In the beginning, there were DC Comics heroes, and it was good. Then there were the Super Friends and similar shows, and the public was exposed to some of their favorite heroes in animation for the first time. In The '90s we were introduced to them all over again with the DC Animated Universe. Now we have the next era of animated excitement for Batman, Superman, and company, going Direct to Video — though the consistently high production values make them akin to Original Video Animation in the anime field instead of what "direct-to-video" usually implies in the West.
Many of the DC Universe Animated Original Moviesnote have the advantage of having independent continuities, allowing the creative team of each to experiment with new voice actors, art styles, and so forth. Several of the films are adapted from notable storylines from the Post-Crisis comics continuity with several liberties taken while others feature an original premise. Relatively recent films are based on iconic standalone graphic novels and miniseries, like DC: The New Frontier and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns — which themselves often existed in independent continuities. Beginning with Justice League: War, a significant number of films have taken place in a Shared Universe, all adapting material based on the New 52 continuity. note Nicknamed the DC Animated Movie Universe for lack of an official term, these films also feature elements of the DC Rebirth and Post-Crisis continuity. Following the conclusion of the DCAMU in 2020, a new shared universe nicknamed the Tomorrowverse began with Superman: Man of Tomorrow, which unlike its predecessor has so far chosen to tell original stories alongside adaptations of post-Crisis comics, as opposed to basing most of its material from one specific era of the comics.
Several of these animated works reflect the art styles and designs of individual artists who drew their comic book sources (like Darwyn Cooke for The New Frontier and Frank Miller for The Dark Knight Returns); Batman: Gotham Knight was an Anthology Film produced by multiple anime studios. Other works show strong influence from Bruce Timm, the main artist behind the DCAU who maintains a supervisor/producer role and returns to art duties for a few of them. The New 52-based films and the DC Showcase shorts (a companion series usually included as bonus items on the DVD and Blu-ray releases) have a consistent blend of Timm Style and Animesque mainly from artist Phil Bourassa, who also did the Young Justice (2010) animated series, often paired with the animation of companies like Dr Movie, Moi Animation, Studio 4°C and The Answer Studio.
Another notable aspect of the films is that some are more Darker and Edgier than any preceding animation. PG-13 ratings for violence are common and sensuality is ramped up as well. Several films have come close to being rated R before edits, but only 7th films and one short have gotten the R rating so far.
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DC Animated Movie Universe
Films
- Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013): One morning, the Flash wakes up to find himself in an alternative timeline where he is powerless, Batman freely uses lethal force, Superman is nowhere to be found, and Wonder Woman and Aquaman threaten the world with an all-out war between their nations. An adaptation of Flashpoint (DC Comics).
- Justice League: War (2014): Batman and Green Lantern discover an impending invasion of Earth by Apokolips and put together a team of superheroes to stop it. An adaptation of Justice League: Origin and the beginning of a new shared continuity based on the New 52.
- Son of Batman (2014): Ra's al Ghul's daughter Talia appears to Batman to reveal that she and Batman have had a child named Damian, and leaves him in his care. An adaptation of Batman & Son and the second movie in the New 52 AU.
- Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015): The Justice League must contend with an invasion led by Ocean Master, and get help from Aquaman and Mera. An adaptation of Throne of Atlantis and sequel to Justice League: War, making it the third movie in the New 52 AU.
- Batman vs. Robin: (2015) Sequel to Son of Batman. While investigating a crime, Robin runs into a mysterious figure, Talon, who takes him down a rabbit hole leading to a secret society known as the Court of Owls. A very loose adaptation of Night of the Owls. The fourth movie in the New 52 AU.
- Batman: Bad Blood (2016): Sequel to Batman vs. Robin, featuring Kate Kane’s Batwoman and Luke Fox's Batwing in their first animated appearances. Nightwing must become Batman and discover what happened to Bruce Wayne while dealing with a growing and dysfunctional Bat-Family. The fifth movie in the New 52 AU. A loose adaptation of Batman Incorporated, particularly the Demon Star arc.
- Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016): An original premise featuring both the Justice League and the Teen Titans and a sequel to Batman: Bad Blood. After Robin compromises a Justice League mission, he's sent off to a team of young heroes mentored by Starfire to improve his people skills. When teammate Raven's demonic father Trigon possesses the League, it's up to the Teen Titans to save them. The sixth movie in the New 52 AU.
- Justice League Dark (2017): An adaptation of the comic of the same name, It is the seventh movie of the New 52 AU. Like The Killing Joke, it's rated R.
- Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017): An adaptation of the comic of the same name. After languishing in development hell, it has been reworked into the New 52 AU continuity, making it the eighth movie of the line.
- Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018): An original story occurring sometime after Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, featuring the Suicide Squad. The fourth movie to be rated R, and the ninth movie of the New 52 AU.
- The Death of Superman (2018): A new, more faithful adaptation of The Death of Superman told in two parts. Like the Judas Contract adaptation, it takes the original story and works it into the New 52 AU as its tenth movie.
- Reign of the Supermen (2019): Follow-up to the former and adapts the story arc of the same name. Like its predecessor, it works the original storyline into the New 52 animated universe.
- Batman: Hush (2019): A DC Animated Movie Universe-based adaptation of the Batman story arc of the same name.
- The Death and Return of Superman (2019): A release of The Death of Superman and Reign of the Supermen as a Compilation Movie.
- Wonder Woman: Bloodlines (2019): An original movie starring Wonder Woman, set in the DC Animated Movie Universe, and the second she headlines.
- Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020): A sequel to Justice League Dark and the Grand Finale for the DC Animated Movie Universe. After Darkseid conquers Earth after defeating and turning the Justice League into his cybernetic minions and killing most of Earth's heroes, Constantine, Superman and Raven join forces in a last attempt to defeat Darkseid once and for all. This is the fifth movie to be rated R.
Other
- Constantine: City of Demons (2018): An animated web series spinoff of Justice League Dark focusing on John Constantine. It can be seen for free on CW Seed. Later extended and re-edited into a single movie (with an R Rating) similar to the web series Vixen and Freedom Fighters: The Ray, both of which are set in the CW's Arrowverse (and also have the "Bourassa style").
- Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018): A comic book sequel to the film of the same name.
- The Death of Superman: The Wake (2018): A tie-in comic to The Death of Superman.
- DC Showcase – Constantine: The House of Mystery (2022): A short taking place after Apokolips War, where Constantine must face repercussions for actions he took.
Tomorrowverse
Films
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020): A Superman origin story. The start of a new shared animated universe.
- Justice Society: World War II (2021): A movie about the Justice Society of America getting involved in World War II. The second film set in the same universe as Superman: Man of Tomorrow.
- Batman: The Long Halloween (2021): A two-parter adapting the comic of the same name. The third and fourth films set in the universe of Superman: Man of Tomorrow.
- Green Lantern: Beware My Power (2022): An original movie focusing on John Stewart becoming a Green Lantern while allying with other heroes (including Green Arrow and Hawkgirl) to battle the near triumphant Sinestro Corps.
- Legion of Super-Heroes (2023): An original movie focusing on Kara Zor-El/Supergirl when Superman suggests that she visit the 31st Century and get training from the Legion Academy.
- Justice League: Warworld (2023): An original story following Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman as they are transported to the planet Warworld. The 7th movie to be rated R.
- Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths (2024): An adaption of the comic of the same name.
Other
- DC Showcase: Adam Strange (included with Justice League Dark: Apokolips War): A man who's lost everything finds himself on another world, where he's dismissed by the people who work in the mines — until the miners accidentally unleash monsters.
- DC Showcase: Kamandi (included with Justice Society: World War II): Kamandi and his friends Prince Tuftan of the Tiger Kingdom and humanoid mutant Ben Boxer are kidnapped by a gorilla cult. Golgan, the cult's leader, puts Kamandi's team through a series of deadly tests to see if any of them can find the reincarnation of their god.
- DC Showcase: Blue Beetle (included with Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two): Starring Ted Kord, along with Captain Atom, the Question, and Nightshade.
Other
Films
- Superman: Doomsday (2007): Superman has a fatal encounter with a mysterious monster known as Doomsday. A simplified adaptation of The Death and Return of Superman.
- Justice League: The New Frontier (2008): Amid the political backdrop of the Red Scare, Korean War veteran Hal Jordan becomes the superhero Green Lantern and cooperates with several other heroes to take down a colossal monster. A mostly faithful adaptation of DC: The New Frontier.
- Batman: Gotham Knight (2008): Batman takes on several supervillains in a series of vignettes based on the Nolan film universe.
- Wonder Woman (2009): A modern take on the origin of Wonder Woman, Princess Diana of Themyscria must venture into man's world with Air Force pilot Steve Trevor in tow to prevent Ares from taking over the world.
- Green Lantern: First Flight (2009): An alternative telling of Hal Jordan's origin as Green Lantern, depicting his induction into the Corps as he and his mentor Sinestro are embroiled in a conspiracy to take down Oa using the Yellow Element.
- Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009): Lex Luthor becomes President of the United States and puts a bounty on Superman's head after framing him for the murder of Secret Service agent Metallo. An adaptation of Public Enemies (2004).
- Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010): Upon the discovery of a Mirror Universe where Lex Luthor leads a band of freedom fighters and the world cowers in fear of the superpowered Crime Syndicate, the Justice League of America must venture across the dimensional barrier to save both worlds from the Crime Syndicate's machinations. A loose adaptation of the storyline JLA: Earth-2.
- Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010): A mysterious figure claiming the Joker's original nom de guerre from before his chemical bath emerges in Gotham and attempts to take down the city's underworld from the inside out, taunting Batman all the while. An adaptation of Batman: Under the Hood.
- Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010): Superman's teenage cousin from Krypton arrives and is taught the ways of Earth by Superman. Darkseid, seeing an opportunity, attempts to acquire her as a pawn. The sequel to Public Enemies and an adaptation of The Supergirl from Krypton (2004).
- All-Star Superman (2011): When overexposure to the sun spells Superman's imminent death, he takes time to set his affairs in order while Luthor continues to scheme. An adaptation of All-Star Superman. The first in the line to not get a PG-13, instead getting a PG.
- Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (2011): A new recruit to the Green Lantern Corps is told the stories of various notable Lanterns across time and space as a series of vignettes. Much like All-Star Superman, it is rated PG.
- Batman: Year One (2011): Bruce Wayne returns from his training abroad to solve the problem of crime in Gotham while Jim Gordon contends with deep corruption in the police department. An adaptation of Batman: Year One.
- Justice League: Doom (2012): Contingency plans developed by Batman, designed to disable every member of the Justice League, are stolen and given fatal twists by a cabal of supervillains. An loose adaptation of JLA: Tower of Babel, as Vandal Savage and the Legion of Doom replace Ra's al Ghul as the antagonists.
- Superman vs. the Elite (2012): Superman is forced to question his methods when a team of superheroes who are willing to kill makes their debut to worldwide approval. An adaptation of What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?
- Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (2012, 2013): An elderly Batman must come out of retirement when an enormous street gang threatens to tear Gotham apart. A two-part adaptation of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
- Superman Unbound (2013): An alien cyborg known as Brainiac appears and attempts to shrink and steal the entire city of Metropolis in a repeat of what occurred to Kandor on Krypton. An adaptation of Superman: Brainiac.
- Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014): An original film set in the Batman: Arkham universe, implied to occur in-between Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Asylum. Several incarcerated supervillains are recruited into a unit named Task Force X by Amanda Waller and ordered to retrieve information stolen by the Riddler, only for things to go downhill when the Joker escapes the asylum and gets his hands on a dirty bomb.
- Justice League: Gods and Monsters (2015): An original Elseworlds-style story by Bruce Timm. In this take, we have General Zod's son as Superman, a vampiric Kirk Langstrom as Batman, and Bekka of the New Gods as Wonder Woman.
- Batman: The Killing Joke (2016): An adaptation of the acclaimed comic book by Alan Moore. The first installment to be rated R, it was in theaters for one day.
- Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders (2016): A 50th anniversary homage to the 1960s series starring Adam West, with some of its cast reprising their roles, West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar included.
- Batman and Harley Quinn (2017): An original film starring Batman and Harley Quinn, who are forced to work together to stop a plot by Poison Ivy and the Floronic Man. Notably, this is the first film in the line to bring back Bruce Timm's DCAU character designs, but its canonicity within it is dubious.
- Batman vs. Two-Face (2017): A sequel to Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, it's Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Batman versus Two-Face (voiced by William Shatner), who never appeared in the Adam West show. This film is the final appearance of Adam West as Batman.
- Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (2018): An adaptation of the comic of the same name, an Elseworlds story where a Victorian-era Batman deals with Jack the Ripper. Fittingly, it's the third movie to be rated R.
- Batman Ninja (2018): An original story about a time-displaced Batman and co in feudal Japan. First movie to be animated in CGI and made specifically for the Japanese audience.
- Justice League vs. The Fatal Five (2019): An original movie involving the Justice League taking on the Fatal Five. It is the second film in the line to use the DCAU animation and Bruce Timm's involvement, and it is confirmed canon to that universe, albeit set sometime after Justic League Unlimited and before Batman Beyond, introducing Jessica Cruz and Miss Martian into that series.
- Batman vs. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2019): An adaptation of Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and is a co-production with Nickelodeon. Notable for being a PG-13 movie under Nickelodeon's banner.
- Superman: Red Son (2020): An adaptation of Superman: Red Son. An alternate history tale where Superman's baby rocket lands in the Soviet Union instead of Kansas.
- Batman: Soul of the Dragon (2021): An original story set in The '70s where Batman must join up with three martial arts experts to combat an enemy from his past. This is the sixth movie to be rated R.
- Injustice (2021): An animated adaptation of the video game series of the same name and the prelude comic series.
- Catwoman: Hunted (2022): An original story that pits Catwoman against Batwoman, Interpol, and a group of deadly villains after she steals a valuable gem.
- Batman And Superman Battle Of The Super Sons (2022): An original story in which Jon Kent/Superboy and Damian Wayne/Robin must team up to save the world, the Justice League, and their dads from the menace of Starro. The first all-CGI animated movie for the franchise.
- Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham (2023): An adaptation of Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham.
- Justice League × RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen (2023): An original story tangentially based on the comic book mini-series, with the World's Greatest Superheroes teaming up with the young Huntresses and Hunters of RWBY to save their worlds. Has 2 parts and the second all-CGI entry of the franchise.
- Watchmen (2024): An adaption of the comic of the same name.
Web series:
- Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons: Another CW Seed series, focusing on the eponymous mercenary. Later compiled into full length R rated movie.
DC Showcase shorts:
- DC Showcase: The Spectre (included with Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths): Police detective Jim Corrigan investigates a mysterious murder in the '70s, intervening as the Spectre when the legal system fails.
- DC Showcase: Jonah Hex (included with Batman: Under the Red Hood): Wild West bounty hunter Jonah Hex investigates a potential bounty and contends with a murderous madame instead.
- DC Showcase: Green Arrow (included with Superman/Batman: Apocalypse): Green Arrow defends Perdita, the child queen of Vlatava, from his rival Merlyn and hopeful usurper Count Vertigo.
- Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam (released as its own DVD along with extended versions of the above): Plucky orphan Billy Batson becomes Captain Marvel, champion of the wizard Shazam, just in time to team up with Superman to stop the previous champion turned evil, Black Adam.
- DC Showcase: Catwoman (included with Batman: Year One): Catwoman cruises around Gotham and takes down a diamond smuggling ring, but not before taking a detour to impersonate a stripper.
- DC Showcase: Sgt. Rock (included with Batman: Hush): After finding out he's the sole survivor of an attack that killed the rest of Easy Company, Sgt. Rock is assigned to lead the Creature Commandos against a Nazi lab.
- DC Showcase: Death (included with Wonder Woman: Bloodlines): A Starving Artist recently fired from his job meets a mysterious woman, unaware of who she really is and why she's there.
- DC Showcase: The Phantom Stranger (included with Superman: Red Son): A young woman named Marcie is lured to an old mansion by a group of friends to meet their mysterious friend, only for another mysterious man to warn her away.
- DC Showcase – Batman: Death in the Family (standalone movie): An interactive movie where you can choose the path for Jason Todd — does he die at the hands of the Joker and get resurrected as in Under the Red Hood or does Jason survive somehow?
- DC Showcase: The Losers (included with Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One): Captain Storm, Johnny Cloud, "Mile-a Minute" Jones, rookie Gunner and Sarge find themselves marooned on an uncharted island in the South Pacific that is completely overrun with dinosaurs.
