DC Movies in Order: The Complete DCEU Watch List
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DC Movies in Order: The Complete DCEU Watch List

DC Movies in Order: The Complete DCEU Watch List

Key takeaways

  • For a first-time watch, the clearest way to watch the DCEU is in release order.
  • The DCEU theatrical run consists of 15 films; *Joker* and *The Batman* are separate stories.
  • *Zack Snyder’s Justice League* is an alternate cut of *Justice League*, not an additional story chapter.
  • The newer DCU is separate from the DCEU, and *Superman* (2025) is its feature-film starting point.

For a first-time watch, the clearest way to watch the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is in release order. It follows how the films introduced their characters and crossovers. If you’d rather follow the broad in-universe timeline, start with the two Wonder Woman movies, then watch most of the remaining films in release order.

There isn’t one timeline for every movie based on a DC character. The DCEU is a particular shared continuity; films such as Joker and The Batman are separate stories. The lists below focus on the 15-film DCEU theatrical run. Rotten Tomatoes and Forbes also list Zack Snyder’s Justice League, but it’s an alternate cut of Justice League, not an additional story chapter.

DCEU movies in release order

Watch the films in this order for the straightforward first-time experience:

  1. Man of Steel (2013)
  2. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
  3. Suicide Squad (2016)
  4. Wonder Woman (2017)
  5. Justice League (2017)
  6. Aquaman (2018)
  7. Shazam! (2019)
  8. Birds of Prey (2020)
  9. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
  10. The Suicide Squad (2021)
  11. Black Adam (2022)
  12. Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
  13. The Flash (2023)
  14. Blue Beetle (2023)
  15. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

The release years help show how the series unfolded, but they don’t mean every film directly continues the one before it. Some entries focus on different heroes, and the connections between films vary.

Where does Zack Snyder’s Justice League go?

Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) is a longer alternate version of the 2017 Justice League. It isn’t a sequel, and you generally don’t need to watch both cuts to follow the DCEU.

For a standard watch-through, choose Justice League and continue to Aquaman. If you’re interested in comparing the two versions, watch Snyder’s cut after the 2017 film. It doesn’t add a new place in the overall story order.

DCEU movies in chronological order

For a broad timeline-based order, move Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984 to the beginning, then follow the remaining films largely in release order:

  1. Wonder Woman — much of its story takes place in 1918
  2. Wonder Woman 1984 — set in 1984
  3. Man of Steel
  4. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
  5. Suicide Squad
  6. Justice League
  7. Aquaman
  8. Shazam!
  9. Birds of Prey
  10. The Suicide Squad
  11. Black Adam
  12. Shazam! Fury of the Gods
  13. The Flash
  14. Blue Beetle
  15. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Treat this as a simplified viewing order, not a precise timeline. Films can include flashbacks or events that overlap, and a chronological arrangement doesn’t necessarily make the story easier to follow. Published guides also vary on where they place alternate cuts, another reason to treat Zack Snyder’s Justice League as a version to choose rather than a separate chapter. Rotten Tomatoes’ guide provides a further reference for the ordering.

Which DC movie order should you choose?

Choose release order if you’re new to these films. It follows the way audiences first encountered the characters and team-ups, and it avoids making you jump backward in time right at the start.

Choose chronological order if you’ve already seen the films or prefer to arrange them by their main story settings. It makes Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984 the opening pair, but the rest of the order is not dramatically different.

Watching only one Justice League? Pick either the 2017 theatrical film or Snyder’s 2021 alternate cut. You don’t need both for a basic DCEU watch-through.

Where does the new DCU fit?

The newer DC Universe (DCU) is separate from the DCEU watch list above. Superman (2025) is the new DCU’s feature-film starting point, so it doesn’t belong at the end—or anywhere in the middle—of the DCEU sequence. The official DC movie catalog covers films across the company’s broader slate, not just one shared continuity.

You don’t need to finish the DCEU before starting the DCU. If your goal is to follow the older shared-film run, use the 15-film list above. If you want to start with the newer continuity, begin with Superman.

Are Joker and The Batman part of the DCEU?

No. Joker and The Batman are examples of DC character films that sit outside the DCEU continuity. They can be watched independently; there’s no need to insert them into the DCEU chronology. The wider DC movie catalog includes films from different continuities, so “all DC movies in order” doesn’t have one definitive timeline.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to watch every DCEU movie?

No. The list gives you the full theatrical sequence, but the films aren’t all one continuous story. Watching in release order is helpful for the crossovers, while standalone or more loosely connected entries can be approached on their own.

Is Zack Snyder’s Justice League a sequel?

No. It’s an alternate cut of Justice League. Treat it as a substitute or comparison watch, not as the next film after the theatrical version.

Should I watch the DCEU before Superman (2025)?

No. The DCEU and the newer DCU are separate continuities, so the DCEU films aren’t required preparation for Superman.

The simplest DC movie watch order

For a first watch, use the DCEU release order and choose one version of Justice League. For a timeline-focused rewatch, put Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984 first. Keep Joker, The Batman, and the newer DCU films separate rather than trying to fit every DC movie into one shared chronology.