The Very Best DC Comics Movies

Ranker Comics
Updated September 16, 2023 52.4K votes 4.9K voters 47.5K views
Over 4.9K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Very Best DC Comics Movies
Voting Rules
Films from DC and its imprints (Vertigo, Wildstorm, and Paradox Press included). Vote up your favs!
Latest additions: Blue Beetle, The Flash, Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Most divisive: Justice League

(If you're looking for the new films, check out the best DC Extended Universe movies here!) DC Comics is one of the two mainstream comic distributors in the world (the other, of course, being Marvel Comics). They publish dozens of titles and have invented thousands of characters. Warner Brothers acquired DC and strengthened their film department. Unlike Marvel Studios, Warners has all the DC characters legally under one umbrella. This allows them to (theoretically) assemble a film universe encompassing all DC heroes, from the fan favorites to the obscure, with ease.

Christopher Nolan was certainly an asset in rebuilding the DC film-verse after those Joel Schumacher Batman films happened, and below we celebrate Nolan's films, along with all of the others that gave us faith in DC's larger than life heroes once again. They taught us that a man could fly, that bats really were frickin' scary, and that we really should remember, remember the fifth of November.

These are the best movies from DC Comics, both live-action and best DC animated movies. Vote up the greatest DC Comics flicks! 

Ranked by
  • The Dark Knight
    1

    The Dark Knight

    Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart
    2,815 votes
    • Released: 2008
    • Directed by: Christopher Nolan
    In The Dark Knight, Gotham City's vigilante, Batman (Christian Bale), faces his greatest adversary yet - the Joker (Heath Ledger), a criminal mastermind with a twisted sense of humor. Under the guidance of mentor Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) and ally Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman), Batman navigates a web of chaos spun by the Joker. The Christopher Nolan directed crime drama won two Academy Awards, including one for Ledger's posthumous performance. Brimming with high-stakes action scenes and moral dilemmas, this second installment in Nolan's Batman trilogy is a captivating exploration of heroism in times of anarchy.

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  • Batman
    2

    Batman

    Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger
    2,259 votes
    • Released: 1989
    • Directed by: Tim Burton
    In the heart of Gotham City, a shadowy vigilante known as Batman (Michael Keaton) emerges from the darkness to battle crime. Our caped crusader, tormented by his past, is drawn into a complex web spun by The Joker (Jack Nicholson), a deranged villain with a macabre sense of humor. As the city descends into chaos, Batman must navigate through a labyrinth of deceit and danger to save it. This action-packed superhero film, steeped in noir aesthetics, unravels an intricate tale of justice, fear, and redemption. Winning an Academy Award for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Batman redefined the genre with its darkly stylized vision and compelling characters.

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  • Wonder Woman
    3

    Wonder Woman

    Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen
    1,848 votes
    • Released: 2017
    • Directed by: Patty Jenkins
    In the 2017 film Wonder Woman, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) is introduced as an Amazonian princess, living on the secluded island of Themyscira. Raised by her mother, Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), Diana's life takes a turn when American pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crashes on their shores. With tales of a massive war ravaging the outside world, Diana feels compelled to intervene. Leaving her home behind, she becomes Wonder Woman, fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars. The movie, an action-packed superhero adventure directed by Patty Jenkins, deftly explores themes of courage and sacrifice while offering a fresh narrative within the DC Extended Universe.

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  • Aquaman
    4

    Aquaman

    Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson
    1,010 votes
    • Released: 2018
    • Directed by: James Wan
    Once home to the most advanced civilization on Earth, the city of Atlantis is now an underwater kingdom ruled by the power-hungry King Orm. With a vast army at his disposal, Orm plans to conquer the remaining oceanic people -- and then the surface world. Standing in his way is Aquaman, Orm's half-human, half-Atlantean brother and true heir to the throne. With help from royal counselor Vulko, Aquaman must retrieve the legendary Trident of Atlan and embrace his destiny as protector of the deep.

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  • Batman Begins
    5

    Batman Begins

    Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson
    2,244 votes
    • Released: 2005
    • Directed by: Christopher Nolan
    In Batman Begins, we follow the journey of Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale), a billionaire playboy tormented by his past. After years of training with his mentor, Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson), in the League of Shadows, he returns to Gotham City, determined to eradicate crime and corruption. The emergence of the sinister Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) challenges him to embrace his newfound persona - Batman. Directed by Christopher Nolan, this film offers a gritty reboot of the iconic superhero franchise, delving deep into Batman's origins and his struggle against Gotham's underbelly. It triumphed at the 2006 Academy Awards for Best Cinematography.

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  • Superman
    6

    Superman

    Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando
    1,664 votes
    • Released: 1978
    • Directed by: Richard Donner
    In Superman, we meet Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve), a seemingly ordinary journalist. Raised by his loving adoptive parents in Smallville, Kansas, after being sent to Earth from the dying planet Krypton, he is anything but ordinary. When his otherworldly powers emerge, he transforms into Superman, the Man of Steel and defender of truth, justice and the American way. His nemesis? Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman), a criminal genius with a plan that could spell doom for mankind. This thrilling adventure film swept up three Academy Award nominations, a testament to its cinematic prowess.

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