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The DCEU is set to close its curtains for the last time with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. After the last holdover, James Gunn and Peter Safran will take over and implement their regime (now titled the DCU).
But before then, in 2013, Zack Snyder launched the DCEU with Man of Steel. It was a major hit, grossing $667 million and seemed to be the stepping stone for the MCU's new rival.
And it was smooth-ish sailing for a bit, at least fiscally. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman made $872 million, $745 million, $817 million, and $1.1 billion, respectively.
From there, it went downhill. Every film from Shazam!-onward failed to gross over $400 million. And after Zack Snyder was fired from the DCEU, a new creative lead was introduced.
So ahead of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which, we ranked all 15 DCEU films — with the “Snyder Cut” — from worst to best.
The DCEU, ranked
Black Adam (2022)
There are very few redeeming qualities for Black Adam. Dwayne Johnson may be a movie star, but Black Adam stunk. From its Exorcist-like opening to its absolutely horrendous third act, there's nothing to like about the film.
Even the film's group of nitwit superheroes that carry from the MCU's Ant-Man, Spider-Man, and more can't save this sinking ship.
If Dwayne Johnson really thought this film was going to change the hierarchy of power in the DCEU, he must have seen a different film. All it did was further confirm that James Gunn and Peter Safran needed to separate as far as possible from these films.
Aquaman (2018)
Sorry, I know it grossed a billion dollars, but Aquaman stinks. It has every DCEU problem, from a lackluster villain to a forgettable story, all rolled into one, bloated comic book movie. Visually, the film has its moments, but this cemented Jason Momoa's titular character as a better side than main course.
The Aquaman sequel feels like a pointless side mission, which stinks. Perhaps it will turn out better than expected.
Suicide Squad (2016)
Despite grossing $745 million at the box office, no one likes David Ayer's film. Maybe his director's cut is better, but frankly, who cares? The original iteration of the DCEU's Suicide Squad was a complete flop despite having Will Smith and Margot Robbie in it. Thank goodness for James Gunn.
The marketing, though, was top-tier. It clearly got the attention of fans.
Justice League (2017)
Bringing in the director who made Avengers to do patchwork on Justice League sounded better on paper than reality. Perhaps Joss Whedon is even more creatively bankrupt than Snyder, who at least added something to his films.
Whedon's execution of the Justice League story was horrible. Even if it was a bad hand to be dealt, he made more chicken crap out of an already-sky-high pile of chicken crap.
It's introduction and usage of Jason Momoa's Aquaman was better than the solo film, to be fair.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
Did anyone else forget a Shazam! sequel came out this year?
David F. Sandberg strips away everything that made the first film so endearing. There's half the family dynamics in the sequel which results in (less than) half of the movie its predecessor was. Helen Mirren was there to collect a check, and Rachel Zegler gets buried underneath of an uninspiring heel turn.
Wonder Woman (2017)
While Wonder Woman was a great accomplishment for filmmaking, its $817 million was the highest-grossing film ever directed solely by a woman before Barbie, the story stinks. The third act “twist” could be seen from a mile away and Gal Gadot's character has never been exciting to watch.
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Released during the pandemic as a day-and-date release, Wonder Woman 1984 is the bloated sequel to its 2017 predecessor. Gadot's shiny new armor and some of the visual flare are the only reasons to watch this film. Not even Pedro Pascal playing a twisted televangelist does much for the film.
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Zack Snyder's Justice League — aka the “Snyder Cut” — is the result of a fanbase crying over spilled milk for years. Yes, the director's cut is a better final product, but what did this ultimately accomplish? It just felt like the amalgamation of three hours of deleted scenes stitched together to make a somewhat better film.
The Flash (2023)
Ezra Miller aside, The Flash isn't that bad. Its references to past DC movies are a bit weird, but at least it took swings at the multiverse unlike the MCU's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
It's far from perfect, and given that the DCEU is done pretty soon, it's a film with no rewatchability. But the George Clooney cameo was cool, I guess.
Blue Beetle (2023)
The best of 2023's slate of DCEU movies, Blue Beetle was a lot of fun. It's the result of 20+ years of comic book movie filmmaking full of clichés, but Xolo Maridueña deserves to come back as the character.
Man of Steel (2013)
Henry Cavill deserved better. It all went downhill the second Superman kills General Zod. This still should have gotten a proper sequel before its follow-up, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. It's the same problem that hampered the MCU's The Marvels.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
One time, I forced myself to watch the extended cut of Batman v Superman. I don't remember anything about it, but the theatrical cut is still pretty good.
It does rush things in the third act, and the “Martha” line will never not be funny. Ben Affleck, though, kills it (pun intended) as Batman and it's a shame that he never got his own proper solo film. The DCEU is full of missed opportunities, with Affleck's lack of time in the spotlight being chief among them.
Shazam! (2019)
It doesn't hold up on rewatch, but Shazam! is pretty good. The bar for DCEU films isn't that high, but the story of a boy searching for his mom is far more powerful than it has any right being in this film. The whole cast has great chemistry, and the family dynamics with Billy and the foster home is top-tier comic book movie stuff.
The villain, played by Mark Strong, just blew and hampered the film significantly. Otherwise, it's pretty good.
The Suicide Squad (2021)
Similarly to Birds of Prey, The Suicide Squad — James Gunn's “requel” of 2016's Suicide Squad — has the action and foul-mouthed humor of the Deadpool films. Add in Gunn's knack for needle drops and you have a heck of a movie.
Plus, the new team including John Cena's Peacemaker and Idris Elba's Bloodsport is a joy to watch. And who would ever adapt a character called the Polka-Dot Man? Holdovers like Robbie's Harley Quinn and Joel Kinnaman's Rick Flag also get new breaths of life in the film.
Hopefully, in some way or another, Gunn can find a way to incorporate the team in future DCU films.
Birds of Prey (2020)
Full of vibrancy and the R-rated action that made the Deadpool series click, Birds of Prey is the top of the DCEU food chain. Why we never got a follow-up, outside of its disappointing box office haul, is beyond me. More than any of the other films, Birds of Prey deserved one and is still the best of the DCEU.
It not only gave Margot Robbie even more of a spotlight, it brought in new faces like The Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez). In an alternate reality, Birds of Prey got the lot it deserved and a proper sequel. It's just so fun from the opening monologue.
What's next?
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will be released on December 22. After that, Gunn and Safran will gear up for the release of Superman: Legacy, the inaugural DCU film.
