How to Watch the DCEU Movies in Chronological Order

The DCEU Movies successful (Chronological) Order

1. Wonder Woman (2017)

Despite being the 4th installment of the DCU, 2017’s Wonder Woman takes spot earliest successful the timeline. This movie marks the 2nd quality of Gal Gadot arsenic Diana Prince/Wonder Woman and follows her instauration successful 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Primarily a play portion acceptable during the archetypal World War, the movie introduces audiences and Diana to US aviator Steve Trevor aft helium crashes connected Themyscira, the hidden land of the Amazons. Soon after, German soldiers invade Themyscira, and definite different events that travel pb Diana and Steve to permission the land and question to London.

Read our review of Wonder Woman.

2. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

As with Wonder Woman, its 2018 sequel is simply a play piece, this clip chiefly acceptable successful the twelvemonth 1984. The events of this movie bring Wonder Woman to look disconnected against Cheetah (Kristen Wiig) and Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal). Wonder Woman 1984 takes spot earlier each different DCU films too the original, and doesn’t diagnostic excessively galore tie-ins to different characters oregon movies.

Read our review of Wonder Woman 1984.

3. Man of Steel (2013)

Man of Steel is the movie that kicked disconnected the DCU and introduced the satellite to Henry Cavill’s Superman. The movie begins by showing audiences the demolition of Kal-El’s location satellite of Krypton earlier depicting Earth successful astir the twelvemonth 2013. Clark Kent grows up and becomes the legendary Superman (spoilers, successful lawsuit you hadn’t heard by now), and is accompanied by immoderate acquainted faces on the way, including Lois Lane (Amy Adams), General Zod (Michael Shannon), Martha Kent (Diane Lane), Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner), and more.

Read our review of Man of Steel.

4. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Very loosely based connected a pivotal combat successful the classical DC comic The Dark Knight Returns, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice takes spot eighteen months aft the events of Man of Steel, and tells the communicative of however Batman (Ben Affleck) reacts to the thought of an alien arsenic almighty arsenic Superman having escaped reign.

This movie marks the archetypal clip Batman and Superman person starred successful a live-action movie together, and it besides introduced audiences to modern movie versions of Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Flash (Ezra Miller), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg), Alfred Pennyworth (Jeremy Irons), and more.

DC fans were besides treated to a live-action mentation of the Superman villain Doomsday arsenic good arsenic a tease of DC Comics’ eventual baddie, Darkseid.

Read our review of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

5. Suicide Squad (2016)

The archetypal of the Suicide Squad films takes spot astir a twelvemonth aft Batman v Superman and adjacent features a speedy cameo by Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight. Unlike the classical superheroes featured successful that film, however, Suicide Squad stars a radical of imprisoned criminals and supervillains who are recruited by authorities cause Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) to articulation what is officially known arsenic Task Force X. The radical is tasked with completing a seemingly intolerable ngo successful speech for a simplification of their situation sentences. However, if they stray from the mission, nanite bombs implanted into their necks volition explode.

A divisive film, Suicide Squad nevertheless features an all-star cast. Will Smith stars arsenic Deadshot, Margot Robbie gets her debut show arsenic Harley Quinn, and definite different recurring characters get their archetypal spot of surface time, including Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) and Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney). Oh, and this is the movie that introduced the satellite to Jared Leto’s instrumentality connected Joker.

Read our review of Suicide Squad.

6. Justice League (2017)

Justice League takes spot astir 1 twelvemonth aft the events of Suicide Squad and stars the returning formed of Batman v Superman. The movie deals with the fallout of the decease of Superman, and besides features Steppenwolf and his parademons arsenic the main villains. J.K. Simmons besides makes his archetypal quality arsenic Commissioner James Gordon.

Mostly changeable by Zack Snyder, Justice League was finished by Joss Whedon aft Snyder exited the task owed to idiosyncratic tragedy.

Read our review of Justice League.

7. Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)

While galore thought it would ne'er happen, Zack Snyder’s Justice League yet saw its much-requested merchandise successful 2021. It is mostly the aforesaid overarching story, meaning it is acceptable successful the aforesaid spot successful the timeline. However, determination are galore differences betwixt the 2 cuts of the film, including the instrumentality of Jared Leto’s Joker, a much salient relation for Darkseid, and the instauration of Martian Manhunter.

Read our review of Zack Snyder's Justice League.

8. Aquaman (2018)

Jason Momoa’s archetypal solo DC movie came successful the signifier of 2018’s Aquaman. The movie is acceptable astir a twelvemonth aft Justice League, but it takes a spot of clip to dive heavy into Aquaman’s root story. Alongside the communicative of Aquaman’s emergence to powerfulness and his effort to support Atlantis, the movie besides introduced Mera (Amber Heard), Vulko (Willem Dafoe), King Orm (Patrick Wilson), Atlanna (Nicole Kidman), and classical Aquaman nemesis Black Manta (Yahya Abdul Mateen II).

Read our review of Aquaman.

9. Shazam! (2019)

2019’s Shazam! introduced audiences to orphan Billy Batson (Asher Angel), a teen who is chosen by an past wizard named Shazam to beryllium his caller champion. With the powers he’s granted, Batson transforms into an big superhero besides named Shazam (Zachary Levi), and has to look disconnected against obsessive idiosyncratic Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong), who is intent connected claiming Shazam’s powerfulness for his own.

Shazam! is mostly a standalone story, and lone includes a fewer references to different DCU characters and moments.

Read our review of Shazam!

10. Birds of Prey (2020)

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is acceptable astir 4 years aft the events of Suicide Squad and picks up aft the Joker and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) interruption up. As Quinn recovers from the split, she crosses paths with transgression lord Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor) and his unhinged right-hand-man Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina).

As she struggles against Sionis and attempts to prevention a young pickpocket named Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco), Quinn is joined by disgraced bull Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), the vigilante known arsenic the Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and Dinah Lance, besides known arsenic the Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett).

Despite being a escaped sequel to Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey is different illustration of a DCU movie that is mostly disconnected from different films successful the franchise, but this is wherever it would acceptable into the timeline.

Read our review of Birds of Prey.

11. Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

We cognize that the archetypal Shazam movie takes spot astir precocious 2018 and it has been confirmed that Shazam 2 takes spot 2 years later. That would mean the movie takes spot sometime betwixt precocious 2020 and aboriginal 2021. It is unclear if Zachary Levi's child-like ace leader volition proceed connected successful the DCU, but it's imaginable that James Gunn volition determine to support him.

Read our Shazam! Fury of the Gods review.

12. The Suicide Squad (2021)

Also a sequel to Suicide Squad, The Suicide Squad was directed by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy), and is simply a caller instrumentality connected Task Force X. While it does see immoderate returning characters, specified arsenic Harley Quinn, Amanda Waller, Rick Flag, and Captain Boomerang, the communicative is centered mostly astir the mercenary Bloodsport (Idris Elba) and chap teammate Peacemaker (John Cena).

As has been the inclination successful these aboriginal films, The Suicide Squad is precise overmuch abstracted from the DCU’s main communicative that was being built up successful the earlier years, but determination are a fewer nods to the wider world, including of each things a giant, mind-controlling starfish from abstraction named Starro the Conqueror, who was erstwhile the archetypal villain the orignal comic publication Justice League ever fought!

A immense success, The Suicide Squad is the archetypal movie successful the franchise to spawn a streaming amusement successful the MCU style, an offbeat miniseries featuring the instrumentality of Peacemaker.

Read our review of The Suicide Squad.

13. Black Adam (2022)

Black Adam was meant to usher successful a caller epoch of DCU movies, but with galore lackluster reviews it didn't extremity up getting excessively far. Now that James Gunn has taken implicit absorption of the universe, Dwayne Johnsons isn't apt to beryllium 1 we'll spot again.

As for the timeline of this movie, Black Adam is acceptable aft the events of Justice League and The Suicide Squad. This tin beryllium seen from the comic books, merchandise, and references from different movies. There's besides the Black Adam station credits country that features Superman live that gives distant it's placement connected the timeline.

Read our Black Adam review.

14. The Flash (2023)

The Flash, timeline-wise, is acceptable sometime aft the events of Justice League (2017), but it besides jumps astir successful time. Centering connected Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), the movie follows Barry arsenic uses his newfound ace powers of velocity to spell backmost successful clip and alteration a devastating infinitesimal from his past. But changing the past has consequences, and Barry volition person to find a mode to acceptable things (and time) right.

Read our The Flash review.

15. Blue Beetle (2023)

Blue Beetle is simply a precise standalone communicative that tin beryllium watched astatine astir immoderate constituent successful this timeline. It's besides an absorbing movie arsenic Xolo Maridueña's Blue Beetle volition beryllium portion of the DCU contempt this movie being portion of the aged DCEU. EIther way, Blue Beetle is an entertaining communicative of Jamie Reyes fusing with an alien instrumentality called a Scarab and getting superpowers. This causes problems with those who privation to usage these powerfulness for themselves, and Jamie needs to emergence up go the Blue Beetle to prevention everything helium loves.

Read our Blue Beetle review.

16. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has the chiseled grant of closing retired the DCEU. Unfortunately, it wasn't the expansive ending everyone was hoping for. However, determination are parts to bask and this movie tin beryllium safely watched astatine the end, arsenic it was meant to be, arsenic it picks up aft the events of the archetypal movie and follows Arthur Curry's reign arsenic the King of Atlantis. He inactive has Black Manta to interest about, particularly present that helium has an past achromatic trident of large power, and helium has to escaped his member Orm from situation to prevention everything.

Read our Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom review.

Bonus: Joker (2019)

2019’s Joker is simply a wildly palmy movie that earned implicit a cardinal dollars astatine the container bureau contempt being wholly entirely unconnected to the DCEU. While Jared Leto’s Joker starred successful 2016’s Suicide Squad, his behind-the-camera antics led to his eventual replacement. Director Todd Phillips formed Joaquin Phoenix successful a caller instrumentality connected Batman’s astir celebrated villain. Additionally, its separation from the DCEU means you don’t request to ticker immoderate of the different DCEU films to recognize Joker’s story.

Read our Joker review.

Bonus: The Batman (2022)

Originally intended arsenic a DCEU conveyance for Ben Affleck to produce, co-write, direct, and prima successful a diagnostic movie based connected his mentation of the character, The Batman was yet reworked into a standalone movie by Matt Reeves aft Affleck near the project.

The Batman takes spot during Bruce Wayne’s (Robert Pattinson) 2nd twelvemonth arsenic the Dark Knight, arsenic helium attempts to lick the enigma of aggregate murders successful Gotham being committed by The Riddler (Paul Dano). As a caller instrumentality connected the franchise, the movie besides introduces caller versions of Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz), Commissioner Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), and Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), arsenic good arsenic classical Batman villain Penguin (Colin Farrell) and mob brag Carmine Falcone (John Turturro).

Read our The Batman review.

All DCEU Movies successful Release Order

• Man of Steel (2013)
• Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
• Suicide Squad (2016)
• Wonder Woman (2017)
• Justice League (2017)
• Aquaman (2018)
• Shazam! (2019)
• Birds of Prey (2020)
• Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
• Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
• The Suicide Squad (2021)
• Black Adam (2022)
• Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
• The Flash (2023)
• Blue Beetle (2023)
• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

Upcoming DC Universe Movies

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom marked the extremity of the DCEU timeline, truthful upcoming movies are alternatively considered portion of the "rebooted" DCU from James Gunn's DC Studios. While the archetypal "Gods and Monsters" section of the DCU really kicked disconnected successful December with the TV bid Creature Commandos, possibly the astir anticipated portion of this reboot is James Gunn's Superman movie (which conscionable released successful theaters). Outside of Gunn's DCU, we'll besides (eventually) get to spot a follow-up Matt Reeves' The Batman.

Upcoming DCU Reboot Movies and Series:

• Peacemaker Season 2 (August 21, 2025)
• Supergirl (June 26, 2026)
• Clayface (September 11, 2026)
• The Batman Part II (October 1, 2027)
• Dynamic Duo (Animated Robin Origin Movie) (June 30, 2028)
• Lanterns TV Series (Early 2026)
• Mister Miracle Animated Series (In Production)
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold (In Development)
• Creature Commandos Season 2 (In Development)
• The Authority (In Development)
• Swamp Thing (In Development)
• Teen Titans Movie (In Development)
• Bane/Deathstroke Movie (In Development)
• Wonder Woman Movie (In Development)
• Waller TV Series (In Development)
• Booster Gold TV Series (In Development)
• Paradise Lost TV Series (In Development)
• Blue Beetle Animated Series (In Development)
• Harley Quinn and Other Animated Titles (In Development)

Other Upcoming DC Movies:

• The Batman Part II (October 1, 2027)

For those funny successful knowing what DCU movies are coming retired next, we've got you covered. You tin besides work our usher to what DC comics volition assistance you hole for the large reboot.

Adam Bankhurst is simply a quality writer for IGN. You tin travel him connected Twitter @AdamBankhurst and connected Twitch.