DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book publishers. It produces material featuring numerous well-known superhero characters, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman, and Green Arrow. Most of this material takes place in a shared fictional universe, which also features teams such as the Justice League, the Suicide Squad, and the Teen Titans.
Film adaptations based on DC Comics properties have included serials, live action and animated feature films, direct-to-video releases, television films, and documentary films.
Live-action films Feature films Live-action feature films produced by DC Studios are set within the DC Universe (DCU) unless otherwise noted. Year Title Studio(s) Notes 1951 Superman and the Mole Men Lippert Pictures First feature film based on a DC Comics character. Served as a backdoor pilot for the 1950s Adventures of Superman television series and was later split into a two-parter episode to close off the series' first season. 1966 Batman 20th Century Fox/Greenlawn Productions Related to the 1960s Batman television series. 1978 SupermanDovemead Film Export A.G./International Film Productions Won 1 Special Oscar, nominated for 3 more. 1980 Superman II Director's cut titled Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut was released on home video in 2006. 1982 Swamp Thing Embassy Pictures 1983 Superman III Cantharus Productions N.V./Dovemead Films 1984 Supergirl Artistry Ltd/Cantharus Productions/Pueblo Film Group Spin-off to the 1978 Superman film. 1987 Superman IV: The Quest for Peace Golan-Globus/Cannon Films1989 Lightyear Entertainment BatmanWarner Bros./PolyGram Filmed Entertainment Won 1 Oscar. 1992 Batman Returns Nominated for 2 Oscars. 1995 Batman Forever Nominated for 3 Oscars.1997 Batman & Robin Steel Warner Bros./Quincy-David Salzman Entertainment 2004 Catwoman Warner Bros./Village Roadshow Pictures/Di Novi Pictures/Frantic Films/Maple Shade Films Not directly based on the character of the same name.2005 Constantine Warner Bros./Village Roadshow Pictures/The Donners' Company/Batfilm Productions/3 Arts Entertainment Loosely based on the Hellblazer comic. Batman Begins Warner Bros./DC Comics/Legendary Pictures/Syncopy Inc./Patalex III Productions Nominated for 1 Oscar.2006 Superman Returns Warner Bros./DC Comics/Legendary Pictures/Bad Hat Harry Productions Alternate trilogy conclusion only to Superman and Superman II. Nominated for 1 Oscar. 2008 Warner Bros./DC Comics/Legendary Pictures/Syncopy Inc. Won 2 Oscars, nominated for 6 more. 2009 Watchmen Warner Bros./Paramount Pictures/DC Comics/Legendary Pictures/Lawrence Gordon Productions/Cruel and Unusual Films Based on the limited series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. 2010 Jonah Hex Warner Bros./DC Entertainment/Legendary Pictures/Weed Road Pictures Loosely based on the character of the same name. 2011 Green Lantern Warner Bros./DC Entertainment/De Line Pictures 2012 Warner Bros./DC Entertainment/Legendary Pictures/Syncopy Inc. 2013 Man of Steel Warner Bros./DC Entertainment/Legendary Pictures/Cruel and Unusual Films/Syncopy Inc. Set in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).2016 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Warner Bros./DC Entertainment/RatPac Entertainment/Cruel and Unusual Films/Atlas Entertainment Set in the DCEU. An R-rated extended version, the Ultimate Edition, was released on home video the same year. Suicide Squad Warner Bros./DC Films/RatPac Entertainment/Atlas Entertainment Set in the DCEU. Won 1 Oscar.2017 Wonder Woman Warner Bros./DC Films/RatPac Entertainment/Atlas Entertainment/Cruel and Unusual Films/Tencent Pictures/Wanda Media Set in the DCEU. Justice League Warner Bros./DC Films/RatPac Entertainment/Atlas Entertainment/Cruel and Unusual Films Set in the DCEU. Director's cut of Justice League was released on HBO Max in 2021. 2018 Aquaman Warner Bros./DC Films/The Safran CompanySet in the DCEU.2019 Shazam! New Line Cinema/DC Films/The Safran Company/Mad Ghost Productions Joker Warner Bros./DC Films/Village Roadshow Pictures/Bron Creative/Joint Effort Productions Won 2 Oscars, nominated for 9 more.2020 Birds of Prey Warner Bros./DC Films/LuckyChap Entertainment/Kroll & Co. Entertainment/Clubhouse Pictures Set in the DCEU. Wonder Woman 1984 Warner Bros./DC Films/The Stone Quarry/Mad Ghost Productions/Atlas Entertainment Set in the DCEU. Released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max in the United States. 2021 Warner Bros./DC Films/Atlas Entertainment/The Safran Company Set in the DCEU.2022 Warner Bros./DC Films/6th & Idaho Productions/Dylan Clark Productions Nominated for 3 Oscars. Batgirl Warner Bros./DC Films/Burr! Productions Set in the DCEU. Only shown in exclusive screenings in August 2022. The film was set to be released on HBO Max, before it was shelved in 2022. Black Adam New Line Cinema/DC Films/Seven Bucks Productions/FlynnPictureCo.Set in the DCEU.2023 Shazam! Fury of the Gods New Line Cinema/DC Films/The Safran Company/Mad Ghost Productions Warner Bros./DC Films/The Disco Factory/Double Dream Blue Beetle Warner Bros./DC Films/S&K Pictures/The Safran Company Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Warner Bros./DC Films/The Safran Company/Atomic Monster 2024 Joker: Folie à Deux Warner Bros./Joint Effort 2025 SupermanDC Studios/Troll Court Entertainment/The Safran Company 2026 SupergirlUpcoming 2026 Clayface DC Studios/6th & Idaho Productions/Troll Court Entertainment/The Safran CompanyPost-production. 2027 Man of Tomorrow DC Studios/Troll Court Entertainment/The Safran Company 2028 DC Studios/6th & Idaho Productions/Dylan Clark Productions Filming.
Serials and short films Year Title Studio(s) Notes Chapters 1941 Adventures of Captain MarvelRepublic PicturesPublished at that time by Fawcett Comics.12 1942 Spy Smasher12 1943 BatmanColumbia Pictures15 1946 Hop Harrigan15 1947 151948 Superman15 Congo Bill15 1949 Batman and Robin15 1950 Atom Man vs. Superman15 1952 Blackhawk: Fearless Champion of Freedom Published at that time by Quality Comics.15 1954 Stamp Day for Superman United States Department of the Treasury 1 2017 Etta's Mission Warner Bros./DC Films Set in the DCEU.1
From DC imprints Vertigo
Year Title Studio(s) Distributor Notes 2006 V for Vendetta Virtual Studios/Silver Pictures/Anarchos Productions/Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg/Fünfte Babelsberg Film GmbH Warner Bros. Based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. 2007 Stardust Marv Films/Ingenious Film Partners Paramount Pictures Based on the original miniseries by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess. 2010 DC Comics/Dark Castle Entertainment/StudioCanalWarner Bros. Based on the series by Andy Diggle and Jock. 2019 New Line Cinema/DC Vertigo/Bron Creative/Michael De Luca Productions Based on the original miniseries by Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle.
Paradox Press
Year Title Studio(s) Distributor Notes 2002 Road to Perdition The Zanuck Company DreamWorks Pictures/20th Century Fox Based on the series by Max Allan Collins. Won 1 Oscar, nominated for 5 more. 2005 New Line Productions/BenderSpink/München & Company New Line Cinema Based on the graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke. Nominated for 2 Oscars.
WildStorm
Year Title Studio(s) Distributor Notes 2003 20th Century Fox/Angry Films/International Production Company/JD Productions 20th Century Fox Based on the series by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill. 2010 Red DC Entertainment/Homage Entertainment/Di Bonaventura Pictures/Cheyenne Enterprises/DMG Entertainment Summit EntertainmentBased on the miniseries by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner. 2013 Red 2 DC Entertainment/Di Bonaventura Summit Entertainment/Lionsgate
Mad Magazine
Year Title Studio(s) Distributor Notes 1980 Mad Magazine Presents Up the Academy Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Based on the Mad Magazine series by Harvey Kurtzman.
Television films Year Title Notes 1974 Wonder Woman Pilot episode for an unproduced TV series. 1975 Pilot episode for the 1975 Wonder Woman television series. 1997 Justice League of America Pilot episode for an unproduced TV series.
Episodes as films Year Title Notes 1990 Episodes of the 1990s The Flash television series released as direct-to-video films.1991
Animated films
All the feature films are produced by Warner Bros. Animation, except as indicated.
Feature films Theatrical Films produced for a theatrical release. Year Title Notes 1993 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Set in the DCAU. Related to Batman: The Animated Series. 2017 Spin-off of . 2018 Teen Titans Go! To the Movies Set in the universe of the Teen Titans Go! TV series. 2022 DC League of Super-Pets CGI animation. Produced by Warner Animation Group. 2025 Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires Theatrical release in Mexico.Upcoming 2028 Dynamic Duo A hybrid of live-action motion capture, stop-motion animation, and CG animation. Produced by DC Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, and 6th & Idaho.
Direct-to-video and streaming Films produced for release to home video and streaming. Limited theatrical screenings are noted when applicable.