The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an important existence that competes with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since 2013, DCEU has built a unique superhero world through a series of movies, covering classic characters such as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Choosing the right viewing order can help you better understand the story context and character development. This article will introduce the DCEU series of movies one by one according to the recommended viewing order.
Man of Steel
The opening film of the DCEU sets the tone for the entire series. The film tells the story of the Jor-El couple sending their infant son Kal-El to Earth when Krypton is about to be destroyed. When Kal grows up, he changes his name to Clark Kent. After discovering that he has super powers, he gradually accepts and uses these powers to protect mankind.
This film shows the significance of Superman as a “symbol of hope” through grand battle scenes and in-depth exploration of Superman’s origins. At the same time, it also introduces important elements such as Kryptonian technology and superpower settings in DCEU, laying the foundation for the worldview construction of subsequent films.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Following the story of “Man of Steel”, Superman’s behavior in the battle of Metropolis has caused public controversy, and Bruce Wayne (Batman) witnessed the huge destruction caused by Superman in the battle, and believed that Superman was a potential threat to mankind and was determined to stop him. At the same time, Lex Luthor secretly manipulated the situation, using General Zod’s body to create a powerful monster “Doomsday”, and tried to provoke a conflict between Superman and Batman.
In the film, the theme of “With great power comes great responsibility” is further deepened. Through the confrontation and reconciliation between Superman and Batman, the role and influence of superheroes in society are explored. The iconic line “If God cannot be trusted, where should mankind go?” deeply reflects people’s fear and anxiety about Superman’s almost divine power. In addition, this film introduces Wonder Woman for the first time in DCEU and hints at the existence of more superheroes, laying the groundwork for the formation of “Justice League”.
Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad turns its attention to a group of villains. In order to deal with potential superhuman threats, the US government has formed a special operations team called “Task Force X” composed of death row prisoners, including Harley Quinn, the Joker, and Deadshot. They are promised that as long as they complete dangerous tasks, they will be given a commutation of sentence. When the mysterious witch June Moon loses control and attempts to summon demons to destroy the world, the Suicide Squad is sent to carry out the mission of stopping her.
This movie breaks the previous serious style of DCEU and attracts audiences with black humor and unique character creation. The crazy and twisted love between Harley Quinn and the Joker, as well as the transformation of the team members from mutual suspicion to fighting side by side, are important highlights of the film.
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is an independent origin film set during World War I. Amazon Princess Diana grew up on Paradise Island and received combat training since childhood. When American pilot Steve Trevor accidentally crash-landed on the island and brought news of the war outside, Diana firmly believed that the war was provoked by the god of war Ares, and decided to follow Steve to the human world to stop the war and restore peace.
Through Diana’s perspective, the film shows her growth from an innocent princess to a true hero. The line “Only love can bring peace” embodies Wonder Woman’s core values and injects warmth and hope into the DCEU.
Justice League
It tells the story that after Superman’s sacrifice, the earth fell into fear and anxiety. At this time, Steppenwolf led an army of demons to invade the earth. In order to fight this powerful threat, Batman and Wonder Woman decided to recruit new superheroes to form a Justice League.
The overall rhythm of the film is brisk, and it focuses on the teamwork of superheroes. However, due to the large number of reshoots and editing adjustments, the plot is jumpy and some characters are not deeply portrayed. However, the return of Superman and the first gathering of the Justice League are still the highlights of the film, opening up a new situation for the subsequent development of DCEU.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League
This is the complete version originally envisioned by director Zack Snyder. Compared with the 2017 theatrical version, this version is longer, more complete, and darker and more grand in style. On the basis of the original, the film deeply portrays the background story of each character. In addition, the film also introduces more classic elements from DC comics, revealing the greater conspiracy behind Steppenwolf’s invasion of the earth – Darkseid’s ambition.
“Neptune”
The story focuses on Arthur Curry, the son of a lighthouse keeper and the queen of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, who is half human and half Atlantean. When Orm, the heir to the throne of Atlantis, attempts to unite other underwater kingdoms to launch a war against the land, Arthur, with the help of Mera, embarks on an adventure to find the lost trident in order to stop the war and fight for the throne.
The film features a gorgeous underwater world and exciting action scenes, showing an imaginative kingdom of Atlantis. At the same time, the film also explores the theme of harmonious coexistence between man and nature through the contradiction between land and sea, adding a new story dimension to the DCEU.
“Shazam!”
This film is light-hearted and humorous, telling the story of a teenager named Billy Batson who was chosen by the wizard Shazam and gained magical powers. As long as he shouted “Shazam”, he could transform into an adult superhero with super powers. Billy and his brothers and sisters in the foster family, in the process of adapting and exploring these abilities, fought against Dr. Sivana, who tried to take away Billy’s power.
The film is full of warm family elements and comedy scenes, which is in sharp contrast to the previous serious style of DCEU, injecting new vitality into the series and attracting a wider audience.
Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn
The story revolves around Harley Quinn’s breakup with the Joker. Without the Joker’s protection, Harley becomes the target of many enemies, including Black Mask Roman Sionis. In order to survive, Harley forms the Birds of Prey with Huntress, Black Canary, Cassandra Cain and other female characters to fight against Black Mask and his men.
The film attracts audiences with its unique female perspective and strong stylized narrative, showing Harley’s transformation from dependence on others to independence and strength, as well as the friendship and cooperation between female characters. The large number of action scenes and black humor elements in the film make it a very unique work in the DCEU, further enriching the series’s cast of characters and story types.
Wonder Woman 1984
Set in the 1980s during the Cold War, Diana Prince lives as a museum researcher when she accidentally obtains the Wishing Stone, which attracts the greedy businessman Maxwell Lord and Diana’s former rival Cheetah. As the power of the Wishing Stone is abused and the world falls into chaos, Diana must stand up again to prevent the disaster from happening.
The film further explores the theme of desire and cost through the new challenges Diana faces in peacetime. The line “Truth and love are the most powerful weapons” once again emphasizes Wonder Woman’s values.
The Suicide Squad
“Suicide Squad” is a reboot of “Suicide Squad”, which once again focuses on the story of Suicide Squad carrying out dangerous missions. The film continues the black humor style of the previous film, while showing action scenes with more violent and bloody pictures, breaking the routine of traditional superhero movies.
Black Adam
It tells the story of a slave named Tess-Adam who was given the power of the gods in ancient Kandak. However, he abused his power in revenge and was sealed for thousands of years. In modern times, Black Adam is released, and his powerful power has attracted attention from all parties. Hawkman, Doctor Fate and other members of the Justice Society of America (JSA) come to stop him, but as they learn about Black Adam’s background, they find that things are not that simple.
The film introduces the character of Black Adam to the DCEU for the first time, showing his character traits of both good and evil. The confrontation and ideological clash between Black Adam and the Justice Society of America, as well as the display of Kandak culture, have expanded the story direction for the DCEU and also triggered discussions about the moral standards of superheroes.
Shazam! Wrath of the Gods
Following the story of the first film, Billy Batson and his foster family continue to protect the city as the Shazam family. However, three ancient Greek goddesses, Hespera, Calypso, and Anthea, the daughter of Atlas, come to Earth in an attempt to take back the divine power inherited by the Shazam family. The Shazam family must unite and use their respective powers to fight against the threat of the goddesses.
The film added more mythological elements and special effects scenes, but some viewers felt that its plot lacked originality and failed to surpass the influence of the first film.
The Flash
Adapted from the “Flashpoint” in the comics, Barry Allen (The Flash) used his superpowers to go back in time to try to save his mother, but accidentally changed the timeline, causing the world to fall into chaos.
The film further expands the worldview of the DCEU through the concept of the “multiverse”, and also provides more possibilities for the future development of the series. The film is excellent in showing the Flash’s abilities and portraying his emotions, but because its plot involves a lot of timelines and multiverse settings, it is difficult for viewers who are not familiar with comics to understand.
Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom
In this film, Arthur Curry has become the king of Atlantis, and he and Mera jointly protect the peace of the sea and land. However, in order to seek revenge, Black Manta cooperates with ancient creatures with mysterious powers to destroy Atlantis. Arthur must embark on an adventure again, unite the forces of all parties, stop Black Manta’s conspiracy, and protect his kingdom and family.
As the finale of the DCEU at this stage, the film continues the visual style and adventure elements of the first film, further showing the mysterious world of Atlantis and the growth of Aquaman. However, due to the upcoming reboot of DCEU, the film failed to have a significant impact on the future development of the series in terms of story, but for audiences who love the Aquaman character and underwater adventure stories, it is still worth watching.
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