Now that Wonder Woman has put DC back in the good goodwill of fans and critic alike , we can turn our attention to the rest of the DC movie universe while we look Justice League . ( Please be good . Please be good . ) This listing control the 28 DC Animated Original movies released so far , ranked from worst to best on the quality of their story , characters , and version of the germ fabric .
[ Note : This list is specifically the 28 characteristic - length films ( We look The Dark Knight Returns as one entry ) in the DC Animated Original Movies enterprisingness , which began in 2007 , prior to Batman & Harley Quinn , which was not yet released at metre of penning . So , the DC Showcase films , Mask of the Phantasm , and any other pic connect to Bruce Timm ’s DC Animated Universe , are not here . ]
28) Batman: The Killing Joke
How could this one go anywhere else but the bottom ? This film took one of the most beloved Batman stories of all time ( a harrowing tale of Barbara Gordon ’s crippling by the Joker as well as a look at the latter ’s possible lineage , indite by comics vet and pagan wizard Alan Moore ) and append on a closely thirty arcminute prologue full of dysphemistic homosexual stereotypes and uncomfortable Batman - Batgirl sex . While the latter two third gear of the flick do finally get to the familiar account , the inexcusable beginningand some wily animation make this the spoilt DC Original .
27) Superman: Unbound
This Superman history is n’t sorry so much as tedious , but wow is it boring . This moving picture demonstrate exactly why people call back there will never be another proficient Superman movie . In improver to the unimaginative plot — Brainiac wants to shrink Metropolis … again , and it ’s up to Man of Steel and his Kryptonian first cousin , Supergirl , to stop him — the film tries to have its cake and eat up it too by unshrinking the famously bottled urban center of Kandor and closing with Clark proposing to Lois . This too - neat wrap up and moral - labored subject matter is just what make the Last Son of Krypton seem out of particular date .
26) Batman: Assault on Arkham
On the one hand , this is now only the second worst version of the Suicide Squad origin story . On the other hand , there ’s everything else . Amanda Waller ’s quixotic fever aspiration of using a coerced team of supervillains to break into Arkham Asylum is oversexualized for no reason . Add in a reductive , pure - evil version of Waller , instead of her usual morally gray depiction , and Assault on Arkham run out to impress , even with Kevin Conroy returning to play Batman .
25) Justice League: Doom
The first of many ill - plump out continuation on this tilt , Justice League : Doom lands this David Low for having the worst comparing to its predecessor , Crisis on Two terra firma . While some of this may be due to Doom trying to tackle one of the League ’s superlative storylines , “ Tower of Babel , ” it also feels overstuffed , having to cram in every one of Batman ’s failsafes , slip by Vandal Savage , to neutralise a Justice League that we just have n’t spend all that much clock time with .
24) Superman/Batman: Apocalypse
A follow - up to the wonderful Public Enemies , this film misses the mark chiefly for want of centering . In add-on to being a Supergirl root story , Apocalypse also wreak in the Amazons , Darkseid , and a debate between the World ’s Finest about Supergirl ’s trustiness as a hero , in addition to an extended shopping collage . This one had a mint of potential , if it could only resolve what it want to be about .
23) Green Lantern: Emerald Knights
The less of the two anthology films , ( the other being Batman : Gotham Knight ) this film fails to serve up either the intrigue of its contemporary or the reference body of work of its predecessor , First Flight . Instead of expand on Hal Jordan ’s origins with any of the myriad of interesting Lantern Corps stories ( or even the other aroused spectrum Lanterns ) , it opts for a mostly forgettable serial of vignette about the far range of the Green Lantern creation . This one was always going to be a hard sell , even if casual fans have a go at it more than a mates of these characters .
22) Batman: Bad Blood
The terminal chapter in a Bat - family trilogy that prove there is a affair as too much Batman . While this submission gets points for bring in some lesser - utilize members of the House of Wayne ( Luke Fox ’s Batwing and Kate Kane ’s Batwoman ) , this is still securely a father - son adventure . Damian needs assistance save a brainwash Bruce from a splinter group within the League of Assassins , so he , Batwing , and Batwoman team up with Nightwing to mount a mostly forgettable delivery with a gimmick you could see coming from a stat mi off .
21) Son of Batman
I ’ve never been a vast Damian Wayne buff . He ’s always struck me as a theatrical role that wants to have it both direction ; he ’s both as ab initio homicidal as Jason Todd , darkening Batman by forcing him to partner with someone he has to teach his “ no kill ” code again , and he ’s Bruce ’s biological son , appropriate him to soften up Batman , which is usually reserved for the eternal rest of the Bat Family . So maybe that ’s why this intro to the issue of Bruce and Talia Al Ghul , embroil out across two more films , always coin me as wearisome . This plus a plot principally about Deathstroke ’s attempted upset of Ra ’s Al Ghul is nothing to write home about .
20) Batman Vs. Robin
While the best of the Damien trilogy , this middle entry in the Son of Batman saga is still moderately mediocre . After a prima cameo by Weird Al Yankovic as Dollman , Batman Vs . Robin proceeds to take one of the most interesting New 52 storyline — Bruce ’s discovery of Gotham phantasma swayer The Court of Owls and Dick ’s family ’s involvement with the organization — and gives it to Damian , robbing it of any of its original circumstance and meaning . While it retains some of the most iconic picture of the comics operate ( like Batman betray in the Court ’s hole-and-corner maze ) , the film plays out as a typical temptation story , and does n’t resolve itself until Bad Blood .
19) Justice League: Throne of Atlantis
A sequel to the astral Justice League : War , stool of Atlantis is the story of Aquaman ’s rise from humble Pisces conversant to big businessman of the metropolis under the sea . While the scene of the Justice League crusade the villainous Trench is inebriate , the intimate plot of Arthur Curry ’s half - brother Orm manipulating the forces of Atlantis was well told in the DCAU ’s Justice League serial . Additionally , the division between the title and subtitle exemplifies the split existing within the film . Half of the feature is a Justice League mission , while the residual is an lineage story for Aquaman . Unfortunately , in trying to serve both , Throne of Atlantis live up to neither .
18) Superman: Doomsday
Few get it exactly right on their first attempt , and DC Animated was no elision . They brought some unattackable constituent to the tabular array on this PM attempt : a famous Superman account , a stellar voice cast , and a devotion to the source material rather than slavish compulsion , but this regrettably would n’t be enough . The titular Superman / Doomsday fight is well done , but much like the original Death of Superman storyline , the writers did n’t know where to go after Clark ’s funeral . This film choose for a simplified ascending of the Supermen plot , star a clone verify by Lex Luthor as Kal - El ’s alternate . This is a welcome advance over the chaos of the comics run , ( anyone else remember the Metropolis Kid ? ) but it ’s this was never one of Superman ’s good stories , and the adaptation does n’t do much more than clean up the narration a bit .
17) Batman: Gotham Knight
Unofficially tied to the Dark Knight trilogy and feature data-based new life styles and exploration of smaller bit in the Batman mythos , this anthology was almost specify to succeed . Any of these six fib ( specifically the Gotham P.D. adventure , “ Crossfire ” ) would be a marvelous primer to one aspect of Batman ’s globe , but they ’re so short they leave you want more . Watching all six in a rowing is akin to a dinner with too many courses : they might be great , but before you ’ve finished it , it ’s been whisked away and replaced with another dish . This one is a must - see for diehard fan of the Christopher Nolan films , however .
16) Green Lantern: First Flight
Out two years in advance of the fateful hot - action film , First Flight nail down a Green Lantern origin story in a way that Ryan Reynolds could have only dreamed of . Unlike its continuation , First Flight delves into Green Lantern mythology in an constitutive and entertaining way , showing the cosmos through the perspective of Hal Jordan rather of explanatory monologues . This Green Lantern narrative offers an interesting take on the decline of Sinestro , but get more or less from trying to do too much in too minuscule time . It ’s unfortunate that this film did n’t get a direct sequel , as more installation could have delve deeper into Hal Jordan and comprehensibly flesh out on one of the deep mythoi in the DC cosmos .
15) Superman Vs. the Elite
It can never be asked enough , especially in the current political mood : “ What ’s So Funny About Truth , Justice , and the American Way ? ” In the film based on a 2001 run of Action Comics , Superman find himself obsolete after a group of more deadly heroes seems to find favour with the public . This film has one of the greatest Superman moments across any medium — when he last shows the Elite just how much he ’s been holding back during all their previous conflict , and how easily he could vote down them if he had no code or values . Aside from a truly strange choice in animation style that could deform some off viewers , this is definitely worth the watch .
14) Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
Though you may have seen a lot of the beat in this floor play out in the Teen Titans cartoon serial publication from the former decade , this story of treason — based on arguably the great Teen Titans story ever write — should absolutely be know in movie form as well . After a young , young superhero named Terra link the team ( consist of the Vs . Justice League roster of Damian Wayne , Blue Beetle , Beast Boy and Raven , led by Starfire and Nightwing ) on a mission to stop Brother pedigree — but it turns out she ’s actually on the QT figure out for Deathstroke to destroy the squad from the inside . This more ripe take on the Judas Contract storyline more mimics the comics than the animated cartoon and delves into Terra ’s need . If they had more clock time or less Titans , this one could have been a classic .
13) Justice League: Gods and Monsters
This Elseworlds narration could have easily been so edgy it ache . Instead , it severalise an interesting substitute story of a vampiric Batman , a Wonder Woman from Apokalyps , and Superman , son of Zod . The leash , at betting odds with the world ’s government , taste to figure out who created an army of scientist - hit robot . This story was Justice League cartoon creator Bruce Timm ’s passion task , and it shows . This brutal take on his sept - friendly version of the League ( as well as its companion short circuit ) are definitely worth a watch .
12) Justice League Dark
Let ’s get the film ’s major problem out of the way ; Batman should have never been in this movie . But otherwise , this adjustment of the first run of the eponymous comic is vivid . It ’s dark and creepy-crawly , and it employs some of the DC universe ’s most underutilized and creative characters , weaved into the history with the sort of care only a superfan of the magical DCU could . do . Batman , understandably , run a magic skeptic on this quest to hold back the rise of an ancient immorality , but clearly the only intellect he ’s there is so his face could be slap on the videodisk book binding . His storyline is the only real beguilement from an otherwise stellar risky venture .
11) Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
It ’s the World ’s Finest vs. President Luthor . Need I say more ? When , for some reason , Superman and Batman are the only people suspicious of Lex Luthor ’s presidential docket , he declares them enemies of the land and broadcast hero and villain alike to hunt them down . The fight scenes alone in this one make it deserving the price of a rental , ( or even a leverage ) but the story and the more light - hearted tone create a cohesive DC creation that ’s simply enjoyable . It ’s a merriment biz to point out unsung character as they show up on concealment during any of these films , but the undulation of DC characters — some well - known , some very unsung — fight down the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight in the 2d number takes it to a whole new grade .
10) Teen Titans Vs. Justice League
This squad story seems to share its persistence with the Son of Batman trilogy , as well as count as a definite harbinger to Teen Titans : The Judas Contract , the unwashed thread being Damian Wayne . These Teen Titans movies have managed to figure out just what to do with the new Robin , and that ’s put him on a team ; his scratchy personality is balanced out by the myriad of other worldviews on the Titans . In this instalment , the Justice League is possess by the minions of Trigon , and it ’s up to the Titans ( plus grad Nightwing and Cyborg ) to snatch them out of it . Well - acted , well - balanced , and showing off a band of DC ’s laboured slugger , there ’s not much more you could need for in a direct - to - home video recording film .
9) Justice League: War
Re - say the first spark of the New 52 ’s Justice League comic , War was one that DC take to get correct in ordering to set up the Modern DC animise persistence , and thus its Justice League . fortunately for DC , they hit it out of the park . Watching Batman and Green Lantern , Cyborg and Shazam , and Superman and Wonder Woman meet for the very first time and start out their relationship is just as great as — if not better than — their fight to defend Earth from an encroachment by Darkseid .
8) Batman: Year One
The first of two Frank Miller adaptations , this movie is about Jim Gordon as much as it is about Batman , with Bryan Cranston cast as the utter vocalism to play the commissioner . Both the Dark Knight and his police confidant both arrive in a crime - ridden Gotham ( is there any other kind ? ) and over the course of a year , chip at out a niche for themselves as crimefighters in a dissimilar mold than typical Gotham police enforcement . Though it has a few Miller - isms in it — Catwoman is a dominatrix , sigh — this is still a prima plus to the Batman canon and deserving learn by anyone with even a passing involvement in the character .
7) The Dark Knight Returns Vols. 1 & 2
There ’s no direction to consider this monolithic undertaking other than as one singular form work . This adaptation of Frank Miller ’s magnum opus stories imagines a human beings where Batman retired , and Gotham run to hell without him . Now , aged 50 , he get into the bonnet once more , and with the help of a newfangled distaff Robin , he takes on the drawing card of a street pack terrorizing the city , a geriatric ( but no less mad ) Joker , and even Superman himself , climax in one of the greatest comic Koran fights ever put to shoot . It can never be tell enough : This laughable and animated movie is why we thought both The Dark Knight Rises and Batman Vs . Superman would be good , and its influence — even now — is palpable .
6) Justice League: The New Frontier
Drenched in Americana and fructify on Earth-21 , where the Cold War terminate in the mid-‘60s , Justice League : New Frontier suggests an alternative drive for the constitution of the Justice League ; they did it to defend dinosaurs . This wonderfully - animated , attractively - write Elseworlds tale , based on the comic written and drawn by the late Darwyn Cooke , unite the classical members of the Justice League with some of DC ’s older prosperous Age characters in a storey that understands , in a way no other film does , the true purpose of the Justice League : to protect world by working together . New Frontier may exist in a simpler world , but it function as a wonderful nonpareil and a counterpoint to a lot of the glowering parts of the DC multiverse .
5) All-Star Superman
This tale could have just animated , panel - for - panel , Grant Morrison ’s acclaimed , eponymic comedian , and it still would have cracked the top 10 on this lean . But the story , chronicling the last year of Superman ’s life history after a plot by Lex Luthor forces him to engross a deadly amount of solar radiation , is handled like an expert in this film . Though his solar cell are overloading with power , the Man of Steel still spends his persist time protecting and help the Earth in general and his loved ones in particular . All - Star also contains my favorite Lex Luthor moment , bar none , when he sees the world through Superman ’s eyes . relentlessly optimistic in the face of realistic consequences , this DC Animated Original can not be recommended enough .
4) Wonder Woman
We now have Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot ’s wonderful fresh film , but before that , this was the best Wonder Woman standalone history by far . While it ’s no arcanum that she ’s the least represented penis of DC ’s Trinity , it truly is amazing that there are more than 10 Batman star or co - star moving picture on this tilt , more than five Superman films , two Green Lantern film ( ! ) and only one Wonder Woman offering . This storey , which has a strikingly similar plot to the live - action film ( at least for the first half ) is great in its own right . Starring Keri Russel as Diana and Nathan Fillion as Steve Trevor , this Wonder Woman vs. Ares tarradiddle will sense familiar , but it still has its surprises . This affair was so good that Bruce Timm even wanted to make a sequel , but was turn down due to its low sale , which is immensely depressing for one of DC ’s greatest picture show , period .
3) Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
What began as the bridge between the DCAU ’s Justice League and Justice League Unlimited develop into so much more . Crisis on Two Earths explores the evil Justice League of Earth-3 and their attempt to take over the main DC Earth . While the Justice Lords from the renovate serial publication were an adaptation on this plot , that interpretation did not have James Woods as a nihilist Owlman and a flight strip - search scene for Lex Luthor . This picture spends just enough time on Earth-3 , allowing us a glance at a host of alternating reality versions of some of DC ’s most memorable characters ( including the intact Shazam family ! ) , before its wonderfully tense finale . Do not skip over this other entry in the DC Animated Originals batting order .
2) Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox
When Barry Allen go back in time to stop his mother from being dispatch , he unintentionally creates a dystopian alternate timeline and one of the best DC Animated original ever . If a gun - toting Thomas Wayne ( founder of Bruce ) and a war between the Amazons and Atlanteans for the lot of the planet wo n’t get you on board for this one , I do n’t live what will . It ’s dandy to see the Flash headline a flick for once , and though he ’s nearly overshadow by the vast detail put into this alternative world , he anchors the story with a light-headed personal touch . This risky venture set the New 52 into motion in the comic , and while not dead required see to realise its subsequence , Justice League : War , it ’s the best DC Animated master that fits into the serial ’ broadest continuity .
1) Batman: Under the Red Hood
What can I say ? This is n’t just the Best DC Animated Original , it could be argued it ’s the best animize Batman film ever made . Chronicling the tragical destruction and rebirth of Jason Todd , the Red Hood explores the complex kinship Batman has with kill and with the Robins he exact on during his crime - fighting crusade . This standalone adventure was early in the DC Animated Originals run , but they ’ve yet to top it , even with all of their many Batman one - off prestigiousness pictures ( Dark Knight Returns gives it a run for its money , though ) . Jensen Ackles ( Dean from Supernatural ) owns the role of Jason Todd now , peradventure forever , and I hold anyone to take exception me on that . Under the Red Hood is an quicken masterpiece that not only equal the best of Batman : The Animated Series , but perhaps shinny because of its remainder . The lack of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill , the long - sentence voice Batman and the Joker , respectively , force this film to stand up on its own as a Batman property , and the voices of Bruce Greenwood ’s Dark Knight and John DiMaggio ’s Clown Prince of Crime are arguably as good as their DCAU forebears . DC may never top this one .
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