Summary
- Batman and Superman films typically rank among the highest-rated for the DC studio, with favorable audience scores and massive box office success.
- James Gunn's Superman ranks highly with fresh casting choices, relevant themes, and engaging character dynamics, setting the stage for a new DC superhero era.
- The Dark Knight is a masterpiece and remains one of Nolan's best works, featuring iconic performances and impeccable storytelling.
It's another great year for superhero movies, as the passion for the genre isn't going anywhere anytime soon. In 2025, most eyes are on DC, though, as its recent Superman serves as a new entry point to the upcoming and ambitious superhero universe with a shared narrative. Judging from the first movie's reception so far, it's certainly a blast, with more to come, as Supergirl and Clayface are both slated for a 2026 release, not counting several additional TV shows.
The official start of the new DC superhero universe is a great time to sit back and reflect on some of the biggest wins for its iconic characters over the years. Looking back, there have been many great DC live-action superhero films, but which are considered the best of the best, and how does the new Superman rank among them?
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From Christopher Reeve in the first Superman movie to David Corenswet, every portrayal of Superman in cinema and TV has an iconic suit.
While everyone is bound to have their personal favorites, to ensure the best possible accuracy for this ranking, scores from critics and viewers on each major web resource or platform are included. As such, the movies below are ranked by calculated scores (out of 100) consisting of ratings taken from Rotten Tomatoes (RT), Metacritic, IMDb, and Letterboxd, each carrying equal weight for the final average scoring.
8 The Suicide Squad
Average Score: 77
The Suicide Squad
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- Release Date
- August 6, 2021
- Runtime
- 132 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 7.2
- RT Ratings: 90% (critics), 82% (viewers)
- Metacritic Rating: 72
- Letterboxd Rating: 3.47 (69.4 adjusted)
Even without his acclaimed work in the MCU with the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, it's easy to see why James Gunn was appointed as CEO of DC Studios just by looking at The Suicide Squad. Leagues better than David Ayer's film in every regard, The Suicide Squad instantly established itself as one of the best-received DC superhero films ever made, blending style with substance, action with humor, and backing it all up with Gunn's signature emotional stakes.
In The Suicide Squad, like in any other Gunn superhero movie, the director's love and passion for the beloved comic book characters are evident, as each one gets just the right amount of screen time to shine, tons of memorable moments, and distinct chemistry with other members for that special squad dynamic. While The Suicide Squad was unlucky to be released shortly after the pandemic that massively reduced its box office, it's apparent that the movie was a big win for DC overall, showing a new potential direction for the entire rebooted DC superhero universe.
7 Wonder Woman
Average Score: 78
Wonder Woman
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- June 2, 2017
- Runtime
- 141 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 7.3
- RT Ratings: 93% (critics), 83% (viewers)
- Metacritic Rating: 76
- Letterboxd Rating: 3.24 (64.8 adjusted)
Simply the best from the entirety of the Zack Snyder-led DC Extended Universe (DCEU), Wonder Woman brought back the forgotten simplicity, elegance, and timeless superhero themes to a genre that had started to become nothing but a reminder of its former heights. This resulted in a huge win for the DCEU and a rare superhero blockbuster that won over critics, viewers, and the box office, showing the potential of the Extended Universe that never truly was.
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Unlike the much less beloved sequel Wonder Woman 1984, Patty Jenkins' original take on Diana of Themyscira accepting her strength, role, and place as a true hero hits all the right notes throughout almost the entire runtime, with just a slight misstep, overstuffed with action and CGI in the third act. Despite this, Wonder Woman is a rare gem in the DC portfolio and one of its few universally beloved movies that doesn't feature Batman or Superman.
6 Superman
Average Score: 79
Superman
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 11, 2025
- Runtime
- 130 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 7.4
- RT Ratings: 83% (critics), 91% (viewers)
- Metacritic Rating: 68
- Letterboxd Rating: 3.93 (78.6 adjusted)
Oh, there it is – the second-best Superman movie yet! Many doubted James Gunn's new vision for Superman, yet the director proved once again that he truly loves, understands, and can make comic book characters, be it DC or Marvel, endlessly fun to watch on screen. Bringing Superman back to the character's (and overall superhero) roots of giving hope and doing good was the right call to make, and so was the decision to largely skip the origin story in favor of instantly getting to the good parts and fun character dynamics. Plus, there's Krypto – something Gunn's predecessors wouldn't even have considered.
Brimming with fresh casting choices (David Corenswet being a more than decent fit) and sprinkled with relevant themes and conflicts, this colorful and punchy Superman might just become a new poster child for the superhero genre. Even if Superman's average scores inevitably drop a bit over time, it's safe to assume that the movie has already ended up as a new major milestone for the revived DC vision, with some strong indications of a great box office run.
5 The Batman
Average Score: 80
The Batman
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- Release Date
- March 4, 2022
- Runtime
- 176 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 7.8
- RT Ratings: 85% (critics), 87% (viewers)
- Metacritic Rating: 72
- Letterboxd Rating: 3.99 (79.8 adjusted)
An ambitious new direction for DC's most iconic caped hero, with the world grittier than ever before, Matt Reeves is yet to fulfill the potential of his Batman saga, but the first chapter has already shown enough promise to come as close as possible to the iconic Nolan trilogy, and even paved the way for the exceptional Penguin TV show. Robert Pattinson proved a perfect fit for this younger Bruce Wayne, haunted by his lifestyle and still making his first steps as Gotham's vigilante.
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First and foremost, The Batman is a triumph of style and a visual feast, with its moody locations, spectacular costumes and sets, and intense action set pieces – all with carefully planned, stunning cinematography by Greig Fraser. It's an unmistakably prestigious, immersive cinematic work, even if some characters appear a bit sketchy and the overall plot lacks real tension. In short, it's more for the eyes rather than for viewers' minds or hearts.
4 Superman: The Movie
Average Score: 81
Superman
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- December 14, 1978
WHERE TO WATCH
- Runtime
- 144 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 7.4
- RT Ratings: 88% (critics), 86% (viewers)
- Metacritic Rating: 82
- Letterboxd Rating: 3.71 (74.2 adjusted)
The only legacy movie here that's impossible to do justice by modern standards, Richard Donner's original Superman (1978), perfectly fit for Christopher Reeve, is a nostalgic tribute to American pop culture. Back in the day, the movie set the gold standard for superhero origin stories, presenting a combination of timeless elements like more-than-human heroes, witty adventures, and warm romance in a soaring fantasy ride.
Even if Superman: The Movie might look a bit quaint or overly simplistic today, it somehow managed to capture and bring the spirit of the early comic books to the screen almost flawlessly. A charming blast from the past, with generations of viewers growing up alongside the character, never being outshone by newer iterations like Brandon Routh, Henry Cavill, or Tyler Hoechlin.
3 Batman Begins
Average Score: 81
Batman Begins
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- June 15, 2005
- Runtime
- 140 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.2
- RT Ratings: 85% (critics), 94% (viewers)
- Metacritic Rating: 70
- Letterboxd Rating: 3.82 (76.4 adjusted)
Under Christopher Nolan, Batman began really strong, paving the way for arguably the best superhero trilogy that DC comic book fans have gotten so far, and serving as an important stepping stone for the director's own rise. No one before had dared to make a superhero film on such a level of self-seriousness, entirely built around story and characters rather than action, unearthing all-new facets that the genre is capable of. It essentially unleashed this signature, mature, and grounded vision for countless followers.
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There's so much to admire about Batman Begins, from its stellar cast led by Christian Bale to the confident direction and lean plot that makes the typical origin story feel fresh and intriguing. A true milestone for the entire genre, and a truly engrossing chapter for one of the most beloved costumed heroes.
2 The Dark Knight Rises
Average Score: 83
The Dark Knight Rises
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 17, 2012
WHERE TO WATCH
- Runtime
- 165 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.4
- RT Ratings: 87% (critics), 90% (viewers)
- Metacritic Rating: 78
- Letterboxd Rating: 3.78 (75.6 adjusted)
Christopher Nolan himself is very proud of The Dark Knight Rises, and has even said that it's his most underrated movie, which is somewhat amusing given that it's widely considered among the best DC comic book films ever, and universally praised by various audiences. While it doesn't fly as high as its predecessor, that's only because it's hardly ever possible to top it at all. It's also the second-highest-grossing DC movie of all time, behind only Aquaman.
The Dark Knight Rises brings closure to Bruce Wayne's journey in a spectacular and satisfying way, even if the movie might seem a bit overlong and overstuffed for its own good, revealing twist after twist as it nears its finish line. Of course, it's a Nolan film we're talking about, so everything about the craftsmanship here is top-notch.
1 The Dark Knight
Average Score: 91
The Dark Knight
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 16, 2008
WHERE TO WATCH
- Runtime
- 152 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 9.0
- RT Ratings: 94% (critics), 94% (viewers)
- Metacritic Rating: 85
- Letterboxd Rating: 4.48 (89.6 adjusted)
The one and only DC superhero movie to be considered a true masterpiece, no matter how one would approach it, The Dark Knight remains one of the best-received and most iconic movies by Christopher Nolan, even among all the director's acclaimed works that followed. A flawless movie constantly topping charts of the best films – be it action, superhero, thriller, or drama – with a runtime and box office as colossal as The Dark Knight Rises, The Dark Knight was bold enough to even drop Batman from its title for the first time, showcasing the prowess of Nolan's confidence and his willingness to try something entirely fresh.
From screenplay, score, cinematography, and direction, to spectacular and grounded action, relatable emotional stakes, and outstanding performances, including Heath Ledger's deranged take on Joker yet to be surpassed, The Dark Knight is genuinely great and absorbing cinema that almost everyone can enjoy, no matter their passion for costumed heroes.
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