25 years into the 21st century, it is once again time for Superman to leap onto the big screen (in a single bound). As James Gunn prepares to launch a new DC universe, the writer/director has hinged the start of the franchise on the Man of Steel himself.

But now that “Superman” is out, where does it rank among the best DC superhero movies this century? Does it even make the cut? How many Batman movies will crack the top 10? Read on to find out.

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Before you continue reading, rest assured that there will be no spoilers for 2025’s “Superman” in this article.

12. “Blue Beetle”

If one had to sum up DC Comics in a single word, “Heart” would be a hard answer to beat. “Blue Beetle” wears its heart on its sleeve. The family-based superhero film came late in the DCEU, yet it highlights what the franchise could — and should — have been from the beginning. It’s a simple origin story, but one that boasts an exceptional cast (anchored by Xolo Maridueña) and focused premise. The work may seem minor, but the emotions feel major.

11. “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story”

“Superman: Secret Identity” is a comic by Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen about a boy who, in a world where Superman only exists as a comic book character, gains the powers of the Man of Steel. Despite not being about the real Superman at all, “Secret Identity” stands as one of the character’s best comics, exploring what this hero means and represents to the world. “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve” story operates in a similar way in the DC canon. This documentary, centered on the iconic “Superman” star, highlights a man who represented the tenets of DC’s most iconic hero in the real world. It’s an emotional, effective film that reminds viewers that, even if they can’t fly or use heat vision, even if they err, they can still tap into Superman’s greatest powers: his compassion, his goodness and his humanity. This documentary, like Reeve himself, perfectly understands what makes Superman a lasting icon.

10. “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”

Cards on the table: I am not a fan of Zack Snyder’s interpretation of the DC universe. The director’s gritty portrayal of Superman struggles between feeling inspired and being antithetical to the character. “Batman v Superman” drives these ideas further into the muck. But whereas “Man of Steel” is a movie about how viewers understand Clark Kent as a man and “Batman v Superman” is about the world views Kal-El as an alien, “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” concludes the trilogy by focusing on Superman as a symbol. The four-hour epic is filled with compelling scenes and bold choices, building to a finale with genuine pathos. Ray Fisher’s turn as Cyborg is, in particular, a revelation. Not everything in the so-called “Snyder Cut” works, but with room to breathe, the former DC helmer assembles a superhero team worth watching.

9. “Batman: Under the Red Hood”

Representing all of DC’s extensive home-video animated catalog on this list, “Batman: Under the Red Hood” is one of the few comic book adaptations to arguably improve upon the source material. The movie directly draws from the “Under the Hood” storyline written by Judd Winick with art from Doug Mahnke. This storyline notably resurrected Jason Todd as a temporary villain after the former Robin was killed following a 1988 call-in poll. The movie, directed by Brandon Vietti and written by Winick himself, simplifies the story by removing the mountain of “Infinite Crisis” context in the comic book. Anchored by a phenomenal performance from Jensen Ackles as the titular Red Hood, this film is a moving portrayal of Batman’s reckoning with one of his greatest failures.

8. “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)”

At the time of its release, “Birds of Prey” felt like a true breath of fresh air for the DC Universe. Cathy Yan dials up the fun and color of comic books to make a truly enjoyable showcase for some of DC’s cinematically undersung leading ladies. Unburdened from the shackles of 2016’s “Suicide Squad,” Margot Robbie establishes her turn as Harley Quinn as a character-defining performance. “Birds of Prey” struggles at times under the weight of an exposition-heavy story and strange characterizations — Cassandra Cain, in particular, feels like a character that would work better with any other name. Still, when this movie works, it’s an absolute delight. The final act alone is one of the DCEU’s strongest stretches.

7. “The Lego Batman Movie”

Speaking of delightful, Chris McKay’s “The Lego Batman Movie” stands as the heir apparent to Adam West’s run as Batman. The animated movie presents a comedy-heavy Batman adventure with an immense love for the character’s history on the page and the screen. Will Arnett reprises his hilarious role as Batman in “The Lego Movie,” this time joined by Michael Cera as Robin, Ralph Fiennes as Alfred, Rosario Dawson as Batgirl and Zach Galifianakis. The jokes in this movie land at an alarming rate, reminiscent of a modern, IP-heavy take on a ZAZ comedy. At the same time, the film makes space for insightful and sentimental commentary about one of the biggest figures in pop culture. It’s a shame that the “Godfather”-inspired sequel focusing on the World’s Finest duo never came to pass.

6. “Superman” (2025)

James Gunn’s latest sees the writer/director take on the challenge of adapting the most recognizable superhero of all time — and pass with flying colors. “Superman” portrays a fully realized version of Clark Kent/Kal-El, painting the alien as an undeniably human hero. David Corenswet gives a charming, relatable performance as the larger-than-life pop culture icon alongside Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult, who rank among the best Lois Lanes and Lex Luthors to date. Gunn’s movies often carry distinctly “comic booky” tones, but “Superman” in particular feels like a six-issue trade come to life — almost always for the better.

5. “Batman Begins”

Several interconnected franchises later, Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins” remains one of the strongest superhero debuts to date. The movie goes deep into the early days of the Dark Knight, exploring Bruce’s training, conflicts with organized crime and first supervillain encounters. Bale immediately establishes himself as one of the great Batman actors, taking a more reserved approach to the character (and specifically his voice) than would be shown in his later entries. Nolan takes his time to painstakingly develop from an angry child to a symbol of hope for Gotham — a trait that will come up more than once on this list.

4. “Wonder Woman”

The DC trinity of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman accounts for three of the most popular superheroes of all time. With around 10 theatrical features dedicated to Batman and Superman each, it’s astounding that it took until 2017 for Wonder Woman to headline her own film. But Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” was worth the wait. After the false start of “Batman v Superman,” “Wonder Woman” showed what the DCEU could be at its best: an epic, focused, emotional story about a hero lying at the intersection of god and mortal. Jenkins refines themes touched on in Snyder’s Superman movies in a film that feels of a pair with the larger universe and, at the same time, a breath of fresh air. Third-act battle aside, “Wonder Woman” is one of the best superhero movies of all time — and how many of them don’t struggle with an ending CGI fight?

3. “The Suicide Squad”

James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad” finds the new DC architect in his strongest form. Gunn repeats his “Guardians of the Galaxy” formula by taking undersung characters from the DC universe and giving them a chance to shine together as a unit. Somehow, it avoids feeling recursive entirely, coming together as an emotional and vibrant comic book adventure. Gunn acknowledges the humor in this band of misfits, but he never looks down on them, finding pathos in some of the sillier characters adapted by the Big 2. “Superman” may feel like a comic book trade put on screen, but “The Suicide Squad” feels like a handful of $1 back issues brought to life in all the best ways.

2. “The Dark Knight”

What can be said about “The Dark Knight” that hasn’t been already? Nolan’s “Batman Begins” follow-up sees Batman struggle against a new class of criminal in the light of his early days as Gotham’s protector. Heath Ledger’s Joker arrives on-screen like a rocket, altering how actors, writers and audiences would perceive the character for years to come. The action sings, the music soars and the character drama around Bruce Wayne works on every level. The impact of “The Dark Knight” on the next 15 years of Hollywood can hardly be overstated.

1. “The Batman”

Either way, Batman was going at the top of this list. Robert Pattinson commands the screen as perhaps the best cinematic Batman yet, perfectly capturing Bruce Wayne’s twin desires to descend into darkness and drag himself into the light. Matt Reeves and cinematographer Greig Fraser beautifully render Gotham in this detective-heavy adventure with the Caped Crusader. The way this movie deconstructs the idea of Batman’s quest for vengeance is nothing short of brilliant. “The Batman” looks in the eye of every depressingly dreary take on the character, spawned from woeful misreadings of projects like Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns” and Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy, and says, “I have to become more.”

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