Summary

• The Dark Knight and its sequel remain the DC movies to beat in of box office take.
• "Batman" (1989) redefined the character, villains, and Gotham for a modern era.
• "Wonder Woman" is the highest-grossing film in the DCEU, and Gal Gadot's portrayal of the character was widely praised.

DC has a long history of successful big-screen adaptations spanning over half a century, and the brand's biggest names have repeatedly done well at the box office. Though on-screen adaptations of DC Comics characters started way back in 1948 with Kirk Alyn's Superman serials, it was Adam West's Batman that put DC live-action projects on the map. However, despite Batman (1966) going on to become an important part of pop-culture history, the modern DC movie landscape was born with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson's Batman (1989).

In one way or another, every modern DC movie owes something to this darker reinvention of the Caped Crusader. Of course, from that genesis, The Dark Knight trilogy re-invented superhero movies once again, finding immense financial success in the process. From Batman to Superman and everything in between, DC movies may be a story of exceptional highs and confusing lows, but they're also the story of the superhero movie genre itself.

10 Batman Remains Iconic Decades Later

$251,188,924 Lifetime Domestic Gross

Batman (1989) wasn't the first time the Dark Knight appeared on the big screen, but it redefined the character, his villains, and Gotham for a new generation of moviegoers. Michael Keaton may have been an unexpected choice given his previous status as a comedic actor, but he nails the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne. Furthermore, Jack Nicholson turns in an undeniably iconic Joker performance. Perhaps the movie's most impressive feat is that Batman remains the fourth highest-grossing DC movie of all time even without ing for inflation.

9 Man Of Steel Kick-Started The DCEU With Promise

$291,045,518 Lifetime Domestic Gross

Man of Steel had the difficult task of kicking off an entire new cinematic universe, and despite its flaws, it largely succeeded. The movie is anchored by Henry Cavill's fantastic performance as Clark Kent/Superman, and the weighty, brutal fight scenes help set it apart from other on-screen adaptations of the hero. Unfortunately, Man of Steel was never followed up on with a sequel, but Man of Steel works perfectly well as a stand-alone story with visual effects that still hold up well years later.

8 Suicide Squad Performed Well Despite Disappointing Reviews

$325,100,054 Lifetime Domestic Gross

Despite the superhero genre being flush with content, Suicide Squad found a unique angle - instead of focusing on heroes, this movie centers on current and reformed villains on a rescue mission against their will. The movie failed to land with critics, but the cast, anchored by memorable performances from Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Will Smith as Deadshot, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, led it to exceptional financial success. While the team was soft-rebooted with James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, Waller and Harley Quinn seem poised to continue on to the new, rebooted DC Universe.

7 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Brings DC's Two Biggest Names Together

$330,360,194 Lifetime Domestic Gross

Given the decades-long cinematic history of Batman and Superman, it's a bit of a surprise that it took until 2016 for the pair to meet. Batman v Superman was met with middling to poor critical reception, but the premise alone ensured that it pulled a very respectable box office take. While Batman v Superman may not be one of the best DCEU movies due to two bland villains and a controversial end to the titular fight, it still features a fantastic Batman debut by Ben Affleck and is the closest thing the DCEU ever got to a Man of Steel sequel.

6 Aquaman Is A Wonderful Global Adventure

$335,061,807 Lifetime Domestic Gross

Aquaman has a long history as a bit of a joke in DC media, but Jason Momoa's take on the character in the DCEU turned the King of Atlantis into a hit. While the DCEU overall suffered from uneven quality and reception, Aquaman delivered a fun globe-trotting adventure with the perfect mix of levity and high-octane action. Momoa's Arthur Curry may have little in common with his comics counterpart, but Aquaman is proof that reinvention can be a good thing when transitioning from the page to the big screen.

5 Joker's Bold Reinvention Paid Off

$335,451,311 Lifetime Domestic Gross

It seems to be a running trend that Batman's more grounded adaptations perform well at the box office, and Joker is no exception. It was a bold move to make a Joker origin story movie without Batman and almost no traditionally "comic-booky" elements, but the movie, which plays out more like a Taxi Driver homage than a Batman story, does wonders with its reserved take on the DC Universe. The movie is anchored by Joaquin Phoenix's expectedly excellent acting as Arthur Fleck, who is ed by a talented cast of ing chartacters.

4 The Batman Is The Most Grounded Adaptation Yet

$369,345,583 Lifetime Domestic Gross

Matt Reeve's The Batman may have evolved from Ben Affleck's scrapped Batman solo project, but it has carved a niche among DC movies by being the most grounded take on the Caped Crusader to date. The Batman following a younger Bruce Wayne allows the movie to explore the insecurities and mistakes the hero makes in his early years, and Paul Dano's Riddler is a haunting reinvention of a traditionally cheesy Batman villain. With a spin-off show for Colin Farrell's Penguin on the way and The Batman - Part II releasing in late 2025, there's more on the way from this beautifully dark version of Gotham.

3 Wonder Woman Is The High Point Of The DCEU

$412,563,408 Lifetime Domestic Gross

While Wonder Woman found success in live-action with Linda Carter's 1976 series, Diana Prince made her big-budget movie debut with 2017's Wonder Woman. Gal Gadot perfectly captured Diana's "fish out of water" personality, and the brilliant choice to set the film at the height of World War I helped set the project apart. Wonder Woman has always been one of DC's most popular heroes, but it's still a welcome surprise that her first DCEU solo project remains the entire shared universe's highest-grossing film.

2 The Dark Knight Rises Is A Worthy Follow-Up To A Classic

$448,139,099 Lifetime Domestic Gross

Given the immense success of The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises likely would have performed well at the box office regardless of its quality. Fortunately, while the movie doesn't quite hit the same highs as its predecessor, The Dark Knight Rises is a worthy trilogy closer. Notably, Nolan's third Batman movie does what few comic book movies can - deliver actual closure. This combines with a memorable villain in Tom Hardy's Bane and the return of Catwoman 20 years after her last big-screen appearance to result in a huge box office take for Warner Bros.

1 The Dark Knight Remains DC's Biggest Hit

$533,345,358 Lifetime Domestic Gross

Batman Begins was a wonderful return to form for the Caped Crusader, but Christopher Nolan, Christian Bale, and the rest of the cast and crew upped the ante with its sequel, The Dark Knight. The movie fires on all cylinders, delivering a fantastic Batman story, a complex version of Bruce Wayne, stunning cinematography, and a show-stopping version of the Joker courtesy of the late Heath Ledger. It all comes together to equal the best Batman movie of all time, and The Dark Knight pulled DC's most impressive box office numbers to date to match.