10 Best Live-Action DC Comics Movies, According To IMDb

As one of the big two comic book publishers in the world for superheroes, DC Comics has naturally grown a large catalog of live-action movies. Even before the popularly established “multiverse” or “cinematic universe” concepts were transitioned into theatrical projects, DC gave fans some memorable movies that cemented the publisher’s pantheon of characters into the mainstream.

The user base of rating aggregator IMDb has set its current top 10, with some dating as far back as the beloved Richard Donner takes on Superman in the ’70s. With DC’s cinematic slate only getting bigger, rankings will surely fluctuate somewhat, but, as it stands, fans have some firm favorite DC comics films.

10 Wonder Woman (7.4/10)

Being one of the DC Trinity alongside Batman and Superman, it was a shame that Wonder Woman went so long without the blockbuster treatment. Thankfully, and while the DCEU was already in a tumultuous state at the time, 2017’s Wonder Woman brought director Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot’s incarnation of the Amazonian Princess to the big screen to critical and commercial success.

It was a much-needed positive injection for the DCEU, with the movie doing well to capture both the strength and compassion of Wonder Woman for longtime fans and a new generation. Her boost in mainstream popularity has now even led to a new game reveal at the Game Awards.

9 Batman (7.5/10)

Though The Dark Knight Trilogy gave fans a gritty, grounded take on the character to great acclaim, Tim Burton’s Batman set the stage for the Caped Crusader’s blossoming theatrical reputation. Before this, Batman was cinematically known more for his campy outings during the Adam West era, and 1989’s movie brought a gothic iteration for the mainstream audiences.

To this day Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson’s Batman and Joker remain fan-favorites in certain circles, with both delivering memorable performances. Unfortunately, despite the movie’s success and the character being one of DC Comics greatest superheroes, Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever and Batman & Robin forced the IP into hibernation theatrically until Nolan arrived.

8 Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (7.6/10)

The Man of Steel has gotten several blockbuster-level projects, but given his status in pop culture, it’s a shame his IP isn’t capitalized far more than it is. However, Richard Donner’s ’70s classics are beloved among veteran Superman fans, and the director’s cut of Superman II still holds up today for many.

Christopher Reeve’s iteration of the Son of Krypton is still praised by fans for capturing the genuine hope, optimism, and inspiration that Superman naturally exudes. All the while, it doesn’t forget the inherent whimsy, heart, and humor of what makes the comic book medium great.

7 Watchmen (7.6/10)

Watchmen is one of the most acclaimed comic books ever written and, by extension, one of the essential reads by writer Alan Moore. While the adaptation brought controversy for lacking the comic’s execution of themes, Zack Snyder’s Watchmen garnered a moderately positive critical reception nonetheless.

Fans of the director undoubtedly recognized and praised his signature style, as Snyder knows how to frame enticing shots. And though Moore’s comic book lost some subtly in translation, the aforementioned style and faithful visual adaptation of his source material make Snyder’s movie a visceral experience.

6 Zack Snyder’s Justice League (8.1/10)

Following Snyder’s exit from Justice League in 2017 due to a family tragedy – and Joss Whedon’s maligned theatrical cut – fans finally saw the original director’s take. Zack Snyder’s Justice League was stretched into a nearly 4-hour runtime (excluding credits) and gave a more coherent narrative to the titular team’s respective character arcs.

Snyder finally got to show fans a redeemed, optimistic Batman and a Cyborg that serves as the emotional core of the movie. Though it looks like Warner Bros. doesn’t intend to expand on the universe, it’s good to see Snyder get his proper attempt at making the movie he wanted to make.

5 V For Vendetta (8.1/10)

Another revered Moore comic that received adaptation was V for Vendetta. The comic and the movie inspired by it are dystopian political thrillers set to the backdrop of a fractured version of the United States and a police-state-run European continent.

James McTeigue’s adaptation got a positive reception for lifting the dense political intrigue from the pages of Moore’s comic, and keeping audiences engaged with all the players pulling the strings of the story. Praises also went to Hugo Weaving’s performance as the mysterious V for being able to pull off a convincing performance despite the audience never seeing his face.

4 Batman Begins (8.2/10)

Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins started one of the best modern superhero movie trilogies of all time. The movie took a great spin on Frank Miller’s definitive Batman origin story, Year One, incorporating different villains for this Dark Knight’s early years.

After ’97’s Batman & Robin, Nolan opted to bring the superhero back down to Earth, creating a noir, street-level protagonist for the modern age. Its success rekindled the character’s popularity theatrically in doing so, and like with Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies around the same time, helped propel the superhero genre in movies.

3 The Dark Knight Rises (8.4/10)

Even though The Dark Knight set a dauntingly high bar in 2008, The Dark Knight Rises proved to be a well-received and graceful bowing out for Christian Bale’s Batman. With Begins being the most comic-like movie and Knight being the crime-thriller, Rises was Nolan’s take on Batman in a war-like movie.

The plot did well in executing an amalgamation of different comics, going from Knightfall, No Man’s Land, and The Dark Knight Returns. All the moving pieces put together a thematically fitting closure to Bruce Wayne’s character arc from Begins, and Rises was arguably the most “direct” sequel to the trilogy opener.

2 Joker (8.4/10)

It was an admittedly bizarre choice to have an entire movie dedicated to just the Joker, but the Joaquin Phoenix-led film turned out to be a solid “Elseworlds”-style story. Phoenix had long since proven himself to be an immensely talented actor with incredible range thanks to performances in the likes of Her and You Were Never Really Here.

With that pedigree, he was likely one of the best possible picks to lead in Joker. Though the movie’s messages and Taxi Driver influences aren’t particularly subtle at times, the core premise of the movie was a good fit for a story centered on the supervillain, with Phoenix putting on an excellent Oscar-winning performance.

1 The Dark Knight (9.0/10)

Regarded by many as the best live-action superhero movie, Nolan’s The Dark Knight set a high standard for where movies about heroes in flashy costumes could venture cinematically. Heath Ledger’s performance was understandably acclaimed, providing an interpretation not yet seen for the time in live-action.

The writing for the villain and the movie as a whole tastefully took inspiration from Moore’s The Killing Joke and Jeph Loeb’s The Long Halloween for Harvey Dent’s tragic fall from grace into Two-Face. On top of those comic influences, the crime-thriller element also borrowed from the likes of Michael Mann’s Heat. All of this culminated in a timeless adaptation of Batman and Joker’s eternal struggle.

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