20 minutes of Man of Steel are really good. Once the final battle between Superman and Zod begins, it’s pretty much just that for almost three quarters of an hour. I’m all for impressive CG, and it certainly looks nice, but the climactic hero vs. villain fight here never seems to let up.
Until it does. And Superman does the controversial thing. It's not necessarily the decision itself which is so problematic, but the execution is questionable and a betrayal of the character. Violent is the Zack Snyder way and that's the investment DC and Warner Bros. made when they handed him the keys to their cinematic universe. Even though the final product isn't bad, it’s a grim departure from most Superman material where he’s not a clone or Russian.
On the bright side, Hans Zimmer sticks around with DC after doing all three Nolan Batman movies to do the music for MoS and the legendary composer gives the Man of Tomorrow a new theme to remember.
39. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Zack Snyder’s second —and final*— DC film is a beautiful mess. It’s flawed, poorly written and a huge missed opportunity. Superman is emotionally castrated and Batman becomes The Punisher. But where it really loses in my eyes, and where Marvel has been so careful, is casting.
Jesse Eisenberg, who I like a lot, is not a good Lex Luthor. Ben Affleck as Batman is one of those WTF castings that became a WTF reality. (Unlike say, Heath Ledger’s Joker or Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man.)
It takes from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, but removes all of the famous comic’s pretense for Batman and Superman to actually have beef. The fact that a three hour “ultimate cut” was even necessary to complete the story is damning in itself.
The final trailer for the film spoils the movie’s final act, its second big bad, and its biggest reveal.
38. Batman: Hush
The graphic novel Hush is considered a crown jewel in Batman lore. Personally, I think it's crowded and confusing. The movie ditches some of the more convoluted elements from the comic, but decides to take some creative liberties that I wasn't on board with. Also, the writing in the DC animated universe has become increasingly juvenile, obsessed with dirty jokes and gratuitous cursing.
The graphic novel Hush is considered a crown jewel in Batman lore. Personally, I think it's crowded and confusing. The movie ditches some of the more convoluted elements from the comic, but decides to take some creative liberties that I wasn't on board with. Also, the writing in the DC animated universe has become increasingly juvenile, obsessed with dirty jokes and gratuitous cursing.
37. The LEGO Batman Movie
An animated respite from the live action superhero scene, Lego Batman is a good time at the movies. It’s creative, cute and mostly funny. Mostly aimed at kids, fans of the comics will also have a rewarding time.
36. Justice League: War
Not the strongest Justice League team-up, not that there have been too many, but Justice League: War is definitely a lot of fun. Seeing Wonder Woman dumbfounded by ice cream, the league uniting prior to the credits, and Darkseid in full force leaves a welcome impression.
35. Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Very loosely based on the famous mid 1980s comics event "Crisis on Infinite Earths" that effectively reset DC comics continuity (before they started doing it every few years), Two Earths simplifies things to, well, mostly just two earths. I dig alternate timeline stories.
Very loosely based on the famous mid 1980s comics event "Crisis on Infinite Earths" that effectively reset DC comics continuity (before they started doing it every few years), Two Earths simplifies things to, well, mostly just two earths. I dig alternate timeline stories.
34. The Penguin (Streaming Series, 2024-Present?)
Even though television isn't my preferred medium, I was properly excited for The Penguin after the smashing success of The Batman. In the movie, Colin Farrell plays an up-and-coming Penguin who has yet to become the supervillain, but rather works for crime lord Carmine Falcone. He's an entertaining side mission on the big screen, but now front and center on the small screen, he delivers one of the best performances of a very decorated career.
The show surpassed expectations and became a full fixture in the cultural zeitgeist. Farrell and a very deep and talented cast fill out a mobster show that would make all-time mob movies proud. Sometimes the pacing isn't super strong and episodes drag a little bit, but the production is clearly created with so much passion that it's hard not to have a good time watching this bad guy do bad guy things.
The absence of Batman is hard to explain in-universe, so you just have to wand wave it away and understand the financial and contractual hurdles to get a live-action Batman in a TV show.
33. Batman: Gotham Knight
Released right before the life-changing live action film in 2008, Batman: Gotham Knight is not really a film, but a collection of six different short stories about our costumed hero. It’s loosely set in between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, with subtle references and connections, but is mostly its own thing. Without Kevin Conroy voicing Batman, I wonder if it would rank this high.
32. Batman: The Killing Joke
DC released this one in theaters, not as a wide release but still uncommon for animated movies (quickly changing soon I presume with the anticipated success of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). The comic is one of the best in all Batman lore, and DC animated movies often add into movies to expand on relatively short comic stories. But here it gets a little ambitious regarding Bat-Girl, likely to spruce up the emotional connection to her eventual fate.
31. Batman: The Long Halloween Part 2
2021 was a welcome return to form for DC animation, with both parts of The Long Halloween and Injustice. Part 2 of the famous Batman graphic novel does a perfectly solid job of building up its whodunnit and then pulling out the cards for the reveal. It's not quite as exciting or suspenseful as the book, though it does handle Harvey Dent/Two-Face very well.
30. V for Vendetta
A DC movie under the Vertigo comic label, V for Vendetta is entirely British and I'm all over it. Even Natalie Portman top bills with an accent. Portman is great but the star of the movie is the masked "V" played with elegant verbosity by Hugo Weaving. I love a cinematic takedown of a corrupt government and the dystopian future Alan Moore created in the V comics are deliciously colorful. The movie drags a little bit in the middle when the titular character plays hide-and-seek with the viewer, but when he's back it ends with a bang.
30. V for Vendetta
A DC movie under the Vertigo comic label, V for Vendetta is entirely British and I'm all over it. Even Natalie Portman top bills with an accent. Portman is great but the star of the movie is the masked "V" played with elegant verbosity by Hugo Weaving. I love a cinematic takedown of a corrupt government and the dystopian future Alan Moore created in the V comics are deliciously colorful. The movie drags a little bit in the middle when the titular character plays hide-and-seek with the viewer, but when he's back it ends with a bang.
29. Injustice
Sometimes, the most interesting thing to do with the most powerful character...is to make him evil. But what makes the Injustice, Dark Knight Returns or Red Son stories so compelling is that the OP Superman isn't bad just to be bad. Something makes it so, and in this instance, it's the Joker murdering Lois Lane and Superman's unborn child.
28. Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero
The second movie spawned out of Batman: The Animated Series (after Batman: Mask of the Phantasm), you can guess what villain shines here. I’m a big fan of Mr. Freeze for his humanity and burning —sorry, freezing— solo desire to save his wife’s life. Batman wants that, too. It’s a really interesting relationship to watch play out.
27. Batman: Assault on Arkham
Set in the universe of the bodacious Arkham games, Batman: Assault on Arkham utilizes some of the stellar voice work from the video games. Conroy, Troy Baker and Nolan North (Joker and Penguin in Arkham Origins, respectively) are some of the big stars in a movie that’s really about the Suicide Squad. Some awesome twists and turns, albeit with an unnecessary, continuity-befuddling, cliffhanger ending. I must say, though, that Killer Frost shines here and also in Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay.
26. Batman: The Long Halloween Part 1
The Long Halloween Part 1 does a good job setting up the triple dynamic of Harvey Dent, Jim Gordon, and Batman that drives this story to what it is. That and a very large gallery of rogues. The murder mystery could have been executed (heh) better, but Part 1 is still a very compelling half-film with good setup for the reveal.
25. Wonder Woman (2017)
For all the disappointments of BvS, Hans Zimmer did introduce the theme that would stick around for Wonder Woman. Rupert Gregson-Williams (who is returning for DC’s next movie Aquaman) turned the one-off theme into a complete album and it is, without a doubt, the best part about Wonder Woman.
The movie is good, don’t get me wrong. However, I didn’t think it was the historical achievement that it was made out to be. A female director and a female lead helped create buzz, but it was also boosted as the first positively reviewed DCEU movie.
People want to watch superhero movies. They’ll even watch crap —Suicide Squad made almost $750 million (2018 edit: and Aquaman over a billion!)— but fans finally got a worthy superhero film from DC with Wonder Woman.
24. Shazam!
After a run of disappointing shared universe ventures, DC and Warner Bros. completely switched the tone of the universe and embraced comedy for Shazam! As a fan of the source material, particularly of the solo Billy Batson-exclusive hero, I was glad to hear this was the direction Lights Out director David F. Sandberg and the studio were taking.
Sandberg’s horror roots are to be found in the form of Mark Strong’s villain’s demon lackeys. Those are enjoyable and Strong is dependable as always despite cookie-cutter material. The unquestioned star of the film is Zachary Levi. If you’re going to go comedic with your heroes —not my preference— you have to cast a winner and Levi (who actually played Fandral in Thor: The Dark World) knocks it out of the park.
Asher Angel owns the role of Billy Batson and his new BFF/It star Jack Dylan Grazer is just as wonderful. Things get a tad silly in the final act and there is a lot of time spent getting the next joke in, but the final result is a movie that flirts with something special and represents a positive step in the right direction.
23. Beware the Batman (TV series, 2013-2014)
This short-lived, Cartoon Network show is basically my Batman version of the MTV Spider-Man show. One season, barely anything to its name, but really resonated with me. Turning Katana into Bruce’s protege, rather than using another Robin, was a clever move and the CGI animation was cool.
22. Batman Beyond (TV series, 1999-2001)
Batman: The Animated Series deserved better than turning into The New Batman Adventures. But a different follow-up to the groundbreaking series, Batman Beyond, was a huge success. In the future, Batman has retired but the need for a caped vigilante still plagues Gotham. Enter Terry McGinnis, a red bat logo and retractable wings. (And voiced by Eric Matthews from Boy Meets World!)
21. Batman
After four Superman films hit the silver screen, Batman would be next. The eccentric stylings of Tim Burton were on full display as he was given full creative control of the project. He certainly put the “Goth” in Gotham.
Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson star as Batman and the Joker, Keaton breathing intimidating, memorable life to the caped crusader. I didn’t care for the Joker-killing-the-Waynes retcon, but one change doth not make a movie.
20. Superman (1978)
The one that started it all. The first Hollywood superhero movie. No subtitle or number necessary. It’s only right the most powerful hero of all went first.
Superman indeed soars and it's a remarkable achievement that struck gold with casting Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder and Gene Hackman. A year after helping birth Star Wars, John Williams took on Superman and orchestrated another memorable motif.
19. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
Batman: The Animated series was way too good not to end up producing a movie. First came a wholly original story —not common in comic book media— that strives off using the same animation and stars from the TV series. Specifically, Conroy and Mark Hamill as the Joker are the lynchpins of the movie.
18. Joker
Very few movies have left me so aflutter in the moments after the credits. After the many misfires in the DCEU, something good came out of the previous years' mistakes: Joker. Joaquin Phoenix is predictably perfect for the role and the movie delivers on its dreary image of the world. It's its own thing but ties to Batman lore are indeed present and, in my opinion, only weigh the movie down in attempted aggressive narrative expansion.
Very few movies have left me so aflutter in the moments after the credits. After the many misfires in the DCEU, something good came out of the previous years' mistakes: Joker. Joaquin Phoenix is predictably perfect for the role and the movie delivers on its dreary image of the world. It's its own thing but ties to Batman lore are indeed present and, in my opinion, only weigh the movie down in attempted aggressive narrative expansion.
17. Batman Returns
Oh, they did make a "Batman Returns!"
Burton doubled down on his approach in the sequel, with a demented Danny DeVito and Michelle Pah-fe-ifer’s Catwoman taking actual licks. They both do good work, but I was actually most interested in Christopher Walken’s Max Shreck of the non-Batman faces.
In a comic book movie where the director has a million existing characters to work with, I appreciate the bold choice to create a brand new one and have them play an integral role (Nolan would do it with Rachel Dawes). Obviously it helps to have Walken.
16. Batman: Gotham by Gaslight
Bruce Wayne meets Jack the Ripper in one of the cooler Batman comics brought to the small screen. Taking place way back when things were fancy for the sake of being fancy, the Gotham by Gaslight arc is really a neat one. Very different, very unique, and I’m glad it got a movie. (Can’t wait for Hush, though! - 2019 edit: oh well.)
15. The Batman
After completing his historically great work on the Planet of the Apes franchise (his first entry in that franchise is my 25th all-time film), director and co-writer Matt Reeves gets the call to one of the biggest IP's around. It's clear right off the bat (sorry) that this movie is going to take direct inspiration from intense thrillers like David Fincher's Se7en and/or Zodiac. It even gets its one allowed PG-13 "F bomb" out of the way in the opening minutes.
The Batman succeeds in its every intention to be an atmospheric feast. Contemporary Gotham looks and sounds (thanks to more spectacular work from Michael Giacchino) amazing, and we've never explored Batman's hometown quite like this. While it unfortunately doesn't hold a candle (or flare) to the Nolan trilogy in terms of storytelling, it captures the dread, terror, ambience, and overall feel of Gotham City better than ever before.
Speaking of the Nolan trilogy, which is impossible not to do when you talk about the Caped Crusader, Christian Bale's performance remains iconic, but Robert Pattinson is just as good --if not even better-- as (the) Batman.
The talented actor is a captivating Dark Knight. He's not much of a Bruce Wayne, and there isn't much of Batman's human side in this movie at all. This is a Batman detective story through-and-through, with Gotham's Guardian operating out in the open more than we've ever seen and learning the ropes in his early days as a superhero.
14. Son of Batman
The first in the Damian Wayne trilogy, and more inspired than based on the Batman and Son comic, I love the story behind Damian. Bruce and Talia’s bastard child, raised in awe of his grandpappy Ra’s al Guhl, tries to become the new Robin. On paper, it’s $$$. In execution, Damian comes off a little too bratty, but the other players here —Batman, Nightwing, Talia, Ra’s and Deathstroke— are all great.
13. Batman vs. Robin
The middle entry in the Damian Wayne trilogy, it incorporates elements from the Court of Owls comic. Damian loses audience members once again with his boyish temper, but it’s important to remember the context of his brief existence. I mean, it helps me deal with him. There are some heavy-hitting father-son moments between our beloved Bat and his recently discovered son.
12. Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox
Based on the fantastic alternate reality Flashpoint comic, it puts the Flash center stage and makes him the most important member of the Justice League. I simply haven’t seen a lot of that, and certainly didn’t get any reward out of Ezra Miller’s portrayal in the live action version of the League.
A lot goes on in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. Sound waves, time waves and science waves end up making a(n even bigger) mess of the world. It’s fun to see alternate versions of our heroes murder one another. I guess. Sometimes.
11. Batman: Year One
The reason Batman and Spider-Man are my two of my three favorite superheroes may very well be because of the numerous side characters that are worthy of their own stories. In this case, Batman: Year One is all about James Gordon going from cop to lieutenant to eventually commissioner in the future.
Batman is there, a rookie doing his darndest to scare the hell out of the mob, but this one belongs to Gordon, Gordon’s mustache, and his love-hate affair with Gotham.
10. Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
Batman Beyond got a movie, as well. A bleak future gets bleaker when the Joker (voiced again by Hamill) makes a comeback. He’s got a cult following that rivals Boba Fett, an endless supply of fanatics who idolize his legacy. On the other end are Terry and Bruce, Batman and Batman, battling the Clown Prince of Crime. The movie goes for the throat, supplying a twist ending that is one of the best of any movie on this list. Sucks to be Robin.
9. The Death of Superman
It doesn’t take a Kryptonian rocket science to figure out what this story is about. The Death of Superman is a monumental comic and gets an animated feature worthy of its name. The focus is obviously on the Man of Steel, but this is very much a Justice League tale. The 2018 film is the first of a two-parter, with The Return of Superman due next year. (2019 edit: damn it.)
8. Batman: The Animated Series (TV series, 1992-1995)
Just like it’s brother series over at Marvel —Spider-:Man The Animated Series— the Batman “cartoon” was game-changing. Animated TV shows are often dismissed as a kid product, but while there are some filler moments here and there for younger viewers, Batman: The Animated Series is almost always risky, bold and historic.
The series arrived at the same time as Tim Burton’s Batman Returns, using the feature film to bump interest, but quickly established itself as a superior entity on its own.
The series cemented Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill as the undisputed animated voices of Batman and Joker. Additionally, the episode “Joker’s Favor” saw the debut of Harley Quinn.
7. Superman II
It’s hard to believe the drama behind the scenes given our fabulous final product. But Donner really had to fight to get the sequel made, and had to eventually release a version that wasn’t completely his.
But when he did…that movie is my favorite Superman movie.
Gene Hackman is back to make Superman’s life miserable. Our hero accidentally makes things worse when saving the planet (we’ve all been there) and frees Krypton’s OG nemesis, Zod.
It’s not a superhero movie model often practiced, but one I wish would be. Bringing back a previous villain and pairing him with a new one. Obviously multiple baddies can be easily fumbled, but the dynamic here is extremely well done.
The movie also contains one of my favorite scenes ever, in any movie. Now THAT’S how to do the secret identity bit!
6. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1
Like The Death of Superman, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns is one of the most impactful comics of all time. 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice tried and unfortunately failed to adapt the comic, changing a whole lot to try and morph the story into ill-fated compatibility.
As for the animated movie, it’s pretty much panel for panel of the comic and that’s totally fine.
5. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2
Both parts of The Dark Knight Returns are just stellar. The aesthetic and tone of Miller’s made-up future are brought to life in exquisite precision. The mutant gang, the created quips like “spud” or “slice and dice” and the clever utilization of television broadcasts paint the pictures that Miller’s unique comic delivered in 1986.
Peter Weller is golden as the older, grizzled Batman and Ariel Winter is charming as Carrie Kelley. Kelley is this edition of Robin and acts as a catalyst to getting the formerly retired Batman back into the world, as bad as its gotten, to save the day.
4. Batman: Under the Red Hood
I wouldn’t peg Bruce Greenwood as Batman off the bat (bat-crickets..), but he dominates the role of the caped crusader. He also played him in Gotham by Gaslight and clearly has the goods to voice both Bruce Wayne and the secret alter ego.
The Red Hood moniker has been used by several, including the Joker in The Killing Joke, but here it is used for far, far more personal reasons. The similarities to another one of my favorite comic book stories, the Winter Soldier, are definitely present. This is a must-watch Batman movie, so I’ll say no more.
3. The Dark Knight Rises
Enter the Christopher Nolan Dark Night Trilogy. Though Superman II is a gem, the three Batman movies from Nolan are, at least to me, in a distinguished league of their own amongst DC movies.
Rises somehow manages to be extraordinary despite some serious plot holes. How did Bruce get back and into Gotham? How did he have time to light the bat signal? How did he show it off to Gordon without breaking the ice? How did John “Don’t call me Robin” Blake deduce Batman’s secret identity? Bane sucks at breaking backs and also wastes a lot of time executing his grand plan. Bruce Wayne and his alter ego go from the great detective to the ultimate patsy. Did Bane really expect the pit to serve as a prison? There’s a rope! Gotham PD really sent everyone into the tunnels? Did Batman actually say, “No, I came back to stop you!”
I promise you. I love this movie. The story has its many shortcomings, but perhaps it’s what Nolan managed to do with the trilogy, especially given most of the trash we’ve been given from DC, that makes me just respect the hell out of it.
The positives in it are just as many to count. Tom Hardy, Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Anne Hathaway, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy and pretty much the entire cast save Matthew Modine’s Deputy Commish are terrific.
I promise. I really do. I love this movie.
2. Batman Begins
Should have been “Batman Returns” since it’s not taken.
After the catastrophic damage of Batman & Robin, Christopher Nolan embraced Batman only if he could do it with his own people. He’d take Warner Bros. money and resources, but the entire creative process goes through his people.
Thank. God.
As far as origin stories go (and I’m a big fan), this might be the very best one of any superhero movie. It takes its time, spending a big chunk of the movie without Batman and only Bruce Wayne.
A studio may not have green-lit extended time for the human half of the hero, but Nolan had his way and truly began the rise of one of the greatest heroes ever.
Have to also mention two other players: Liam Neeson’s modernized Ra's al Ghul and the re-dubbed League of Shadows (as opposed to Assassins in the comics). Also, Hans Zimmer adds to his remarkable library by once again creating one of cinema’s most memorable themes.
1. The Dark Knight
My top DC movie is also a member of my all-time top five.
Nolan’s Batman movies, especially the second and third in his trilogy, are villain-centric. It’s a risky move, taking the spotlight off your titular hero. However, when you hit a home run like he did with Heath Ledger’s Joker, you don’t have a choice but to make it about him.
Ledger’s tragic passing before the movie’s release turned his stunning performance into something of mythical lore. It is indeed that good.
The Joker was originally invented as a trickster, a goofy prankster. It worked. But over time, the Clown Prince of Crime, like any comic book character, took on other iterations. A joy buzzer or squirt flower obviously would have been out of place in The Dark Knight.
Nolan’s middle movie is incredibly dark. It’s also incredibly gripping, smart, exciting and, well, incredible. Lost in all of the Joker chaos (see what I did there) is the well-executed Harvey Dent arc.
Another of Batman’s famous rogues gallery, he’s introduced properly and given his own complete story in a film that doesn’t at all feel crowded. Nolan did the two villain thing!
Christian Bale and his growl are once again dominant as Batman. Like Keaton, Bale is also a fantastic Bruce Wayne.
Zimmer’s impeccable work might reach its pinnacle here.
This movie changed things, forever, and has been immortalized as perhaps the crown jewel of the superhero genre.
