Options are open to animated features that perhaps wouldn't be available to live-action ones. More 'niche' storylines can be explored without studios worrying as much about sales. Special effects budgets won't balloon, as everything is animated in the first place. The perfect talent to voice a specific character can also be cast, from a totally different pool of skilled performers.DC Comics, as a whole, has this formula down. Several of its animated movies are very well regarded by fans. As with all facets of entertainment, though, some are always better than others. Currently, more than 40 DC Universe Animated Original Movies have been released since 2007, including everything from connected universe stories to stand-alone features and alternate reality spin-offs.Updated December 24, 2021 by Mark Sammut: The DC Universe Animated Original Movies just keeps on expanding, with five new films coming out in 2021 alone. Putting aside the quite disappointing Injustice adaptation, the most recent DC animated movies have been pretty good. Things are also not slowing down anytime soon as three more projects – Catwoman: Hunted, Green Lantern: Beware My Power, and Battle of the Super Sons – have been announced for the future, with the first film coming out on February 8, 2022. For those who are not especially huge fans of the DCEU, they can at least turn to the animated side of things to get their fill of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman. Out of the 40+ plus DC Universe Animated Original Movies, which ones are the best? This article has been expanded to include a few more 2021 releases.
20 Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017) – A Double Agent
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The Titans' second DC animated movie adapts a popular story from the young heroes' comic history, and it does a serviceable job with it. The Judas Contract moves at an absolutely breathless pace in an attempt to cover the full storyline; consequently, the movie does feel like a cliffs notes version of events.
The film introduces Brother Blood and Mother Mayhem while fleshing out Terra following her mid-credits reveal in Justice League vs. Teen Titans. Just in case that wasn't enough, The Judas Contract also has to balance two generations of Titans. Unsurprisingly, a few characters do not get the attention they deserve, however, the film handles Terra's arc quite well. The action is also great throughout.
19 Wonder Woman: Bloodlines (2019) – The Underrepresented Trinity Member
Compared to Superman and Batman, Wonder Woman barely gets a sniff in any of these DC animated movies. After 2009's Wonder Woman, Diana had to wait a decade for another solo adventure.
Wonder Woman: Bloodlines suffers from an uninspired and slow opening act, but the film picks up steam once Silver Swan is introduced. While the animation can be hit and miss, the action is vicious and entertaining, particularly in the final act. Not a must-watch entry in the DC Universe, but a solid Diana-themed adventure.
18 Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009) – President Lex Luthor
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When Lex becomes the leader of the free world and starts a new era of peace that earns the trust of most superheroes, Superman and Batman remain as the exceptions. A meteor and a frame job later, Superman suddenly finds himself as Public Enemy number 1, a position that puts him (and Batman) directly at odds with the likes of Captain Atom, Black Lightning, and Starfire.
At the time of its release, Public Enemies represented a marginal step up in quality for DC animated movies released as part of this universe. Since then, the film has been surpassed, but Public Enemies still holds up in terms of pure entertainment value.
17 Wonder Woman (2009) – Diana's Origin
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Princess Diana's first animated solo movie has been retroactively made to feel slightly unnecessary due to the existence of 2017's Wonder Woman. Both films are origin stories that cover similar ground, and the live-action version is overall superior to the DC Universe's take on the story.
Viewed in a vacuum, 2009's Wonder Woman is smart, well-paced, and expertly cast. The film does an admirable job depicting Diana's time in Themyscira, her relationship with Steve Trevor, and her final battle with Ares. When it comes to the latter, the DC animated movie delivers a more satisfying final encounter than the live-action release.
16 Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (2018) – The Dark Knight Vs Jack The Ripper
While it was around, Elseworlds permitted comic writers to really go against the status quo when it comes to storylines. Comics like the Justice Riders and Kingdom Come are stellar reimaginings of DC's iconic heroes and work well as standalone pieces.
Gotham by Gaslight takes inspiration from the Elseworlds comic with the same title, although the film changes quite a few things in the process. The movie drops Bruce Wayne in a Victorian-era Gotham, as the Dark Knight ends up hot on the tracks of Jack the Ripper. Gotham by Gaslight pushes its mystery to the forefront, limiting action to short bursts. Its story is decent but, unfortunately, somewhat predictable; however, the unique setting helps the film stand out.
15 Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016) – A Battle Of Icons
​​​​Despite the movie's title giving top billing to the more experienced heroic group, Justice League vs. Teen Titans is predominantly the latter's story. When League members fall under Trigon's control, the Titans are faced with the arduous task of taking on and freeing their mentors.
A pivotal entry in Damien Wayne's character arc, Justice League vs. Teen Titans is an enjoyable romp that shines a light on a group that this universe had sidelined for a while. The Trigon storyline has been done to death by this point, but this movie at least presents an interesting twist.
14 Batman: Soul Of The Dragon – Enter The (Richard) Dragon
The DC animated movies do feel a bit samey at times, so it is always refreshing when a project comes along that takes a bit of an unexpected detour. Batman: Soul of the Dragon serves as a tribute to Dennis O'Neil's works from the 1970s as it includes characters like Richard Dragon and O-Sensei from the Dragon Fists novel and Bronze Tiger.
Paying homage to martial arts movies from yesteryear, Batman: Soul of the Dragon is a highly entertaining action romp that features serpent gods and cults. The story is barebones and the characters are underdeveloped as they take a backseat to the battle sequences, but the latter are more than good enough to still make this film a fun sit.
13 Superman: Red Son (2020) – Soviet Superman
Based on Mark Millar's 2003 mini-series, Superman: Red Son has a brilliant core premise: what if the Man of Steel's pod landed in the Soviet Union and not Papa Kent's front lawn? Spread over a couple of decades, Red Son chronicles Superman's rise and fall as a Soviet hero and unwitting propaganda machine.
The film's brilliance lies in its nuanced depiction of this version of Superman. While certainly flawed, Soviet Superman is by no means a full-blown villain; sadly, isolation and paranoia lead him to perform plenty of heinous acts.
12 Justice Society: World War 2 - Flash To The Past
The Flash really needs to take point more often in DC animated movies as he has quite an impressive track record. Released after Apokolips War, Justice Society: World War 2 follows a largely self-contained storyline that prioritizes fun over faithfulness to any specific comic. It is a formula that has worked quite well.
The Flash finds himself stuck in World War 2 where has to team up with Justice Society members such as Wonder Woman, Hawkman, and Black Canary to take on a whole lot of Nazis (among other enemies). Boasting stylish animation that takes the aesthetic of releases like Superman: Man of Tomorrow and throws in a touch of pulpy goodness, Justice Society is charming on both a visual and storytelling level.
11 Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths (2010) – When Villains Are Heroes And Heroes Are Villains
Zack Snyder's Justice League has been a huge discussion point for the DC faithful lately (as has the concept of dream villains the group could tangle with). However, many years before the Director's Cut hit HBO Max, the Justice League were fighting a very different battle. In Crisis on Two Earths, a heroic parallel dimension version of Superman arch-nemesis Lex Luthor seeks out the Justice League's help in dealing with his dimension's evil versions of themselves.
Outlandish as the premise is, it's still an excellent showing for fans who long to see fights between Superman and Ultraman, Batman and Owlman, and many more. This film brings something new to something familiar and fans love its originality.
10 The Death Of Superman (2018) – The Fall Of An Icon
The Death of Superman features a brawl to the death, with the Man of Steel (not to be confused with the movie of the same name) facing off against hulking monster Doomsday. Unsurprisingly, the battle of the two titans ends with not only the defeat of Doomsday but also the death of Superman himself.
Post-credits scenes prepare the way for the follow-up feature Reign of the Supermen, where four new and different heroes emerge all claiming the title of New Superman. The Death of Superman's voice cast even includes sci-fi fan-favorite Nathan Fillion. The film's climactic fight and final scenes are thrilling and heart-wrenching.
9 Batman: Year One (2011) – The Symbol This Town Needs
Likely to share some similar beats to Matt Reeves' upcoming The Batman movie (which could redefine everything fans know about some familiar characters), Batman: Year One follows the Caped Crusader's first year attempting to clean up Gotham. On the other side of the fence, Jim Gordon arrives in Gotham trying to unmask the vigilante his colleagues both hate and fear. The pair eventually find common ground, both committing to making Gotham better.
Fans enjoy this darker and gritty take on Batman's origins, acknowledging it as a worthy entry.
8 Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014) – Good And Evil Converge In A Battle Of Wills
Fans of the Suicide Squad rejoice: Assault on Arkham features the cavalcade of villains, newly recruited by Amanda Waller. Here, they are attempting to recover sensitive information that was stolen by The Riddler. Unsurprisingly, this does not go to plan. Batman, meanwhile, searches through Gotham City in an attempt to find a bomb The Joker has hidden. The Dark Knight inevitably finds his way to Arkham, and all the parties involved try to escape the mess with their lives.
This movie also features legendary Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy, who voiced the hero in Batman: The Animated Series (many surprising voice-actors have also played the part), while showcasing to fans new and old why the Suicide Squad is so beloved (especially Harley Quinn, who has appeared in several great video games in her time).
7 Justice League: Doom (2012) – A Team Taken Down By One Of Their Own
The Justice League is a mighty, seemingly unbeatable force. Villains everywhere vie to discover their secrets and weaknesses, with the team themselves sure they can tackle any obstacle in their path. What would happen, then, if they were assaulted by one of their own? Batman's secret files on the Justice League are stolen by immortal villain Vandal Savage. The League, then, must try to survive the personalized onslaughts thrown their way.
Kevin Conroy returns again to voice-acting duties, along with Nathan Fillion. Fans who were eager to see how the Justice League would escape traps devised by Batman himself watched the title in droves.
6 Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One & Two (2021) – A Murder Mystery Through The Holidays
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Wisely split into two parts, Batman: The Long Halloween does justice by Jeph Loeb's seminal comic. A still green Batman finds himself investigating the murder of a mob boss's nephew; before long, it becomes apparent that Gotham has a serial killer problem (well, another one anyway).
Well paced, decently animated, and built on a gripping mystery that never lets up, Batman: The Long Halloween comes together to tell one of the Dark Knight's most challenging but crucial storylines. Taken as a whole, these flicks rank among the best DC animated movies.
5 Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020) – Heroes Making Magic Together
The sequel to 2017's Justice League: Dark sees a poorly executed attempt at attacking Apokolips, resulting in the deaths of many heroes. Darkseid uses this to his advantage and successfully conquers Earth. A rag-tag crew of surviving heroes have to unite in order to overthrow the intergalactic menace and take back Earth from his clutches. It's a dark storyline, something that DC has become known for, but it's pulled off very well.
This sequel tale of sorts gives fans a chance to see some less-popular heroes get the chance to shine, saving the world while they are at it.
4 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012) – A Weary Hero Fights Again
The first entry of a two-part adventure, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 sees Batman return after a 10-year absence amidst a new surge of dangerous criminals. Now 55-years-old, is Batman still able to fight crime as he once did? Public opinion on Batman is very divided. Gotham's citizens generally welcome his return, while those in the government denounce his tactics.
The Dark Knight Returns adapts a popular graphic novel of the same name by acclaimed comic scribe Frank Miller. Fans love this adaptation for remaining true to the beloved source content.
3 Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) – Heroes Are Running Out Of Time
Barry Allen, The Flash, is the fastest man alive. When adapting the "Speed Force," he can run at such an incredible speed that he can travel through time. Professor Zoom, a time-traveling villain with similar powers, goes back to a specific event and changes it. This has serious ramifications for the DC universe at large. Bruce Wayne isn't Batman, Barry finds he has no powers, and there is a brutal war between the Atlantians and the Amazons.
Fans delight in the time-bending antics of this movie, which showcase DC's commitment to the zanier antics of the wider multiverse.
2 Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) – Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold
There's a new vigilante on the streets in Gotham, one who doesn't share Batman's ethical code. It's up to The Dark Knight to find out all he can about this mysterious figure called The Red Hood. With The Joker out causing mayhem, the two opposed crime fighters are on a direct path of confrontation.
The voice cast includes Jensen Ackles as the Red Hood, who brings impressive life to the polarizing character. A classic Batman tale of woe and hardship, this movie holds up well to repeat viewings.
1 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part Two (2013) – When Knight Meets Steel
This follow-up sees The Joker make his return to fight Batman. Meanwhile, the U.S. Government orders Superman to stop Batman at any cost. The Dark Knight collides with The Man of Steel, as he would again later (in controversial fashion) in live-action.
This movie was the climactic showdown fans were waiting for. This is perhaps the adaptation that fans love the most of all the DC animated features, and it's easy to see why. This is a faithful adaptation of Batman and Superman's greatest fight.