Comic book movies are everywhere, but few have had the wild life of Zack Snyder's Justice League. After the director departed Justice League due to a personal tragedy, Joss Whedon finished it and greatly altered its contents. For years fans campaigned to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut, which eventually happened back in 2021 for those with a HBO Max subscription. The director has been posting tons of DCEU throwbacks, despite DC Co-CEO James Gunn crating a new shared universe. Snyder once again posted more Justice League content on social media, although fans are split in the comment ssection.

Back in October of 2025, Zack Snyder joined Instagram and began posting DC throwbacks from his time with the studio. The latest as a gripping new poster for the Snyder Cut, and has gotten a ton of engagement. You can see the image in question below:

This image is pretty gorgeous, and inspired plenty of comments from Snyder's 861k followers on Instagram. While previous DC throwbacks exclusively featured folks begging for Warner Bros. to #RestoreTheSnyderVerse, there are also some critics to take umbrage with Zack Snyder's constant posting in the midst of the DCU's life in theaters. Some of the responses include:

• You showed superman in the form of m*rderer, not hope. The comic accurate and real superman will always be James gunn's Superman.
• Ok you need to release it!!!!! #restorethesnyderverse
• Is something happening right now? The tease is clear and more clearer now.
• Can you please get over this? Nobody is waiting for this to come back.
• We need sequels!

This is only the latest time that some folks took umbrage with Zack Snyder's DC throwbacks. The director has droves of loyal fans who would still like to see his two planned Justice League sequels come together, but there are also moviegoers who think it's rude or tired for the same conversation to still be happening... especially since we've got a new Man of Steel in David Corenswet's Superman.

While there are some folks who are still holding out hope for the studio to #RestoreTheSnyderVerse, that seems like a bit of a pipe dream at this point. After all, the DCEU is in the rear view, with James Gunn bringing us the first slate of DCU projects titled Gods and Monsters.

Both versions of Justice League are streaming on HBO Max and the next upcoming DC movie hitting theaters is Supergirl June 26th as part of the 2026 movie release list.

The comic book genre continues to be wildly popular, and has shown no real sign of slowing down anytime soon. Fans who spent years watching the DC movies in order have watched as the DCEU ended, and co-CEO James Gunn crafted a new shared universe in theaters (and streaming with a HBO Max subscription). Recently Zack Snyder has been sharing throwbacks on Instagram, showing some BTS images from his time on projects like Man of Steel and Justice League. The latest of which showed Henry Cavill striking a truly iconic pose, and I can't get enough.

While moviegoers are invested in upcoming DC movies and the first slate of DCU projects (titled Gods and Monsters), we've also been looking backward as a result of Snyder's various IG throwbacks. The latest of which shows Cavill's Clark Kent as he's opening his shirt to become Superman. Check it out below:

I mean, how cool is that? This pose is a huge part of Superman lore, both on the comics and the screen. Countless times throughout the years Clark Kent has seen Metropolis need his help, and stripped his casual clothes off to reveal the Superman suit that he wears underneath it. And Henry Cavill looks pretty pitch striking this iconic pose.

Snyder shared this to his 690k followers on Instagram, a number that's constantly growing as a result of his various DCEU throwbacks. The director's face in the image is pretty priceless, and he looks to be both delighted and thoroughly geeking out at bringing this moment to life. Given his love for all things DC, can you blame him?

Zack Snyder has been posting a ton of throwbacks with Cavill recently, making it clear who is favorite onscreen Superman is. The pair were able to collaborate on three blockbusters together: Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, as well as the theatrical cut of Justice League. His caption for the above Instagram post mentions that the photo was from Zack Snyder's Justice League, but he didn't actually participate in reshoots for the Snyder Cut. Still, the filmmaker found a way to rework previously captured footage to complete the film, and tease what his two planned Justice League sequels would have been like.

With every new post, the director's fans take to the comments section to plead with Warner Bros. to #RestoreTheSnyderVerse. There isn't any indication the studio is going to move forward, especially with the newly formed DCEU still in its infancy. Alas, that hasn't discouraged those fans.

The next DC movie hitting theaters is Supergirl on June 26th as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to wait and see what DCEU throwbacks Zack Snyder treats us to next.

Zack Snyder has been a busy man on social media as of late. Near the end of 2025, Snyder finally joined Instagram and, since then, he’s been treating fans to some cool photos from the DC Extended Universe films. From pics of Henry Cavill’s Superman to snapshots of Ben Affleck’s Batfleck, the filmmaker definitely seems to be feeling nostalgic. More recently, Snyder devoted a post to a few more pics from his version of Justice League. That post is also accompanied by the reveal of a wish he has, and it really has me thinking.

While many of Snyder’s posts have been devoted to the heroes of the DCEU, he recently took some time to shine the spotlight on one of its greatest villains. Snyder shared two photos from what appeared to be a private screening of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and they show the silver and spikey Steppenwolf (who’s voiced by Ciarán Hinds in the superhero team-up film). Take a look at the DC Comics antagonist in the photos below:

The director’s cut of JL gave Steppenwolf a bit more than just a shiny new look. It also fleshed out his relationship with Darkseid, the incredibly powerful ruler of the planet Apokolips. While Steppenwolf’s role in the theatrical cut was panned, I’d argue he does indeed get more of the spotlight in Snyder’s version of the film. On a separate note, it’s also sweet to see the character on a massive screen, and that actually ties in with the one wish Snyder mentions in his post:

While I may have had a somewhat up-and-down relationship with the DCEU, I can’t help but imagine how cool it would be to see Zack Snyder’s Justice League in a premium format like IMAX. The film was released, after years of fan campaigning, in 2021 and was made available with an HBO Max subscription. With that, fans didn’t have the opportunity to see the four-hour flick on the big screen. Certain moments, including that third-act sequence that sees The Flash enter the Speed Force to reverse time, would look great in a theater.

Considering Snyder’s wish, some may be tempted to wonder whether a theatrical release is possible for JL. I’d honestly say that, at this point, the chances of that happening seem somewhat slim, especially since we’re now several years removed from the movie’s streaming release. I’m not saying it’s impossible, of course, though DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran have other priorities as they continue to work through DCU Chapter 1.

DCEU fans can continue to live vicariously through Zack Snyder’s continuing flow of BTS photos, which have also shown Wonder Woman and Cyborg. And, of course, those who want to check his version of Justice League – alongside his other entries in the since-ended DC film universe – can still head over to HBO Max to check them out.

It’s not uncommon for people to take part in social media challenges, and fans of Zack Snyder’s just became the beneficiaries of his participation in a recent trend. As of late, users have been taking part in the 2016 challenge, which involves sharing photos taken a decade ago. During that point in time, Snyder was still immersed in the world of the DC Extended Universe, as he worked on his Justice League movie. So, as part of the viral challenge, Snyder dropped a number of sweet BTS pics that had fans feeling nostalgic.

Since Snyder joined Instagram in late 2025, he’s delighted fans with more than a few sweet mementos that signify his time working within the world of DC. From throwback pics of Ben Affleck’s Batman to sweet snapshots of Henry Cavill’s Superman, Snyder seems to have a lot of photos. The filmmaker took to IG again just recently and dropped photos from the production of Justice League, which featured the aforementioned actors along with Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa and more. Take a look at Snyder’s post:

There’s a sweet mixture of images in that carousel, as some show actors like Ray Fisher and Connie Nielsen alongside Zack Snyder himself. Additionally, there are sketches and notes – which may or may not have been written by Snyder himself, which seem to show what he was planning for his overall story. I have to admit it’s kind of a trip seeing these photos a decade, as I can still remember the lead-up to Justice League’s release. Snyder’s post is also a keen reminder that time really flies.

It was probably a given that fans of the since-ended DCEU continuity would be in their feelings over these photos. Many took to the comment section to share their enthusiasm over seeing the Dawn of the Dead helmer’s photos. Some not only expressed excitement but also conveyed some fans’ long-held hope that the Snyderverse will be revived. Check out some of them:

• Zack SYNDER is dropping the Jewels ❤️🔥 - eventide__photography_and_film
• 🔥 👏😮 absolutely awesome throwback. We all love seeing these behind the scenes. Really appreciate your vision for DC! Would love more to come. - vfx_central
• The Holy Trinity 🔥 🥹👏🏻🤘🏻🥃 - yerar_88
• Love this mythological DC so much! - mrvegaofficial
• Treating these characters like works of art ❤️ - el_gabe_real
• Really hoping we get to see 5 and 6 put to the screen! - leodukemusic

A lot of the photos that Zack Snyder has been sharing have sparked new calls from #RestoreTheSnyderverse devotees. The chances of that happening seem slim at this point, considering DC Studios is continuing to build out its DCU continuity amid Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters. Still, fans can, of course, live vicariously through Snyder’s photos and check out his DCEU movies (which are streamable with an HBO Max subscription).

Snyder’s tenure with the DCEU ended abruptly and tragically when he stepped away from Justice League in 2017 following the death of his daughter, Autumn. Joss Whedon was then notably brought in to oversee reshoots and rewrites, and his theatrical version of the movie was ultimately panned by fans and critics. After years of fans campaigning for a director’s cut, the four-hour Zack Snyder’s Justice League (or the “Snyder Cut”) was released. Snyder’s version was ultimately better received than its theatrical counterpart.

Today, Zack Snyder seems to have warm feelings about his time working with DC’s iconic characters, and the photos he’s shared are a nice way to commemorate that time in his life. It’s hard to predict what Snyder might post next, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he still has some awesome photos in his archives just waiting to be posted.

The superhero genre's popularity shows no signs of slowing down, especially with DC co-CEO James Gunn's inception of the newly formed DCU. The first slate of projects is called Gods and Monsters, and we've been treated to two shows and a movie so far (which are streaming with an HBO Max subscription). But some fans are still invested in the former DCEU, and when Zack Snyder posted a photo of Cyborg actor Ray Fisher, the responses all said pretty much the same thing.

Zack Snyder recently joined Instagram, and has been posting photos of the DCEU's stars like Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, and (you guessed it) Ray Fisher. He famously played Cyborg in both versions of Justice League, and had an especially emotional story in the Snyder Cut. The titular filmmaker recently posted a photo of the actor as Victor Stone, check it out below:

Talk about a striking image. Rather than being in full Cyborg regalia, this shows Fisher covering up half of his face with his hand, while wearing Victor's letterman jacket from Gotham City University. This post was shared to Snyder's 616k followers on Instagram, and the comments section started popping off immediately.

Zack Snyder fans are known for their passion, including the years-long campaign for the Snyder Cut's release. As such, the comments section in this post is very active, with fans wanting Warner Bros. to #RestoreTheSnyderVerse and/or bring back Ray Fisher's Cyborg in the new shared universe. You can check out some popular responses below:

• Ray fisher is a Underrated Actor 😢 - zacksnyderfans
• #restorethesnyderverse 🙏🏽 - the.jayrod
• We need cyborg flash movie #restorethesnyderverse - akkizac019
• Don't tease us. Make it happen - chandra_purba
• We need more! #restorethesnyderverse - chris7aton

If you've been paying attention to the filmmaker's work and his fans since his version of Justice League was released, this type of response might not be too surprising. Shortly after Zack Snyder's Justice League was released, fans started asking the studio to #RestoreTheSnyderVerse. There's no indication that the studio is actually interested in this, especially with James Gunn's new DCU still in its infancy. But that hasn't stopped folks from making their voices heard.

It's currently unclear what Gunn has planned for Cyborg and if/when the character might pop up in upcoming DC movies or TV shows. The DCEU was retconned out of existence in Peacemaker's Season 2 premiere, and with it Ray Fisher's signature character.

While Cyborg was the heart of Zack Snyder's Justice League, Ray Fisher's allegations against Zack Snyder and the powers that be at Warner Bros. in some ways overshadowed his work in the DCEU. While there's no indication that he's going to play Cyborg again a future DC title, the actor has continued working with Snyder on the Rebel Moon franchise (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription).

Fisher's work in both version of Justice League are available now on HBO Max. Looking to the future, he's attached to a number of films on the 2026 movie release list and beyond.

It's an interesting time in the comic book genre, as the DCU is still in its infancy. Created by co-CEO James Gunn, the first slate of projects is titled Gods and Monsters and includes both movie and TV projects. Following Superman's time in theaters, the new season of Peacemaker has begun for those with an HBO Max subscription. Sorry, Henry Cavill fans but the Justice League (and entire DCEU) was retconned in the first episode.

Peacemaker Season 2 is finally here, and the first episode set the internet ablaze. Fans who spent years watching the DC movies in order were surprised by how Gunn decided to tell fans what was canon in the new DCU. That includes the Peacemaker finale's cameos, which featured a brief appearance by the Justice League, including dialogue from Ezra Miller's Flash and Jason Momoa's Aquaman. Instead we saw the Justice Gang from Superman (Kal-El and Milly Alcock's Supergirl). And just like that, it's like the previous shared universe was never there at all.

The scene itself played out almost identically to what went down in Season 1. During the "previously in the DCU" sequence that started the episode (and clarified what was being kept from the DCEU), we once again saw the Justice Gang (not League) arriving after the final battle. They are mostly silhouettes, with the exception being Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl and Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner, who replaced Miller and Momoa. You can check out the group assembled below, this time with figures from the growing DCU.

Seeing this ensemble together, albeit briefly, is pretty exciting. But it might hurt for fans of Cavill and the original cast, who have seemingly ended their tenures as those characters. It's interesting that Supergirl was included as a member of the team, as her Superman cameo made it seem like she was more interested in partying than saving people. Plus Metamorpho was noticeably absent after seemingly joining the group in David Corenswet's movie.

While this is the final nail in the coffin for the DCEU, I thought this was a really effective way for Gunn to clarify what is and isn't canon in this new shared universe. He even shot a scene with Peacemaker and Harcourt to explain his antagonistic relationship with Green Lantern Guy Gardner. As we saw in the Peacemaker Season 2 trailer, both he and Hawkgirl are there during his interview to join the Justice Gang.

There's no telling what surprises and cameos might be coming our way with Season 2 of John Cena's DC series. The first season showed the multiverse being in use, so the sky's the limit here.

New episodes of Peacemaker air Thursdays on HBO Max as part of the 2025 TV premiere list. Although I'm not going to hold out hope that he actually joins the Justice Gang.

The Justice League is arguably DC Comics’ most famous superhero team, and when the DC Extended Universe franchise was running, we got to see this team form in 2017 on the big screen to… less-than-ideal results. Will the DCEU’s successor, the DC Universe, follow suit and feature its own Justice League? James Gunn, who co-runs DC Studios with Peter Safran, has opened up on that subject, as well how the Justice Gang seen in his Superman reboot compares to the classic team.

What’s Happening With The DCU’s Justice League?

Unlike the DCEU, the DCU’s Earth is a world where the public has known about metahumans, i.e. super-powered individuals for 300 years, per Gunn. However, the filmmaker informed EW ahead of Superman’s release on the 2025 movies schedule that this shared continuity hasn’t reached a point yet where the Justice League has formed, although he’s definitely been thinking about them, saying:

James Gunn also responded with a sly, “Sure,” when he was asked if the Justice League factors into his larger plans for the DCU’s Gods and Monsters slate. Gunn clarified that he doesn’t want audiences to feel bogged down by continuity ties in the DCU, specifically noting that one doesn’t need to see Superman to enjoy the next upcoming DC movie, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. It’s important for him that “anybody can dip in and see the story that is up next and not feel like they're missing information.”

That being said, there’s also a “much bigger story” that’s being told in the DCU amidst these “specific stories” that “will take a little bit longer to tell.” So it’s hard to say when we will learn how the Justice League fits into the vision Gunn is crafting, but it is good to know we’ll see this group of superheroes someday. Lineup-wise, it’s a good bet that David Corenswet’s Superman, The Brave and the Bold’s Batman and Wonder Woman (who’s getting her own DCU movie) will be part of the founding lineup, just like in the comics.

How Does The Justice Gang Compare?

In the meantime, Superman will see the Man of Steel fighting alongside the Justice Gang, comprised of Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific, Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl and Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner. This team is sponsored by Sean Gunn’s tech billionaire character Maxwell Lord, so there’s definitely a corporate bent to them, which is exemplified by their matching uniforms. Here’s how James Gunn described the Justice Gang:

I certainly wasn’t expecting the Justice Gang to betray Superman during the movie, but I also like that this trio won’t have the same kind of squeaky-clean image as the Justice League often does. And for those who end up liking this particular team, you’ll be seeing more of its members in upcoming superhero movies. Fillion and Merced will be back a month later when Peacemaker Season 2 premieres on the 2025 TV schedule, and Gathegi said Superman “isn’t the only project” that he’ll be in.

The Justice League may not be assembled yet in the DCU, but we’re not lacking in superheroes to follow along with in this franchise still in its infancy. Superman flies into theaters on July 11.

There are some who hope that somehow, someway, through Hollywood magic Zack Snyder will get to finish his Justice League vision. Sadly, that’s not happening on the 2025 movie schedule, if ever; but it is important to realize what fans and studio execs achieved when the Snyder Cut was released in 2021.

And one party that still acknowledges just how wild it is that Zack Snyder’s Justice League exists is its Batman/Bruce Wayne, actor Ben Affleck. During GQ’s recent interview with Affleck, the multi-hyphenate was grilled on practically his entire filmography. Through his background as an actor/director who understands the complications of capturing a vision, Ben Affleck started recalling the complications of this experience thusly:

In its initial form, Warner Bros. decision makers used those twin influences to justify the decision of having Avengers mastermind Joss Whedon complete and recut what became Justice League’s “rough, uneven, and downright ugly” 2017 theatrical cut. The reception from fans and critics proved that decision was not exactly the best, which led to a movement to “release the Snyder Cut” - which eventually happened three years later.

But even in reflecting on that point, Ben Affleck can relate with the moviemaking process and how it can complicate things. Sharing his further thoughts on the matter, the Argo director offered this insight:

Bringing us back to the here and now, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is the full fledged version of a crucial chapter to Zack Snyder’s intended five-film arc with DC's metahumans. As a notable cinematic achievement, as well as a Max subscription driver, restoring the story that the Watchmen director wanted to tell is something viewers still appreciate the existence of.

Rounding out the reasons why that’s the case, Affleck ran through these Zack Snyder trademarks, and why this is something to celebrate:

All of this talk about rare chances to get to revisit a story couldn’t have come at a better time. As J.K. Simmon’s recent comments on The Accountant 2 showed just how hard Ben Affleck and director Gavin O’Connor worked to make it happen; that sequel’s impending arrival is also something worth celebrating.

Whether the end result is widely accepted, panned, or lands somewhere in the middle, allowing a creative to fulfill their initial vision is a good thing. We may never see the final acts of Zack Snyder’s operatic superhero spectacle, but at least Zack Snyder’s Justice League still exists as a monument to what could have been. In the meantime, you can catch Mr. Affleck’s return as Christian Wolff in The Accountant 2, which is set to hit theaters on April 25th.

There have been so many excellent interpretations of Batman since the character’s conception in 1939. What may be my favorite, though, is the version of the Dark Knight that Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski created for the once-burgeoning DC Animated Universe. Voiced effortlessly by the late Kevin Conroy, this take on Bruce Wayne is incredibly three-dimensional and, on multiple occasions, he proved himself to be an absolute legend. On that note, we’re going to discuss more than 30 of his most defining moments.

Scarecrow’s Fear Toxin Is No Match For Batman’s Will

Batman: Animated Series’ “Nothing to Fear” sees the titular hero facing off with Scarecrow for the first time. During the episode, Batman finds himself impacted by the villain’s fear toxin and sees hallucinations. By the end, though, the Bat overcomes his fears naturally while confronting the straw-covered baddie. And it's during that confrontation that he utters the iconic line, “I am vengeance... I am the night... I am BATMAN!”

Batman Sits With Ace Until Her Death

A DCAU episode that really resonates with me (and likely other fans) is Justice League Unlimited’s “Epilogue.” The installment features a scene with the Bat, who’s been tasked with killing psychic Royal Flush Gang member Ace using a special weapon. Instead, the do-gooder spares her and sits with the terminally ill young lady until she dies. The decision is not just a testament to the Caped Crusader’s heroism but his propensity for compassion as well.

Batman Sings “Am I Blue?” To Save Wonder Woman

It’s hard to forget “This Little Piggy” from Justice League: Unlimited’s first season, which sees Wonder Woman transformed into a swine by the vengeful Circe. Batman leads the charge to save his teammate and, in the end, he’s forced to perform a rendition of “Am I Blue” to save Diana. Not only is he successful, but he also reveals his smooth vocals.

Bruce Wayne Fights Kyodai Ken By The Side Of A Volcano

On BTAS, Bruce Wayne has a couple of encounters with the devious Kyodai Ken, who he trained alongside as a student of Yoru. Their second run-in sees the two having a final battle on the volcanic Mount Kajiiki. Wayne emerges victorious, and Kyodai bows to him before seemingly dying amid a sea of lava.

Batman Convinces His Justice Lord Counterpart To Switch Allegiances

The vigilante and his fellow Justice Leaguers find themselves in a parallel universe in the two-parter “A Better World” (two of the best JL episodes). While he and the team are faced with dictator counterparts called the Justice Lords who want to invade their world, Batman manages to convince his variant to help his team escape. The OG Bat does so by questioning his doppelganger whether their parents would approve of his life choices.

Dr. Destiny Can’t Top The Dark Knight’s Mental Strength

Anyone who needs proof of Batman’s mental toughness merely needs to watch Justice League’s “Only A Dream.” In it, the team faces the dream-hopping Doctor Destiny, who manages to incapacitate most of the league. Yet Destiny is unable to enter the Bat’s mind, which provides an opening for the hero to trap the villain in his own dreams.

Batman Risks His Life To Steer A Missile Off Course

The monstrous Doomsday re-emerges in Justice League Unlimited’s “Doomsday Sanction,” leading Cadmus member General Eiling to launch a nuclear cruise missile with a Kryptonite warhead at the crime-ridden San Baquero. Batman ultimately uses a Javelin (aircraft) to latch onto the projectile and have it overshoot the island. The hero survives using an escape pod but is left injured.

Batman Dodges Darkseid’s Omega Beams

It’s hard to forget the sight of Batman avoiding the villainous Darkseid’s omega beams, which zig and zag until they hit their target. As noted by the ruler of Apokolips himself in JLU’s “Destroyer,” no one has ever done that, and Bats deserves credit not just for accomplishing it but also for making the Big Bad say “impressive.”

Bruce Wayne Easily Fights Off Jokerz In His 70s

Though he’s a senior citizen by the events of Batman Beyond (one of the best iterations of the character), Bruce Wayne is still a force to be reckoned with on the show. He proved that early on when teamed up with Terry McGinnis to take down members of the Jokerz gang when they trail him to Wayne’s property in the pilot, “Rebirth.” Don’t mess with a seasoned man with a cane.

Batman Cleverly Escapes Riddler’s Death Trap

One of the best BTAS villains, Riddler nearly ends Batman’s life in “Riddler’s Reform,” when he traps the crime fighter in a convention center with a bomb. In the end, the Bat escapes, despite there seemingly being no available exits. Sometime after taking out the criminal mastermind, Bruce reveals that he survived the blast by getting into a nearby safe. This is only made better by the fact that he doesn’t reveal the means of his escape to Riddler, who loudly questions it at Arkham Asylum.

Batman Taunts Rupert Thorne With A Weakened Bane

Want to talk about a serious flex? In the Batman: The Animated Series episode “Bane,” the tough hero not only beats the imposing assassin but saves him from a venom overload as well. Bats then takes the de-powered man to his employer, Rupert Thorne, and asks for a better challenge, before alerting Thorne to his secretary and Bane’s plan to kill him.

The Injustice League Is Fooled By Batman

In the Justice League story “Injustice for All,” the World’s Greatest Detective is captured by the Injustice League. However, he eventually escapes by making a deal with the Ultra-Humanite and frames Cheetah for the betrayal.

Batman Fools Four Of His Greatest Enemies While In Disguise

“Almost Got ‘Im” is one of the greatest BTAS episodes – and for good reason. In it, several of Batman’s greatest foes recall instances in which they nearly bested him. The twist ending, though, involves Batman revealing himself to be disguised as bad guy Killer Croc in order to get information as part of a police sting operation. It’s a satisfying installment, with an excellent conclusion.

Superman Is Chastised By Batman For Hesitating To Help Darkseid

Not too many people can chew out the Man of Steel, but that’s exactly what Gotham’s top hero does when Darkseid approaches the Justice League for help defending Apokolips from Brainiac in “Twilight.” After laying out the ways in which the villain has hurt Supes, the Bat tells him to “get over it” and to cry him a river.

Batman De-Orbits The Watchtower To Prevent The Thanagarian Invasion

The Justice League series finale “Starcrossed” sees the team trying to defend the Earth from a Thanagarian invasion, which involves a wormhole projector called the Hyperspace Bypass Generator. Ultimately, the group decides to destroy it with the Watchtower, and Batman surprises his teammates by risking his life manually steering the base into the device.

Batman Trolls Amanda Waller While Defending Long Shadow

Cadmus’ Amanda Waller doesn’t take guff from anyone, though Batman one-ups her from time to time. When she and her gun-toting comrades try to take dying Ultimen member Long Shadow into their custody in JLU’s “Ultimatum,” Bats, Superman and Aquaman shield the young man. Waller and co. back down after the Batman cheekily says, “mine are bigger than yours.”

Batman Interrogates A Burglar And Throws Him For A Loop

After three burglars break into S.T.A.R. Labs in Justice League’s “Maid of Honor,” Batman captures one of them for interrogation. The Kaznian thief derides the hero in his native tongue, saying that Leaguer can’t understand him and won’t get the info he seeks. However, after the spiel, Bats shocks the crook by speaking the language and saying, “I can and you will…”

Bruce Wayne Risks His Life To Help Terry McGinnis Take Down Inque

It’s explained in “Disappearing Inque” – a Batman Beyond episode – that shortly before his retirement from crime-fighting, Bruce Wayne developed an exosuit to increase his endurance and strength as he aged. Said armor took a toll on his heart, but Bruce ended up breaking it out again – and risking his health – to help protégé Terry defeat the shapeshifting Inque.

Batman Fights His Way Out Of The Mad Hatter’s Simulation

“Perchance to Dream” is one of the greatest BTAS installments and sees Bruce Wayne waking up in a perfect reality, where his parents are even still alive. Wayne eventually realizes it’s not real and uses his mental strength to fight (and even take down a hallucination of Batman) in order to escape a device created by the Mad Hatter.

A Blind Batman Defeats The Penguin

The Dark Knight’s been in a number of precarious situations and, in Batman: The Animated Series’ “Blind as a Bat,” he finds himself temporarily blinded. While he later makes use of a sensor aid, the headpiece is unintentionally powered down during his battle with Penguin. Yet the blind vigilante bests the monocle-wearing gangster using a water valve and a steam-filled room.

Bruce Wayne Snaps Terry McGinnis Out Of Spellbinder’s Trance

Spellbinder, a villain who specializes in mind control, takes control of several Neo-Gotham citizens, including Terry McGinnis on Batman Beyond’s “Spellbound.” The crafty antagonist makes Terry hallucinate that he’s participating in a shopping spree as part of a game show, when he’s really stealing from Wayne Manor. After Bruce finds and tries to stop him, McGinnis puts up a fight, but Bruce quickly trips him to break the trance.

The Immortal Ra's al Ghul Is Defeated By Batman

“The Demon Reborn” marks the first appearance of Ra's al Ghul on BTAS, and the two-part story culminates in the immortal warrior having a swordfight with Batman over a Lazarus Pit. After the Bat throws his sword to damage Ra’s bomb countdown device, the latter lunges at the hero and loses his balance. While the hero tries to help him, Ra’s realizes he has no way out and throws himself into the pit.

Batman Delivers A Sweet Tribute To Superman

“Hereafter” is one of the most compelling tales ever told by Justice League, as it centers around Superman’s supposed death at the hands of some of his greatest enemies. While the proud Batman refuses to believe his comrade was incinerated, he later swallows his pride and visits a memorial set up for the Man of Steel. It's there that he delivers a tribute that aptly sums up his relationship with Supes.

Batman Confirms He Knows Flash’s Secret Identity While Revealing His Own

The Justice League is forced to contend with a Thanagarian invasion in the series finale, “Starcrossed” and must go underground, donning civilian clothing in the process. The Flash objects to his “secret identity” being revealed. However, Batman interjects, revealing he’s known Flash is Wally West – and divulging his own identity as well as Superman’s to the team. This speaks to the Bat’s detective skills and willingness to do what’s necessary in a crisis.

Future Bruce Wayne Shows His Younger Counterpart How To Interrogate Someone

JLU’s “The Once and Future Thing Part Two: Time, Warped” is the second half of a fun time travel story and, among its surprises are the return of Terry McGinnis and the future Bruce Wayne. The latter still maintains his voracity, as proven when he tells his younger predecessor to step aside so that he can show him how to interrogate Jokerz member Ghoul. That’s right – Batman actually taught Batman something.

Batman Proves Himself To Be A Loyal Friend To Harvey Dent

Before Harvey Dent became Two-Face, he and Bruce Wayne were good friends. So, in the BTAS episode “Second Chance,” Batman oversees Harvey’s transportation to a hospital for an operation that may heal his face. While Batman does what he can to save Harvey from his less savory side, the surgery doesn’t happen, but the sheer compassion he shows for his former friend until the end is commendable.

Batman Shows Arnold Stromwell The Error Of His Ways

“It’s Never Too Late” sees Batman trying to convince aging mobster Arnold Stromwell to change his ways. He ultimately does so by taking Stromwell to his old neighborhood and a rehabilitation center, where Arnold’s son is dealing with drug withdrawal. This appeal represents one of the finest moments in BTAS.

Harley Quinn’s Dress Is Recovered By Batman

Harley Quinn is declared sane and released from Arkham Asylum in Batman: The Animated Series’ “Harley’s Holiday.” Early on, Harley covets a dress in a department store, but chaos erupts, leading to a wild adventure. In the end, Quinn is returned to Arkham by Batman and Robin, but the former still compassionately presents her with the dress she wanted – after which Quinn kisses the Caped Crusader.

Batman Intimidates Deadshot After His Teammates Couldn’t

It goes without saying that Batman can strike the fear of God into someone, and he intimidates assassin Deadshot after he tries to kill Aquaman in the JL installment “The Enemy Below.” That’s impressive enough but is even more so due to the fact that Superman and others couldn’t even unnerve the criminal.

Batman Saves Girl From Burning Building (With Some Help)

Batman ventures into a burning tenement complex to save a young girl named Trina, who is recovered by the vigilante. However, when the fire spreads, their possible exits are destroyed, though Hawkgirl ultimately gets them both out. Despite that, this incident speaks to (the non-powered) Batman’s sheer heroism.

Future Bruce Wayne Manages To Take Down A Mutated Terry McGinnis

“Splicers” involves the devious Dr. Cuvier uses the process of splicing – mixing human and animal DNA – on teens. While investigating Cuvier, Terry McGinnis of Batman Beyond ends up injected with vampire bat DNA and mutates. The Man-Bat-esque Terry arrives at the Batcave, where Bruce is preparing an antidote and, following a scuffle the elderly Wayne cures his predecessor.

Bruce Wayne Comforts Young Dick Grayson

Batman: The Animated Series won a Primetime Emmy for “Robin’s Reckoning, Part 1” and for good reason. It establishes the origins of Robin in the DCAU and features a flashback in which Bruce Wayne relates with his newly fostered son, Dick Grayson, over the shared grief of losing their parents. It’s an emotionally powerful scene and one that exemplifies how Wayne manages to connect to young people.

The new DC Universe (DCU) continues to take shape under James Gunn and Peter Safran’s leadership. All the while, fans are eager to learn how their favorite characters and teams fit into this bold new chapter. While Creature Commandos officially kicks off the latest slate of upcoming DC movies and shows, there's also the matter of another iconic team's position in the continuity. Now, the Slither screenwriter’s revelations about the Justice League have provided clarity on where things stand for the iconic superhero team in the revamped timeline.

During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, James Gunn addressed the question of continuity within the DCU, specifically referencing the Justice League's surprise cameo in the Peacemaker Season 1 finale. The moment featured Jason Momoa’s Aquaman and Ezra Miller’s Flash, alongside shadowy stand-ins for Superman and Wonder Woman. But, as far as the new DCU goes, the filmmaker-turned-CEO has clarified that such appearances are no longer canon. He explained just how canon works while speaking to the publication:

This approach is one of the many ways the new universe will differ from the MCU and the former DCEU. It allows the powers that be the flexibility to be selective when incorporating elements from the old DCEU while forging a fresh narrative path. By using direct references as the defining line for continuity, the DCU remains unburdened by the complexities of the previous universe. It’s a strategy that might irritate fans of the Justice League and overall universe forged by Zack Snyder but prioritizes creative freedom while paying homage to the franchise’s past.

Creature Commandos reflects this continuity philosophy set by Gunn and Safran. Set after the events of Peacemaker Season 1, the animated series follows Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) as she assembles a new team of imprisoned monsters led by Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo). This shift from human prisoners to monstrous operatives represents the kind of narrative synergy the former Guardians of the Galaxy helmer hopes to maintain across the DCU’s animated and live-action projects.

Flag Sr. will also play a pivotal role in the live-action upcoming Superman, which James Gunn has described as the “true beginning” of the DCU. With Creature Commandos already hinting at connections to their slate of upcoming superhero flicks, it’s clear that the Peacemaker showrunner’s vision for the DCU emphasizes interconnected storytelling across mediums.

For fans of the Justice League, the DC head honcho’s comments indicate a careful and gradual reintroduction of the team. Instead of hastily establishing the iconic lineup, the DC Universe is focusing on building a solid foundation through smaller, individual stories. This approach allows characters to develop organically, ultimately paving the way for a team that integrates seamlessly into the new narrative framework.

While the group “doesn’t exist yet” in this new universe, their legacy is far from forgotten. When they do finally reappear, it will hopefully be in a way that feels both earned and integral to the larger story. With Creature Commandos and Superman leading the charge, the DCU is setting the stage for an exciting reintroduction to the Justice League and, for me, that’s super.

The first phase of the DCU, Gods and Monsters, kicks off with the upcoming animated Creature Commandos (which CinemaBlend's own Sean O'Connell is obsessed with), which hits the 2024 TV schedule on December 5th. You'll be able to stream it with a Max subscription, which also allows you access to titles from the DCEU.

Most of the upcoming DC movies and upcoming DC TV shows will take place in the DC Universe, the new shared continuity that’s rising from the ashes of the DC Extended Universe. However, there are some holdovers from that past reality, including that the events of The Suicide Squad are DCU canon, which in turn means the Max subscription-exclusive spinoff series Peacemaker is also canon… well, almost all of it. There is one major exception, but I’m pleased to hear from series creator and DC Studios co-head James Gunn that this will be dealt with in Peacemaker Season 2.

In an interview with IGN, Gunn, who also wrote and directed The Suicide Squad and carried out the same duties on the new Superman movie, mentioned that the Justice League scene from the Peacemaker Season 1 finale will remain solely tied to the DCEU. However, this won’t simply be ignored when Season 2 premieres on the 2025 TV schedule, with Gunn saying:

In case you need a refresher, after John Cena’s Christopher Smith and his allies destroyed Project Butterfly and were leaving the scene, they ran into Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Flash, with the latter two being reprised by Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller, respectively. The Justice Leaguers arrived too late to help out, prompting Smith to lob some insults at them. It was especially hilarious to see them show up considering how Peacemaker Season 1 was peppered with other insults and outright lies/misinformation about these superheroes and more from the title character.

So how will Peacemaker Season 2 “kind of deal” with this clash of continuities? If I had to guess, there will be a flashback to that Season 1 finale moment, but it will substitute those the DCEU’s Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Flash for other heroes. Honestly, I wouldn’t even expect this same lineup of heroes for the DCU version. Maybe David Corenswet’s version of the Man of Steel could appear, but other could be easily be substituted in, like Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl or Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific.

Regardless, this would be a good way to signal how we’re now following along with the events of Peacemaker in the DC Universe without making it a big deal. That’s just my theory for now, and one of many questions that need to be answered in Peacemaker Season 2. While no specific plot details have been announced yet, we do know that Frank Grillo will reprise Rick Flag Sr. following voicing the character in Creature Commandos and playing him on camera in Superman. Sol Rodríguez and Tim Meadows will also respectively play Sasha Bordeaux and Langston Fleury.

Peacemaker Season 2 will premiere in August 2025 and consist of eight episodes, all of which James Gunn wrote and three of which he directed. Ahead of this, Creature Commandos drops December 5 on Max, and Superman’s theatrical release follows on July 11, 2025.

On top of planning and plotting out the overall slate of upcoming DC movies and TV shows, as well as directing and post-producing his upcoming Superman movie, James Gunn continues to do the (star)Lord’s work of debunking and clarifying myriad rumors about DCU projects both real and imagined. From casting reports to comic source speculation to release date chatter, Gunn targets just about everything, and he’s now addressed a Justice League movie rumor that also supposedly has ties to HBO’s Lanterns series.

Let’s take a look at what we apparently won’t be seeing from James Gunn’s Justice League (assuming they ever come together), as well as the rumors surrounding the big bad the Green Lanterns could be facing off against in the new superhero show.

James Gunn Debunks New Justice League Movie Rumor

After a report surfaced that claimed the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy filmmaker would be writing and directing a Justice League: The New Frontier film, based on the beloved 2004 miniseries from writer/artist Darwyn Cookie, Gunn took to Threads to shed some golden-age light on the matter, saying:

Set betwen the years of 1945-1960, The New Frontier uses its superhero ensemble as a prism for all the political and social issues of the era, and the six-issue series was both a critical and popular success, winning Eisner Awards, Harvey Awards. It was adapted into an animated film in 2008, the second release of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies lineup, with a star-studded cast and Cooke on board as a story consultant and character designer.

We'll get into the main crux of that story lower down, but suffice to say New Frontier would have been a bonkers choice for James Gunn to sink his claws into for a live-action Justice League project. Even if the time period was modern and not a throwback, though that's such a huge part of its appeal. Gunn would obviously nail that soundtrack, but still.

It's very interesting that the director followed up on his initial debunking with the confirmation that he's a big New Frontier fan, and that its alt-history set-up influenced things at DC Studios. So maybe we'll get to see elements elsewhere, such as on an HBO show we already knew we were going to talk about...

How HBO's Lanterns Is Rumored To Be Using The New Frontier's Villain

As numerous and out-there as DC movie rumors get, the timing sync on this one isn't the most commonly seen, considering it involves two completely different formats. In the days before James Gunn was asked about a New Frontier film, fans started getting excited about the possibility of Lanters' newest cast member, the always excellent Garret Dillahunt, playing the aforementioned comic arc's main antagonist, The. Centre.

Conceptually speaking, that's a mouthful, since The Centre isn't your average bipedal threat, but rather a sentient landcaspe also called Dinosaur Island. If anybody can pull off playing an evil island, I gotta give it to Dillahunt.

While nothing is confirmed at this point, the Fear the Walking Dead vet is known to be portraying a "self-righteous, conspiracy-minded man who masks his ruthless ambition behind a charming and calculated façade." And when one fan voiced their speculation on social media, online scoop influencer DanielRPK (whose track record is pretty solid) reponded in kind.

• "Conspiracy onspiracy minded" Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't the Centre have a cult on earth? - @drewmacwwe23
• 👀👀👀 - @DanielRPK

Additionally, ComicBookMovie.com also reported hearing grapevine news about The Centre being the villain causing alien havoc in Lanterns. So while it does seem a little batty that an HBO show heavily influenced by True Detective will introduce a sentient island, I'm really hoping that showrunner Chris Mundy goes for broke with weird alien shit here.

Plus, if Dillahunt is lending his voice to The Centre for real on top of playing a human character, that somewhat soothes our worry that the actor's "modern cowboy" character and other castings indicated we wouldn't see many other beloved characters from Green Lantern lore.

Even if it doesn't come to fruition as expected, hopefully we can look forward to more off-the-wall Lanterns rumors in the future that do come true. We'll find out whenever that show pops up somewhere in the 2025 TV schedule or beyond.

Meanwhile, Superman is set to hit the middle of the 2025 movie schedule, and my money is on James Gunn debunking roughly 570 more rumors before it hits theaters.

Actor Ray Fisher has a number of projects under his belt, but he's perhaps best known for playing Cyborg in both cuts of Justice League (which are streaming with a Max subscription). The 37 year-old performer is also synonymous with his beef with DC, specifically some of the folks who were in charge during the time he was in the DCEU. Now Fisher is speaking out after his DC controversy, talking his career resurgence with his new movie role. He was even quoted saying "I don't want to feel resentful."

While Ray Fisher said that Justice League's reshoots were "full of resentment", he's seemingly trying to put that saga behind him. While speaking with Variety about his new movie The Piano Lesson at the Toronto International Film Festival, he got real about facing "hardships", just like the characters of the film. In his words:

It's easy to connect the dots of Fisher's comments to his time on the Justice League set, as well as the feud that would form between him and former WB boss Walter Hamada. The actor used his platform to call out the studio for years, while his acting career seemingly came to a halt.

While Fisher returned to the screen with Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon franchise (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription), his role in The Piano Lesson is a serious gig, as it's adapting the play of the same name by August Wilson. Later in his same interview with Variety, he spoke about not wanting to be bogged down by resentment, just like his character in the new movie. As Fisher put it:

It sounds like art and life met in a big way for The Piano Lesson, and it should be fascinating to see how that translates to his performance in the film. Could this be the start of his larger comeback in the world of Hollywood? Only time will tell, but Ray Fisher seemingly doesn't want to be caught up in his feelings about Justice League any longer.

With the DCEU officially in the rear view, some fans are wondering if Fisher might end up appearing in an upcoming DC movie for James Gunn's new shared universe. The first slate of projects is titled Gods and Monsters, but Gunn's plans for casting are largely a mystery at this time.

The Piano Lesson will his select theaters November 8, 2024, before streaming on Netflix on November 22. Check out the 2025 movie release dates to plan your theatrical experiences for next year.

Warning: SPOILERS for Deadpool & Wolverine are ahead!

After discovering that the Wolverine from Logan, i.e. the one we followed along with in the X-Men movies during the 20th Century Fox era, had indeed died, Wade Wilson went on a journey through the Marvel multiverse to find a different Wolverine to take up residence on Earth-10005 as its new anchor being. Cue the montage set to Huey Lewis and The News’ “The Power of Love,” where all the Wolverine variants who appeared were reprised by Hugh Jackman… except for one. Henry Cavill was among the many cameos packed into Deadpool & Wolverine, but this cameo didn’t just pave the way for an A+ Justice League mustache joke. He also made himself sick in order to to bring “The Cavillrine” to life in the latest of the Marvel movies.

When Deadpool stopped in on The Cavillrine, he was puffing on a cigar, one of the clawed mutant’s favorite vices. It’s a great visual and certainly adds authenticity to the character, but as director Shawn Levy told The New York Times, that cigar smoke didn’t sit well with Cavill when shooting the Deadpool 3 cameo, saying:

Now that’s dedication! Had this version of Wolverine played a bigger role in Deadpool & Wolverine, I have to think a cigar substitute would have been used so that Henry Cavill didn’t have to consume tobacco for weeks/months on end, which clearly wouldn’t have gone well. But for this cameo, which only took a day to film, he decided to be a trooper and smoke the real deal. Between that and boasting the right kind of jacked-up physique for this Wolverine variant, it’s impressive what Cavill did for such a short appearance. That said, for the sake of the actor’s stomach, if we ever see The Cavillrine again, how about we just say that he’s given up smoking?

Henry Cavill’s brief outing as this unique version of Wolverine follows after his unceremonious exit from the DC movies space. After portraying Superman in Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and both versions of Justice League, Cavill finally donned the red cape again for a cameo in the Black Adam end-credits scene. Originally the plan was for Cavill to resume playing Superman in a more regular capacity, but just a few months later, it was announced that a new Superman movie was in development that would star a new actor in the title role, thus bringing Cavill’s tenure as the Man of Steel to an end. The James Gunn-helmed Superman has since been set as the first theatrical installment in the new DC Universe shared continuity, and David Corenswet will play Kal-El/Clark Kent.

While it’s unfortunate things played out that way for Henry Cavill over at DC, at least Deadpool & Wolverine got a solid joke out of that, with Wade Wilson telling The Cavillrine that “we” (Marvel) will treat him “so much better than those shitfucks down the street.” If another Cavillrine appearance isn’t in the cards, then perhaps Marvel Studios can find a different role for him. After all, there are still plenty of fans who’d like to see him play Captain Britain.

Deadpool & Wolverine is still early into its theatrical run, but count on it streaming to those with a Disney+ subscription at a yet-to-be-announced date. Henry Cavill has also appeared in fellow 2024 movies Argylle and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, and the former can be streamed with an Apple TV+ subscription.

The superhero genre continues to be a powerful force in the entertainment industry, spanning both TV and film. The DCEU as we know it came to an end with Aquaman 2, although the projects are still able to be re-watched with a Max subscription. While moviegoers wait for Gods and Monsters to start the new DCU, there are still fans who are hoping Warner Bros. restores the SnyderVerse, and gives Zack Snyder two sequels for his take on Justice League. But could Snyder’s Justice League plans still happen? Here’s what the director says.

When filming Justice League back in 2016, Snyder originally was planning a three-movie narrative. The sequels never got produced after the movie failed to impress, with Joss Whedon reshooting and editing around many of the narrative seeds that Snyder was planting. But The Snyder Cut did well on Max, leading fans to want to see upcoming DC movies that follow that story. It doesn't seem the studio is interested, although the filmmaker has floated the idea of continuing the narrative with comic books, specifically illustrated by Scott Snyder. Zack was asked about this possibility by The Hollywood Handle, responding with:

There you have it. While nothing is in motion right now, it does sound like Zack Snyder is interested in continuing his Justice League stories on the page. Although he's been a bit busy working on the Rebel Moon franchise (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription).

Aside from producing those movies, Snyder also worked on director's cuts for Rebel Moon, which shows just how invested he's been in that sci-fi property. But the filmmaker's fans aren't known for their restraint, so the chatter about Justice League sequel comics will likely continue for the foreseeable future.

A big reason why moviegoers are so eager to see the two Justice League sequels either on the screen or page is because of the Knightmare Reality sequences that were in Batman v Superman as well as the Snyder Cut. It was teased that Superman would turn to the dark side after Lois Lane was killed, becoming an evil agent of Doomsday in the process. Who doesn't want to see the Man of Steel in this new light?

Reshoots for the Snyder Cut included a new Knightmare sequence, reveling the motley crew of rebels who united against Superman in this alternate reality. They include Batman, The Flash, Cyborg, Mera, Deathstroke and Jared Leto's Joker.

Alas, it's unclear if/when the comic sequels will actually be produced. For now, we can re-watch the DCEU on Max. Check out the 2025 movie release dates.

The comic book genre is everywhere, but few projects had as unique of a life as Justice League. The movie (which is streaming with a Max subscription) was early in the DCEU's run, and went through extensive changes during Joss Whedon's reshoots. And aside from the theatrical and Snyder Cuts, there were also other drafts of the project that never saw the light of day. Original Justice League writer Will Beall compared his version of the DC Flick to Back To The Future, and now I’ve got FOMO.

DC fans are gearing up for co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran's new shared universe, which will begin with a slate of projects titled Gods and Monsters. But details about the DCEU are still coming out today, including Justice League. While speaking with The Wrap, Beall revealed that he worked on an early draft, some of which made it into The Snyder Cut. In his words:

The Snyder Cut came after years of fan campaigning, when it was made clear that the theatrical version was greatly altered from the titular filmmaker's vision. The Snyder Cut did well on Max, leading some fans to ask Warner Bros. to #RestoreTheSnyderVerse. In the same interview, Will Beall spoke about his take on the DC blockbuster, offering:

Well, I'm intrigued. The Knightmare reality has been one of the most talked about aspects of Justice League, specially once the Snyder Cut was released. But while Snyder's plans for a Justice League sequel would have focused Beall's take on the movie would have brought that part of the story into the first film in the series. 

In the end, the Knightmare plot line became just a hand full of scenes in both Batman v Superman and Justice League. While Zack Snyder gave us more time in that alternate reality thanks to Snyder Cut reshoots, the sequels really would have fleshed it out. It was fascinating to see the uneasy alliance of Batman, Joker, Mera, Flash, and Deathstroke in that alternate reality. Perhaps one day alternate scripts will reveal how it all would have went well.

The DCEU is streaming in its entirety on Max. Check the 2025 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater next year. 

It remains one of the greatest fan-driven movements in Hollywood history. Zack Snyder supporters, angered over the way Warner Bros. handled his Justice League movie, mobilized en masse for the better part of three years and lobbied for the release of what became known as The Snyder Cut. It was a legendary, four-hour version of Snyder’s third DC movie, one that would sufficiently conclude the story started in Man of Steel. And against all odds, the Snyder fans won! HBO Max agreed to release the full Snyder Cut of Justice League on the streaming service. I even wrote the official book about how they pulled this off. But Zack Snyder’s Justice League never really got a world premiere. Or a proper theatrical run. And while Snyder recently teased a big screen release, there comes with it a caveat. 

Bringing the Snyder Cut of Justice League to theaters would present challenges. For one, it’s four hours long, so there’s only so many times you could screen it. Just ask Kevin Costner how run time affected his new Western, Horizon. Instead, Zack Snyder has been able to screen his Justice League at specific events such as the charitable Full Circle, held in Pasadena and involving screenings of the director’s three DC films. This week, Snyder got his fans lathered up when he teased Zack Snyder’s Justice League returning to “the big screen,” and asked them to “stay tuned for a date.”

Speculation ran rampant. Global theatrical release? Official world premiere? Finally, a chance for Snyder fans everywhere to see this magnum opus the way that Snyder intended… in IMAX?

Not exactly. 

At the moment, it seems like Zack Snyder’s Justice League is going to play one night, Thursday, August 1, at the Egyptian Theater in Los Angeles. It will be part of a special series dubbed “The Epic Worlds of Zack Snyder,” and will join 300, the Watchmen Director’s Cut, Dawn of the Dead and Army of the Dead in the programming. Information on the screening series can be found here.

And that’s great. Snyder should be celebrated, and this series covers a deep span of his filmography, going back to Dawn of the Dead (still riveting) and tracing it through to his Netflix movies. But the inclusion of Justice League – specifically the black-and-white Justice Is Gray version – puts this on more people’s radars. 

That is, however, a crushing blow for Snyder fans around the globe who still are waiting for some way to see Justice League on the big screen near them. The wait continues, unless this news leads to a new breakthrough of distribution. Until then, there are plenty more upcoming DC movies on the calendar, though maybe not the ones that Snyder fans want to hear about. There remains a divide between those devoted to the SnyderVerse of DC stories, and the new universe that James Gunn is building with Creature Commandos, Superman, and Lanterns on HBO. 

Stay tuned for more details on all the upcoming superhero content coming out of Hollywood. 

Back when Richard Donner was figuring out how to adapt Superman to the big screen, he had the wherewithal to cast screen legends Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman in key supporting roles – Brando as Superman’s father, Jor-El, and Hackman as the hero’s nemesis Lex Luthor. Their casting is a big part of the reason why 1978’s Superman ranks as one of the best superhero movies ever made. Ever since, the part of Lex has gone to equally impressive character actors, but I never once heard the story about the time Zack Snyder met with Leonardo Freaking DiCaprio to play mastermind Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice! Nor did I know about the key note DiCaprio gave Snyder that he eventually incorporated into the Snyder Cut of Justice League. 

Zack Snyder casually dropped this information on an episode of Happy, Sad, Confused with Josh Horowitz. The host was asking the Rebel Moon director about casting rumors for Lex Luthor, the part that eventually went to Jesse Eisenberg. Snyder confirmed that he talked to Adam Driver about the part. And then casually dropped the bomb that he also talked to Leonardo DiCaprio about the part. Horowitz, to his credit, kept his shit together long enough to follow up, during which Snyder told him:

It WAS cool! So cool that Joss Whedon left it in the butchered theatrical cut of Justice League, and Snyder improved on it once he was able to deliver his ultimate cut of the Justice League movie. It looks like this:

You might be thinking, “There’s no way that Leonardo DiCaprio would play Lex Luthor in a DC movie.” And I’m sure that fans thought the same thing when Hackman signed on for Richard Donner’s movie. Or when Jack Nicholson agreed to play The Joker for Tim Burton. Or Heath Ledger, for that matter. But some of our best actors have given incredible performances in comic book performances. And DiCaprio could have looked at the Batman v Superman cast that already included Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter and Laurence Fishburne that thought, “Why the hell not?”

Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. But I’m blown away that Zack Snyder credits Leonardo DiCaprio with the idea to have Superman fight the Justice League on screen. That’s just such a cool origin story for that memorable sequence. Now I need Leo’s review of the Snyder Cut.

If you are a big Zack Snyder fan, brace for his Rebel Moon: Part 2 - The Scargiver, arriving on Netflix on April 19th. And DC fans can track all the progress on the upcoming DC movies by using our handy guide.

The DC Extended Universe had a wild life in theaters, full of peaks and valleys. During Zack Snyder's original trilogy (which is streaming with a Max subscription), J.K. Simmons was cast as Commissioner Gordon, to the delight of fans. Ahead of Justice League, Simmons went viral for his ripped arms. And now he's finally reacted to the chatter surrounding his biceps. 

J.K. Simmons appeared as Gordon in both version of Justice League, with an extended role in the Snyder Cut. He reprised that role for the scrapped Batgirl movie, which would have beeb a much larger role. The Whiplash actor recently spoke to ComicBook about how his gym photo went viral years ago, sharing:

There you have it. It sounds like Simmons' fitness journey didn't actually have all that much to do with his small but memorable role in Justice League. Instead, he was trying bulk back up after losing weight for another role. But that didn't stop the internet from exploding when the actor's biceps arrived online. 

Justice League was a highly anticipated upcoming DC movie ahead of its release. And a such, fans were trying to use any images or set photos as clues about what the blockbuster might include. Some moviegoers thought that Simmons getting ripped meant Gordon would get some action sequences, but that didn't happen. Later in his same interview, Simmons spoke about just wanting to look good for his wife, before the image of him pumping iron broke the internet. In his words:

And just like that, the truth comes out. Still, J.K. Simmons' biceps will live forever online, and in the hearts of DC fans who wanted to see him kick ass in Justice League. 

Unfortunately, it's unclear if we'll ever see him back as Gordon on the big screen again. It doesn't look like Batgirl will ever get released, and DC's new co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran are crafting a brand new shared universe from scratch. We'll just have to wait and see which actor lands the role of Batman's biggest ally in Gotham.

The DCU begins with Superman on July 11th, 2025. While we wait, check out the 2024 movie release dates. 

It has been three years to the day since acclaimed director Zack Snyder was able to unveil his four-hour Snyder Cut of the controversial Justice League to fans, courtesy of a streaming debut on the HBO Max platform. For those unaware, Snyder left Justice League following a death in his family, and the studio used the opportunity to recut his movie, adding more levity and completely changing the director’s ultimate vision. (I wrote about the complete debacle in my nonfiction book Release the Snyder Cut, if you’d like to brush up on the historic events.) After fans lobbied – some might say “assaulted” – the studio for three years to get the Snyder Cut of Justice League released, Warner Bros. finally relented. But if the studio didn’t cave, Snyder always joked about an alternate distribution model… which he brought up again today.

Zack Snyder didn’t have to resort to this last-ditch effort, but while doing press for the Snyder Cut of Justice League, he always joked about how – in desperate times – he thought about leaving a hard drive with the finished film on the sink of a bathroom somewhere, hoping some fan would find it, and upload it to the grid so that the world could watch it. And Snyder referenced that joke on his Vero platform today as he wished Zack Snyder’s Justice League a happy three-year anniversary. 

Zack Snyder ended up making lemonade from the lemons that were handed to him from the Justice League situation. Not only did he get the opportunity to release his four-hour cut of the movie, with multiple characters added back into the mix, Snyder also produced a black-and-white cut of the movie called “Justice is Grey” and got the chance to screen the movie for fans in IMAX. That was part of a charity event called Full Circle, during which Snyder screened all three of his DC movies with full Q-and-A panels for fans. 

Snyder fans will tell you that they wish he got to keep going. The director had plans for Justice League sequels, though they have been scrapped alongside the rest of the DCEU in favor of a rebooted DC Universe continuity that’s being shaped by James Gunn and Peter Safran. That world will launch later this year with the animated TV series Creature Commandos, before expanding to include several upcoming DC movies such as Superman, The Authority, and a different take on Batman called The Brave and the Bold. 

Perhaps one day, Snyder’s full vision for his Justice League series will see the light of day, in an animated movie or a graphic novel. Or he’ll leave it on a sink in a filthy bathroom, creating the most valuable treasure hunt in his fandom’s history.

Animation is one of the earlier moving art forms, and has provided countless artists the means to bring their stories to life, be it through the black-and-white hues of Bosco the Talk-Ink Kid or the multicolored bliss of Fantasia. Toons can be as simple as the Oscar-winning “The Dot and the Line” from legends Chuck Jones and Maurice Noble, or they can be as endlessly complex as Wallace and Gromit’s stop-motion universe. Television has provided audiences with 80 years of memorable projects –- including some forgotten Saturday morning gems — with new shows debuting at a rapid pace, and we’re here to celebrate the very best animated series of all time.

From classic characters like Mickey Mouse and Fred Flintstone to modern favorites like Monkey D. Luffy and the Belcher family, CinemaBlend’s staff is saluting them all. So join us in paying tribute to the funniest, coolest, smartest, and most moving animated series that have graced our TV screens over the decades.

75. The Jetsons

Despite being the first show ABC ever broadcast in color, The Jetsons was canceled after a single season and only 24 total episodes. It just couldn’t find the right audience, at least until the reruns started airing on Saturday mornings and an entire generation of kids fell in love with the futuristic setting and zany plotlines. George, Jane, Judy, Elroy, Astro and Rosey eventually became so popular in syndication that more than 20 years after its cancellation, a further fifty-one episodes were produced, as well as a movie. It’s an unconventional success story but perhaps one fitting for a show filled with futuristic tech that hilariously never works as intended.

74. Aqua Teen Hunger Force

When Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming block premiered in September 2001, Aqua Teen Hunger Force was one of its surreal cornerstones, and it’s pretty much stayed that way ever since. The long-running series follows three anthropomorphic fast food items – Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad – who get into all kinds of trouble with their neighbor(s), locals, and interdimensional beings. ATHF helped usher in a new era for adult animation at the turn of the century, and it's remained just as hilarious and timeless during that historic run. But for as wild and nonsensical as it gets, there’s a certain charm that makes it not just one of the funniest shows on Adult Swim, but in all of TV animation.

73. Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends

Though not lauded quite as high as animation giants such as Walt Disney or Hanna-Barbera, Jay Ward delivered many of the medium’s most lasting creations, with The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle at the center of his zany, intelligent, and meta-before-meta-was-cool storytelling skills. The titular moose and squirrel’s serialized rivalry with the devious Boris and Natasha can never be forgotten, while the history-adoring side characters Sherman and his pup Mr. Peabody became a pop culture magnet unto themselves over the years. Now if only we could get a Fractured Fairy Tales spinoff for the 21st century…

72. What If...?

Upon its launch, part of the reason why a Disney+ subscription was so appealing involved the streaming service's new content directly connected to major IPs like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And while we’ve been treated to a number of live-action shows, the studio also took a major risk with the multiversal animated series What If…? The comic book anthology series offers alternate realities to the MCU characters and events we know and love, and shows how the entire franchise could be radically altered if just one character's arc differed. Additionally, the voice cast of What…If? features many Marvel favorites reprising their roles to tell these ambitious stories that could never be produced in live-action.

71. The Proud Family

The Proud Family was all about Penny Proud and her wild, yet relatable, journey through high school. While the premise was simple, this show’s fabulous crew of characters is what made it iconic, and its depiction of the day-to-day lives of an African American family is what made it groundbreaking. From our lead Penny to her father Oscar, her besties Dijonay, Zoey, LaCienega and Sticky Webb — and of course Sugar Mama — this family is the best, and we’ll adore them forever.

70. Beavis and Butt-Head

Besides The Simpsons, arguably no animated series from the 1990s sparked a bigger array of multi-generational reactions around the country than Beavis and Butthead. As soon as it premiered on MTV in March 1993, Mike Judge’s groundbreaking, edgy, and unsavory cartoon became a national sensation while following two objectively moronic teenagers barely navigating school, life, nachos, and a carousel of music video commentary. Video games, movies, tons of merchandising (both official and bootleg) flooded the market in the years that followed, and there's a reason revivals keep happening: it's a great show, dammit. Mm-heh-heh.

69. Schoolhouse Rock!

Schoolhouse Rock! is an animated gem that has been passed down from generation to generation for all the right reasons. Originally debuting on TV back in 1973, the show's approach to combining educational programming with toon-filled songs cemented it as a true classic with more lasting value than most. From grammar-focused tunes like “Conjunction Junction" to the iconic intro-to-governmental-processes track “I’m Just a Bill” to even its Preamble song, Schoolhouse Rock! has had a lasting cultural impact, influencing many other shows, and even inspiring some spoofs along the way to its permanent place within pop culture.

68. Static Shock

The DC Animated Universe got a true shock to its system when Denys Cowan's Static Shock zapped onto TV screens in the early 2000s as a Saturday morning offering on Kids’ WB. Viewers were treated to some truly exciting, funny and heartfelt episodes that tracked the heroic exploits of teenager Virgil Hawkins in Dakota City. Thanks to late series creator Dwayne McDuffie and his talented team, Static Shock remains a dynamic piece of comic book fun, serving up some serious action mixed in with thoughtful social commentary on occasion. In short, this is a super-powered gem that’s rightfully still revered to this day.

67. Dexter's Laboratory

What child hasn't wished they had a secret location in their house that provided the means to do the most fantastic things their heart desires? Dexter’s Laboratory helped many youngins live vicariously through its titular brainiac, and the general hilarity of his meddling sister Dee Dee derailing it all helped make this one a definitive Cartoon Network classic. From the brain of the similarly brainy Genndy Tartakovsky, Dexter also boasted other animated shorts like Dial M For Monkey and The Justice Friends, which were all equally as enjoyable. To this day, I bet there are many who owe their ability to say “cheese omelet” in French to this wonderful series.

66. Kim Possible

“Call me, beep me, if you want to reach me,” because it’s time to talk about Kim Possible. Mixing a high-stakes spy drama with high school shenanigans appropriate for Disney Channel-aged audiences, this show is an action-packed good time. Largely centered on Kim’s missions to take down Dr. Drakken and Shego with the help (or more like attempted help) of her bestie Ron Stoppable and his naked molerat Rufus, Kim Possible defined many childhoods and taught generations of kids, and specifically girls, that anything is possible with the right mindset and gadgets.

65. Muppet Babies (1984)

How amazing are Jim Henson’s Muppets? The list goes on, but one key factor would be that Kermit and the gang brought to life what remains one of pop culture’s only genuinely great examples of “Your favorite characters, but they’re babies.” Trading TV studios and New York City exteriors for a Nanny-run nursery where the power of make-believe knows no bounds, Muppet Babies showed viewers of all ages that imagination is powered best when one is surrounded by friends to the end. Unfortunately for avid fans, the show’s abundant use of licensed TV, film, and music clips will likely keep it from ever hitting home media.

64. Family Guy

For one reason or 69 others — get it, Peter? — certain TV shows are able to get away with wildly edgy content without getting “canceled," either literally or figuratively. Granted, Seth MacFarlane's long-running fave Family Guy actually did actually get canceled by Fox back in 2002, but the '80s-adoring comedy was able to return from its shallow grave just two years later due to extraordinary DVD sales, a hit syndicated run, and the embrace of Adult Swim. and high ratings from reruns in syndication. Ever since that 2004 revival, viewers have followed the antics of Peter, Lois, Chris, Meg, Stewie and Brian along with all the ridiculous and often offensive cutaway flashbacks that fill their lives.

63. Robot Chicken 

Watching Robot Chicken calls to mind many chldhood memories of inventing scenarios with action figures modeled after classic movie and TV characters. That's essentially what Seth Green and Matthew Senreich’s stop-motion animated Adult Swim hit is: people playing with their toys. But with a bigger budget and more talented voice actors than any kids I ever played with. With boundary-pushing and insightful humor in the mix, the Emmy-winning Robot Chicken is sketch comedy at its most refreshingly unique, rebelliously raw, and deliciously nostalgic, and is not bogged down by the limitations that might come with a live-action production.

62. The Flintstones

For many people, The Flintstones is one of the first cartoons we remember watching on TV. This classic Hanna-Barbera series about a lovable caveman and his family navigating a prehistoric world field with outrageous stone-age variations of modern-day appliances and tools, is just as funny and attention-grabbing as it was upon its release more than 60 years ago, which is really saying something about its quality. On top of such indelible characters like Fred Flinstone, Barney Rubble, and the Great Gazoo, the show also has one of the most iconic opening themes of all time.

61. Freakazoid!

Though not the most marquee-ready superhero, Freakazoid!’s titular protagonist is the creation of Batman: The Animated Series legends Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, with Steven Spielberg and Tiny Toons vet Paul Ruegger leading the charge. So yeah, it’s a perfectly bonkers mix of comic book mythos mixed with slapstick and fourth-wall-breaking comedy, complete with a mini-universe of B-tier heroes and villains such as Candle Jack (but don’t say his name). Lasting two seasons from 1995-1997, Freakazoid! ss a joy for viewers of all ages, anchored by the stellar voice work of stars Paul Rugg and Ed Asner.

60. Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers

Long before the series was reimagined as a hilarious Disney+ movie starring John Mulaney and Andy Sandberg, Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers started out as a tremendous and timeless action-adventure toon about a pair of chipmunks fronting a crew of anthropomorphic animals. Thanks in part to that earworm theme, it never gets old watching Chip, Dale, Gadget Hackwrench, Monterey Jack, and Zipper solve all manner of crimes (both big and small, really small) and save the day before the end of each episode, and the show can still hold the attention of our kids all these years later.

59. Teen Titans

Some viewers probably weren’t sure what to make of Teen Titans upon its debut, but the series eventually became a hit – and for good reason. The quirky superhero romp is the definition of cartoon greatness, as it skillfully blends action and comedy, ultimately using both to great effect. Yet, most importantly, so much heart is on display amidst the explosions and sheer wackiness as well. Because of that, Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy and Raven remain not only one of DC’s best TV super teams, but also one of its greatest familial units. And, yes, that theme song still slaps.

58. Gargoyles

The oft-underrated Saturday morning toon Gargoyles is one of those shows that manages to deliver more than the kind of action you’d expect from Disney's weekly animated fare. It’s a dark and complex drama series with dynamic characters, beautiful animation and stories that sometimes border on Greek tragedy. Many viewers understandably still have such reverence for the tales that EP Greg Weisman and his team told about the mighty Goliath and his clan of night guardians. It’s ironic that a group of beings that turn cold as stone are among some of the warmest heroes to ever grace a TV screen.

57. DuckTales

Having quite possibly the catchiest theme song on this list that's chock-full of them is probably enough reason to include DuckTales on this list, but of course, the show has so much more going for it. Scrooge McDuck and his nephews, previously only bit players in Disney cartoons, earned the star spotlight for a show that was about as close to an action/adventure cartoon as Disney had delivered at the time, making it something fresh new, and exciting. But it was still “Disney” and thus more accessible to younger viewers than other ‘80s cartoons looking to sell action figures, drawing from Carl Banks' timeless comic run.

56. Hey Arnold!

Amidst all of Nickelodeon's best chracters, perhaps no greater role model for younger viewers exists than the football-headed protagonist of Hey Arnold! In fact, Craig Bartlett’s series offered something very few animated programs have (then or since): a diverse ensemble whom kids could potentially relate to or aspire to be like. With a stunningly grounded urban aesthetic, even in its most peculiar momens, and a hefty set of valuable life lessons that often came out of dark situations, admittedly — not to mention an absolute banger of a jazz score — Hey Arnold! is a masterstroke for the medium.

55. The Real Ghostbusters

1984's Ghostbusters inspired an immediate sequel, but when live-action follow-ups stalled, Sony did the next best thing: created this magnificent riff on the beloved property. No, they couldn’t get BIll Murray and Dan Aykroyd together every three years, but they could animate Peter, Ray, Winston and Egon for a series of animated adventures around New York City, the world, and even realms beyond. The best part about The Real Ghostbusters is that it understood the irreverent tone of Ivan Reitman’s two movies, but split the difference to also appeal directly to kids who just wanted to see Slimer. When we really need a hit of that nostalgic rush, these are the Ghostbusters stories that most deserve revisiting.

54. Teen Titans Go

DC Comics adaptations often get knocked for being too serious, but that's not the case with Teen Titans Go, an effervescent, energetic, and rapid-fire funny series centered on Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven, and Starfire. The show embraced irreverent humor, leaning hard into its heroes' stereotypical behaviors, from Robin’s crippling need to be a leader to Raven’s broody Goth Girl energy and beyond. Without hinging on continuity or major cameos from A-list DC heroes (at least, not until Teen Titans Go! To The Movies, which was equally excellent), this slap-happy toon basically gave young kids a comic book portal where they could enjoy “waffles, waffles, waffles” without having to brood over anyone's parents getting gunned down in an alley.

53. The Powerpuff Girls

Sugar, spice, and everything nice wasn’t even half of what we got with The Powerpuff Girls. Like many other animated classics, it was a show made for kids that adults could easily also enjoy. The superpowered Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup deal with typical childhood troubles like sibling rivalry and bed wetting while also saving their town from a truly ingenious rogue’s gallery. These endearing kindergartners, their friends and foes (like arch nemesis Mojo Jojo, and Powerpuff wanna-be Princess Morbucks) provide us with laughs, lessons and intrigue, all wrapped in a parody and pop-culture focused package that doles out plenty of surprises.

52. Tiny Toon Adventures

Following in the footsteps of the iconic Looney Tunes squad was always going to be a tall order, but the Stephen Spielbeg-produced Tiny Toon Adventures understood the assignment. While the characters may have been inspired by those that came before, each one from Babs and Buster to Plucky and Hampton, was given just as much freedom to be entirely new characters, not simply the “new versions” of the classics. The humor was always on point, with plenty of gags for younger viewers, alongside references only the older “kids” watching would get.

51. Courage the Cowardly Dog

Making a cartoon for children that's as creepy as it is funny is no easy task, but Courage the Cowardly Dog found a way to execute that balance quite beautifully, relying mostly on overtly bizarre and/or paranormal villains. Courage protecting his owners, Eustace and Muriel, against everything from a cursed mummy to a duck with a mallet never gets old. It’s the most deserving Cartoon Network original that needs a revival, which could potentially still happen someday, considering Courage was part of a Scooby-Doo crossover movie released in 2021. Until that day comes, fans can revisit the entire series with a Max subscription.

50. Adventure Time

Most classic adventure cartoons engage in storytelling in a more earnest manner, but only a few effectively capture the joys of make-believe like Adventure Time — which for many is the absolute cream of the crop for Cartoon Network’s original programming. Creator Pendleton Ward’s fantasy-comedy follows Finn the Human (Jeremy Shada) and Jake the Dog (John DiMaggio) as they navigate the weird and wonderful, post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo, having a mathematical time along the way. With its charming animation, ingenious creatures, clever world-building, and a lighthearted tone that never abandons spellbinding excitement, the fun truly never ends.

49. Big Mouth

It’s not every day that audiences get a hilariously offensive animated show that actually provides accurate representation of growing up LGBTQ+. On the surface, Netflix's Big Mouth, which rocks an all-star cast led by co-creator Nick Kroll and John Mulaney, simply shows the trouble and turmoil of puberty, sexuality, hormones, and the everyday struggle that we call “life.” Lucky for viewers, it is also much, much more than that. The show follows a group of young people who tend to be accompanied by “hormone monsters” (who now have their own wacky spinoff series) who help guide them through the changes and struggles that come with growing up.

48. Arthur

Kids owe PBS for so many great animated series, but Arthur might be its crown jewel. For over 20 years, Marc Brown’s storybook aardvark, along with his friends and family, endeared themselves to the public. The author and the show’s writing staff, through their efforts, taught youngsters firm lessons in responsibility, community, empathy and much more. What’s particularly impressive is that the grade-school comedy managed to remain consistent in conveying such morals during its lengthy run. Of course, when the program wasn’t dropping vital nuggets of knowledge, it was simply exuding pure, imaginative fun. What we have here is a truly timeless show, and one that’s sure to delight audiences for generations to come.

47. Pokémon

Part of the reason Pokémon remains one of the top franchises worldwide is because the series can have a different meaning for every generation that consumes it. The kids of 2024 can watch the same show O.G. viewers watched in the late '90s and appreciate those characters in new ways, given there have been plenty of successive projects that have come loaded with over a thousand different Pokémon for children to latch onto and make their favorite. The show's awesome battles haven't quite held up when it comes to the franchise's many video games, but perhaps someday, Game Freak will give the people what they want.

46. Spider-Man

Spider-Man fandom has been known to grow from many sources, including the comics and multiple generations of live-action blockbusters, but the Spider-Man animated series from 1994 holds a special place in the hearts of millennials – as it should, because it is amazing (pun totally intended). In retrospect, the content censorship is ridiculous (this is a show where Spidey wasn’t even allowed to punch people), but the filmmakers still found ways to deliver exciting adaptations of comic book stories, and some episodes are even better than the source material. We have yet to see a better version of the Venom origin story than what was created here.

45. Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Thanks in large part to the success of Tim Burton’s Batman from 1989, it was at one point decided that the best version of the Caped Crusader is the dark and brooding version. That has now been the go-to mode for the superhero for decades – but at the very least Batman: The Brave And The Bold reminded us for a time just how much fun the Dark Knight can be. The deep voice and silly sensibilities of Diedrich Bader make him one of the best to ever play the hero, and every episode delivers a fun team-up opportunity. Every DC character is represented with love, but there’s an argument to be made that John DiMaggio's Aquaman is the all-time best version of the Atlantean king.

44. Doug

The entire Nicktoons library was a big deal for '90s kids, and who was more relatable than Doug Funnie on Doug? Through his journal entries and soaring imagination, the preteen opened up about the seemingly everyday events of his life, from getting a haircut to trying liver and onions, and we totally felt that. We understood the middle school awkwardness, the anguish of his crush on Patti Mayonnaise and just how good it felt to rock out to your favorite band (The Beets, of course! “Aw-wee-oo! Killer tofuuuuu!”). We wanted Skeeter to be our best friend and a dog as cool as Porkchop. Not to mention, the opening credits and theme song are pretty iconic.

43. Pinky and the Brain

Let’s be honest here: Pinky and the Brain was repetitive. In every episode, the two main characters did “the same thing we do every night, Pinky… try to take over the world!” But it was the way that the odd couple mice played off of each other — with Pinky being the doofus assistant to the Orson Welles-inspired mastermind mouse that is The Brain — that allowed this Animaniacs episode segment to thrive as its own standalone series. It's one we still quote to this day, using many of the cast members’ favorite jokes. Like everything in Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain benefitted from an “anything goes” approach to humor, meaning that stories would involve Brain’s archnemesis (a hamster named Snowball) or a bit where Pinky gets elected President of the United States. And it all worked because the creators understood how to be intelligent while also being goofy.

42. X-Men: The Animated Series

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe revitalized how big and connected comic book adaptations could be, few film and TV examples truly brought to live what people loved about the medium. X-Men: The Animated Series was one of the first, giving audiences comic book-accurate versions of the beloved mutants that felt like they jumped right off the page. The show offered long-term serializing storytelling just like the source material, something that was essentially unheard of for a Saturday morning cartoon. But whether one was an avid reader or not, these were (and perhaps still are) the definitive versions of the X-Men. It’s no wonder that decades later, the series was revived as X-Men '97.

41. Infinity Train

Created by Regular Show writer/artist Owen Dennis, the Cartoon Network-turned-Max series Infinity Train is the crown jewel of overlooked and under-discussed animated series. A highly imaginative coming-of-age sci-fi fantasy,  not the most common sub-genre, the series centers on a different interconnected story and character set in each of its four seasons, with everything taking place on a mysterious and impossibly long train where most cars present challenges for the characters to figure out and overcome. It’s an emotionally gripping and exciting tale that never goes off the rails, with a stacked cast of familiar voices.

40. Futurama

The second mega-hit series created in part by Matt Groening, Futurama has always been far more than just The Future Simpsons, thanks to its unforgettable cast of meme-ready nutjobs, egomaniacs, and bending-proficient robots. From Fry’s dopey optimism to The Professor’s absent-minded genius to Hermes’ ability to drop everything if a limbo stick comes around, the series balances its strong personalities with tons of space-faring, paradox-thwarting, time-traveling mayhem that never stops being fun. Both one of the smartest and silliest animated series of all time, and filled with some of the nerdiest jokes possible, Futurama has remained a beloved small-screen entity in part because the Planet Express crew has managed to survive multiple cancellations at Fox and Comedy Central, reaching its third lifeform at Hulu, presumably because the Hypnotoad demanded it so.

39. Mickey Mouse (Classic Disney Shorts)

There are few animated characters more famous than Mickey Mouse, and it’s safe to say the House of Mouse wouldn’t be everything it is today without Disney’s classic Mickey Mouse animated shorts that debuted in the 1920s. Smartly written and brimming with slapstick comedy, these quick hits of quirky fun introduced us to the loveable mouse — who displayed courage and strength but in a way that was achievable for any of us — along with the equally iconic Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Pluto and Goofy. Included in this series is 1935’s “The Band Concert” — Disney’s first color cartoon, which quite literally paved the way for Disney animation for 100 years and counting. And while it may not be part of that exact era, give me Goofy bungling up ski lessons any day.

38. Dragon Ball Z

Though it wasn’t the first show in the franchise, Dragon Ball Z introduced countless kids and teenagers to iconic characters like Goku, Piccolo, Vegeta, and Gohan throughout the ‘90s, especially after the anime series became a mainstay in Cartoon Network’s Toonami afternoon block. This intense cartoon about a group known as the Z Fighters who attempt to protect Earth (and later, other planets) from diabolical forces was something many of us ran home from school or off the bus to catch each weekday. The introduction of increasingly dangerous and destructive villains like Frieza, Cell, and Boo (each had their own saga) continued to raise the bar as the series went on, and make this still a gem worth revisiting.

37. Rocko's Modern Life

Is there a classic Nickelodeon show from the ‘90s that captures the spirit of the era more than Rocko’s Modern Life? This zany, surreal, and extraordinary animated series debuted in 1993 and quickly found an audience thanks to its unique style of humor that appealed to both children and adults. With characters like the neurotic titular wallaby, his best friends Heffer Wolfe and Filburt, and the various members of the Bighead family, there was so much to love about the show. It pushed the envelope with its humor and art direction and had a lot to say about the modern world, hence its name. The mammalian gang even returned to fans in 2019 with the special Static Cling.

36. Animaniacs

We still have no idea how Animaniacs creator Tom Ruegger got the greenlight to make everyone's childhood better with this hilarious, clever, but extremely inside-baseball showbiz comedy aimed at mature kids. Yes, on the surface, the Animaniacs works as a variety show, an evolution off The Muppet Show during which the hosts – the Warner siblings, one with a Liverpool accent – would set up individual cartoons. But in between, the banter and humor offered up in Animaniacs consisted of some of the funniest, most outrageous, and unpredictable jokes that would spoof Dolly Parton, Marilyn Monroe, and the idea of fingering Prince, as it were. Sometimes the show managed to be educational, but mostly it was pure lunacy, and we loved every second of it.

35. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Mysteries are the most entertaining genre of storytelling. What’s more satisfying than a tidy reveal at the end of a whodunit, and a villain exclaiming how they would have gotten away with it, if not for those meddling kids? Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? followed a very popular “monster of the week” format, but wasn’t afraid to push the envelope to freak out little kids who tuned into a cartoon and were terrified by haunted suits of armor, killer clowns, and more. From its unforgettable theme song to the vocal contributions of radio icon Casey Kasem as Shaggy, Scooby-Doo Where Are You? walked so that Goosebumps and Gravity Falls could run.

34. Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated is a breath of fresh air within the long-running franchise birthed by Hanna-Barbera. For this particular production, the typical case-of-the-week format isn’t in play, as serialized storytelling is utilized. It’s a great approach that really fleshes out the meddling kids and the titular canine in a way that past incarnations don’t. The humor associated with this entertainment property is definitely employed in this iteration. However, what’s also exciting is how the writers and artists aim to deliver some truly scary monsters, all seemingly tied to the antagonist Mr. E. While it’s admirable that the show sticks to its predecessors’ roots in many ways, its goal to shake up the classic formula results in an overarching mystery that’s both compelling and creepy.

33. Archer

Creator Adam Reed’s singular vision and undying creativity turned Archer from a ribald spin on James Bond into one of the most well-rounded pieces of spy fiction in existence. H. Jon Benjamin’s unmistakable voice gives life to the booze-swilling agent’s snappy insults and TV-MA euphemisms alongside a downright stellar cast that also includes Aisha Tyler, Judy Greer, Jessica Walter, Chris Parnell and more. The series is a testament to the importance of characters compared to plot, with Archer’s core group shifting from years of traditional storytelling to multiple side-mission seasons such as the Miami-set Vice, the subconscious-set Dreamland, the jungle-filled Danger Island and others. On a jokes-per-minute basis, it stands next to comedy giants like The Simpsons and Airplane!, and can drink them both under the table.

32. Batman Beyond

Debuting in 1999, Batman Beyond jumps decades forward into the future and showcases the story of a now-retired Bruce Wayne who is acting as a mentor to the next generation Dark Knight, Terry McGinnis, as voiced by the legend himself, Kevin Conroy. The show earned multiple award nominations, winning two Daytime Emmy Awards. Bruce and Terry have just enough similarities and frustrating differences to keep their dynamic captivating while still wholesome, which makes this particular animated series one of the most enjoyable to watch in the franchise. Terry is forced to work twice as hard in order to balance out both his personal life and his crime-fighting side persona, as he both learns from and teaches his mentor as they both work to stand up for what they both clearly believe in.

31. Star Wars: The Clone Wars

While a lot is owed to Genndy Tartakovsky’s Star Wars: Clone Wars, the animated side of George Lucas’ sci-fi universe truly took off in 2008 with the launch of Cartoon Network's Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The series is, in large part, what it is due to franchise guru Dave Filoni, who thought his hiring was a prank. Filoni’s respect for Lucas’ work permeates the entire CGI show, but there are also some cool elements that he himself adds to the canon, including the now-beloved Jedi Ahsoka Tano. With incredible storylines, sweet animation and strong voice acting, this show works well on its own but also stands firmly alongside the films it builds upon.

30. Bob's Burgers

One of the many things to love about Bob’s Burgers is just how close, loving, and, well, lovingly strange the main characters at the center of the show are. The Belcher family is (mostly) committed to keeping their small, family-run burger shop up and running, but their kooky adventures usually take the whole family away from the restaurant. Exasperated pessimist Bob, his happy-go-lucky wife Linda and their kids, Tina, Gene and Louise get into a number of hilariously weird scrapes that, honestly, most of us only wish we could have to make life more intriguing. Add to that Louise’s near-constant scheming, Tina’s awkwardness, and how the whole family interacts with a town full of endearing oddballs, and you have yourself a wonderfully weird winner. Tell 'em Teddy sent ya.

29. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was the perfect show for a perfect moment in time. It combined outrageous and over the top late 80s imagery with some of the first mainstream depictions of skater culture and added ninjas, an outrageous backstory and a steady stream of cheesy catchphrases. Deep in the sewer of our hearts, amidst roundhouse kicks and impossibly yellow April O’Neil jumpsuits, they carved out a place for themselves, and more than thirty years later, their ooze still remains in the form of reimagined shows, new movies and billions of dollars worth of merchandise. And despite all the success, they're still just heroes in a half-shell, and they're green. (Hey, get a grip.)

28. SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-Present)

In 1999, if you told someone a silly gap-toothed sponge would one day be as recognizable to the children of the world as Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny, they would’ve laughed. And yet, SpongeBob SquarePants continues to entertain the children of today, and has been lovingly embraced by the Millenials and Gen-Z who grew up with it as well. The internet is loaded with memes dedicated to the franchise, and there’s still plenty of debate as to what is in a Krabby Patty. With plenty of episodes and even some spinoffs, it feels like SpongeBob and friends will be entertaining children for many years to come.

27. Rugrats (1991)

Rugrats premiered in 1991 on Nickelodeon as one of the first three Nicktoons, aimed at a younger audience than Doug and The Ren & Stimpy Show. It was a staple for kids throughout the ‘90s and into the early 2000s, with nine seasons about the adventures of babies Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil, with regular appearances from characters like the parents, Angelica, and (eventually) Dil. The show could swing from silly to serious, with memorable episodes that ranged from covering the grief of losing a parent to the spectacular Reptar On Ice, with a dinosaur love song that still rings in the hearts of plenty of ‘90s kids. There’s a reason why this Nicktoon show went on to inspire Rugrats movies and a 2021 reboot.

26. Harley Quinn

What happens when you blend DC Comics mythology with the kind of crass adult comedy you find in shows like Family Guy and South Park? You get Harley Quinn, which follows Kaley Cuoco’s version of The Joker’s former squeeze going on adventures with Lake Bell’s Poison Ivy, her best-friend-turned-girlfriend, and getting into hijinks with fellow supervillains and superheroes alike. One doesn’t need to be a hardcore DC fan to appreciate Harley Quinn, although that definitely helps with catching the deep-cut references and Easter eggs. As long as you're in the mood for clever writing and all the edgy, not-safe-for-kids humor you could ask for, Harley Quinn is a must-[censored]-watch.

25. Gravity Falls

With hands on our bible of beasts, baubles and bafflement — Journal 3, naturally — we can solemnly swear that Gravity Falls is the weirdest, wildest and gobblewonkiest project that’s ever come out of Disney, bursting through the castle doors like rainbows from a gnome’s mouth. Created by Alex Hirsch, the mystery-hinged funfest centers on a pair of siblings, Jason Ritter’s Dipper and Kristen Schaal’s Mabel, living with their kooky and perhaps unstable great uncle, Grunkle Stan (voiced by Hirsch). And for anyone who loves codes, hidden messages, deep lore, crytozoology, conspiracies, and everything sharing that fringe space, Gravity Falls is the holy grail of animated shows. (And that grail is filled with Pitt Cola.)

Despite nearly universal love and acclaim, Disney cut Gravity Falls’ run short at just two seasons, although the actual supplementary Journal 3 (which Hirsch co-wrote) is expansive and unique enough of an experience to at least count as a one-off special. There’s still hope that fans will one day go on more adventures in the Mystery Shack with Soos, assuming Bill Cipher doesn’t muck anything up, but even if these 40 episodes are all that ever get produced, it was perfection.

24. The Boondocks

Aaron McGruder’s adaptation of his own comic strip, The Boondocks, is a must-watch for those trying to better understand racial relations, culture, and racism in the United States. With the help of some voice acting from Regina King, Riley and his brother Huey navigate the Black experience of living in a predominantly white suburb.

The Boondocks thrived on taking hot-button issues and forcing the viewer to think about not just the issue but their own reaction and perspective of that issue. The Boondocks deserves applause for how it pushed the envelope in its four seasons and offered thoughtful commentary in a way few other animated shows can.

23. Justice League

Superheroes joining forces in the DC Animated Universe wasn’t anything new prior to 2001 thanks to special pairings in Superman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond’s “The Call” two-parter, but Justice League placed teamwork front and center. Viewers watched Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and Hawkgirl vanquish terrestrial, alien and magical threats together, and it was a blast.

Justice League continues to be appreciated for its crisp animation, mature storytelling and stellar character development, as well as for transforming John Stewart from a B-list character to the definitive Green Lantern for a generation. Justice League makes an effective crash course for those wanting to dive into DC lore without having read any of the comics.

22. Star Trek: Lower Decks

Being such a well known and praised franchise for decades, die-hard fans were quite surprised when it was announced back in 2019 that the Star Trek franchise would be taking a shot at an adult comedy with a brand new animated show, Star Trek: Lower Decks. Written by Rick and Morty’s Mike McMahan, the show takes place in the 24th century and instead of focusing on the high-ranking officers on the Bridge Crew, it gives viewers a glimpse into the “lower deck” officers with the more humble jobs that keep the ship running…smoothly? The show often references the rest of the Star Trek earlier entries and breaks down sci-fi tropes, often in a very NSFW way, and should delight both seasoned and new fans alike.

21. Sailor Moon

If you’re of a certain age, Sailor Moon may be the first anime you ever saw in your entire life. It’s one of those ‘90s anime that was sandwiched between Fist of the North Star in the ‘80s, and the explosion that was Dragon Ball Z, and Pokemon in the later ‘90s. Even so, Sailor Moon still managed to stand out, and it still stands out today. It may be because Serena (or Usagi, if you prefer sub over dub) is so dang loveable. As is her relationship with Darien (AKA, Tuxedo Mask).

And of course, we can’t forget the many other Sailor Scouts, as they all have their own unique personalities and inner worlds. In truth, Sailor Moon is the kind of cartoon that appeals to both young girls, but also grown men in their ‘30s and ‘40s, and really, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

20. One Piece

Shows like One Piece don’t come along often, and really, we’re not sure there is any other show on television that’s like it. It’s one thing to have an astronomically high episode count, but quite another for that story to be serialized and tell a great story of a pirate adventure that’s been wowing viewers for over two decades. The character development and growth of the Straw Hat Pirates and the world-building it boasts makes this an easy choice for top-tier anime, and it’s great that Netflix finally took notice and made an equally enjoyable live-action series.

It’s a modern-day epic story equatable to Gilgamesh or Beowulf, and feels like a lived-in universe more than any other anime out there. It’s totally worth the time investment for those who feel overwhelmed by tackling the 1000+ episodes of this ongoing series.

19. The Critic

The Critic, which revolves around New York film critic, Jay Sherman (voiced by A League of Their Own’s Jon Lovitz) sometimes hits way too close to home. What we mean is, with many of us being critics ourselves, a lot of Jay’s fussy qualms about movies seem super spot on, such as the eye roll he gave to the made-up movie, Beverly Hills RoboCanine Cop and a Half 2 (Starring Clint Eastwood!).

But that’s just the beauty of The Critic, because even though Jay was often fed up with having to review so many mediocre movies, he still loved his job, and stayed a movie fan to his core. Which, again, hits very close to home. Plus, it didn’t hurt that the series had The Simpsons writers, Al Jean and Mike Reiss as showrunners. It stinks!...that we don’t have any new episodes of The Critic to watch these days.

18. Daria

Daria once described herself to a therapist as actively working to make people dislike her. She’s not wrong. Daria's main character is, at times, deeply unlikeable. She speaks as if she’s a detached observer into her own life, making callous observations in a dry, dispassionate voice. She’s like a real life narrator, condescendingly commenting on the world around her as everyone else plays volleyball and talks about who they’re going to prom with.

Despite all her efforts, however, it’s impossible to hate Daria because she’s really funny and also not wrong most of the time. High school is often pretty stupid and populated with try-hards who don’t know themselves or have any idea where they’re going. Listening to Daria judge them feels like therapy, even if, deep down, we know she’s just as lost as they are.

17. Over The Garden Wall

What’s most impressive about Over The Garden Wall is just how effectively it slips under your skin and rattles you. The familiar sibling dynamic between Wirt (Elijah Wood) and his little brother Greg (Collin Dean) is disarming, as are the fantasy elements and talking animals… but never forgotten is the terror that comes from the show’s central premise: two boys getting lost in the woods and trying to find their way home. Each chapter starts with a light touch, but ends up gripping you by the throat and invading your nightmares.

The episodes brim with fantastic and horrific imagination - from the shadowy beasts that lead souls astray to the disturbing Auntie Whispers (voiced brilliantly by John Cleese). There are only 10 episodes and none of them run over 12 minutes, but Over The Wall leaves a deep impression, and it’s wonderful to revisit annually during Spooky Season.

16. King of the Hill

I tell you what, it’s hard to get better than King of the Hill. The long-running hit (which has a Mike Judge-led revival coming to Hulu soon), focused on Hank, Peggy and their son Bobby Hill, and their day to day life in the small town of Arlen, Texas. This slice-of-life animated show used something a lot of people probably take for granted - the absurdities of relationships, work, growing up, marriage and other aspects of daily life - turned them up to 11 and made every episode across 13 seasons feel like we were laughing at our own friends and family.

Don’t we all know at least one person obsessed with lawn care? Or one boy who ain’t right? If not, you’ll certainly wish you knew the residents of Rainey Street and could call them neighbors, because mundane, working class life has never looked like so much looney fun.

15. Mickey Mouse (2013 shorts)

Mickey Mouse is one of the most iconic characters in the history of animation. He’s been everywhere and done everything. What made the new series of shorts that began in 2013 and ended in 2023 special wasn’t that they did anything differently, (though certainly the visual style was completely new for the character) it was that they went back to the beginning and let Mickey be the Mickey he was always designed to be.

The modern run of shorts, simple called Mickey Mouse, let the big-eared protagonist be the hero, but they also let him be silly, angry, surprising, and ridiculous. They pack more gags into a five-minute short than would seem possible. The shorts were new, but also served as throwbacks to earlier Mickey eras when the character had more creative freedom before he became the icon we know. They were a breath of fresh air after decades of a stagnant and sterilized mouse.

14. The Legend Of Korra

There is sometimes debate on whether Avatar: The Last Airbender or its follow-up series, The Legend of Korra, is the better cartoon. But, when it comes to us, all we have to say is, why not both? Because honestly, you can’t lose with either series. That said, The Legend of Korra definitely is special in its own right. This is a more grown-up take on the world of Avatar, where each season introduces a new threat to our heroine, Korra (Voiced by the magnificent Janet Varney).

With each season, however, we see Korra adapt and change in ways that Aang never got to do, which is enhanced by Korra’s fantastic Team Avatar of Bolin, Mako, and of course, Asami. Oh, and speaking of Asami, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention how groundbreaking this show was, as Korrasami is still one of our favorite TV couples of all time.

13. South Park

Possibly the most controversial animated show of all time, South Park. With 26 seasons under their belt, Trey Parker and Matt Stones’ on Comedy Central follows the story of four young boys and the typically pop-culture chaos that surrounds them. The show’s intro blatantly states that the show “...should not be viewed by anyone.” South Park pulls no punches and gives no f’s. T

The creators have pulled some crazy stunts in the past, like attending the 2000 Oscars while being nominated, wearing dresses, and high on LSD. They have also attempted to get their own show canceled, been banned in China, as well as hitting a television milestone by going “bleep-free” with the use of the “f-bomb” live on air. It’s a show that could not be launched today, but since it has such huge weight in the zeitgeist, expect to see some more offensive Colorado antics for some time.

12. Star Wars Rebels

Star Wars Rebels picked up the action set in the galaxy far, far away after The Clone Wars ended, and the animated series ran from 2014-2018 on Disney XD to expand on the era ahead of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with a found family of original characters. Not only did the show prove that Star Wars doesn’t need to rely on legacy characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to tell a fantastic story and deliver arguably one of the best deaths in the franchise’s history, but it set up some stellar stories that are being expanded in live-action with Ahsoka.

There was no certainty that Rebels would succeed back in the beginning despite the popularity of The Clone Wars, but the story was solid during its original run and stands the test of time for first-time watchers and re-watchers alike. And its characters, ships and plots have remained core to the universe even beyond its conclusion.

11. Invincible

Invincible was released for those with an Amazon Prime subscription during the height of superhero mania. Despite concerns about superhero fatigue, the animated series carved stands out within the genre. Namely by being the animated answer to The Boys, and being an R-rated and wildly violent cartoon show. Invincible focuses on the title character aka Mark Grayson who is a young person coming into his own as a wildly popular hero who boasts the same powers, if not the same prowess, as his father Omni- Man, who is revealed to be something quite a bit more dangerous than anyone readily expected.

Adapted rather faithfully from Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker's comic book, the story is emotional, the action sequences are bloody and brutal, and Invincible’s voice cast is led by A-list talent like Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh, and more. And the show is so popular that Omni-Man spawned a character in Mortal Kombat 1.

10. Justice League Unlimited

Everything that was great about Justice League got ratcheted up a notch with Justice League Unlimited. Thanks to the team’s founding heroes expanding its ranks — minus Hawkgirl, who returned later in Season 1 — this continuation allowed the DC Animated Universe to shine the spotlight on even lesser-known heroes, from Green Arrow and The Question to Booster Gold and Huntress. Like its predecessor, the show wholeheartedly embraced its printed page while also putting unique spins on its starring protagonists and antagonists.

Although there were various standalone episodes peppered throughout Justice League Unlimited, the show was at its best when delving into its serialized stories that built off plot threads from the previous DC Animated Universe shows, namely the Cadmus and Secret Society arcs. That makes Unlimited arguably feel like the most comic book-y entry in this shared continuity. While the DCAU would be revisited a handful of other times following the show’s conclusion, Unlimited definitely marked the end of an era, and it stuck the landing wonderfully.

9. Phineas and Ferb

The concept of two brothers spending their summer vacation trying to figure out a way to spend it comes with endless possibilities, and Phineas and Ferb explored them creatively and expertly. Following a formula where every episode the titular characters are always finding an over-the-top thing to do or build. Meanwhile, their sister Candace tries to bust them while their pet platypus Perry goes on a mission to stop his nemesis Dr. Doofenshmirtz and his latest -enator.

Over the years, Phineas and Ferb mastered its formula and had a blast with it. Watching the brothers build a roller-coaster, create a backyard beach, get their parents' favorite band back together and oh so much more was not only fun but creatively invigorating. Not to mention, many episodes also featured incredible original music – like the Emmy-nominated song “Ain’t Got Rhythm” – meaning you’ll be humming along and thinking about this show long after the episode ends.

8. Looney Tunes

To describe Looney Tunes as a classic is completely appropriate, and yet, somehow not quite enough. This collection of animated shorts (produced from 1930 to 1969 and then revived in the late 1970s) has provided generations of audiences with wacky adventures featuring some of the most recognizable and quotable cartoon characters ever created. Even if you’ve only seen a handful of the many, many cartoons made by Warner Bros., you likely know that Bugs Bunny usually outsmarts everyone, Sylvester and Tweety are hilarious adversaries, Daffy Duck is at his funniest when he’s angry or on the losing end of anything, and that Roadrunner is way more trouble than it’s worth to Wile E. Coyote.

Looney Tunes is yet another example of how something could, technically, be pleasantly silly enough for kids, but just mature enough to get and keep the attention of adults. (Who doesn’t know what it’s like to repeatedly miss your target like Elmer Fudd?) When you watch one of these belly-laugh inducing entries, the only thing stopping you from watching another (and another) will be a power outage… That’s a joke, son!

7. Rick and Morty

A decade ago, if you asked us to name our Top Five most thoroughly inventive, consistently thrilling, amusingly thought-provoking, and deeply moving science-fiction series, we would have never guessed an Adult Swim original comedy would make the cut. Nevertheless, Rick and Morty — co-created by the now-fired Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon — has risen above its crude animation, and even cruder humor, to be widely remembered as, not just one of the funniest sci-fi TV shows, but among the genre’s all-time finest.

It is no surprise the series was bred from a Back to the Future parody short, as the pairing of alcoholic scientist Rick Sanchez with his grandson, Morty Smith, feels like a more volatile Marty and Doc situation, which is also just one of the many ways the series brilliantly pokes fun at and pays homage to pop culture. However, the best Rick and Morty episodes — in addition to introducing eye-popping, otherworldly, and downright absurd concepts — honor the series’ more relatable themes, such as family and existential dread, which cleverly sneak up on you while you experience the duo's latest crazy adventure through time and space.

6. Attack On Titan

There’s a lot of great anime out there, from wholesome shows like Spy X Family to much more action-heavy series like Demon Slayer and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. But when it comes to anime that just generally rivals some of the greatest television shows of all-time, then look no further than Attack on Titan, which we once called the best under-the-radar show on television. Because no show swerved like Attack on Titan did, and it all falls upon its protagonist/antagonist, Eren Yeager, who the audience is firmly behind…until we aren’t.

That’s right, Attack on Titan initially seems very simple in premise — Titans bad, people good — but soon changes dramatically to the point where we wonder if we may have had it all wrong the entire time. Are the titans were the ones who were misunderstood, and the humans were the bad guys. Plus, this is the rare exception where the anime may be superior to the manga, and if you know anything about manga, that is no small feat. This is an anime for the ages.

5. Bluey

Bluey has simply become must-watch programming for families, and don’t be surprised when Mom and Dad find themselves just as entertained as the little ones. The infectious theme song ropes you in as it introduces Mum (Chilli), Dad (Bandit), little sister Bingo and big sister Bluey, but it’s the heart-filled interactions between the Blue Heelers that have kept people coming back. Some episodes are laugh-out-loud funny — “I slipped on my beans!” — and others will hit you right in the feels and cause tears to flow freely.

Parents have become endeared to Bluey because it inspires us to be better. It encourages us to play with our kids and gives us permission to act silly in public. Why care what strangers think if you can make your kids laugh, right? But Bluey also shows the harder moments. Sometimes Bandit and Chilli don’t have time to play. Sometimes they don’t know what to say or just need some peace and quiet after partying too hard on New Year’s Eve. We need permission to want those things in real life, too.

4. The Simpsons

The Simpsons is the most popular and successful animated show in history because it’s hilarious in so many different ways. No matter what your sense of humor is, there’s almost certainly a Simpsons character that’s funny in the exact way you’re looking for. From highbrow literary references thrown out as asides to people falling over and getting injured in embarrassing or gruesome ways, and everything in between, each episode is jam-packed with jokes intended to do very different things and to appeal to very different people.

If it happened in a lesser show, it might feel like pandering, but with The Simpsons, the "whatever sticks" approach always felt like layers and variance. That’s a testament to the quality of the writing. Most shows that try to do too much are overtly better at one of the things they’re trying to do, which makes the rest seem less than or out of place. Not The Simpsons. Thanks to fantastic, complicated leads and the funniest supporting network of side characters in TV history, the writers can be funny in so many unique, challenging, satirical, irreverent and sometimes prophetic ways, and they have for more than 750 delightful episodes.

3. Avatar: The Last Airbender

From scathing commentary about imperialism to discussions of spirituality, trauma and extinction, Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender packs deep philosophical meaning into its animated stories. This universe, centered around people boasting the ability to bend elements, follows Avatar Aang on his journey to master the elements and defeat the Fire Lord. This series from Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko is a masterful classic, filled with fun side-quests like the trio’s journey to Omashu, as well as complex politics surrounding the Royal Fire Nation family, sassy characters (we’re of course talking about Sokka and Toph), insanely well-developed story arcs like Zuko’s, and it's all taied together with mind-boggling action,

Like the Avatar, ATLA gets stronger with time, and as Aang mastered the elements, the series grew with him. No matter how old you are, this series hits hard, and the more you watch it the better it gets. Avatar: The Last Airbender seems destined to always feel timeless, and like the Avatar’s powers, this show will likely continue to be passed down through generations for years to come.

2. BoJack Horseman

It’s understandable if you watch the first episode of BoJack Horseman and don’t quite click with it. It’s a show that throws you headfirst into its world  – providing a deep inside look at Hollywood and celebrity in a reality where humans coexist with humanoid animals. That being said, as one of the first Netflix original creations, it’s a series that greatly benefited from the streamer’s binge model, as to dig deeper into the show is to fall in love with it and everything it has to say.

All six seasons of BoJack Horseman are witty, clever, and hilarious, with countless background gags that make it incredibly rewarding on rewatch – but what makes it special is just how real it is. The aesthetic may be silly, but the characters are all ultimately broken people and there is an unflinching and powerful examination of their individual damage over the course of the show. The penultimate episode of every season manages to be as emotionally devastating as anything that Hollywood has ever produced for the small screen, and each one is both shocking and mesmerizing.

1. Batman: The Animated Series

Unquestionably one of the best examples of any animated TV show appealing to both kids and adults, Batman: The Animated Series continues to stand as perhaps the greatest triumph in the media history of DC Comics’ Caped Crusader. BTAS, and by extension The New Batman Adventures, followed in the footsteps of the Tim Burton Batman movies by bringing the character back to his darker roots and inserting viewers into an anachronistic Gotham City dripping with noir flavor. Here we have a Batman who strikes fear into the hearts of criminals just as easily as he inspires the innocent.

Anchored by the late Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne, Batman: The Animated Series effectively walked the line of honoring the source material while also putting unique spins on characters like The Joker, Mr. Freeze and Two-Face, while also launching neo-icons like Harley Quinn, Renee Montoya and a handful of others who’ve become mythos mainstays. Even ignoring that BTAS launched the beloved DC Animated Universe, Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski's show serves for many as the gold(black) standard by which all other Batman adaptations are judged. 1992 may be a long time ago, but BTAS still feels wonderfully timeless.

Hopefully the next 80 years of animated series can stand up to the classic eras that have already come and gone, as well as everything happening currently. But for anyone who hasn't yet watched everything listed above, now you know the assignment, mmk?

During its time in theaters, the DCEU had plenty of twists, both in front and behind the camera. No movie had a life quite a wild as Justice League, which performed poorly in the box office and saw fans campaign for the Snyder Cut. Justice League's credits scene revealed Joe Manganiello as Deathstroke, but he never actually got to take the spotlight as the character in an upcoming DC movie. The True Blood alum revealed how he'd like to reprise his role in the DCU, and I'm sold.

While Joe Manganiello got to briefly return to his villain role via the Snyder Cut reshoots, both fans and the actor wanted more-- especially given the original plans for Deathstroke. The 47 year-old actor previously spoke at a convention (via ComicBook) about how he'd like to bring back the Batman villain, saying:

Honestly, sign me up. You can't deny how badass Manganiello has looked as Deathstroke, even if his role in both versions of Justice League was small. And it would be a thrill to see him get to finally explore that character via a show for those with a Max subscription. Are you listening, James Gunn?

Manganiello's comments show how much thought he put into the role of Deathstroke, despite never getting to actually star in a DC movie. The post-credits sequence of Justice League set up a sequel that never happen, and the Magic Mike actor was expected to be the villain in Ben Affleck's cancelled Batman movie. And as such, he never got to really own his role as Slade Wilson. 

There are currently countless questions about DC's future, on both the big and small screens. Co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran decided to leave the DCEU behind and form a new shared universe. The first slate of projects is titled Gods and Monsters, but details like casting and plot are being kept under wraps. But since Manganiello never got to really take center stage as Deathstroke, perhaps he can be brought back in a project like The Brave and The Bold. Only time will tell.

At the time of writing this story, Gunn and Safran confirmed a handful of returning DC characters who would reprise their roles in the new shared universe. So maybe Joe Manganiello can take a meeting with the studio and convince them to bring him back. Fingers crossed.

The DCEU will start with Superman: Legacy on July 11th, 2025. While we wait for more DC information, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next trip to the movies. 

For as much as we know about the new DCU under James Gunn, there’s a lot that is still very much a mystery. Gunn has unveiled a lot of his first chapter of the DCU, Gods and Monsters, and we know there will be some larger story going on. We might have assumed that the story was going to take us to the formation of the traditional Justice League, but James Gunn may have just teased us with the superhero team that is coming, and it’s not quite the same one.

James Gunn posted an image to his Instagram Story (via ScreenRant) which is an image not of the Justice League, but Justice League International, a slightly different variation on the classic team. The image that Gunn posted, from a 2022 comic book story, does include several characters that we know will be introduced in upcoming DC movies and TV series. This including Batman, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, and Booster Gold. Several heroes and villains are already part of the Superman: Legacy cast. Blue Beetle is also a member of the team, and we know that Xolo Mardiueña’s Blue Beetle is one of the few elements from the previous DC franchise that will continue forward in Gunn’s story.

Putting a team together using a group of lesser-known heroes may seem like an unusual decision, but it might make a lot of sense. The Justice League was formed in the previous franchise, and whatever you think are the reasons behind it, it certainly did not go well. Some fans are still angry that DC is being rebooted at all. Putting some distance between the new DCU and the classic Justice League isn’t necessarily a bad idea. 

It’s certainly possible that James Gunn just shared the image because it happened to contain several characters that he’s introducing in the new DC franchise, and we know that there’s more to the DCU Chapter 1 that Gunn hasn’t yet announced. He could be hinting toward some future characters on screen that haven’t been officially confirmed yet, without specifically building toward a Justice League International team.

There may not even be specific plans for any big team-up movie in the future. While that feels inevitable, because we’ve seen it happen with the MCU and the previous DCEU, maybe Gunn has a different idea for ways to make his universe feel interconnected without making a specific team-up movie.

But a team-up does seem likely eventually, and based on the characters we know we’re going to see, perhaps Justice League International will be that team. A traditional Justice League appearing down the road certainly isn’t out of the question, and the longer we wait, the bigger a deal it will be when it finally happens. But that team will almost certainly need Wonder Woman and The Flash, and at this point, we have no idea when or how we might see those characters. 

One of the many titles on Netflix’s 2023 movie schedule is Rebel Moon, a new science fiction epic that comes from the mind of Zack Snyder. The film appears to be a serious cinematic feat, for which the director has assembled an impressive cast. Ray Fisher is among the ensemble and appears to be playing quite the imposing role. This production marks Fisher’s first collaboration with Snyder since Justice League and the drama that surrounded the DC flick. Now, Fisher is getting candid about what it’s been like to reunite with his collaborator following the debacle. 

Ray Fisher owes a great deal to Zack Snyder, as the 300 helmer is the person who cast him as Victor Stone a.k.a. Cyborg in the DC Extended Universe and essentially jump-started his film career. The two seem to have forged a solid relationship while working together, and both have been in each other’s corners in multiple instances. With all of that in mind, Fisher was incredibly enthusiastic when he spoke with Business Insider and discussed what it meant to work alongside his “brother” again: 

That’s some serious praise coming from the Piano Lesson actor, and it’s great to hear that he’s developed such a bond with the filmmaker. Their relationship remained rock solid following the Sucker Punch director’s exit from Justice League and amid the drama that followed. In 2020, the star accused Joss Whedon (who took over JL directing duties after Zack Snyder exited due to the death of his daughter) of “abusive” and “gross” behavior. He’d later assert that execs at Warner Bros. and DC enabled Whedon’s alleged actions. Since the tense situation, which included an internal investigation, the True Detective alum has moved on to other endeavors. He did, however, show support amid the campaign to get Snyder’s cut of the DC team-up movie released and, after it was, the star praised its success on Max (then HBO Max). 

The duo’s latest collaboration is shaping up to be a very different kind of flick for them. The Netflix production centers on a young warrior (Sofia Boutella) in search of redemption, who assembles a group of warriors to make a stand against the oppressive government that dominates their universe. As part of the Rebel Moon cast, Ray Fisher plays the role of Darrian Bloodaxe, one of the fighter’s who’s recruited by the lead protagonist. Later in his recent interview, Fisher excitedly teased the upcoming 2023 new movie release: 

If the epic trailers for Rebel Moon are anything to go by, it would seem that the director isn’t holding back with his latest sprawling tale, which will be split into multiple movies. Fans of his seem to be relishing the fact that he has more cinematic stories on the way. But perhaps what they might especially appreciate is the fact that the work has also allowed him the opportunity to join forces with Ray Fisher again in the aftermath of a rocky time.

Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire will hit theaters for a limited release on December 15 before it becomes available for Netflix subscribers to stream on December 21.

While comic book movies are everywhere, few have had the unprecedented life of Justice League. After Justice League’s theatrical cut failed to perform at the box office, some fans immediately began campaigning for the Snyder Cut to be brought to life. Years later it finally happened, with Zack Snyder’s Justice League being released on HBO Max and revealing his true vision for the project. The campaign to make this happen was intense, and the filmmaker recently responded to claims that fans used bots to spread the Snyder Cut message.

Warner Bros. shocked the public when it was revealed that Snyder was given millions to complete his version of Justice League, and release it for those with a HBO Max subscription. For years this seemed like a pipe dream, although calls for the Snyder Cut were loud throughout that time– with some accusing fans of using bots to keep the subject trending on social media. During a recent conversation with THR, he was asked what he thought about that discourse, saying: 

Well, that was honest. While the 300 filmmaker doesn’t know if Snyder Cut fans used bots, he doesn’t think it matters much anymore. Zack Snyder’s Justice League was ultimately completed and released, in a fashion that no other project in movie history ever has. So whatever the campaign did, it clearly worked in getting Warner Bros.' attention at the time.

Snyder’s comments make a great deal of sense, and shows where his perspective on #ReleaseTheSnyderCut stands nowadays. It seems he’s still surprised that his version of Justice League was ever completed and released, complete with teases for sequels that would never come to fruition. Not only was he able to piece together the movie as he intended, but Snyder Cut reshoots helped bring new footage together like the ending and new Knightmare sequence. 

Of course, those who have been following this wild turn of events will know that the fan campaigns didn’t end after the Snyder Cut was finally released. Given how much folks enjoyed this alternate version of Justice League, another hashtag soon went viral: #RestoreTheSnyderVerse. Unfortunately for those hoping to get two more sequels, the studio doesn’t seem to have any interest in putting millions into two more Justice League flicks. 

This concept seems all the more impossible thanks to new DC co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, who are crafting an entirely new shared universe. Although for his part, Snyder reached out to Gunn to share his excitement and support over this new venture.

The next DC movie hitting theaters is Aquaman 2 on December 20th, while Snyder’s new Netflix movie Rebel Moon will be released December 15th. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

There are plenty of great DC movies and TV shows on Netflix for comic book fans to check out, which is one thing that makes it one of the best streaming services to subscribe to today. Let's take a deeper look at all of the great superhero movies and series under the DC umbrella that a Netflix subscription provides — some of which a Max subscription will not even get you.

Preacher (2016-2019)

Criminal-turned-minister Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper), his ex-girlfriend Tulip (Ruth Negga), and a vampire named Cassidy (Joe Gilgun) team up to, literally, find God after the Almighty goes missing.

Why it is one of the best DC titles on Netflix: Based on Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's hit DC Wildstorm comic, Preacher is a refreshingly unique and cheekily funny supernatural thriller from developers Sam Catlin, Seth Rogen, and Evan Goldberg.

• Stream Preacher on Netflix

Batwheels (2022-Present)

The Batmobile (voiced by Jacob Bertrand) and other vehicles used by the Dark Knight (voiced by Ethan Hawke) and the BatFamilly become equipped with a sentient A.I. that allows them to become heroes on their own.

Why it is one of the best DC titles on Netflix: For younger children who may not be ready for the live-action Batman films or even Batman: The Animated Series, Batwheels serves as a perfect entry point into the DC Universe.

• Stream Batwheels on Netflix

Justice League And Justice League Unlimited (2001-2004, 2004-2006)

Batman (the late Kevin Conroy), Superman (George Newbern), Wonder Woman (Susan Eisenberg), and more of the world’s greatest heroes form an alliance that grows much, much larger in later years.

Why they are some of the best DC titles on Netflix: Relive all of the best episodes of Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, which was the cornerstone of the much esteemed DC Animated Universe that was spearheaded by Batman: The Animated Series.

• Stream Justice League on Netflix
• Stream Justice League Unlimited on Netflix

The Batman (2004-2008)

The wealthy, orphaned Bruce Wayne (Rino Romano, one of the most underrated and best Batman voice actors) becomes a symbol of his greatest fear to intimidate the most feared criminals threatening Gotham City.

Why it is one of the best DC titles on Netflix: Not to be confused with the 2022 comic book movie starring Robert Pattinson, The Batman is an animated series that offers a refreshing take on the early years of Bruce Wayne’s war on crime.

• Stream The Batman on Netflix

Arrow (2012-2020)

An irresponsible billionaire (Stephen Amell) returns from a long hiatus with a new determination to protect his crime-ridden city with expert archery skills.

Why it is one of the best DC titles on Netflix: Based on the character of Oliver “Green Arrow” Queen, co-developer Greg Berlanti’s acclaimed Arrow pioneered a shared universe of DC TV shows on The CW that came to aptly be known as the “Arrowverse.”

• Stream Arrow on Netflix

The Flash (2014-2023)

After he is struck by lightning, a forensics investigator (Grant Gustin) gains the ability to move faster than any other living being.

Why it is one of the best DC titles on Netflix: The second installment of the Arrowverse, The CW’sThe Flash, also boasts one of the most beloved iterations of Barry Allen.

• Stream The Flash on Netflix

Supergirl (2015-2021)

Clark Kent’s cousin, Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist), uses her Kryptonian abilities to fight crime on her own in National City.

Why it is one of the best DC titles on Netflix: Originally airing on CBS before joining her fellow Arrowverse-canon series on The CW, Supergirl is, surprisingly, among the lowest-rated superhero TV shows on IMDb, but is one of the best modern DC TV shows, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

• Stream Supergirl on Netflix

DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow (2016-2022)

A diverse group of crime fighters and criminals work together, traveling through time to fight evil.

Why it is one of the best DC titles on Netflix: You never know what you are going to see next while following the ragtag crew from DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, which was cancelled before it could finish its story after seven seasons.

• Stream DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow on Netflix

Black Lightning (2017-2021)

A former superhero (Cress Williams) with the ability to generate electricity comes out of retirement to protect his community from a vicious criminal gang.

Why it is one of the best DC titles on Netflix: One of the more unique installments of the Arrowverse — for following an older character who forms a team with his own family — is Black Lightning, which was cancelled at The CW after four seasons.

• Stream Black Lightning on Netflix

Lucifer (2016-2021)

After growing tired of his life ruling Hell, Satan (Tom Ellis) comes to Earth in human form and uses his expertise in all things evil as an LAPD consultant.

Why it is one of the best DC titles on Netflix: Originally airing on Fox, Lucifer — based on the DC Vertigo title — later became one of the best crime TV shows on Netflix for its dazzling blend of fantasy and hard-boiled mystery.

• Stream Lucifer on Netflix

Sweet Tooth (2021-2024)

A young, half-man, half-deer hybrid (Christian Convery) struggles to survive Earth’s post-apocalyptic landscape with help from one of the few humans left (Nonso Anozie).

Why it is one of the best DC titles on Netflix: Robert Downey Jr. serves as a producer for this comparatively more lighthearted adaptation of Jeff Lemire’s dark, dystopian fantasy series from DC Comics, Sweet Tooth.

• Stream Sweet Tooth on Netflix

The Sandman (2022-Present)

After spending over a century in captivity, the personification dreams (Tom Sturridge) must prevent a living nightmare (Boyd Holbrook) from wreaking havoc on the Earth.

Why it is one of the best DC titles on Netflix: After years in development hell, Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman — which has a second season in the works — was finally adapted for screen as a Netflix original series featuring a top-notch, star-studded cast and a passionate understanding of its source material.

• Stream The Sandman on Netflix

Bodies (2023)

The same corpse of an unidentified man is discovered in the exact same place in London by four different detectives in four different time periods.

Why they are some of the best DC titles on Netflix: Based on Si Spencer's acclaimed graphic novel published by DC Vertigo in 2015, Bodies is an eight-episode, Netflix original crime drama with a mind-bending sci-fi twist, developed by Torchwood writer Paul Tomalin.

• Stream Bodies on Netflix

Be sure to check back and see what upcoming DC movies and upcoming DC TV shows will be available to stream on Netflix next.

Good news for DC Extended Universe fans who are also subscribed to Netflix: you’ll now finally be able to watch some of this franchise’s offerings on that streaming service. It’s been announced that eight DCEU movies will be added to Netflix on December 1, thus expanding the service’s already-decently-sized library of DC content. One of those movies, however, is the theatrical cut of Justice League rather than Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and Snyder Cut fans are not happy about this.

If you follow along with news about DC movies, you’re aware that the version of Justice League that played on the big screen in late 2017 was almost entirely comprised of footage shot during reshoots helmed by Joss Whedon, who took over directing duties from Snyder following the latter’s exit during the postproduction phase. That movie was met with mixed-to-negative critical reception, whereas Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which was first released to Max subscribers in early 2021, has been much more well received. Fans of Zack Snyder, of course, consider that cut the “true” version of Justice League, as evidenced by @KnightmareYuvi’s reaction to the Netflix news on X (formerly known as Twitter):

Of course, not everyone who’s browsing on Netflix is familiar with the behind-the-scenes happenings in DC media, so when they see that Justice League is on there, they might either confuse it with Zack Snyder’s Justice League or not even know there are two versions of this story available. As such, these fans are doing their best to let others know that the Justice League that will be on Netflix is not the one that’s more widely preferred by both them and the general public. @patrick96231388 said the following, which was accompanied by a helpful graphic with both Justice League posters:

In the immediate years after Justice League’s release, Snyder’s fans began the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut campaign, which requested that Warner Bros. Release the version of this movie that better reflected the filmmaker’s vision. Although it initially seemed like this would never happen, by February 2020, the studio greenlit the project. @SuperTuberEddie included the below caption about how Netflix is only including the theatrical cut with a gif of Henry Cavill’s Superman using his heat vision in Zack Snyder’s Justice League:

Although the basic story is the same for both versions of Justice League, i.e. Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, Cyborg and Superman teaming up to fight Steppenwolf and his Parademon army, there are plenty of differences between the two, particularly because the theatrical cut was exactly two hours long, whereas Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a little over four hours. Snyder Cut fans certainly don’t mince words when they express how much more they like the latter over the former. @TPZMickD said:

But Snyder Cut fans weren’t only up in arms about the lack of Zack Snyder’s Justice League on Netflix. Many also expressed their dissatisfaction about the platform appears to be supplying the theatrical version of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice rather than the Ultimate Edition, which also enjoyed better critical reception. As @Art_Barillas put it:

Additionally, plenty of people also clamored for Netflix to not only release the Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad, i.e. the version that better reflects David Ayer’s vision, but also allow Snyder to finish out his DC saga on there. Between Netflix merely licensing these DC movies rather than outright owning them, Warner Bros. gearing up to leave the DCEU behind and usher in the new DC Universe, and Snyder already keeping busy on Netflix with his Army of the Dead and Rebel Moon universes, don’t count on that happening. At this point, the best we can hope for is the remaining DCEU movies to also be added to the platform, though even that’s not a guarantee.

If you’re interested in streaming Zack Snyder’s Justice League, it’s still only on Max, though remember that it can also be purchased on home media. For those interested in Snyder’s non-DC work, Both Army of the Dead and its spinoff, Army of Thieves (which he co-wrote produced), can be viewed on Netflix now, Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire arrives on December 22, and Part Two: The Scargiver follows on April 19, 2024.

If you have a Max subscription, then there’s no shortage of DC Comics media to watch in an instant, including the entirety of the DC Extended Universe. However, some of you may not be signed onto that particular service, but would still like access to DC projects. Fortunately, Netflix makes for a nice alternative, and it will get even better soon. I’m psyched to learn that Netflix subscribers will have access to an even bigger DC library in just a few weeks time thanks to DCEU movies like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Wonder Woman being added.

Starting on December 1, those of you who use Netflix will be able to watch eight DCEU movies, which, if we count Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s impending release, comprises half of this superhero franchise’s theatrical output: Here’s what’s on the way:

• Man of Steel
• Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
• Suicide Squad
• Wonder Woman
• Justice League
• Birds of Prey
• Wonder Woman 1984
• The Suicide Squad 

To be clear, these movies are will not be exclusive to Netflix, so if you’d prefer to stick around on Max, you’ll still have access to them. You also may have noticed that these aren’t the first eight DCEU movies, as Aquaman and Shazam! are missing from the lineup. Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that not only is Netflix providing the theatrical version of Justice League rather than Zack Snyder’s Justice League, it also looks like this will be the theatrical version of Batman v Superman rather than the Ultimate Edition. So you’ll need to stay on Max if you’d rather watch those DC movies’ extended cuts.

Still, this is yet another way that Netflix continues to impress on the DC front, which has been happening for a while now. For one thing, along with being the exclusive destination to shows like Lucifer, The Sandman and Sweet Tooth, this streaming service has also been home to Arrowverse shows like Arrow, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, with seasons dropping there shortly after they finished running on The CW. You can also count on Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy to go through a seemingly-endless cycle of being added to the Netflix catalog, being taken off after a few months, then being added back several months after that.

In recent months, though, animated shows like Justice League Unlimited and The Batman have been added to Netflix, and let’s not forget that Bodies, currently one of the most popular and best TV shows on Netflix, is based off a graphic novel from DC’s now-defunct Vertigo imprint. So naturally these DCEU additions are most welcome, although they come at a bittersweet time, a this DC era will end with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s arrival in December, and then the new DC Universe will get going with projects like Creature Commandos and Superman: Legacy.

Nevertheless, I’ll be interested to see if the remaining DCEU movies end up being uploaded to Netflix too sometime in 2024. Naturally we’ll let you know if that happens, but for now, look through the best movies on Netflix that are available to watch now.

As one will see when looking over the DC movies in order, after the theatrical cut of Justice League’s arrival in November 2017, Aquaman followed in December 2018. However, aside from a brief mention from Mera of Arthur Curry’s battle with Steppenwolf, the Jason Momoa-led DC movie didn’t have any wider DC Extended Universe ties. However, that wasn’t always the case, as concept art has surfaced revealing that Arthur’s Justice League teammates were originally supposed to have a major role in Aquaman.

Conceptual designer Ed Natividad posted some artwork on Artstation of Batman’s Knightcrawler, which had been introduced in Justice League, battling some Atleantean vehicles in the middle of a city street. The artwork was accompanied by the below caption:

The final version of Aquaman saw Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry vanquish Patrick Wilson’s Ocean Master and his forces with help from numerous Atlantean allies, but now we know there’s a version of the story where the Justice League would have assisted their water-breathing compatriot. This calls to mind DC Comics’ Throne of Atlantis storyline, which saw Ocean Master, a.k.a. Orm, attacking the surface world early on during the New 52 era. However, aside from Batman, it’s unclear if the rest of the DCEU’s Justice League would have appeared in Aquaman, or only a few other members.

Interestingly enough, this now makes two times where a Batman appearance in an Aquaman movie was scrapped. Ben Affleck reprised Bruce Wayne during Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s reshoots, and it was also reported that Michael Keaton had filmed a scene playing his Bruce Wayne back when he was set to take over as the DCEU’s Batman. Affleck came in at a time when The Flash was intended to be released after The Lost Kingdom, thus making Keaton’s inclusion confusing, though ultimately The Flash ended up hitting theaters first. As things stand now, neither Affleck nor Keaton are expected to appear in Aquaman 2.

Although it earned mixed critical reception, Aquaman made over $1.1 billion worldwide and remains the highest-grossing DC movie of all time. Five years later, Jason Momoa’s character is back in the spotlight for The Lost Kingdom, and like its predecessor, it will be a “very standalone film,” per director James Wan. In addition to this being the final movie in the DCEU continuity, Aquaman 2 also looks like it may be Momoa’s final outing as Arthur Curry, as he’s reportedly in talks to play Lobo in the new DC Universe. In fact, as some bad news for SnyderVerse fans, none of the Justice League actors are expected to reprise their roles in the shared continuity being spearheaded by DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran.

Make sure you’re refreshed on what happened during Aquaman by streaming it with a Max subscription ahead of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s release on December 20. It will be one of the final entries on the 2023 movies calendar, and among the upcoming DC movies lined up in the years to follow include Superman: Legacy (which already has a stacked cast) and The Brave and the Bold.

While comic book movies are everywhere nowadays, none have had the unique life of Justice League. Fans campaigned for years to see the Snyder Cut, with Warner Bros. eventually giving in and giving Snyder millions to complete his original vision. But there were still some caveats, with the filmmaker shooting a Green Lantern scene that would never see the light of day. And Snyder Cut fans have made a new hashtag to campaign for the studio to finally make that footage public.

While it seemed like a pipe dream for years, the release of Zack Snyder's Justice League offered a way longer and better take on the DC blockbuster. Snyder Cut reshoots included the alternate ending with Martian Manhunter. Green Lantern was orginally meant to appear in that sequence, with the studio seemingly shutting that down thanks to its announced Green Lantern Corps. TV series. But since there's a new DC Universe starting with Superman: Legacy, fans want to finally see that footage see the light of day. #ReleaseTheGreenLanternScene has been trending on Twitter today as a result of the campaign, with one popular tweet reading:

And just like that, another popular hashtag about the Snyder Cut has begun trending. This was a concerted effort by the fandom, which is hoping to see that Green lantern scene. After all, that scene is one of the the last lingering threads from Justice League. We'll just have to see how many days #ReleaseTheGreenLanternScene ends up getting traction for. 

While the fandom's years of calling for the Snyder Cut was successful, it doesn't seem like Warner Bros. is hoping to budge any more. Fans pivoted to campaign for the entire SnyderVerse to be released, which would have included two more movies from the filmmaker. By comparison, putting out the lost footage of Green Lantern feels more doable. And since we're already leaving the old DCEU behind us for the new timeline, it really wouldn't do any harm to see Wayne T. Carr as John Stewart. Another tweet in support for this movement can be seen below:

Since Warner Bros. was originally planning their Green Lantern Corps. show, it made sense that they didn't want the cosmic team of peacekeepers to make their debut in Zack Snyder's Justice League-- especially because that film wasn't in the official timeline. 

But the DCU will start things over, so why not finally give fans the Green Lantern scene? It feels like it couldn't hurt, although calls for Warner Bros. to #RestoreTheSnyderVerse might return. Another fan pointed out the timeline issue being moot, posting:

Touche. It still doesn't seem likely that Warner Bros. will do an about-face, even if a new shared universe is being crafted by Gunn and Safran. The studio has been firm in its decisions, including scrapping the Batgirl movie. Still, I'd love to see the Green Lanterns have a conversation with Ben Affleck, even if the footage isn't complete. Fingers crossed.

The next DC movie hitting theaters is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on December 20th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Although the DC Extended Universe has always been on rocky ground in one form or another since its debut movie, Man of Steel, was met with polarizing reception, late 2017 was a particularly rough period for the franchise. That was when the theatrical version of Justice League was released, with nearly all of that movie’s footage coming from the reshoots helmed by Joss Whedon following Zack Snyder’s departure. More than half a decade after this Justice League’s run on the big screen, former DC president Diane Nelson has admitted Whedon’s cut of the movie was “terrible,” although she didn’t go so far as to totally back Snyder.

Nelson was among the guests interviewed as part of The Wall Street Journal’s podcast series With Great Power: The Rise of Superhero Cinema, where she discussed her time being involved with the making of Justice League. As those who followed the movie’s development closely know, Snyder exited during the postproduction process, and Whedon, who’d already been tapped for rewrites, was selected to take over directorial duties in his place. Here’s what Nelson, who ran DC Entertainment from 2009 to 2018, said about the product the director behind the first two Avengers movies put together (via Bleeding Cool):

Diane Nelson certainly isn’t the only one who feels Justice League was a letdown. The movie ranks at 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, and its reputation has only diminished following the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, with that four-hour cut ranking at 72%. Furthermore, while Justice League did make close to $658 million worldwide, the production budget fell at about $300 million, so it certainly can’t be classified as a financial success for Warner Bros. Pictures. Like Nelson said, a superhero team-up on this scale should have made a huge splash at the box office, at the very least surpassing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’s $873.6 million, if not easily clearing $1 billion.

However, just because Diane Nelson would have preferred seeing Zack Snyder’s fully realized Justice League vision on the big screen rather than Joss Whedon’s doesn’t mean she was all in on the 300 and Watchmen filmmaker. The executive said the following about how it wasn’t accurate to classify Snyder as DC’s version of Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige at this point in the DCEU’s lifespan, nor would she have wanted him to be:

While both Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon’s versions of Justice League laid groundwork for sequels, ultimately those never materialized, with the DCEU instead prioritizing standalone stories. The Flash is the closes audiences came to a Justice League reunion, with Ezra Miller’s title Scarlet Speedster reuniting with Ben Affleck’s Batman and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. The DCEU era is set to wrap up with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and after that, the new DC Universe will unfold, with Creature Commandos and Superman: Legacy being the first projects on the Chapter One slate, a.k.a. Gods and Monsters.

You can check out both versions of Justice League while going through the DC movies in order with your Max subscription. If you’re a Netflix subscriber interested in Zack Snyder’s work, his next movie for the streamer, Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire, comes out on December 22, with Part Two: The Scargiver following on April 19, 2024.

There aren’t a lot of movie fans who don’t have an opinion on Zack Snyder. Depending on who you talk to his time spent making movies at Warner Bros., and specifically spent working on DC Films projects, was either terrible or wonderful. Everybody has thoughts on Snyder it seems, but while differing opinions on quality are fine, one studio executive wants to set the record straight on the actual success of the films. 

Zack Snyder made movies for WB starting in 2004 with 300 and continued working at the studio until 2021, when he finished Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and also acted as an executive producer on James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. Greg Silverman, former President of Warner Bros. Pictures during much of that time, recently responded to a tweet claiming that several of those projects lost money. He claimed that, while there were a couple of movies that were not profitable for WB, the vast majority of Snyder’s output was profitable. 

If you limit what you count as a “Zack Snyder movie” to what he directed, there are eight projects between 300 and Zack Snyder’s Justice League. If you include the movies that he also produced, however, you’re talking about a lot more. It’s unclear what metric Silverson is using, but either way, there’s certainly an argument to be made that backs up what he’s saying.

The initial tweet that Silverson is responding to is interesting because it makes reference to three or four “losers” between 300 and his time working on DC. In point of fact, Snyder only worked on three movies in that period. Two of them are the ones that Silverson admits lost money. It sounds like he might have to agree Sucker Punch was a significant failure, though he implies that Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole was only a moderate loss. 

The third movie in question was Snyder’s adaptation of Watchman, which did gross less than $200 million at the global box office and probably wasn’t successful theatrically, but the movie reportedly sold very well on DVD and according to sources did eventually become profitable. Even Watchman star Patrick Wilson has brought up the film recently, showing that it continues to be relevant. That’s likely what also happened with any of Snyder’s other projects that didn’t immediately turn a profit at the box office. We know the Blu-ray release of Zack Snyder's Justice League sold a lot of copies to the fans still holding out hope for a future for the Snyderverse.

Of course, when you include movies that Zack Snyder produced for Warner Bros. you're adding in movies like Aquaman and its $1 billion box office and the insanely popular Wonder Woman movie. 

Hollywood accounting gets talked about a lot but the fact is that it’s difficult to know from the outside just how much a movie costs to make, and it's equally difficult to know how many potential avenues for profit there are for any given movie. While many of Snyder’s movies may not have made as much money at the box office as WB may have hoped, and some might have even lost money there, it sounds like the vast majority of his projects were ultimately money-makers. 

Among the franchises that Warner Bros. Pictures is proud to call its own are DC and the MonsterVerse. The former is winding down the DC Extended Universe continuity and gearing up to launch the new DC Universe Chapter One slate, with Superman: Legacy getting things going on the film side of things in summer 2025. Meanwhile, the latter, a co-production with Legendary Entertainment, is four movies deep, with the fifth, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, arriving next year. Now it’s been announced that DC and the MonsterVerse will collide soon in a cool crossover.

A seven-issue comic book series called Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong was announced at San Diego Comic-Con, with DC and Legendary producing it in partnership with Toho Entertainment. Writer Brian Buccellato is teaming with artists Christian Duce and Luis Guerrero for the project, and Drew Johnson, Jim Lee and Scott Williams, Rafael Albuquerque, Francesco Mattina and Dan Mora and Alan Quah are all tackling cover art. Take a look at the first piece of officially-released Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong artwork below.

The events of Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong will kick off when a battle between the Justice League and the Legion of Doom mysteriously opens a doorway to the MonsterVerse, resulting in Godzilla, Kong and other Titans (not to be confused with the Teen Titans) being deposited into the DC Universe. As you can see in the above artwork and the second piece shared below, the lineup of DC superheroes in this miniseries includes Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Supergirl, Hawkgirl and the Green Lanterns Hal Jordan, Jessica Drew and Simon Baz. Other images show that the Legion of Doom members will include Lex Luthor, Captain Cold, Cheetah, Black Manta, Gigantic, Toyman and Gorilla Grodd, but whether any of them will play prominent roles in the story remains to be seen. 

This marks Godzilla’s second major comics crossover in recent years, following more than a year after Godzilla vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers from Boom! Studios, Hasbro, IDW Publishing and Toho International began publication. In this case though, we’re getting the same Godzilla who kicked off the MonsterVerse in 2014 with his self-titled movie, which was followed by Kong’s introduction in the 1970s-set Kong: Skull Island three years later. It’s unclear at which point in the MonsterVerse timeline Godzilla and Kong are being pulled from, namely if this takes before or after their epic clash depicted in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong. I’m also interested to learn if Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong will solely revolve around the Justice League trying to corral these giant monsters, or if an even greater threat is lurking in the shows that will require these superheroes somehow join forces with the MonsterVerse’s chief protagonists to vanquish it.

Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #1 will be released digitally and at your local comic book store in October. As far what’s going on with these respective franchise cinematically, the next entry on the upcoming DC movies lineup is Blue Beetle this August, followed by Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom officially closing out the DCEU in December. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is slotted for March 15 on the 2024 movies schedule.

Kiersey Clemons was first cast to play Iris West in The Flash back in 2016, and over half a decade later, she’s finally made her theatrical debut as the character in the long-awaited DC movie. This follows two years after Clemons was first seen playing Iris in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which was originally released exclusively to Max subscribers. However, while the actress’ overall experience on Justice League wasn’t exactly a cakewalk given how she was cut from the theatrical version, there was an element with The Flash that ultimately made this project more “humiliating for her.”

When Clemons was added to The Flash, director Rick Famuyiwa, whom she’d previously worked with on 2015’s Dope, was attached to helm the Scarlet Speedster’s solo movie, having succeeded Seth Grahame-Smith in the position. Towards the end of 2017 though, Famuyiwa left The Flash due to creative differences, and it was at this point that Clemons started hearing that someone else might replace her as Iris. She explained to Nylon:

Like Willem Dafoe, Ryan Zheng and more, Kiersey Clemons was among the actors who was removed from Justice League’s theatrical cut following Zack Snyder leaving the production and Joss Whedon taking over for extensive reshoots. By this point, The Flash not only wasn’t going to make its 2018 release, it was also undated on the upcoming DC movies calendar, and would remain that way until Andy Muschietti was hired as director. So there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding The Flash during this time, and unfortunately for Clemons, she found herself questioning whether she’d be in the movie at all. That combined with not getting to team with Famuyiwa again was worse for her than learning she wouldn’t be seen in Justice League.

Fortunately, by March 2021, just a week before Zack Snyder’s Justice League was released, it was reported that Clemons would still appear in The Flash. A little over two years later, The Flash has finally arrived in theaters, nearly a decade after the DCEU incarnation of the project was announced, and following years worth of controversy surrounding Ezra Miller, its lead actor. With so many complications, the actress expressed relief in the interview that this movie is finally behind her, saying:

Clemons also joked that she’s been telling people that The Flash is cursed, saying that from her perspective, “someone was over there mixing potions. Something was happening.” Given The Flash’s underwhelming box office performance and the DC Universe Chapter One slate ushering in a new shared continuity, the odds aren’t looking good right now for the actress to reprise Iris West in The Flash 2. Which is a shame, because she didn’t have much screen time in the first movie, and since Andy Muschiett has confirmed Ezra Miller would lead the sequel if it’s greenlit, it would be nice to see Barry Allen and Iris develop a deeper relationship like they have in the comics.

For those interested in Kiersey Clemons’ wider body of work, she also starred in the movie Somebody I Used to Know and the TV show Swarm, both of which were released to Amazon Prime Video subscribers earlier this year. Looking ahead, her upcoming projects include Susie Searches, Praise Petey, The Young Wife and Godzilla and the Titans. Keep track of what lays ahead on the cinematic front with our 2023 release schedule and 2024 release schedule.

While I’d consider myself a fluent fan in the world of Marvel, when it comes to the DC movies, I’m more of a casual viewer. This means that every time a new movie comes out about Batman or Wonder Woman I have to figure out if I need to go back and do some homework. Looking at the 2023 movie schedule and the list of upcoming DC movies, I was really pondering The Flash, and if I’d be able to keep up with it -- having not seen a movie with Ezra Miller’s speedster in it since the theatrical Justice League came out. So, for science, and your viewing pleasure, I went and saw The Flash as a casual DC viewer. Needless to say, I left the movie with some thoughts.

First, it’s worth noting there are some major moments that weren’t as meaningful to me as they will be to those who have seen the DC movies in order over the years. With that being said, let’s break down why a casual viewer will enjoy this movie about the Scarlet Speedster, but also why it might not pack the same punch as it will for longtime fans of the comic book universe. 

Why Seeing The Flash Made Me Nervous

Now that we seem to live in a world where there are numerous multiverse movies in a given year, there’s always a question -- at least in my mind -- about whether I’ll be able to really understand a film. This is especially true with projects that are within an already-established franchise. The Flash made me nervous; I really didn’t know if I’d get it.

Though I’ve seen the majority of the movies DC has released at least once, I haven’t rewatched any of them. I know quite a bit about The Flash going in just having worked in the entertainment industry, but thinking about watching a movie that dealt with the complexities of a universe I barely understand seemed daunting.

However, I’m pleased to report that even if you are going into The Flash blind, you won’t be left completely lost. The film sets up Barry Allen’s dilemma of wanting save his mother clearly, and it becomes apparent early on that that is the impetus for the fracture in the multiverse. From there, we’re whisked away to a completely new universe where Young Barry lives, and he’s just as confused as us casual viewers when it comes to understanding the greater DC universe.

So, newbies are welcome, but I still had some thoughts about a few things that were tough to fully comprehend.

Why Having Young Barry Be Confused Will Work For Casual Fans

Since Young Barry is so confused, it forces Older Barry (the one who was in Justice League) to explain everything that’s happened, which is very helpful to viewers like me. These two Barrys act as a fantastic way to explain complex exposition, and it’s a major reason why this movie is comprehendible for those of us who haven’t dedicated a ton of time to understanding the DC universe.  

However, while this movie is crafted in a way that your average moviegoer can understand, it’s also a project that was clearly made for lifelong DC fans. I think our own Nick Venable put it best in his review of The Flash when he wrote:

Don’t get me wrong, this is a complex movie, and it’s helpful to have at least a base-level knowledge of the characters. However, I think you will enjoy yourself if you’re not a massive fan of the franchise and are just looking for a fun summer blockbuster.

Still, Elements Like General Zod Were Tough To Keep Up With

There were elements of this movie that flew over my head or made me a tad confused. However, it didn’t really diminish the movie, I still understood the greater story and what was going on, it just meant when it came to the deeper meaning of the film and how it fits into the DC universe, I was a tad lost. 

The first thing that left me a little confused was the use of General Zod. As someone who sees just about every superhero movie that comes out at least once, it’s hard for me to remember all the villains, especially for the movies I didn’t love. So, considering Man of Steel came out a decade ago and Batman v. Superman came out 7 years ago, and I wasn’t the biggest fan of either, I didn’t remember the role General Zod played. 

Plus, as someone who is really not all that aware of Superman lore beyond the fact that Zod is the really big bad, his relevance to the DCEU was lost on me. So, when he showed up in The Flash, I was a little lost. Eventually, the film explained why he was important, and it was enough for me to understand why he was such a lethal villain, but if you aren't a superfan moments like this may not have the payoff they seemed to for other fans.

I Also Struggled A Bit With (But Loved) Michael Keaton's Batman

I’m really no expert when it comes to DC, and I haven’t seen Batman or Batman Returns, so any references they made back to Michael Keaton’s Batman in The Flash flew right over my head for the most part. Although, he was my favorite part of the movie. So, if you are like me and aren’t caught up on the Dark Knight’s storied history but you like this actor, you’ll enjoy the role he plays in the movie.  

... And What's Going On With The Snyderverse?

Overall, my biggest point of confusion came when I tried to figure out if The Flash honored the Snyderverse, and the DC movies that have come before it. While I still don’t really know the answer to that question personally, I do know that having more knowledge of the Snyderverse would have been useful. 

As I spoke with a co-worker about the film, I learned there were references back to Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Also, it was clear while watching the movie there were jokes and callbacks made that I didn’t get, but the opening night audience found them hilarious – and that includes things like the key line in The Flash’s end credits. 

In the end, it’s safe to say that if you’re just a casual DC moviegoer you’ll be fine seeing The Flash without doing some homework first. Honestly, the film does a good job of giving us non-experts a digestible plot, but they also pay homage to the lifelong fans who have been waiting years for this movie, which is impressive. 

If you want to check out The Flash, no matter your level of DC expertise, you can see it right now in theaters. 

The following is going to contain major spoilers for Zack Snyder’s Justice League. If you haven’t yet seen it, and still want to remain unspoiled, stop reading now.

When Zack Snyder got the opportunity to go back into his four-hour cut of Justice League – lovingly known as The Snyder Cut by his fans – he had to opportunity to refine visual effects, add back in scenes that he thought he’d have to remove, and also film additional footage with Ben Affleck and Jared Leto that fleshed out the Knightmare future of his universe. But every step of the journey was a battle with the studios over what he could and could not include. We already knew that Snyder wanted to include Green Lantern in his closing scene, until Warner Bros. told him not to. But we just now learned about a pivotal Flash scene that almost didn’t make the cut. 

Snyder recently held a three-day film festival in California, where he screened the three DC movies he was able to helm, including Justice League on an IMAX screen. A Q-and-A was conducted following each screening, and during one, Snyder spoke about the scene in Justice League where Ezra Miller’s The Flash figured out how to run so fast, they were able to turn back time. But the way that he talked about it, he made it clear that the studio didn’t want Snyder to include the scene, and they even gave a reason. He said:

I’m not exactly sure how Zack Snyder’s Justice League could have ended without The Flash turning back time, ever so slightly, so that he Unity didn’t come together and open a portal for Darkseid to peer through. I mean, I suppose it’s possible that he could have gone the same method of the theatrical cut of Justice League, even though we try not to speak of that film. In that version, the team stops Steppenwolf before the Mother Boxes are able to fuse. Really, the scene is so embarrassing. This one, from Snyder’s version, is so much more badass:

Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed, Zack Snyder had the necessary footage to include the scene of Barry Allen running fast enough to reverse time, and Justice League was able to end on that memorable sequence. Audiences will see more of Ezra Miller as Barry Allen when The Flash opens in theaters in June. It’s one of the many upcoming 2023 movies that you can look forward to, between now and the end of the year.

It was one of the gutsiest scenes included in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. While sleeping in the Bat Cave – and dreaming of a Knightmare future where Superman has gone rogue – Bruce Wayne awakes to a vision. The Flash, time traveling with a warning from the future, tries to tell the billionaire that Lois Lane is the key, and that Bruce has been right about “him” (assumedly talking about Superman). But Flash is too soon. So, at some point, he is going to have to try again and correct his mistake. But how?

During a recent Q-and-A at the three-day event known as SnyderCon, Batman v Superman director Zack Snyder was asked if and when we might have seen the other side of that conversation… where Flash decided to go back in time and send a crucial message to Bruce Wayne. But in explaining that potential scene (which we never got to see), Snyder also told fans even more details about the long-standing rumor that Bruce was going to have a romance with Lois Lane (Amy Adams). And he was going to get Lois pregnant. Snyder told us:

This is insane. We have been hearing about Snyder shipping Bruce Wayne and Lois Lane for years, with the end result being a pissed off Superman. The end result of that anger would be the Knightmare scenario that we saw in both Batman v Superman and Justice League, albeit briefly. Not that this makes Snyder’s interpretation of Superman angrier than expected. It just makes him confused with the world – something that Snyder has discussed at length in interviews. 

Want to listen to the entire Q-and-A following the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice screening? Of course you do! Here it is:

Unfortunately, following the SnyderCon event, there was no real confirmation of Snyder getting to continue telling stories in this universe. But there are plenty more upcoming DC movies for which we can look forward to, so check our guide often and plan ahead, starting with The Flash!

Even though Zack Snyder’s fans won the battle to get the director’s four-hour cut of Justice League released to HBO Max, it turns out there remains a different version of the story that the director wanted to tell – and if he succeeded in adding it to his finished movie, it would have turned DC movies as we know them on their head. Snyder and his screenwriter Chris Terrio were working on drafts of Justice League while the director was busy filming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. They wanted connective tissue to bond the films, which explains why Snyder included the Batman Knightmare future sequence in BvS, and had a time-traveling Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) popping up in Bruce Wayne’s Bat Cave. Snyder planned to pay those moments off… as well as a romance between Batman (Ben Affleck) and Lois Lane (Amy Adams).

There have been rumors of a Batman and Lois relationship for some time now, with Zack Snyder fans combing his existing material for hints as to where it might have emerged in the narrative. Snyder, himself, came on the ReelBlend podcast and shared details for his Justice League sequels, which would have carried a massive arc for Henry Cavill’s Superman and included a baby for Lane. But during a recent appearance on Pizza Film School, as hosted by Joe and Anthony Russo, Snyder opened up about his and Terrio’s plans for Batman and Lois, why they did it, and why they ultimately pulled back. 

As Snyder put it:

As if Zack Snyder needed more motivation for his versions of Superman (Henry Cavill) and Batman (Ben Affleck) to be mad at each other. But yes, you can easily see how a resurrected Superman, learning that Batman was dating his one true love, would take that poorly. It likely would lead to a scene similar to this one, only far more intense:

Zack Snyder has been leaving breadcrumb trails to the story he wanted to tell in his Justice League sequels, and even applauded one fan who came close to deciphering all of it based on symbols included on a t-shirt. That’s how thorough Snyder fans are when it comes to the various theories surrounding how his SnyderVerse might have played out. Expect more of these theories to swirl after Snyder screens his three DC movies in California at the end of this month, and use our guide to Upcoming DC Movies to prepare for the stories coming out of James Gunn’s rebooted universe of films.  

First, there was Release the Snyder Cut, an online campaign staged by Zack Snyder’s loyal fans to get his version of Justice League released in some format. And it worked! Snyder’s four-hour cut of Justice League landed on HBO Max, and it was glorious. But because the movie ended on a tease of where Snyder’s story could have gone, fans wanted more. Which led to Restore the SnyderVerse. But when that movement failed to catch on, Snyder’s fans came up with one more Hail Mary attempt at keeping the DC heroes under his domain. They want(ed) Warner Bros. to sell the “SnyderVerse” to Netflix, allowing Snyder to continue making his movies… just for a different studio. 

Now, first, that’s not how things work. At all. WB owns the rights to DC and all of its characters. There have been examples of characters being loaned to competing studios – the most famous being Sony lending Spider-Man to Disney so that Tom Holland’s version of the hero could appear in the MCU. But financially, Sony still reaped the benefits of that partnership. Still, the drum of “Sell the SnyderVerse to Netflix” is getting beaten on social media. So, during the director’s appearance on the legendary Vodka Stream with Dave “The Film Junkie,” the Justice League director was asked about the possibility, and he explained:

Classic answer. It defers the blame, and responsibility, to people above him on the organizational chart. Snyder admits that he has no control over what happens with the DC IP. And while he has set up shop at the streaming giant Netflix to create original IP through Army of the Dead and two Rebel Moon movies, the chances of Warner Bros. playing nice at Netflix and loaning their incredibly valuable characters to a competing studio to make more Justice League movies (while James Gunn and Peter Safran roll out a new slate of DC projects) are slim. 

That doesn’t mean that Warner Bros. has been uncooperative. Quite the opposite, as Zack Snyder went on to explain:   

Watch the full stream, with an hour of Snyder talk, right here:

So, this should put an end to the conversation, right? It has to. Zack Snyder admits as part of that conversation that he and James Gunn are buddies, and that he’s content working on the universes that are keeping him very busy in worlds that he has created. But that’s not going to stop him from celebrating his three DC movies during an upcoming event fans have dubbed SnyderCon, being held in Los Angeles in April. It’s all for charity, and it’s all for the fans. Tremendous job, Mr. Snyder. 

UPDATE: The Nerds of Color have issued a correction over the statement which incorrectly quoted that "All the Legends [of Tomorrow] at least are all going to appear in an episode.” There is no confirmation that all of the Legends will appear in The Flash Season 9. The original article continues below.

Debuting in September 2014, a little less than a year after Grant Gustin debuted as Barry Allen in Arrow Season 2, The Flash is about to enter its ninth and final season. The longest-running (pun slightly intended) of the Arrowverse shows will wrap things up with 13 episodes, and there have already been plenty of big casting announcements for this last hurrah. The Flash showrunner Eric Wallace has now revealed that the Legends of Tomorrow will also be involved in Season 9, as well as some Justice League plans he’d formulated for a Blackest Night storyline that ended up being scrapped.

Starting with the Legends of Tomorrow, Arrowverse fans will remember that the show following the Waverider’s crew was cancelled last year after seven seasons, resulting in the show ending with a cliffhanger that introduced Donald Faison as Booster Gold. The good news is that Eric Wallace shared with The Nerds of Color that “all the Legends at least are all going to appear in an episode” of The Flash Season 9. The bad news is that Wallace and the The Flash’s team had to toss aside plans to give Legends of Tomorrow a proper conclusion in Season 9. In his words:

Because this Arrow storyline had to be scrapped since The Flash’s final season already had enough on its plate, it’s unclear if when these time-traveling characters appear,  we’ll be seeing them at a point before they were arrested by the Time Police, or if this takes place afterwards and there just won’t be any explanation for how they’re free. Either way, at least Legends of Tomorrow fans will get to reunite with these protagonists one final time rather than have the Legends Season 7 finale be their swan song. Eric Wallace added that because The Flash writers are still putting together the series finale, “you never know what could happen at the very end.” Maybe there might still be a way to give the Legends some much-needed resolution, even if it’s solely through dialogue.

Moving on, Eric Wallace also talked about some arcs for The Flash he’d thought up had the show been brought back for a 10th season. After sharing that he’d intended to do The Forever War storyline at this season’s opener, the showrunner said this:

The final minutes of Arrow’s series finale saw David Ramsey’s John Diggle discovering a box that’d crash-landed on Earth emitting a mysterious green glow. For a couple years afterwards, Diggle surfaced on shows like Supergirl and Batwoman in the midst of trying to get the box reopened, which he finally accomplished in The Flash Season 8’s “The Man in the Yellow Tie” with the help of Eobard Thawne. However, Diggle resisted accepting the cosmic power within the box, instead throwing it away in favor of returning to his family. Had The Flash Season 10 happened, that Blackest Night tease would have been fully fleshed out, though it’s unclear if Team Flash dealing with an undead horde would have happened at the same time as Barry teaming up with his Justice League cohorts to deal with the return of Despero, the main antagonist in Season 8’s “Armageddon” arc, or occurred at a different point.

In the end, these storylines weren’t meant to be, but the good news is that The Flash fans have a lot to look forward to in Season 9. As indicated earlier, a lot of familiar Arrowverse faces will be back, including Stephen Amell reprising Oliver Queen/Green Arrow for the first time since Arrow ended, as well as the recent additions of Rick Cosnett, Matt Letscher and Jessica Parker Kennedy. Season 9 also sees the debut of Richard Harmon’s Owen Mercer, a.k.a. the new Captain Boomerang, and the tease of a blue crystal sitting in a laboratory in 2049 strongly suggests the show is bringing in Cobalt Blue, though that has yet to be confirmed.

The Flash Season 9 premieres tomorrow, February 8, at 8 pm ET on The CW. Keep track of what other shows are currently airing or coming up soon with our 2023 TV schedule, and look over what other upcoming DC TV shows are lined up.

Zack Snyder’s passionate online community knows a thing or two about successful social media campaigns. Rallying behind the Twitter hashtag #ReleaseTheSnyderCut, Snyder’s followers lobbied Warner Bros. for three years to get the actual cut of Zack Snyder’s 2017 film Justice League released to the public. The original film had been mutilated beyond recognition, and Snyder informed his fans that his actual cut existed. So they fought, and fought, and eventually won. Since then, the community has tried to keep Snyder’s vision moving forward, hoping the director’s original plan for two more stories in this saga could be restored. They wouldn’t be part of the DC Films timeline, but they’d still conclude a chapter. Their latest idea, though, has a number of issues working against it.

After attempting to get #RestoreTheSnyderVerse off the ground, the organizers behind the latest social media trend believe that it’s possible for Warner Bros. to somehow sell the SnyderVerse to Netflix, where Snyder currently has a deal that has led to two movies in the Army of the Dead series, and will lead to the epic sci-fi thriller Rebel Moon. The social media warriors have selected the new hashtag #SellTheSnyderVerseToNetflix, and are planning a trending event for February 14. The date has significance because when Snyder was encouraging fans to lobby for his Snyder Cut of Justice League, one of the rallying points was the fact that his cut was 214 minutes long. Ergo, 2/14.

In theory, it’s a tantalizing idea. Netflix seems very excited over its collaboration with Zack Snyder, with rumors even circulating that the director’s anticipated Rebel Moon will be two movies, with the potential for more. This is “Snyder’s Star Wars,” for lack of a better description, and he appears to be laying out a massive universe that can be explored in movies and television series, if the demand is there. 

Speaking of demand, Zack Snyder’s DC fans continue to demand more stories in that specific corner of the DC universe – dubbed the SnyderVerse – without realizing how unlikely this reality is. Warner Bros. currently owns the rights to all of the characters in the DC universe. After years of tumult and a lack of leadership, the major studio has just turned its keys over to James Gunn and Peter Safran, who will be announcing a portion of their 8-10 year plan for DC Films this year. Why would the license their most valuable assets – Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and more – to the competition in Netflix? 

They wouldn’t. There’s already a fair share of brand confusion in house at WB, with Matt Reeves making Batman movies and Todd Phillips planning Joker stories in what sounds like independent universes. We don’t know how those movies will fit into Gunn and Safran’s overall plan. But you can bet those two producers are putting their heads together for a seamless solution to that ripple they inherited. There’s no way they’d want a competitor, Netflix, to continue an existing thread of DC stories starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot that would only compete with newer versions of the classic characters WB likely want to re-introduce in the coming years. 

There’s one example I can think of that might set a precedent for the type of agreement Snyder’s fans are looking for with #SellTheSnyderVerseToNetflix. And that’s Sony’s deal to share one of its assets, Spider-Man, with Disney and Marvel for MCU movies. But everyone involved with that deal would tell you that it has been complicated, with the studios arguing over profit percentages, threatening to pull out of the deal, and forcing Tom Holland to basically step in and save his spot at the MCU table. Also, Sony wasn’t actively trying to get another Spider-Man movie of their own into the marketplace at the same time that Holland was playing the character for Marvel and Disney. WB will be trying to use its DC heroes, and therefor would not want them in movies being made by Zack Snyder at Netflix. 

Believe me, I understand the disappointment that is being felt by the Snyder fanbase who merely want more stories in this world. And the way that they have been treated lately has been harsh, believing that their preferred Superman, Henry Cavill, was returning to the role… only to learn that this wouldn’t be the case. Some fans also have held out hope that The Flash somehow might restore an alternate timeline where Ben Affleck could continue to play Batman without interfering with Gunn and Safran’s new plan. That makes more sense to me than selling IP to Netflix, because at least that still keeps these valuable characters in house. However, with Cavill admitting that he will not be back in the tights, and Snyder seemingly content at Netflix for the time being, I’m willing to bet The Flash does not create this side pocket of a universe, and that WB and DC Films move forward in a different direction.

As Snyder fans have proven, though, things in Hollywood aren’t completely impossible. Strange deals occur. Previously thought certainties fall through. The industry’s pendulum doesn’t swing from side to side. It’s more erratic. But when historic deals happen, they tend to make sense for all parties involved, and selling or licensing DC’s major characters to Netflix doesn’t make sense for Warner Bros. in the slightest, so I’m hard pressed to believe we will see that announcement any time soon. 

The DC media community lost a major player last month, with longtime Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy passing away at the age of 66. While Conroy voiced the Caped Crusader in all sorts of projects over the decades, he’s arguably most associated with the DC Animated Universe, which kicked off in 1992 with Batman: The Animated Series (his favorite episode from that show being “Perchance to Dream”). His Batman was also a key figure in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, and Conroy’s costars from those shows recently came together with some other individuals to honor the man.

Michael Rosenbaum, who voiced The Flash in both Justice League shows, organized this reunion, allowing him to reconnect with his Justice League/Justice League Unlimited costars  Susan Eisenberg (Wonder Woman), Phil LaMarr (Green Lantern), Carl Lumbly (Martian Manhunter) and Maria Canals-Barrera (Hawkgirl). Take a look at the pictures Rosenbaum shared on Instagram of their get-together to celebrate Kevin Conroy’s life, one of which includes special appearance from Rosenbaum’s dog Blanche. 

Other folks in attendance for this event included Will Friedle, who worked closely with Kevin Conroy on Batman Beyond and reprised Terry McGinnis for a few Justice League Unlimited episodes, as well as voice director Andrea Romano, publicist Gary Miereanu, Friedle’s wife Susan Martens and Maria Canals-Barrera’s husband David Barrera. George Newbern, who voiced Superman in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited following Tim Daly’s run as the Man of Steel in Superman: The Animated Series, was absent.

Justice League ran from 2001-2004, and Justice League Unlimited picked up just a few months afterwards and ran until 2006. Some of the actors would later voice other versions of their respective characters in projects like Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, Justice League: Doom and Justice League vs. The Fatal Five, and there were also opportunities for them to reconnect at conventions and other events. So it’s good to see that all of the people mentioned above were able to enjoy each other’s company and reminisce about the good times they had with Kevin Conroy a month after we lost him.

“A Better World” and “Epilogue,” episodes that respectively came from Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, ranked on our list of Kevin Conroy’s best DCAU episodes. In addition to voicing Batman, Conroy also gave uncredited performances on Justice League Unlimited as Joe Chill, Etrigan the Demon, The Crimson Avenger, Atom Smasher and Commander Steel. Justice League Unlimited ended up being Conroy’s penultimate time voicing Batman in a leading capacity on a TV show, the final time being in Justice League Action. He also finally got the opportunity to play Bruce Wayne in live-action in 2019 thanks to the Batwoman chapter of The CW’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” event.

If you’re now in the mood to revisit Justice League and/or Justice League Unlimited, those shows can be streamed with an HBO Max subscription alongside nearly all of the movies and shows featuring Kevin Conroy’s Batman. It was recently announced that we’ll hear him posthumously as Gotham City’s Dark Knight in the video game Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

Everyone has a favorite live-action Batman actor, but in the eyes of this BatFan and plenty others, the one who reigns above them all is Kevin Conroy, who sadly passed away on November 10, 2022, after a short battle with cancer at the age off 66. This year actually marked the 30th anniversary of the actor’s tenure voicing the Dark Knight in several hit DC TV shows, many of the best animated DC movies, and even a number of acclaimed video games — most notably Rocksteady’s Arkham series. 

It is hard to choose which of Conroy’s many performances as Batman should be deemed his crowning achievement, but I tried anyway by ranking just a few of his greatest hits in ascending order.

7. Batwoman (2019)

For years, I imagined what it would be like if Kevin Conroy leant more than just his unmistakable voice to the role of Batman and portrayed him in a live-action setting. That wish was granted with a special appearance on Batwoman, as part of the Arrowverse’s epic crossover event, Crisis on Infinite Earths, as the Earth-99 version of the retired vigilante, who relies on a robotic suit to move, has broken his one rule to never kill (including on Superman), and refuses to help save a universe he does not believe is worth it. Conroy brings out his dark side more than ever to play a Bruce Wayne who has lost all hope, which is heartbreaking, but also completely plausible given the hero’s penchant for cynicism.

6. Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)

Batwoman might not actually mark the first time the actor played a version of the Dark Knight driven to his breaking point. The ambiguous ending to the animated adaptation of Alan Moore’s shocking, acclaimed one-shot, Batman: The Killing Joke, hints at Batman’s rivalry with The Joker (Mark Hamill, widely considered to be the villain’s definitive iteration) coming to the ultimate end. However, just a moment earlier, Batman shows some sympathy toward his damaged arch-nemesis and offers his help instead of his fist in a beautiful speech that Conroy delivers with authentic compassion in his voice, seemingly reflecting how much the actor cared for Hamill in real life.

5. Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)

In one of the most underrated Batman movies — in my opinion — Kevin Conroy gives what I also believe is one of the most underrated Batman performances of his career in Batman: Gotham Knight. He takes on six different interpretations of the character in six very different stories in this anthology style feature produced in part by Christopher Nolan. Yet, he nails it each time, never once feeling out of place no matter how much one segment differs from the last tonally or stylistically — providing, perhaps, the ultimate proof of Conroy’s supremacy in the role.

4. Batman Beyond (1999–2001)

Even before completing the first third of his career voicing the character, Kevin Conroy proved he was capable of playing Bruce Wayne at any age when he reprised the role as a much older man forced to hang up the cape and cowl and mentor his young successor, Terry McGinnis (former Boy Meets World cast member Will Friedle). The idea of a “teenage Batman” should have never worked, but the futuristic Batman Beyond was very close to perfection, and a good chunk of the credit goes to Conroy in the way he reinvents his flagship character as a hero fighting crime from behind the scenes, purely with the use of his intellect in lieu of physicality and intimidation.

3. Justice League And Justice League: Unlimited (2001-2006)

On the other hand, it was especially satisfying to see the star return to play the Caped Crusader in his original form — but in an, arguably, even more intimidating manner this time — as he struggles to play nice with others as the one powerless member of a powerful superhero team. What really makes Conroy’s version of Batman from Justice League and its follow-up, Justice League: Unlimited, really stand out is his determination to risk everything for the greater good, and a refreshing sense of compassion, such as when he sits with a terminally ill reality-bender named Ace (Hynden Walch) until her death in one of the series’ best episodes, “Epilogue.”

2. Justice League: Doom (2012)

However, if you do prefer your Batman to be a compassionless hard ass, look no further than the 2012 movie Justice League: Doom, in which the heroic team is threatened by a special contingency plan to successfully neutralize each member that was created by the Dark Knight himself. When Batman discovers his plans have been stolen and altered to be deadly, he is horrified to see what his creation has brought on, but does not shy away from arrogantly defending the plans when his teammates take this as a breach of trust. You get two of Batman’s most defining emotions, played to perfection by Kevin Conroy.

1. Batman: The Animated Series, Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm, And The New Batman Adventures (1992-1999)

To really see Kevin Conroy at his best, start at the beginning with the Emmy-winning Batman: The Animated Series (later rebranded as The New Batman Adventures), which contains several moments that could be considered his peak — such as when his iconic voice utters the immortal line, “I am vengeance. I am the night. I am Batman." 

My personal vote goes to a flashback in one of the greatest animated Batman movies of all time, 1993’s Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, when Bruce Wayne, having fallen in love for the first time, desperately begs his deceased parents at their grave to free him of the vengeful vow he made to them. The desperation in his voice when he says, “I didn’t count on being happy,” is the stuff that all voice actors live for.

I would go so far as to say that Kevin Conroy should be remembered as one of the greatest voice actors to ever live, even if his career is defined by one role. After all, for many, the role of Batman is defined by Conroy and will be forever, no matter who else plays him, whether that means in the cape and cowl or in a recording studio. We lost an icon who will be greatly missed, but will, fortunately, live on in these fantastic and influential performances.

The DC Extended Universe has had a wild life in theaters, full of peaks and valleys. The shared universe was started by Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, and expanded with two more blockbusters by the 300 filmmaker. 2017 saw the release of Justice League, although it was greatly altered thanks to reshoots by Joss Whedon. Still, Snyder celebrated the movie’s anniversary with a sweet tribute to his daughter.

When Justice League was in the midst of principal photography, Zack Snyder had to leave the set due to a family tragedy related to his daughter. She passed away, and fans raised a great deal of money for suicide prevention while campaign for WB to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut. With the movie’s theatrical cut (which Snyder admits he never watched) celebrating its five-year anniversary, he Tweeted out some love for the fans, while honoring his late daughter. Check it out below:

How sweet is that? After the snafu of Justice League’s release, it’s clear that Zack Snyder really feels some appreciation for the fans who campaigned online for years over his cut. While money was raised for suicide prevention, it was also a movement that Warner Bros. eventually succumbed to. And just like that, the four-hour experience that was Zack Snyder’s Justice League was born. 

Zack Snyder’s recent tweet shows just how much his version of Justice League means to him. While the Snyder Cut felt like a pipe dream for years, it actually came to fruition. He was given a huge budget to complete the editing and visual effects of the project, while also filming two quick scenes via reshoots. And the project was super successful upon its release on HBO Max, inspiring yet another fan movement in the process: #RestoreTheSnyderVerse. And the emotions tied to the movie are especially strong given the filmmaker’s family tragedy.

Originally, Zack Snyder had planned a five-movie plotline for the DCEU, which included two sequels to Justice League. Obviously that never happened, but the release of the Snyder Cut and the new Knightmare sequence has fans hoping that Warner Bros. will change its tune and give the filmmaker two more movies. Joe Manganiello was one of the actors who participated in reshoots as Deathstroke, a character that has yet to finally get the spotlight in the shared universe. The Magic Mike actor responded to Snyder’s tweet, saying:

But when, Joe? When? Manganiello debuted as Deathstroke in the credits scene of Justice League’s theatrical cut, setting up the sequel that never was. He was also going to appear in Ben Affleck’s Batman movie, which similarly got scrapped. It remains to be seen if he’ll ever get the chance to finally occupy this villain, but clearly he wants to work with Zack Snyder again. 

While Zack Snyder hasn’t been in contact with Warner Bros. since the release of the Snyder Cut, he cut an exciting new deal making content for Netflix. He’s got a new franchise in Army of the Dead, which might be an opportunity to collaborate with Joe Manganiello. At least until he’s finally able to produce those Justice League sequels.

Zack Snyder’s next big project is Rebel Moon, which has a killer cast. But the movie doesn’t have a release date yet. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. But after Shazam 2’s delay there are no more DC movies hitting theaters this year.

Legendary Batman actor Kevin Conroy sadly died at the age of 66 last week, and fans and stars (like Kevin Smith) have been mourning the beloved performer. The actor began voicing the Dark Knight when he was cast in Batman: The Animated Series, which premiered in 1992. From there, Conroy would portray the character in shows like Superman: The Animated Series and others that would eventually make up the DC Animated Universe. To put it simply, he was downright perfect as the iconic superhero, though there are a few DCAU episodes in which he was featured that resonate with me the most. 

If I’m being honest, there are a number of installments in which the late actor proved that he just knew the key to playing Batman. However, there are just several key storylines that stand out to me the most and have really shaped my view of his overall DCAU performance. So without further ado, let’s talk out these impressive episodes:

“Nothing To Fear”

This is one of the earliest episodes of BTAS and marks the first DCAU appearance of Jonathan Crane a.k.a. the Scarecrow. The story sees the creepy villain attempting to destroy Gotham University in a fit of revenge and using his signature fear gas to help with the endeavor. While trying to thwart the baddie’s efforts, Batman is exposed to the gas and is forced to confront his guilt over his parents’ deaths. When you think of the Caped Crusader, fear may not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, the legitimate anxiety he gets while under the influence of the toxin is beautifully played by Kevin Conroy and, as a result, it’s so satisfying when, during the closing battle, he conquers his insecurities and iconically declares himself to be vengeance and the night. Here, Conroy firmly proved that he could play the character not only with stoicism but with vulnerability as well. 

“I Am The Night”

Another one of the star’s most layered performances occurs in “I Am the Night,” in which the titular character has an existential crisis on the anniversary of his parent’s death. Already riddled with doubts about whether he’s truly making a difference, the hero spirals after Commissioner Gordon is gravely injured during a police operation. There are so many moments in which the Caped Crusader’s voice actor delivers, with the biggest being the emotional breakdown in the Batcave. There’s also a particularly touching moment that occurs between Bats and Gordon at the end of the show. The writers deserve a lot of credit here though, if the leading man didn't hit all the right vocal notes, the story might not pack such a potent punch.

“Perchance To Dream”

Believe it or not, Kevin Conroy actually considered this to be the finest episode of Batman: The Animated Series. The installment finds Bruce Wayne waking up in a perfect world – one in which his parents are both alive and he’s in a relationship with Selina Kyle. Of course, the ever-curious Bruce manages not to succumb to the temptations of the false reality, which was crafted by the Mad Hatter. Conroy particularly shines when it comes to the interactions between Bruce and his parents as well as the ones with Selena. He also nails the inquisitive and uneasy feelings that the character displays throughout. I’d not only agree with him that it’s one of the best episodes of BTAS but also one of his best pieces of work.

“Beware The Gray Ghost”

Die-hard fans are sure to remember this episode, which features the late, great Adam West as a washed up actor who teams up with the Dark Knight to stop “The Mad Bomber.” West’s Simon Trent was known as the Gray Ghost, a TV hero that Bruce Wayne idolized as a child. That respect and admiration leads to a tender moment in the Batcave, during which Batman shows Trent his collectibles and memorabilia from the show. It was the first time that fans ever got a sense of child-like wonder from the hardened crimefighter, and it felt organic partially due to the actor voicing him. This is a pretty sweet episode, and it hits even harder now given that both Batman actors featured in it are no longer with us.

“Over The Edge”

To put it simply, “Over the Edge” is one of the most intense stories ever told in the DCAU, as everything hits the fan. I mean, it opens with Commissioner Gordon and the GCPD storming the Batcave and shooting at Batman and Robin. Kevin Conroy’s Bat had been put through the wringer by this point, but not like he was this time around. From Bruce’s heartbreaking discussion with Gordon following his daughter Barbara’s death to the moment he tells young Tim Drake to turn himself into the police, Conroy simply nailed every emotional beat. Yes, the whole scenario only proved to be a fear toxin-induced hallucination for Batgirl, but that fact doesn’t take away from the episode, or the leading man’s performance, in the slightest.

“Old Wounds”

This is a very important episode in the grand scheme of the DCAU, as it explains just why Dick Grayson fell out with Bruce Wayne and eventually forged his own path as a hero. Fans see a pretty intense (and somewhat scary) side of Batman here, particularly when he brutally interrogates a thug in front of his wife and child. Of course, there’s also the heated discussion between Bruce and Dick, after which the latter forsakes the mantle of Robin. Kevin Conroy hits the mark when it comes to displaying the intensity associated with his role, but he also displays a warmth in Wayne, which was present in the fan-favorite episode's hopeful conclusion.

“Rebirth”

Who could forget the two-part installment that kicked off Batman Beyond? It was the first episode in which Kevin Conroy proved that he could more than play an elderly Bruce Wayne. However, even before we get to juicy scenes like Wayne’s first meeting with Terry McGinnis, Conroy shines while playing the middle-aged Dark Knight in the prologue. The scene sees the hero, who’s in his ‘50s at the time, trying to rescue a kidnapped woman and resorting to using a gun in the process. It’s an emotional moment, given Wayne’s philosophy, and I can still hear Conroy’s Bruce definitively saying, “never again,” after locking up the Batsuit for the final time. This episode set the tone for a new era in Conroy’s DCAU tenure, and he more than rose to the occasion. 

“Out Of The Past”

One of the final episodes of Batman Beyond, “Out of the Past” focuses on Bruce grappling with his mortality as he reaches another birthday. His desire for his youth is conveniently answered when his former love, Talia al Ghul, returns and offers the Lazarus Pit to him. After an incident involving muggers, Bruce accepts and regains the strength he once had. Though a tragic twist reveals that there’s more to Talia’s gift than meets the eye. It’s rare that we see desperation in Bruce Wayne (in any medium or continuity), but it’s more than present here. It’s most effectively presented during the encounter with the muggers. I never thought an actor could convey helplessness in Bruce, but the Masters of the Universe alum certainly succeeded here.

“A Better World”

“A Better World” is one of the most intriguing two-part episodes of Justice League, as it introduces the concept of alternate universes. That ushers in the arrival of the Justice Lords, versions of the Leaguers who evolved into dictators after Lex Luthor became president. Because each character (besides Flash) has a double, Kevin Conroy pulls double duty for this episode. I don’t know how, but he successfully finds a way to pull off the mainstream version of Batman alongside his slightly tyrannical counterpart. One of Conroy’s most powerfully-acted moments comes when the Lord version of Bats makes the appeal that under his team’s rule, a child doesn’t lose their parents to gun violence. The conversation the two Bruces later have about what their parents would think about such a dictatorship is also affecting. Conroy had a big task ahead of him with this one, and few actors could play that duality  like he did.

“Epilogue”

I mean, we can’t talk about the beloved performer’s most iconic turns without mentioning Justice League: Unlimited’s “Epilogue,” which was originally meant to serve as a conclusion to the series and the DCAU continuity. I won’t give too much away if you haven’t seen it, but it takes place years after the events of Batman Beyond and sees Terry McGinnis discover a major piece of information regarding his lineage. Kevin Conroy only has a few scenes here, but he makes the most of all of them. Bruce shares some emotionally-charged scenes with Terry, but it’s a flashback featuring Batman and Royal Flush Gang member Ace that really serves as a showcase for Conroy. Needless to say, the actor gives a heart wrenching performance, and it’ll surely stick with fans for years to come.

It’s sad to think that Kevin Conroy is no longer with us, but I do take comfort in knowing that he was aware of just how much the fans appreciated his body of work. And all of those projects, including the stories we’ve discussed here, will surely be enjoyed by future generations. You can stream episodes of Batman: The Animated Series alongside other DCAU shows by grabbing yourself an HBO Max subscription.

In the aftermath of Warner Bros. Pictures’ merger with Discovery, the film studio has dealt with some major shakeups, particularly on the DC Films side of things. Wonder Twins was shelved after three months of development, Batgirl was scrapped despite having already been shot and DC movies will now solely be released theatrically rather than any saved as exclusives for HBO Max subscribers. Plus, as of a few days ago, Walter Hamada is no longer President of DC Films, and Justice League actor Ray Fisher has responded to the executive’s departure.

Anyone who followed along with the behind-the-scenes turmoil that unfolded on Justice League after Zack Snyder left the production and Joss Whedon took over for extensive reshoots knows that Ray Fisher is no fan of Walter Hamada. Looking over the timeline of Fisher’s connection to the Justice League controversy, you’ll see the Cyborg actor has accused the executive of interfering in the investigation into the claims leveled against Whedon's “abusive” and “unprofessional” behavior, calling him “the most dangerous kind of enabler.” So here’s what Fisher had to say on Twitter in the aftermath of Hamada leaving Warner Bros.

o for Ray Fisher, Walter Hamada’s departure from Warner Bros. is nothing but good news. Fisher also accused Hamada of throwing Justice League producers Geoff Johns and Jon Berg “under the bus” during the course of the aforementioned investigation. It’s additionally worth mentioning that Fisher had been set to reprise Cyborg in The Flash in a large role rather than simply cameo, but he was later removed from the upcoming DC movie. While the actor never provided a reason for why WB scrapped his The Flash appearance, Fisher had said in late 2020 that he refused to work on any production associated with Hamada.

Now that Walter Hamada is no longer working at Warner Bros. Pictures, it’ll be interesting to see if Ray Fisher is now willing to jump back into action as Cyborg in the DC Extended Universe, or if he’s ok with leaving that chapter of his professional career behind him. Following a cameo appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Fisher made his full debut as Cyborg, a.k.a. Victor Stone, in Justice League’s theatrical cut. However, Zack Snyder’s Justice League better showcased the popular DC comics superhero as the “heart” of the story, and Fisher also reunited with Snyder to shoot the Knightmare sequence attached to the end of the four-hour cut.

Regarding why Walter Hamada left WB, he was reportedly wasn’t consulted about the decision to scrap Batgirl’s release and had threatened to quit his position. However, Hamada allegedly agreed to stick around until Black Adam opened in theaters. While Dwayne Johnson’s DC movie opened last night to the tune of $7.6 million, evidently Hamada decided to leave a few days ahead of its wide release. In addition to his work at DC Films, Hamada’s time at WB also saw him executive producing horror movies like The Conjuring, Lights Out and IT.

There’s no word yet on who will take over as President of DC Films, but keep your eyes locked on CinemaBlend for that update and other DC-related developments. Speaking of which, be sure to read through our guide detailing how to watch the DC movies in order.

There’s tumult at Warner Bros. lately, particularly under the banner of DC Films, as the historic movie studio makes bold moves to right the ship of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and better position its slate of Upcoming DC Movies so as to create a brighter future for the beloved characters in that world. There are reasons for optimism. The Rock will tell anyone who’ll listen that his upcoming Black Adam is going to “change the dynamic of power” in the DCEU. A screenwriter recently was hired to help expand out Matt Reeves’ The Batman 2, a sequel that was announced during CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Warner Bros. generated negative press when it revealed it was cancelling Leslie Grace’s turn as Batgirl, even though filming was complete and post-production was just underway. Then there’s Ezra Miller, whose sporadic confrontations with law enforcement have created a public relation nightmare for Warner Bros. and its very expensive superhero tentpole blockbuster, The Flash. And there continue to be the waves of discontent from a passionate band of DC fans who want to see more movies and stories from Justice League and Man of Steel director Zack Snyder, extending what they have come to call the SnyderVerse. But new indications suggest that WB regrets ever releasing Snyder’s four-hour “Snyder Cut” of his original Justice League, so we now wonder what that sentiment could mean for DC’s future under current Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and potential head of DC Films, Dan Lin.

The New Snyder Cut Rumor

Veteran industry reporters Adam B. Vary and Brent Lang filed a report for Variety analyzing the fallout from all of the recent DC decisions, and what it might mean for the future of key DC characters such as Batman (currently played by Robert Pattinson, Ben Affleck, and Michael Keaton), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), and Superman (whom many would like to see played by Henry Cavill at least one more time). Over the course of their reporting, Vary and Lang cite studio insiders who “have lamented” the studio’s decision to release Zack Snyder’s Justice League for fans. The four-hour cut was released to HBO Max, in an effort to both appease vocal fans who were clamoring for the lost “Snyder Cut” of Justice League to see the light of day, and to generate interest in the HBO Max streaming service. Hindsight being 20/20, of course, but these studio insiders allegedly have gone so far as to say that the movie’s release “never should’ve happened,” according to Variety. 

Personally, I disagree with that notion on its face. Many of you reading this piece know the full story behind what happened to Zack Snyder on Justice League – why he stepped away from the production and what happened to the movie after he left. And in the wake of the neutered Justice League hitting theaters, Snyder fans campaigned hard to get their favorite director’s vision restored, raising charitable donations for suicide prevention in the process. In the long run, they succeeded. Zack Snyder got to release his cut of Justice League (with one or two exceptions). Why would Warner Bros. lament that decision? And what could such regret mean for the future? 

Why Warner Bros. Might Regret The Decision

Following the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League on HBO Max, several fans who’d campaigned for three years online to champion the movie’s release accepted the victory, celebrated, and moved on with their lives. 

They got to see the version of the movie that they’d been told didn’t exist (which was never true). They argued for artistic integrity and won on behalf of Zack Snyder… who assisted their campaigns at almost every turn. Thanks in part to the existence of a streaming service in need of exclusive content, they convinced a major motion picture studio to reverse course and release a film they wanted to bury. It was miraculous. 

Had they stopped there, all might have been OK in the world of DC. Or, more stable than it appears to be right now. But in certain corners of the internet, the goal posts were moved, and “Release the Snyder Cut” morphed into “Restore the SnyderVerse,” a new campaign that would allow Snyder to return to DC and deliver the Justice League sequels that were teased in the Snyder Cut. The analogy to “If you give a mouse a cookie…” has been made as calls for more Snyder movies have only grown louder, despite the fact that the filmmaker went over to Netflix where he delivered a new zombie movie and is hard at work on two chapters in the sci-fi epic, Rebel Moon.

The sentiment that Warner Bros. now laments releasing The Snyder Cut could be because they didn’t calm the waters around the former direction of the storylines under the guidance of Zack Snyder. Instead, it fanned flames that they likely wanted to douse, mainly because the DCEU seemed ready to spin the future in new directions following the release of The Flash, a movie that allegedly is going to introduce the Multiverse – opening the door to so many options with regards to storytelling. 

What Might This Opinion Mean For The Future?

This is harder to tell in the wake of David Zaslav shelving Batgirl because it reportedly wasn’t worthy of a theatrical release. That suggests that Zaslav and whomever he handpicks to head up DC Films are going to be more deliberate in the decisions they make, and so returning to a SnyderVerse that struggled to connect with the widest possible audiences with Batman v Superman and Man of Steel would be questionable. Those movies did OK, and have since established extremely passionate audiences (particularly once fans saw the Extended Cut of BvS, which was far superior to the theatrical release).

But any indication that the studio insiders “lament” giving oxygen to the Snyder vision probably means that there’s no desire to go back to that blueprint, and instead will focus on where DC cna go from here. Even that reality creates all sorts of questions. Will Matt Reeves be able to stay in his own lane with his Batman franchise? Is The Flash going to be a one-off, or the next step for Ezra Miller in a larger DC world? Could Henry Cavill return, either in Black Adam, or his own Superman movie? There are so many possibilities for DC and its future. But if the rumors are true that WB regrets dipping back into its past – even temporarily – to revisit and release the Snyder Cut of Justice League, then it’s unlikely that the SnyderVerse is going to be part of those upcoming plans.

The DC Extended Universe is known for its twists, both on and off the screen. Warner Bros. recently made some bold swings when scrapping the Batgirl movie altogether, despite it already being filmed for a reported $70- 90 million budget. Amid these DC shakeups, would Jesse Eisenberg ever play Lex Luthor again on the big screen?

When the DCEU was still being formed, Zack Snyder cast Jesse Eisenberg to play Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. He was the main antagonist of that big crossover film, before making a brief appearance in Justice League. According to Deadline, Eisenberg was asked about possibly putting the bald cap back on for another appearance while appearing at the 28th Sarajevo Film Festival. He responded honestly, saying:

Well, there you have it. It looks like while Jesse Eisenberg would be willing to play Lex Luthor again in the DC Extended Universe, he doesn’t think that’s going to be happening. It sounds like he hasn’t had much contact with the powers that be at DC since appearing in his Justice League cameo. After all,  Zack Snyder’s planned sequels were scrapped after the theatrical cut’s poor box office and critical performance.

Jesse Eisenberg’s comments make a great deal of sense for those of us following Warner Bros.’ ever-changing strategy for the DCEU. His role as Lex Luthor was ultimately a vehicle for Zack Snyder’s five-film vision for the shared universe. So once that vision was no longer directing the shared universe, there hasn’t been a reason to bring back Eisenberg’s villain. Or even Henry Cavill’s Superman, for that matter. Although fans are still holding out hope for a Man of Steel sequel.

While Jesse Eisenberg doesn’t think that he’ll be playing Lex Luthor again on the big screen, would he still be willing to do another superhero movie? That very question was also asked of the Zombieland actor, who offered some good news to hardcore fans of the genre. Eisenberg said,

Touche. The size of a movie’s production is no way to judge its merit, and as such Jesse Eisenberg isn’t in the habit of ruling out entire genres of the film industry. Although this begs the question: what comic book character should he jump into in either the MCU or beyond? There’s a seemingly endless pool of choices.

Jesse Eisenberg has a number of exciting projects coming up, including a movie Manodrome and an upcoming miniseries Fleishman is in Trouble. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

While superhero movies based on DC Comics have existed for decades, the blockbusters have been doing things very differently in more recent years. In 2013, Warner Bros. released Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel, and with it launched the DC Extended Universe – an expansive continuity that saw some of the greatest superheroes ever created (including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the entire Justice League) occupying a single world. The DCEU expanded its canon with various new superhero movies coming out every year up until 2023. While that’s a great thing for fans, it can also be a bit tricky for newcomers trying to get a grip on things.

If you’re flustered about how to get into the DC Extended Universe's movies (most of which can be viewed with a Max subscription), we’ve got you covered. There are a couple of different ways to watch the DC movies in order, including by release date order and in chronological order, and we’ve built this feature to illustrate how to go about doing both. Your methodology should differ based on your experience with the various titles and characters, so we’ll start with the proper order if you’re brand new to this world.

DC Movies In Order By Release Date

When a franchise is first coming together, a studio makes calculated choices regarding what stories are told and when and the DC Extended Universe is no exception. Running from 2013 until 2023, the continuity features a total of 15 movies (16 if you include Zack Snyder’s Justice League), and you can watch them in the order in which they came out by following the list below:

• Man of Steel (2013)
• Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
• Suicide Squad (2016)
• Wonder Woman (2017)
• Justice League (2017)
• Aquaman (2018)
• Shazam! (2019)
• Birds Of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)
• Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
• Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
• The Suicide Squad (2021)
• Black Adam (2022)
• Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
• The Flash (2023)
• Blue Beetle (2023)
• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

DC Movies In Chronological Order

If you’re well-versed in the canon of the DC Extended Universe and are simply looking for a new way to engage with the storytelling, a chronological viewing is definitely an option, as not all of the blockbusters take place in the order in which they were released. Moving from start to finish, here is how to watch the DC movies as they take place across the franchise timeline.

Wonder Woman (Set In 1918)

Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman not only includes scenes that take place thousands of years before the main action of the DC Extended Universe, but its main plot is set in 1918. The film’s story is deeply tied to real world events, as Gal Gadot’s eponymous heroine — whose birth name is Diana — travels with Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor from Themyscira to Man’s World right at the height of World War I, a conflict that Wonder Woman believes she can help resolve by defeating Ares, the villainous God of War.

Wonder Woman 1984 (Set In 1984)

While Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 1984 is set more than half a century after its predecessor, it is still the second film to watch while viewing the DC Extended Universe in chronological order. Set in its titular year, the movie is deeply ingrained in its setting, as the attitudes of greed and fear from the era are key to the developing plot, finding power-hungry entrepreneur Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) making a play for the Dreamstone so that he can grant wishes to people around the world and gain god-like influence. At one point, Lord joins forces with Diana's co-worker, Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig), whose wish to be more like the royal warrior comes true, but with grave consequences.

Man Of Steel (Set In 2013)

Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel has some scenes set in the 1980s, as it is in that decade that Jonathan and Martha Kent discover a Kryptonian spaceship has crashed on their farm. Yet, the majority of the film takes place around the year that the movie was released – 2013. It is at this time that Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) begins to understand what his history as a Kryptonian means as he lives among humanity and faces down his first potentially world-ending threat in the form of General Zod (Michael Shannon).

The Flash (Mostly Set In An Alternate 2013)

The Flash is tricky to talk about in terms of where it’s set on the DCEU timeline. The movie opens in the DCEU's "present day," and while there’s no outright mention of the year, one can reasonably place it in/around 2023 (the year of the movie's release) since it’s clear Barry Allen has been active as a Justice Leaguer for a while.

However, the main story sees Barry traveling back in time to prevent his mother’s murder and ending up in an alternate 2013, as evidenced by our speedster hero teaming up with his own doppelgänger, Michael Keaton’s Batman and Sasha Calle’s Supergirl to stop General Zod’s assault on Earth. So for the most part, The Flash roughly slots in chronologically during the same period of time as Man of Steel. However, DCEU newbies might feel lost if they haven’t watched that movie, as well as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and one of the Justice League cuts beforehand.

Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (Set In 2014)

Like Man of Steel, there are flashbacks included in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, namely where we see Bruce Wayne's parents gunned down and their funeral. For the most part though, Dawn Of Justice is roughly 18 months after the events of Man Of Steel. The whole arc for Bruce/Batman (Ben Affleck) is a reaction to the destruction caused in the battle between Superman and Zod, creating a conflict between the two key male heroes of the DC Extended Universe. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) schemes to bring the monstrous Doomsday to life – ultimately leading to a battle that sees the Kryptonian hero sacrifice his life.

Suicide Squad (Set In 2016)

On the whole, David Ayer’s Suicide Squad is a movie that plays around on the outskirts of the DC Extended Universe canon, with the titular group of convicts coming together to stop the out-of-control Enchantress (Cara Delevingne). However, there are hints and clues that provide tips regarding where it takes place in the timeline, and that place is between Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice and Justice League. We know this because it’s specifically references the end of the previous movie, and there is a mid-credits scene featuring Bruce Wayne seeking metahuman information from Amanda Waller (Academy Award winner Viola Davis) that will aid his mission to form a superhero team.

Justice League (Set In 2017)

Having made peace with the idea of aliens and metahumans after the events of Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice, Bruce Wayne follows up his meeting with Amanda Waller in Suicide Squad by putting a special group together, and that group is formed in 2017’s Justice League. Reuniting Batman with Wonder Woman, and introducing Barry “The Flash” Allen (Ezra Miller), Victor “Cyborg” Stone (Ray Fisher) and Arthur “Aquaman” Curry (Jason Momoa), the heroes have to work together to stop an invading alien force, led by the villainous Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds), from taking over the planet.

Zack Snyder's Justice League (Set In 2017)

Though it’s not technically considered canon (although one of its moments is offhandedly mentioned in The Flash), the R-rated Zack Snyder’s Justice League can either be watched in lieu of the 2017 release or with it for comparison purposes. It mostly functions as a four-hour version of the theatrical cut, with extra material that fills out the backstory, builds out the new characters and teases a direction for the future of a franchise that, for all intents and purposes, leads to a dead end (one chiefly revolving around Steppenwolf's master, Darkseid). That being said, certain characters do meet different fates than they did in the theatrical cut.

Aquaman (Set In 2018)

James Wan’s Aquaman doesn’t really engage much with the plot from Justice League, but Mera (Amber Heard) does, at one point, remind the titular hero about his efforts helping to save the world from Steppenwolf, putting it directly after that story in the timeline. That being said, the story is very insular, mostly taking place underwater and seeing Arthur Curry find peace with the war within himself between land and sea on his journey to become the king of Atlantis.

Shazam! (Likely Set In 2019)

David F. Sandberg’s Shazam! includes some brief nods to the wider DCEU, as evidenced by the sight of the Batarang owned by Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer) and a cameo by Superman (played by a stand-in) in the final scene. It’s possible that the movie could take place before, during, or after the events of Aquaman, but watching it after in a chronological rewatch of the franchise is a safe bet. Originally the plan had been for Black Adam to be this movie's villain, but it was decided to give the antihero his own movie instead, and Dwayne Johnson also reportedly isn't a Shazam fan.

Birds Of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) (Likely Set In 2020)

Cathy Yan’s Birds Of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) has what could be called a loose connection to the rest of the DC Extended Universe, as its only real link is Margot Robbie returning as Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad – but that’s enough to connect it to the canon. It’s technically possible that the events which take place in this movie occur at any point in time between the end of the David Ayer movie and the end of Shazam!, but when in doubt, it’s always best to just go by the release date.

The Suicide Squad (Set In 2021)

Not quite a sequel to the similarly-titled 2016 film, but not quite a reboot either, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad puts the members of Task Force X on an adventure more hilariously bizarre, morbidly cartoonish, and foul-mouthed than most other DCEU films. The film is also a direct lead-in to Max’s John Cena-led Peacemaker series, which is returning for a second season, albeit now set in the DC Universe. In fact, this means that The Suicide Squad is part of DCU canon too.

Black Adam (Set In 2022)

Remember in Shazam! when Djimon Hounsou’s Wizard talked about how poorly things went with his first champion thousands of years ago? Well, we finally met that champion in Black Adam, with Dwayne Johnson having waited to play the title role since 2007. While there are scenes flashing back to 2600 BC to show how Teth-Adam obtained his powers, most of this DC movie is set in the present day. Teth-Adam is abruptly awoken from his millennia-long imprisonment and doesn’t waste time dispensing his lethal version of justice. The Justice Society of America swiftly travels to Teth-Adam’s home country of Kahndaq to halt his violent crusade. Black Adam's end-credits scene also marks Henry Cavill returning as Superman, but plans for him to keep playing the Man of Steel in other movies fell through.

Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom (Set In 2022)

Assuming that Aquaman does indeed take place in 2018, that means we can definitively place Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in 2022. That's because Arthur Curry is heard saying how "four years ago," he was "basically unemployed, a wanderer with no home." When we reunite with him in the sequel though, he's now a husband, father and still ruling mightily as king of Atlantis, although he must jump back into the superhero life when Black Manta, empowered by the cursed Black Trident, returns to wreak havoc, and it requires him to team up with Orm. It's also important to note that although other DCEU movies follow The Lost Kingdom on the DCEU timeline, it's the last movie to be released that's set in this continuity.

Shazam! Fury Of The Gods (Set In 2023... Or 2021?)

Shazam! Fury of the Gods' placement in the DCEU timeline is tricky. On the one hand, it's repeatedly mentioned in the sequel that Asher Angel's Billy Batson is about to turn 18, and since he was said to be 14 in Shazam!, that would place Fury of the Gods sometime in 2023. However, without going into spoilers, it's mentioned in Fury of the Gods' post-credits scene that a specific event from the first movie happened two years earlier, so working off that information, that would put the sequel in 2021. Ironically, there's no mention of Black Adam in Fury of the Gods, despite how closely these two are tied together, so that doesn't help with cementing when it takes place. That said, there is an element from the Dwayne Johnson-led movie mentioned that strengthens the idea that the Shazamily's conflict with the Daughters of Atlas takes place in 2023.

Blue Beetle (Set In 2023)

Although Xolo Maridueña’s Jaime Reyes is will be staying around in the new DC Universe, the Blue Beetle movie itself is still considered to be part of DCEU continuity, though maybe that will change in the coming years. In any case, Blue Beetle chronicles Jaime bonding with the alien Scarab, which puts him in the crosshairs of Susan Sarandon’s Victoria Kord and her bodyguard, Raoul Max Trujillo’s Ignacio Carapax, who ends up being the movie’s version of OMAC.

While there are other upcoming DC movies to look forward to the near future, following James Gunn and Peter Safran taking over DC Studios, the main shared continuity is being revamped as the DC Universe, with Chapter One being called "Gods and Monsters." However, elements of the DCEU will be retained for this new era. Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates.

Movies can be expensive. Many films, like Waterworld (which is awesome, by the way) go way over budget, as that's just the nature of the beast sometimes. Hell, this isn't even factoring in advertising and publicity once the movie is actually complete. But honestly, when it comes to the most expensive movies ever made, well, some of these price tags might actually make you squeamish.   

Now, keep in mind that companies usually don’t like to admit how much money they’re spending on their productions, so I’ll leave links below to reputable sources as to the reported budgets to all of the movies mentioned. But, the question is, were the high price tags worth the cost? Well, I’ll leave that for you to decide after looking over this list (which isn't ranked), but, I'll definitely share my opinions. 

Avengers: Endgame (Budget: $365 Million) 

Formerly the highest grossing movie of all time (It had surpassed Avatar, only for Avatar to overtake it again at the box office), Avengers: Endgame was estimated to have a budget of $365 million dollars, according to IMDB, but, according to its director, Joe Russo, he said that the real cost was more like $500 (!) million dollars. He had this to say at the Sands International Film Festival of St. Andrews, via Deadline.       

Five-hundred million?! That’s a lot of moolah! But, the question is, was it all worth it? Well, I’m going to go with a HELL YES because, as mentioned earlier, Avengers: Endgame went toe-to-toe with Avatar as the highest grossing movie OF ALL TIME. Plus, these Marvel movies practically print money, and not only at the box office, either, as merchandise and theme park attractions, like Worlds of Marvel, extend the brand even further. So, yes, even though it cost beaucoup bucks to make, it was definitely worth the budget. Don’t you think?   

Avengers: Infinity War (Budget: $321 Million) 

Now, as just mentioned in the last entry, Avengers: Infinity War, according to Joe Russo, also cost somewhere around $500 million to make, even though IMDB lists it at being estimated around $321 million, and we ourselves even reported that Infinity War’s budget was in the $300 million dollar range. And, who’s to say? With tax rebates, maybe the eventual total did come to something around $321 million. Look, I’m a movie guy. Not a numbers guy.   

That said, even though Infinity War made a staggering $2 billion dollars worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, was it still worth that hefty $500 million (Or, $321 million) dollar price tag given that it wasn’t even the final movie in the Avengers saga? Well, I’m going to say yes…with an asterisk.   

While $2 billion dollars worldwide is certainly nothing to sneeze at, just look at a considerably less pricey movie like Spider-Man: No Way Home. IMDB has that movie listed at an estimated budget of $200 million, and it still came up with Avengers: Infinity War-sized numbers. That said, Sony got most of those profits, so, who’s to say how much net profit Disney actually received from that movie (Remember, Sony got the box office receipts, while Disney got the toy sales)? Either way, high price tag or not, the money for Infinity War was certainly worth it…to a certain extent, anyway.       

 Avengers: Age Of Ultron (Budget: $365 Million) 

Now, Avengers: Age of Ultron has got to be the wonkiest movie when it comes to getting a read on how much this movie actually cost to make. According to IMDB, it had a budget of $250 million. But, according to other sources, like The Numbers, which tracks box office budgets, it says that the cost ballooned to upwards of $365 million. Even so, a Forbes article claims that Age of Ultron had a gargantuan budget of $495 million. A lot of this is probably because of what each major Avenger took home, namely Robert Downey Jr., who made a cool $40 million, all on his own.       

So, was Age of Ultron worth the backbreaking budget? Well, according to Box Office Mojo, it made $459 million domestically, and over a billion dollars worldwide. So, yes, over a billion bucks is pretty good, but Age of Ultron is often considered a misstep in the Marvel filmography. It received a Rotten Tomatoes score of 76% from critics, and it’s often seen as lesser than the first Avengers movie (which is better than anything Star Wars, by the way). So, it was definitely not a flop, but was it worth all that money? Well, I say yes…sort of.       

Justice League (Budget $300 Million) 

Disney/Marvel isn't the only superhero company mining in Tinseltown, you know, as Warner Bros./DC also dipped its cape into the water. The most expensive of the DC films, Justice League is an interesting case, since it really turned into two movies. You had Joss Whedon’s Justice League, which reportedly had a budget of $300 million, according to IMDB, with some of its costs being shelled out for reshoots. Then, you had Zack Snyder's Justice League for HBO Max, which added $70 million to the budget.  

But, was it worth it? Well, that depends. Think about this. The original "Joss-tice League," as some people call it, made $229 million domestically, and $657 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. That's…decent, but many would say that a movie with that many recognizable characters should have made more than a film like Black Panther, which made over a billion dollars worldwide at the box office, per Box Office Mojo.   

Though Zack Snyder's Justice League was a success on HBO Max, was it worth the extra $70 million on top of the already expensive cost? Well, I'd personally say no, and I'll tell you why in a second.      

Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice (Budget: $250 Million) 

Before Justice League, there was Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, which IMDB notes came in at a budget of $250 million (Forbes rumors say the final tally was closer to $400 million). According to Box Office Mojo, it made $330 million domestically, and $873 million worldwide, which is actually MORE money than what Justice League made. Have you ever heard of diminishing returns? Well, that's exactly what happened to Justice League in the wake of Batman v. Superman.  

Now, would more people have rushed to see Justice League if Zack Snyder had finished directing it? Maybe, and our very own Sean O'Connell wrote a whole book about the Snyder Cut. But, for my money, it was not worth the budget, given that it had the opposite effect of not getting people to want to see its follow-up. Oh, well.       

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (Budget: $275 Million) 

If I were to rank the Star Wars movies, I would put Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker at dead last. That movie is terrible! But, this list isn't about the quality of the movie. It’s more about how much it made back.    

Domestically, the third movie in the Disney trilogy made $515 million, and $1 billion dollars internationally, according to Box Office Mojo. That said, Deadline reports it cost more than The Force Awakens, and also The Last Jedi, but, it made less than both of them. So, say it with me again, children...Diminishing returns! 

That said, crossing a billion is no small feat. And, since this is another Disney property, it's very hard for it to not recoup its profits down the line with merchandise, theme park attractions, Disney+ subscriptions, etc. So, was it worth the high price tag? Well, I'd say that every Star Wars movie is worth the budget. Okay, ALMOST every Star Wars movie, which I’ll get to in a second… 

Solo: A Star Wars Story (Budget: 275 Million) 

I just made a point to say that no amount of money is too much for a Star Wars movie, but Variety reported that Solo: A Star Wars Story cost at least $275 million to make, and that's way too much for this particular Star Wars movie. The high price is mostly because of its troubled production. Lord and Miller were set to direct the movie, but Ron Howard was brought in to replace them. Thus is life.    

According to Box Office Mojo, the film made $213 million domestically, and $392 million worldwide, which, to be quite frank, isn't that great given how much work and money went into it. Considering that this side-story didn't really add much to the saga, well, I'd say that Solo: A Star Wars Story was 100% not worth that price tag.  

John Carter (Budget: $250 Million)  

I don't know if you're noticing a trend, but a majority of the movies on this list are from Disney. Unlike with Marvel or Star Wars, which are brands that will automatically get people's butts in seats, Disney took a massive risk on revitalizing an old character called John Carter, and well, the rest is history.  

According to Box Office Mojo,  John Carter made $73 million domestically (welp!), and $282 million worldwide. Usually, I would say that there are no failures for Disney, but this, and The Lone Ranger, are kind of the outliers since they didn't make a huge financial splash, nor did they have any huge cultural impact that they could bank upon later. So John Carter was clearly NOT worth the budget, and I'm sure the studio heads at Disney would agree with me.   

Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End (Budget: $341 Million)  

The former most expensive movie of all time, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, was the third movie in the seafaring series starring none other than Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. Box Office Mojo says the film made $309 million domestically, and $960 million internationally. That's a good amount of change. But, the Pirates movies have always fascinated me because I'm not really sure how much they help Disney's bottom line. 

Disney already has a Pirates of the Caribbean ride, as that's where the series came from in the first place, but how much did Disney make outside of the movie? Did they make a lot of money off of toys? Video games? T-shirts? I really don't know. As an outsider looking in, I would think that the Pirates films, even with that high box office tally, isn't worth that high amount, but, I could be wrong. Again, I'm a movie guy. Not a number cruncher.  

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (Budget: $410 Million) 

Reportedly the current most expensive movie ever made (Forbes), the fourth movie in the Pirates franchise still made a lot of money.  

According to Box Office Mojo, it dug up $241 million domestically, and over a billion dollars internationally, which is more than its predecessor. But, shiver me timbers, is that enough to justify such a high price tag when they could have just easily green-lit another Marvel or Star Wars movie instead? In the end, I really can’t say.   

How many of these budget-busting blockbusters have you seen? For more news on the biggest movies around, make sure to swing by here often!