Starting to watch the DC Extended Universe movies can be tricky. You might wonder whether to watch them in chronological order or by their release dates. Watching them chronologically lines up the story in order while watching them by release date shows how filmmaking and storytelling evolved.
Watch DC Movies in Chronological Order
Understanding the chronological order of the DC Extended Universe movies can enhance your story experience. Watching the movies in this order lets you see how the characters and the story develop over time.
| No. | Movie Title | Year | Basic Storyline | Chronological Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wonder Woman | 1918 | Diana leaves her island. She fights in World War I. She learns her true powers. | Diana’s origin and first time in the human world. |
| 2 | Wonder Woman 1984 | 1984 | Diana fights new enemies in the 80s. An old love returns. | Diana’s heroics in modern times. |
| 3 | Man of Steel | 2013 | Clark Kent grows up on Earth. He learns to use his powers. | Superman’s origin and first big battle. |
| 4 | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | 2015 | Batman fights Superman. They team up against a bigger threat. | Batman and Superman meet and join forces. |
| 5 | Suicide Squad | 2016 | Bad guys do risky jobs for the government. They get shorter jail time if they win. | Task Force X’s first mission. |
| 6 | Justice League | 2017 | Heroes team up. They save the world from a big danger. | Formation of the Justice League to stop a big threat. |
| 7 | Aquaman | 2018 | Arthur Curry stops a war between land and sea. | Aquaman becomes King of Atlantis. |
| 8 | Shazam! | 2019 | Billy turns into a hero by saying “Shazam!” He learns to use his powers. | Billy Batson becomes Shazam and learns his powers. |
| 9 | Birds of Prey | 2020 | Harley Quinn and other heroes protect a girl from a bad guy. | Harley Quinn becomes independent and teams up with new heroes. |
| 10 | The Suicide Squad | 2021 | Villains go on a mission. They must destroy an old lab. | Task Force X’s new mission with higher stakes. |
| 11 | Black Adam | 2022 | An old hero wakes up. He brings his own justice to the world. | Black Adam’s introduction and his kind of justice. |
| 12 | The Flash | 2023 | Barry changes the past. This creates new problems. | Barry Allen’s time-travel adventure and its problems. |
| 13 | Blue Beetle | 2023 | Jaime gets alien armor. He gains new powers. | Jaime Reyes becomes Blue Beetle. |
| 14 | Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom | 2023 | Arthur faces a new threat. He must find a lost kingdom to save his home. | Aquaman’s quest to save Atlantis from a new danger. |
Watch DC Movies in Release Date Order
Watching DC movies in the order they came out gives a clear view of how the franchise and its characters have grown. It starts with ‘Man of Steel’ in 2013, introducing us to the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) bit by bit. This way, we see how the storytelling and movie styles change over time
| Release Order | Movie Title | Release Date |
| 1 | Man of Steel | June 14, 2013 |
| 2 | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | March 25, 2016 |
| 3 | Suicide Squad | August 5, 2016 |
| 4 | Wonder Woman | June 2, 2017 |
| 5 | Justice League | November 17, 2017 |
| 6 | Aquaman | December 21, 2018 |
| 7 | Shazam! | April 5, 2019 |
| 8 | Birds of Prey | February 7, 2020 |
| 9 | Wonder Woman 1984 | December 25, 2020 |
| 10 | Zack Snyder’s Justice League | March 18, 2021 |
| 11 | The Suicide Squad | August 5, 2021 |
| 12 | Black Adam | October 21, 2022 |
| 13 | Shazam! Fury of the Gods | March 17, 2023 |
| 14 | The Flash | June 16, 2023 |
| 15 | Blue Beetle | August 18, 2023 |
| 16 | Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom | December 20, 2023 |
You may also like our article on How To Watch Dragon Ball Series In Order?
Conclusion
To sum up, you can watch DC movies in two ways: chronologically or by their release dates. Watching them chronologically lets you see the story events unfold in order. On the other hand, watching them by release date shows you how the DC Extended Universe was built over time by its creators. Both ways help you better understand the storyline twists and character growth in DC movies.
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Fahmea Shorok is a well-traveled writer who focuses on entertainment journalism. Her work reflects her journeys and showcases her flexible writing style. She explores local art scenes wherever she goes, giving her readers a close look at the entertainment found around the world in theaters, movies, and art galleries.