The 10 best DC Comics movies of all time

Along with their direct rivals, Marvel, DC Comics movies both within and not within the DC Extended Universe have earned billions of dollars at the box office.

While the DC Extended Universe has a legion of fans, it has, up until now, not reached the same stratospheric success as the MCU. To that end, the majority of our top 10 in this are movies that are standalone not within the DCEU.

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They aren't just money-making behemoths, though, as there are plenty of DC Comics movies that have received critical acclaim, and hugely positive reactions from our own MovieMeter community.

By subscribing to become a member of the MovieMeter community HERE, you can rate all of your favourite movies - and some of your least favourite ones.

It is perhaps no surprise to see that The Dark Knight is the most popular DC property on MovieMeter. Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy is widely accepted to be the pinnacle of DC Comics adaptations, and it was a precursor to the MCU.

Indeed, all three movies in the trilogy make our top 10.

There are two Oscar-winning performances that feature on our list, and both, interestingly, with actors playing the same character. Heath Ledger won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his outing as The Joker in The Dark Knight, while Joaquin Phoenix won for his portrayal of Arthur Fleck in Joker.

Top 10 DC movies

1.

4.13 (8625)

The Dark Knight (2008)

Bruce Wayne, aka Batman (Christian Bale), and Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman) join forces with newly appointed District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) in order to bring down the Mob as well as Gotham City's newest criminal, the Joker (Heath Ledger). Batman fights against his own morality and principles as the unhinged Joker releases chaos on the city, with fatal consequences.

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Heath Ledger

2.

3.93 (3039)

Joker (2019)

Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a clown-for-hire and aspiring stand-up comedian, slowly develops violent and psychopathic tendencies as he deals with the rich-poor divide in Gotham City as well as his overbearing mother. Fleck's emergence as the Joker inspires others to rise up against the wealthy, with fatal consequences.

Directed by: Todd Phillips
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro and Zazie Beetz

3.

3.78 (5456)

Batman Begins (2005)

Driven by the tragic murder of his parents, billionaire Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) dedicates his life to uncovering and defeating the corruption that plagues his home, Gotham City. Unable to work within the system, he instead creates a new identity, a symbol of fear for the criminal underworld - The Batman.

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman

4.

3.76 (4148)

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has now retired as the caped crusader Batman and living life as a recluse in his mansion. However, he is forced to don his cowl again to deal with the brute known as Bane (Tom Hardy), a ruthless mercenary who presents the greatest physical threat Batman has ever faced. Meanwhile, Bruce deals with his feelings for cat burglar, Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway).

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway

5.

3.74 (5284)

V for Vendetta (2005)

At the end of the 2020s, Britain has become a totalitarian state. Against this backdrop, young woman Evey (Natalie Portman) is saved from death by a masked man, better known as 'V' (Hugo Weaving). V is unparalleled and charismatic but above all a master of trickery and deceit and highly skilled in martial arts. He unleashes a revolution when he blows up two important government buildings and takes over the government-controlled radio and TV station. V urges his civilian friends to rise up against the tyranny and oppression of the inhumane reign of terror.

Directed by: James McTeigue
Stars: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving and Stephen Rea

6.

3.55 (479)

Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)

Fueled by restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his new ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of meta-humans to withstand this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented group of heroes - Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash - it may already be too late to save the planet from an attack of catastrophic proportions.

Directed by: Zack Snyder
Stars: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot and Jason Momoa

7.

3.51 (1282)

The Batman (2022)

The year of elections in Gotham City. Potential mayoral candidates are killed one by one by a mysterious figure who leaves each of them with a riddle addressed to the Batman. It then becomes Batman's mission to find out who this villain is.

Directed by: Matt Reeves
Stars: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz and Paul Dano

8.

3.51 (92)

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 (2013)

After the humiliation and elimination of the infamous leader of The Mutants, now 55-year-old Bruce Wayne has to put on his Batman costume one last time to face the Joker, who has escaped 'Arkham Asylum' after ten years of silence. However, his age works against him and he has to ask for help from the young girl Carrie Kelly, who has been renamed the new Robin.

Directed by: Jay Oliva
Stars: Peter Weller, Ariel Winter and David Selby

9.

3.41 (2489)

Batman (1989)

After witnessing the murder of his parents as a child, multimillionaire Bruce Wayne (Keaton) has vowed to fight crime. During a robbery at a chemical plant, criminal Jack Napier (Nicholson) falls into a vat of acid at the hands of Batman, disfiguring him. He returns as the Joker and takes over crime in the city. Batman is the only one who can stop him.

Directed by: Tim Burton
Stars: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson and Kim Basinger

10.

3.39 (2964)

Watchmen (2009)

In an alternate 1985, superheroes have been banned by the US federal government. Where previously superheroes were part of the general American street scene, the government has declared superhero existence illegal. When one of his former colleagues is murdered in these troubled days of the Cold War, masked vigilante Rorschach launches an investigation. Slowly but surely, this uncovers a dark conspiracy.

Directed by: Zack Snyder
Stars: Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley and Patrick Wilson