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It is the dawn of a new age for DC, with Superman officially kicking off the cinematic side of DC Studios' new DCU (DC Universe). Not everything from the previous DCEU has been cast aside, but this is very much a fresh start for James Gunn and the DC canon of characters. However, this all makes it difficult to figure out how to watch all the DC movies in order. Where do you start? Do you need to watch the DCEU movies in order to follow the new DCU?

That’s why we’re here, friends – to help you navigate the thorny issue of DC movie continuity (or lack thereof, as it were). We’ll give you multiple starting points for your DC watch order so you can watch as much or as little as you want.

How to watch DC movies in order

When we talk about watching DC movies in order, we usually refer to movies that have come out since 2013’s Man of Steel. That was when Zack Snyder and Warner Bros. sought to kick off the DCEU in the hopes that they could challenge Marvel’s then-dominant MCU. Movies like Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy are much more standalone than these movies, which all take place in a shared universe.

Here is how to watch all DC movies & TV shows in order:

• Man of Steel (2013)
• Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
• Suicide Squad (2016)
• Wonder Woman (2017)
• Justice League (2017)
• Aquaman (2018)
• Shazam! (2019)
• Joker (2019) – Note that this is considered an Elseworlds story outside the main continuity.
• Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020)
• Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
• Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) – Note that this is a recut of Justice League with extended footage.
• The Suicide Squad (2021)
• Peacemaker Season 1 (2022)
• The Batman (2022) – Note that this is considered an Elseworlds story outside the main continuity
• DC League of Super-Pets (2022) – Note that this is considered an Elseworlds story outside the main continuity
• Black Adam (2022)
• Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
• The Flash (2023)
• Blue Beetle (2023)
• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)
• Joker: Folie a Deux (2024) – Note that this is considered an Elseworlds story outside the main continuity
• The Penguin (2024) – Note that this is considered an Elseworlds story outside the main continuity
• Creature Commandos (2024) – Note that this is the first project in the DCU
• Superman (2025)
• Peacemaker Season 2 (2025)

How to watch DCEU movies in order – chronological order

With the end of the DCEU in 2023, it makes it possible to watch all the movies and shows in that continuity in order – from start to finish. If you want to tackle watching all DCEU movies in order, here is the best way to do it in chronological order.

• Wonder Woman
• Wonder Woman 1984
• Man of Steel
• The Flash (alternate timeline scenes)
• Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
• Suicide Squad
• Justice League
• Aquaman
• Shazam!
• Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn
• The Suicide Squad
• Black Adam
• Shazam! Fury of the Gods
• The Flash (main story)
• Blue Beetle
• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

How to watch the DCU movies in order (with the TV shows)

That is a lot of TV and DCEU movies to get through, but things start to get a little murky when we start trying to untangle these shows and movies from the DCU that followed. So far, three DCU projects have either been released or will be released by the end of 2025. They are:

• Creature Commandos (2024)
• Superman (2025)
• Peacemaker Season 2 (2025)

After that, we have a slate of movies and shows that are scheduled for 2026 and beyond.

• Lanterns (2026)
• Supergirl (2026)
• Clayface (2026)
• The Batman Part II (2027)
• Dynamic Duo (Animated Robin Origin Movie) (2028)
• The Brave and the Bold (TBD)
• Creature Commandos Season 2 (TBD)
• The Authority (TBD)
• Swamp Thing (TBD)
• Untitled Teen Titans film (TBD)
• Untitled Bane/ Deathstroke film (TBD)
• Sgt. Rock (TBD)
• Untitled Wonder Woman film (TBD)
• Waller TV series (TBD)
• Paradise Lost series (TBD)
• Booster Gold series (TBD)
• Blue Beetle series (TBD)
• Mister Miracle series (TBD)

As you can see, we’re still waiting for release dates for most of the upcoming DCU movies and series, which makes it difficult to put a proper watch order together. The wait for release dates for DCU movies is likely down to James Gunn’s insistence that everything has a finished script before it gets placed in their release slate.

Is Peacemaker Season 1 part of the DCU?

When James Gunn took over DC Studios and kicked off the DCU for Warner Bros., he didn’t wipe the slate completely clean. Most of the existing DCEU movies and shows were discarded from continuity, but Peacemaker seems to have made it across to the new universe that has been created.

But wait: Doesn’t that The Suicide Squad movie is part of the new continuity too? After all, John Cena’s Peacemaker is introduced in that movie, and events of that film are referenced in both seasons of Peacemaker. It is all very confusing, but the best guidance we have is that events from The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker season one will become canon as they are referenced in future projects (such as the upcoming Waller TV show that has been confirmed to be in development). Otherwise, they should be ignored.

Confusing? A little, but we’re sure it will become clear in the coming years.

What is the difference between DCEU and DCU?

One little letter seems to be such a big deal for DC movies and TV shows. What is the biggest difference between these two universes? The answer mainly lies with James Gunn and Peter Safran, who are in charge of the new DC Studios that has been formed to look after any film or TV project that includes DC characters. The pair are in charge of keeping the growing continuity of the DCU on track and overseeing any future projects, much like Kevin Feige has done for the MCU over the past decades.

Do you need to watch the DCEU movies in order before watching Superman?

As you can probably guess from the fact that it isn’t Henry Cavill starring in the new Superman movie, the 2025 big-screen outing for Superman is a new chapter for DC movies. In fact, it is considered the starting point for the entire DCU (despite Creature Commandos coming out in 2024).  As such, it isn’t really necessary for you to start with Man of Steel before you watch Superman. These movies are in totally separate continuities – though we’re sure plenty of comparisons will be made between them.

Enjoy our guides to how to watch the recent DCEU, the Arrowverse, and James Gunn's upcoming DCU.