WATCH ORDER
DC Movies Watch Order: The DCEU (2013–2023) and the New DCU (2025–)
DC · Updated Sep 14, 2026
DC's film universe isn't one continuous timeline — it's two. The DCEU (Zack Snyder's Man of Steel through 2023's Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom) is a closed, complete 16-film era with real continuity threads. James Gunn's DCU relaunched the universe from scratch starting with 2025's Superman — none of the DCEU's continuity carries over. Treat them as two separate watch lists, not one.
The DCEU (2013–2023) — release order
1.
Man of Steel (2013) — TMDB 49521
2.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) — TMDB 209112
3.
Suicide Squad (2016) — TMDB 297761
4.
Wonder Woman (2017) — TMDB 297762
5.
Justice League (2017) — TMDB 141052 (or substitute #10 below — see note)
6.
Aquaman (2018) — TMDB 297802
7.
Shazam! (2019) — TMDB 287947
8.
Birds of Prey (2020) — TMDB 495764
9.
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) — TMDB 464052
10.
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) — TMDB 791373
11.
The Suicide Squad (2021) — TMDB 436969
12.
Black Adam (2022) — TMDB 436270
13.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) — TMDB 594767
14.
The Flash (2023) — TMDB 298618
15.
Blue Beetle (2023) — TMDB 565770
16.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) — TMDB 572802
Justice League note: the 2017 theatrical cut (#5) and 2021's Zack Snyder's Justice League (#10) tell the same story very differently. Most fans recommend skipping the theatrical cut entirely and watching only the four-hour Snyder Cut in its place — but include it here for completeness since some later films reference beats specific to the theatrical version.
The DCU (2025–) — James Gunn's relaunch
New continuity, new cast, starts fresh. No DCEU homework required.
Where to start if you only have a weekend
Man of Steel → Wonder Woman → Zack Snyder's Justice League covers the DCEU's best-reviewed entries and the arc Snyder actually intended. For the new era, just start with Superman (2025).