10 highest grossing DC movies of all time

Summary

• The Dark Knight and its sequel remain DC’s best films in terms of box office earnings.
• “Batman” (1989) redefined the character, the villain, and Gotham for the modern age.
• “Wonder Woman” is the highest-grossing film in the DCEU, and Gal Gadot’s portrayal of the character was widely praised.

DC. There’s a long history of successful big-screen adaptations that spans more than half a century, and the brand’s biggest names have performed well at the box office time and again. Although on-screen adaptations of DC Comics characters began with Kirk Ellin’s Superman serials in 1948, it was Adam West’s batman Which put DC live-action projects on the map. However, despite this batman (1966) would go on to become an important part of pop-culture history, the modern DC film landscape was born with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson batman (1989).

In one way or another, every modern DC film owes something to this dark reinvention of the Caped Crusader. Of course, from that origin, dark Knight The trilogy once again reinvented superhero movies, and found immense financial success in the process. From Batman to Superman and everything in between, DC movies may be the story of extraordinary highs and confusing lows, but they’re also the story of the superhero movie genre.

RELATED: How to Watch the DCEU Movies in Order (By Release Date and Chronologically)

10 Batman remains iconic decades later

$251,188,924 lifetime domestic gross

batman (1989) was not 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 movie lovers. Michael Keaton might have been an unexpected choice given his previous status as a comedian, but he played Batman/Bruce Wayne. Plus, Jack Nicholson turns in an undeniably iconic Joker performance. This is perhaps the film’s most impressive achievement. batman Even without taking inflation into account, it remains the fourth highest-grossing DC film of all time.

9 Man of Steel kicks off DCEU with promise

$291,045,518 lifetime domestic gross

man of Steel It had the difficult task of starting a whole new cinematic universe, and despite its flaws, it largely succeeded. The film is based on a stellar performance by Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman, and the weighty, brutal fight scenes help distinguish him from other on-screen incarnations of the hero. unfortunately, man of Steel But its sequel was never made man of Steel Works perfectly well as a stand-alone story with visual effects that hold up years later.

8 Suicide Squad performed well despite disappointing reviews

$325,100,054 lifetime domestic gross

Despite being rich in superhero genre material, suicide squad Found a unique angle – Instead of focusing on the heroes, the film focuses on present and reformed villains who are on a rescue mission against their will. The film was not a hit with critics, but the cast, featuring memorable performances from Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Will Smith as Deadshot, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, made it a phenomenal financial success. While the team was soft-rebooted with James Gunn suicide squadWaller and Harley Quinn are set to continue the new, rebooted DC Universe.

7 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice brings together two of DC’s biggest names

$330,360,194 lifetime domestic gross

Given Batman and Superman’s decades-long cinematic history, it’s little surprise it took until 2016 for the pair to meet. batman vs superman However, it received moderate to poor critical reception. The premise alone ensured that it made very respectable box office collections, Whereas batman vs superman It may not be one of the best DCEU movies due to two dull villains and a controversial ending to the titular battle, but it still features a fantastic Batman debut by Ben Affleck and is the closest thing the DCEU has ever had. man of Steel Sequel.

6 Aquaman is an amazing global adventure

$335,061,807 lifetime domestic gross

Aquaman jokes have a long history in DC media, but Jason Momoa’s character in the DCEU turned the King of Atlantis into a hit. While the DCEU suffered from uneven quality and reception overall, aquaman Presenting a fun globe-trotting adventure with the perfect blend of lightness and high-octane action. Momoa’s Arthur Curry may have little in common with his comics counterpart, but aquaman proof of this Rebuilding can be a good thing When transitioning from page to larger screen.

5 Joker’s bold reinvention pays off

$335,451,311 lifetime domestic gross

The trend seems to be that more grounded adaptations of Batman perform well at the box office, and Joker There is no exception. Making a Joker origin story film without Batman and almost without traditionally “comic-booky” elements was a bold move, but the film, which plays more like one Taxi driver The homage does wonders with its reserved take on the DC Universe, compared to the Batman story. The film is driven by the expectedly excellent performance of Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, joined by a talented cast of supporting characters.

4 Batman is the most grounded adaptation ever

$369,345,583 lifetime domestic gross

Matt Reeve’s batman It may have evolved from Ben Affleck’s Batman solo project, but it’s carved out a niche among DC movies The most powerful take on the Caped Crusader yet., batman Following a young Bruce Wayne allows the film to explore the insecurities and mistakes the hero traditionally makes in his early years, and Paul Dano’s Riddler is a terrifying reinvention of a sleazy Batman villain. There’s a spin-off show coming for Colin Farrell’s Penguins Batman – Part II There’s much more to come in this beautifully dark version of Gotham, releasing in late 2025.

3 Wonder Woman is the high point of the DCEU

$412,563,408 lifetime domestic gross

While Wonder Woman found live-action success with Lynda Carter’s 1976 series, Diana Prince made her debut with the big-budget 2017 film. wonder woman, Gal Gadot perfectly portrayed 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 highest-grossing film of the entire shared universe.

2 The Dark Knight Rises is a worthy follow-up to a classic

$448,139,099 lifetime domestic gross

In view of the immense success of dark Knight, the dark Knight Rises It is likely to do well at the box office regardless of its quality. Fortunately, although the film did not reach the same heights as its predecessor, the dark Knight Rises Closer is a worthy trilogy. Notably, Nolan’s third Batman film does what few comic book movies can do – provide real closure. This, combined with a memorable villain in Tom Hardy’s Bane and the return of Catwoman 20 years after her last big screen appearance, results in a huge box office haul for Warner Bros.

1 The Dark Knight remains DC’s biggest hit

$533,345,358 lifetime domestic gross

Batman Begins It was a great 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, dark Knight, The film hits on all cylinders, offering a brilliant Batman story, a complex version of Bruce Wayne, stunning cinematography, and more. A show-stopping version of the Joker courtesy of the late Heath Ledger, It all comes together to make it the best Batman movie ever made, and dark Knight pulled DC.matching the most impressive box office numbers to date.

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