With Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom came the end of the DCEU, otherwise known as the Snyderverse. And while some celebrate its demise, there are also many who mourn the loss of their heroes. But before we turn the page completely, let’s take a look back and rank the entire DC Extended Universe. I’m sure this won’t be controversial at all.
17. Suicide Squad
It doesn’t seem likely that we’ll ever get the fabled Ayer Cut of this film, but the one we received was rough. Filled with enough licensed music that it feels like a music video, Suicide Squad does everything wrong. From characters being introduced multiple times to the worst iteration of the Joker ever put to film, everything about this one is just a mess. If you love plots that don’t make sense and bad CGI, then this one is for you.
16. Wonder Woman 1984
It’s kind of mindblowing just how awful this film ended up being, but I don’t want this to be all criticism, so I’ll mention some positives. Bringing back Steve Trevor allows for more of that wonderful chemistry that exists between Pine and Gadot. And the fact that the Dreamstone provides the origin for all of the villains is neat. But that’s about it for good. Instead, we’ve got Kristin Wiig choosing to be a cat when she’s already proven she can kick some serious butt and Pedro Pascal being more “coked-out businessman” than the charisma machine we’re used to seeing. Not a lot works here, but hey, at least it’s got an 80s aesthetic.
15. Black Adam
Otherwise known as The Rock and his power struggle with Warner Bros, this film checked all the drama boxes. Despite being a villain for Shazam, Dwayne Johnson didn’t want to face off with Zachery Levi’s titular character. So the film we receive is a strange mish-mash of what feels like other, better movies. Still, as much of a failure as the film was on a critical and financial level, there are worse ways to spend…. 2 hours and 5 minutes. Well, maybe that was part of the problem, but the inclusion of the Justice Society gave the film a familiar texture. This seemed like a team-up movie… only we didn’t know any key players. But seeing the usually vanilla Johnson play someone with a dark edge was interesting. He’s straight murdering dudes in this one.
14. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
The final film featuring the Snyderverse is still too soon to see how this one fares amongst the rest of the catalog. More of a team-up movie with Arthur Curry and his brother Orm. The movie is very middle of the road. Continuing to make Black Manta into an absolute joke, there are some odd choices being made in this one. But it’s still great to see the classic Aquaman suit represented. It still blows me away that they somehow made this cool.
13. Justice League
A myriad of controversies have plagued this film, with many of the stars coming out against reshoot director Joss Whedon. But honestly, I would firmly put this film in the so-bad-its-good category. Many of these characters seem to exist in a world almost like a standalone story. The League bickers are like teenagers, and Bruce Wayne is more Tony Stark than the Caped Crusader we’re used to. Combine this with some of the most generic villains imaginable and it’s amazing this was the version they deemed worthy to release.
12. Shazam! Fury of the Gods
The second Shazam outing suffers from a fairly generic plot but still features the same fun as the original. I don’t think it’s nearly as bad as it was made out to be, and just had the misfortune of coming out at a terrible time. With that said, it is still pretty generic, so there’s really not much to say about this one. It’s more or less the first movie with a few more bells and whistles.
11. Man of Steel
The film that started it all and gave us a dark and brooding Superman. Some may be shocked at its low placement, but I’ve never seen the positives in this film. But I know how much you folks love it so I made sure to move it up a couple of spots. Henry Cavill has so much potential as Superman, which is why it sucks that we get so little of him suited up. Michael Shannon is giving it his all as General Zod, but a boring extended sequence on Krypton proves the old saying that maybe less is more. The easiest part to criticize is the ending, where Superman and Zod murder thousands upon thousands of innocent civilians, to the point that we get great lines like this in subsequent films: “Thankfully the work day is over and the downtown ward is empty.”
10. Blue Beetle
I never thought we’d see Blue Beetle in film form, but we finally received it in 2023. And it was pretty darn good, with a fantastic message about family. Unfortunately, due to the upheaval at DC and audiences’ growing apathy towards the genre, it never succeeded. The villain is a little weak, but it almost feels like a rite of passage for the hero to go against someone with the same powers. So, like the original Iron Man, I can forgive it. But Blue Beetle excels in how it utilizes the side characters, making them more meaningful to the story than just motivation for the titular superhero. Thankfully, Xolo Mariduena is one of the only DCEU cast members to carry over to the new DCU, so this won’t be the last time that we’ve seen him in the role. Here’s hoping the next go-around has more eyeballs on it.
9. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Snyder’s depiction of Batman is absolutely perfect, with all of the Caped Crusader action being a highlight. And if you thought pitting two titans against each other was enough for an entertaining film, Snyder also packed in the Death of Superman storyline, complete with Doomsday and Wonder Woman. So there’s a lot going on here, and practically works as a team-up film, with its various tones and many characters. The Ultimate Cut makes more sense of a few plot holes and is a more well-rounded story, so I always recommend watching that version.
8. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
Harley Quinn, being one of the centerpieces of the DCEU was always a bit strange, but Margot Robbie always seems to make it work. And having such a wacky character at the forefront provides for plenty of great moments. Ewan McGregor shows up as an eccentric Black Mask, and we get a female team-up that doesn’t immediately seem pandering. I challenge anyone to watch this and not crave the best breakfast sandwich ever made.
7. Wonder Woman
An origin tale set during World War I doesn’t exactly scream “putting butts in seats,” but this film managed to carve out a nice little niche for itself. While still set during this dour time in Europe, there’s a lot of hope here. Steve Trevor and Diana’s chemistry is absolutely electric, and the filmmakers constantly prove why Wonder Woman is such a badass.
6. Zack Snyder’s Justice League
The landscape of comic book cinema was altered with one phrase: “Release the Snyder Cut!” And suddenly Zack Snyder’s seemingly dead Justice League project was re-cut and finished into a massive 4-hour epic released to HBO Max. With a more coherent story than the Joss Whedon version, it’s great to see these heroes team up and actually be competent at their jobs. This features probably the coolest ending of any of these films, making a case for why The Flash is one of the most powerful characters in all of DC.
5. Shazam!
The DCEU was at its best when it took smaller characters and was able to give them their own spotlight. Shazam is someone who had been rumored for their own movie for years, often being paired with his arch-nemesis, Black Adam. Yet when we finally received a big screen iteration, there was no Black Adam in sight, and instead, the story focused on what it means to be a family. It’s heartfelt while still having a dark edge to it, like the boardroom massacre. While it doesn’t break a ton of new ground, what it does do is handle the familiar in a very competent way.
4. Peacemaker
Technically, this is the only TV Show in the DCEU, leaving quite an impression. With John Cena reviving his Peacemaker character from The Suicide Squad, this is as hilarious as it is crass. Cena is a great leading man, and the credit sequence absolutely can’t be missed. Gunn has always had the ability to make even the smallest character seem big, and this is a great example of that. And while it’s still unclear what the second season will entail, it’s the only survivor outside Blue Beetle going into the next regime. Let’s hope for more Vigilante.
3. The Flash
I’m so happy that this movie seems to be finding a second life, and I think the more time passes, the more it will hold up. Adapting Flashpoint Paradox with its own flare, we also saw the return of Michael Keaton in the Batsuit. That was enough for the price of admission. The visual representation of the many different universes colliding together allows us to see so many classic characters together in a way we’d never seen before. And I’m not going to let a little suspect CGI ruin the fact that I finally got to see Christopher Reeve and Helen Slater share the screen together or Nic Cage finally suiting up as Superman. The only thing I would have changed is putting this at the very end of the Snyderverse, as it would have been a perfect ending.
2. The Suicide Squad
In a bit of irony, given that James Gunn is now one of the co-heads of DC Films, The Suicide Squad had plenty working against it. It was a pandemic release, and the only reason it happened was because Gunn was fired from Marvel (before they backtracked and gave him his old job back). But it was also a semi-reboot/sequel of what is widely considered one of the worst DC films, Suicide Squad. So, adding a “The”, Gunn leaned into the squad’s expendable nature and provided a film where no one was truly safe. Heck, he’s able to make us care for Ratcatcher 2, King Shark, and freaking Polka Dot Man.
1. Aquaman
It’s hard to consider anything else as the crowning achievement of the DCEU. Aquaman was a character that was ruthlessly made fun of for years, and no one thought it could be done successfully. But then Jason Momoa and James Wan came along and absolutely blew peoples’ socks off. Aquaman is an adventure that isn’t weighed down by the universe destroying stakes of some of the team-up films and instead allows the filmmakers to focus on something more personal: identity. Arthur Curry has a clearly defined struggle as a man from both worlds and not truly accepted by either. It’s easy to root for this charismatic superhero as he simply seeks out his family. This resulted in the biggest box office of the entire DCEU and is the gold standard for how to make a creative and fun superhero movie.
And so, as we close out this chapter of DC Cinema, it’s easy to look back on these with some fond memories. While much of its potential was cut short, there are still some absolute gems in this line-up. Here’s hoping the next regime provides a cohesive and unforgettable world. How would you rank the DCEU? How mad are you at my own ranking? Let us know in the comments and we’ll see you in the next one!