DC may have yet to master making live-action films, but it sure knows how to do animation. The House of Batman andSupermanhas one-upped Marvel by making numerous animated movies over the years, many of which don’t get the recognition they deserve.
To put that into perspective, DC has built not one buttwocinematic universes following various characters in the past decade. DC fans looking for something better might want to check out these eight animated movies.
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)
After the Justice League launches a failed attack on Apokolips, John Constantine and a de-powered Superman must lead Earth’s surviving heroes and villains in a final battle against Darkseid to save the Earth. Fans of DC’s Snyderverse will enjoyApokolips War, as it features many plot elements that would’ve been used in the two canceled sequels toJustice League.
With a post-apocalyptic Earth, a superhero massacre, a brainwashed Batman, and monstrous “Paradooms,” this film holds nothing back in presenting the bleak and bloody finale to the League’s war with Darkseid.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
Though many people callThe Dark KnightBatman’s best movie, some lists have ranked this film as the Caped Crusader’s greatest. Set in the same universe asBatman: The Animated Series,Mask of the Phantasmshows Bruce confronting his past when his former lover, Andrea Beaumont, appears alongside another masked vigilante, the Phantasm.
And as Batman tries to prove his innocence of Phantasm’s crimes, the film depicts the hero’s tragic origins in a unique way by showing how the world and Bruce himself have denied him the chance to live a happy, healthy life.
Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)
This spectacular film shows Batman confronting his greatest failure in the form of his protégé, Jason Todd, who returns as a violent vigilante after presumably dying at the Joker’s hands. As the Red Hood, Todd battles Batman in a clash of ideals that raises questions about the Dark Knight’s moral code.
Whether or not his approach to crime-fighting is the best, this film does a terrific job of analyzing why Batman won’t break his one rule, not even for Jason nor the Joker.
Batman: The Long Halloween Parts 1 and 2 (2021)
Fans ofThe Dark KnightandMatt Reeves’sThe Batmanshould enjoy this two-part adventure. Adapting the storyline of the same name,The Long Halloweenshows the World’s Greatest Detective team up with Catwoman and Harvey Dent to stop a serial killer named “Holiday” from murdering members of the Falcone crime family, culminating with Harvey’s transformation into the villain “Two-Face.”
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)
For those disappointed by Andy Muschietti’sThe Flash, this film presents a more faithful adaptation of the iconic “Flashpoint” comic. After going back in time to prevent his mother’s murder, the Scarlet Speedster ends up de-powered in an alternate timeline in which Thomas Wayne is Batman, Martha Wayne is the Joker, and Wonder Woman and Aquaman have started World War III.
The Flashpoint Paradoxmakes full use of its source material to present a dark, time-traveling epic that forces the Flash to face the full weight of his tampering with fate, along with his greatest enemy, Professor Zoom.
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
Set in the futuristic Neo-Gotham, Bruce Wayne’s latest protégé, Terry McGinnis, faces off against the Dark Knight’s greatest enemy after inexplicably returning from the dead.
This Annie Award-winning film is an especially dark chapter inDC’s Animated Universe, depicting how the Joker brainwashed Tim Drake into fighting Batman, leaving deep scars in the minds of both the Dark Knight and his young ward. However, audiences should watch the uncut version of this film if they want to feel the full force of this haunting thriller.
The Death of Superman (2018)
In his continuing war against the Justice League, Darkseid sends his new bioweapon, Doomsday, to wreak havoc on Earth, pitting him in an epic battle against Superman.
WhileBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justicemay have mashed Doomsday into its third act,The Death of Supermanputs a greater emphasis on the Man of Steel, his personal struggles, and his climactic showdown against the alien monster, making for a more faithful and focused adaptation of the infamous comic storyline.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Parts 1 and 2 (2012 and 2013)
A decade after retiring as Batman, a middle-aged Bruce Wayne returns to crime-fighting in a Gotham overrun with crime, leading to battles against Two-Face,the Joker, and even Superman. Every shot of this film looks like it was taken straight from the panels of Frank Miller’s classic comic.
And as it stays loyal to the beloved source material,The Dark Knight Returnsstretches out into two films to showcase the aged Batman’s epic war against Gotham’s criminals and a struggling government humiliated by his actions.
