Whether you’re looking for chronology or just the release dates, you’ll find both in our guide to “DC animated movies in order.”
While DC isn’t as successful as Marvel in making live-action movies, it’s the other way around when it comes to animated films since the former has been spawning tons of films since 1993, when the first feature Batman: Mask of the Phantasm came out. After that, about fifty films in the franchise have been released, but don’t be too overwhelmed because you don’t have to watch them all.
Even if you’ve read a lot of comics, DC animated films have a distinct atmosphere that offers the audience a vastly different experience than the comics. So, whether you’re new to the DC universe or a seasoned fan, you may enjoy the films without hesitation. That being said, here’s the best way to watch all DC animated movies in chronological and release order.
DC Animated Movies in Release Order
While the films have been available since the early 1990s, you don’t have to watch them all, considering the majority of them are stand-alone. Instead, simply follow the release order of the essential films listed below.
- Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)
- Justice League: War (2014)
- Son of Batman (2014)
- Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015)
- Nightwing and Robin (2015) – a short film but essential
- Batman vs. Robin (2015)
- Batman: Bad Blood (2016)
- Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016)
- Justice League Dark (2017)
- Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017)
- Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018)
- The Death of Superman (2018)
- Constantine: City of Demons (2018)
- Reign of the Superman (2019)
- Batman: Hush (2019)
- Wonder Woman: Bloodlines (2019)
- Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)
- Constantine: The House of Mystery (2022) – another short film
DC Animated Movies in Chronological Order
Although you won’t miss out on everything if you watch the animated movies in the order they were released, the chronological order is highly advised if you want to truly immerse yourself in the overarching story of the DC animated continuity. So, here’s the ideal chronological order to which you can refer to grasp the essence of the entire story.
- Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)
- Justice League: War (2014)
- Son of Batman (2014)
- Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015)
- Nightwing and Robin (2015)
- Batman vs. Robin (2015)
- Batman: Bad Blood (2016)
- Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016)
- Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018)
- Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (Read the Comic)
- Justice League Dark (2017)
- Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017)
- The Death of Superman (2018)
- The Death of Superman: Part 1 (Comic)
- Reign of the Superman (2019)
- Constantine: City of Demons (2018)
- Batman: Hush (2019)
- Wonder Woman: Bloodlines (2019)
- Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)
- Constantine: The House of Mystery (2022)
Unless you pay close attention to the chronological order, you won’t notice that there are a few differences between it and the release order. To begin, you’ll need to read a pair of comic books, Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay and The Death of Superman: Part 1, because each of them takes place during and after the events of the films and will give you a good sense of what happened before moving on to the next one.
However, it is not mandatory since the movies provide almost everything you need; therefore, it is a matter of personal preference, but the comics are fascinating to read. Furthermore, in the release order, we watch Constantine: City of Demons first, followed by Reign of the Superman, but in chronological order, it’s the other way around.
The reason for this is because Reign of the Superman takes place approximately six months after The Death of Superman, moving Constantine: City of Demons down the list.
Are DC Animated Movies Connected?
While it would be fascinating to see all of the DC animated universe’s stories intertwined, this is not a possibility. As of now, there appear to be just three interrelated universes: DCAU, DCAMU (DC Animated Movie Universe), and Tomorrowverse. The films described above are all part of DCAMU, whereas the Tomorrowverse is wholly different, with DCAU covering all movies and series released prior to 2013.
Related: Top 10 Funniest Animated Movies You Won’t Regret Watching!
We didn’t mention Tomorrowverse films since the series is ongoing, with only a handful of movies released thus far. However, if you want to watch them right away while the integration into a larger universe is still in the works, here’s the order.
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020)
- Justice Society: World War II (2021)
- Batman: The Long Halloween – Part One (2021)
- Batman: The Long Halloween – Part Two (2021)
- Green Lantern: Beware My Power (2022)
- Legion of Super-Heroes (2023)
- Justice League: Warworld (2023)
Where to Watch DC Animated Movies?
While it may appear difficult to find all of the movies on a single streaming platform, the majority of the original films are accessible to watch on HBO Max as well as rent on multiple streaming platforms such as Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu, Redbox, and Microsoft. If you want a simpler approach, you can simply watch a few of them on Prime Video or even obtain a good copy for yourself at the link provided below.
