Most viewers are familiar with the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). However, if one wants to dive even deeper into the world of DC Comics, consider exploring the enormous collection of DC animated movies. Animated film adaptations of DC Comics have been produced since 1993, with multiple cinematic universes and continuities being developed over the years. Delving into the vast collection may be daunting to newcomers, but this guide will break down where to watch every DC animated movie in order.
The oldest shared universe is the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), which kicked off in 1992 with the TV show Batman: The Animated Series. The series soon inspired the theatrical film Batman: Mask of Phantasm in 1993, with Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprising their roles as Bruce Wayne (a.k.a. Batman) and The Joker, respectively. Ultimately, the DCAU continuity would consist of eight films, including the critically acclaimed Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.
While the DCAU was the first continuity, another major universe that has sprung up is the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU). It is one of the largest continuities, consisting of 17 movies, beginning with Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. The film is a unique crossover film that sees the return of voice actors like Conroy’s Batman and Nathan Fillion’s Green Lantern while introducing some new voice actors, including Michael B. Jordan as Victor Stone.
All 17 movies in the DCAMU are loosely based on the New 52 storylines from the comics, which explore the rebooted DC timeline following Flashpoint. It heavily focuses on the Justice League, Batman, and Batman’s son, Damian. Some of its most well-received films include Batman vs. Robin, Batman: Bad Blood, The Death of Superman, and Justice League Dark: Apokolips War.
Another large universe is Origins, a group of movies that aren’t necessarily interconnected but are lumped together because, as the title suggests, they focus on DC heroes’ origin stories. Origins comprises 14 movies, including Batman: Year One and Wonder Woman (2009). Then, there are many standalone films that don’t belong to any specific universe but are based on DC Comics. These movies can be pretty fun, such as Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Batman vs. Dracula, since they’re not confined to any one continuity. Like Origins, these largely non-related standalone films are grouped into their own universe: Animated Elseworlds.
There are also two smaller universes known as the Tomorrowverse and Arkhamverse. Tomorrowverse is the successor to the DCAMU, while the Arhamverse consists of one movie and the Batman: Arkham video game series.
How to watch the DC Animated Movies in Order
You can either watch DC animated movies by universe or by release date. Given the multiple continuities, watching by universe is the closest one can get to chronological order. Meanwhile, there’s no set order to watch the universes in. However, it’s largely agreed upon Origins is the best to start with since it introduces so many DC heroes. Afterward, we recommend going with the more recent DCAMU before moving on to the three smaller universes and concluding with the standalone movies in Elseworlds.
Find out how to view the movies by universe below, followed by how to stream them in release date order.
Origins
- Batman: Year One
- Batman: Gotham Knight
- Wonder Woman (2009)
- Green Lantern: First Flight
- Green Lantern: Emerald Knights
- All-Star Superman
- DC Showcase: Superman / Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam
- Superman / Batman: Public Enemies
- Superman / Batman: Apocalypse
- Superman: Unbound
- Batman: Under the Red Hood
- Batman: Death in the Family
- Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
- Justice League: Doom
The DCAMU
- Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox
- Justice League: War
- Son of Batman
- Justice League: Throne of Atlantis
- Batman vs. Robin
- Batman: Bad Blood
- Justice League vs. Teen Titans
- Justice League Dark
- Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
- Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
- The Death of Superman
- Constantine: City of Demons
- Reign of the Supermen
- Batman: Hush
- Wonder Woman: Bloodlines
- Justice League Dark: Apokolips War
- Constantine: House of Mystery
DCAU
- Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
- The Batman / Superman Movie: World’s Finest
- Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero
- Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
- Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
- Superman: Brainiac Attacks
- Batman and Harley Quinn
- Justice League vs. The Fatal Five
The Tomorrowverse
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow
- Justice Society: World War II
- Batman: The Long Halloween Part One
- Batman: The Long Halloween Part Two
- Green Lantern: Beware My Power
- Legion of Super-Heroes
- Justice League: Warworld
- Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part One
- Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part Two
The Arkhamverse
Animated Elseworlds
- The Batman vs. Dracula
- Superman: Doomsday
- Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo
- Justice League: The New Frontier
- Superman vs. The Elite
- Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1
- Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2
- Justice League: Gods and Monsters
- Batman: The Killing Joke
- Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders
- Batman vs Two-Face
- Batman: Gotham by Gaslight
- Batman Ninja
- Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
- Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans
- Superman: Red Son
- Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons: The Movie
- Batman: Soul of the Dragon
- Injustice
- Catwoman: Hunted
- Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons
- Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham