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Every DC superhero movie (including 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom'), definitively ranked

It's the end of the world as we know it – at least for the current DC movie universe.

A high-profile reset begins with James Gunn's "Superman: Legacy" in 2025, which means that this year put the final touches on a decade of superhero storytelling starting with Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel." Shazam struck like lightning, then The Flash (with Supergirl in tow) sped into the multiverse, Blue Beetle got his turn on the big screen (boasting DC's first Latino lead) and now Jason Momoa's fish-talking bro dude is back in a new sequel, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom."

So as we pour one out, let's look back at the hits and the misses by ranking all of this era's connected DC superhero films:

14. ‘Man of Steel’ (2013)

Henry Cavill's Superman, as introduced in "Man of Steel," was more morose than hopeful.
Henry Cavill's Superman, as introduced in "Man of Steel," was more morose than hopeful.

A Superman movie that doesn’t seem to understand Superman. Zack Snyder’s origin story had a cool opening on the hero’s home world of Krypton but spiraled downward from there. Instead of a beacon of hope – what Henry Cavill’s character says that “S” on his chest means – this Clark Kent is the Brooder of Steel, navigating life, love and loss not with a smile or a knowing confidence (see: Christopher Reeve, the ideal Superman) but with instead a sort of unappealing melancholy. Honestly, compared to, say, "Iron Man," it was not the greatest start to a cinematic universe and instead set an inconsistent tone for everything that followed.

13. ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ (2016)

It's an epic battle for Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."
It's an epic battle for Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."

An improvement on "Man of Steel," mostly thanks to a couple of new superheroes: Ben Affleck nicely inhabits a Dark Knight who’s pretty much had it with everything, especially with that dude in blue tights and a red cape, and Gal Gadot debuts as a mysterious Wonder Woman, one audiences were dying to know about. The CGI-heavy climax with supervillain Doomsday is a travesty; there are intriguing seeds for a bigger story (what’s up, Darkseid?!) that never happened, but Jesse Eisenberg’s psycho Mark Zuckerberg take on Lex Luthor weirdly works.

12. 'Black Adam'

Dwayne Johnson plays a fearsome figure with god-like powers freed after 5,000 years of imprisonment in the DC superhero film "Black Adam."
Dwayne Johnson plays a fearsome figure with god-like powers freed after 5,000 years of imprisonment in the DC superhero film "Black Adam."

Cutting a stoic, formidable figure as the vengeful and morally dubious title antihero, Dwayne Johnson is the best aspect of this mostly substandard DC effort. The movie trots out plenty of action and touches on imperialism in intriguing fashion, but just tries to do way too much. The biggest problem is throwing in too manynew personalities with too little character development. Adam at least has an emotional arc, but he's never all that likable, an odd choice for one of Hollywood's most charismatic A-listers.

11 (tied). ‘Aquaman’ (2018)

Jason Momoa strikes a muscular figure as the title hero of "Aquaman."
Jason Momoa strikes a muscular figure as the title hero of "Aquaman."

Jason Momoa’s reluctant hero goes under the sea for an Arthurian quest to find a mythical trident that can bring together the underwater kingdoms before his Atlantean half-bro Orm (Patrick Wilson) wages an ecologically fueled war on the surface. Way too earnest at times, director/co-writer James Wan’s film successfully dips its toe in a pool of out-there goofiness at times but never dives deep, unfortunately. And the same problems are apparent in ...

11 (tied). 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' (2023)

Half-brothers Orm (Patrick Wilson, left) and Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) put their rivalry aside to team up for a quest in the superhero sequel "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom."
Half-brothers Orm (Patrick Wilson, left) and Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) put their rivalry aside to team up for a quest in the superhero sequel "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom."

In the sequel, archvillain Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is on a quest of revenge with (another) magical trident and aims to take out Aquaman and his family. So our rough-and-tumble underwater good guy breaks Orm out of prison to help and brotherly shenanigans ensue. Wan leans into his sci-fi B-movie and horror side here – and Wilson's fish-out-of-water former baddie steals a lot of scenes – but for all the larger-than-life personality Momoa forces onto the screen, it just feels somewhat glass half empty.

10. ‘Justice League’ (2017/2021)

OK, it wasn’t quite an “Avengers”-level reception for the DC supergroup, be it Joss Whedon's original theatrical release or Zack Snyder's much-ballyhooed (and just a bit better) director's cut. The the major fight at the end with Steppenwolf, a badly computer-generated supervillain who gets a Snyder Cut upgrade, is mostly forgettable. Oh, yeah, and Mustache-gate. However, Batfleck gets some fun stuff to do, Ezra Miller’s speedy Flash owns being the comedy relief and for the first time – thanks to a well-timed resurrection – Henry Cavill finally figures out how to best play Superman. (It was probably only for half a movie, but better than nothing.)

9. 'Wonder Woman 1984' (2020)

Gal Gadot's Amazon princess returns for a Reagan-era solo adventure in the superhero sequel "Wonder Woman 1984."
Gal Gadot's Amazon princess returns for a Reagan-era solo adventure in the superhero sequel "Wonder Woman 1984."

While it may not be as good as the first "Wonder Woman," and director Patty Jenkins' sequel tries to do too much over two-and-a-half hours, it's certainly a lot more fun. Gal Gadot spends more time as Diana than in Wonder Woman mode but she wears both sides well, and her chemistry with Chris Pine's Steve Trevor  – one of the highlights of the original hit – remains strong as Diana shows Steve the Reagan era. Also give credit to Pedro Pascal for going all in with smarminess as villainous businessman Max Lord and Kristen Wiig nicely breaks out of her comedy mold as the ferocious Cheetah.

8. 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' (2023)

Shazam (Zachary Levi, center) leads his family of superheroes – Eugene (Ross Butler), Freddy (Adam Brody), Mary (Grace Caroline Currey), Darla (Meagan Good) and Pedro (D.J. Cotrona) – against a new threat in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods."
Shazam (Zachary Levi, center) leads his family of superheroes – Eugene (Ross Butler), Freddy (Adam Brody), Mary (Grace Caroline Currey), Darla (Meagan Good) and Pedro (D.J. Cotrona) – against a new threat in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods."

The big-hearted sequel brings trouble for souped-up Billy Batson – a teenager who can transform into a buff hero (Zachary Levi) when he says a magic word – and the city of Philadelphia when a trio of Greek goddesses (Lucy Liu, Helen Mirren and Rachel Zegler) hit town with their dragon and a horde of creatures. The threats are bigger and the stakes are higher but also emotionally, as Billy worries about losing his sibling superteam and family because he's about to turn 18 and age out of the foster system. And that kind of grounded emotional journey hits different than others in a universe full of gods and monsters.

7. ‘Suicide Squad’ (2016)

Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), Katana (Karen Fukuhara), Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman), Deadshot (Will Smith) and Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) are ready for action in "Suicide Squad."
Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), Katana (Karen Fukuhara), Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman), Deadshot (Will Smith) and Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) are ready for action in "Suicide Squad."

While it probably still sticks in the craw of haters, the completely bonkers “Squad” is one of very few superhero films to win an Academy Award. (For makeup, but still an Oscar.) The weird and wild narrative about a motley group of supervillains having to save the world had the good (Margot Robbie's winningly oddball Harley), the bad (another horrendous CGI-fest for an ending) and the ugly (props to Jared Leto for whatever he was doing as an out-of-left-field Joker).

6. 'Birds of Prey' (2020)

Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell, left) teams with Harley (Margot Robbie) in "Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)."
Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell, left) teams with Harley (Margot Robbie) in "Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)."

While it doesn't have the same out-there energy as the two "Squad" movies, Harley's girl-gang movie is a female-fronted delight with clever references, "Deadpool"-esque cursing and ultraviolence, plus gags aplenty. The best part, though, is the women who help Harley when the entire Gotham City underworld comes looking for her blood: Jurnee Smollett-Bell's sonic-screeching, karate-kicking Black Canary and Mary Elizabeth Winstead's crossbow-wielding, socially awkward vigilante Huntress benefit from playing it straight next to Margot Robbie's goofball queen.

5. 'The Flash' (2023)

Barry Allen (Ezra Miller, center) gets help in his efforts to fix a time-travel mistake from his teenage self (also Miller) and Supergirl (Sasha Calle) in "The Flash."
Barry Allen (Ezra Miller, center) gets help in his efforts to fix a time-travel mistake from his teenage self (also Miller) and Supergirl (Sasha Calle) in "The Flash."

Justice League meets "Back to the Future" in director Andy Muschietti's adventure, where Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) figures out he can time-travel if he runs fast enough. Barry goes back to save his mom from dying and ends up trapped in a new reality where he meets his immature 18-year-old self (also Miller). They team with a retired Batman (Michael Keaton) and rescue Supergirl (Sasha Calle) to save the world in a cameo-filled flick filled with humor and heart that ultimately goes overboard on the fan service in an unruly third act.

'The Flash' spoilers: The A-list cameos and superhero surprises that will blow your mind

Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) is chosen by a mysterious alien scarab to be its human host in DC's "Blue Beetle."
Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) is chosen by a mysterious alien scarab to be its human host in DC's "Blue Beetle."

4. 'Blue Beetle' (2023)

If you're a superhero fan, there's a lot familiar about director Àngel Manuel Soto's fantasy, from iron men running around to a rookie struggling to master his new abilities, Spider-Man style. Instead, "Blue Beetle" makes its own mark by boosting Latin culture and putting an emphasis on family. Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) gets powers from a mysterious alien scarab, pitting him vs. a villainous tech tycoon (Susan Sarandon), but Jaime doesn't have to worry about keeping a secret identity. His relatives, including inventive Uncle Rudy (George Lopez), have got his back in a movie that offers a rich character mythology but won't bog you down with homework.

3. 'Shazam!' (2019)

Super-sized Billy Batson (Zachary Levi, left) and Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer) run into robbers on a mission to buy beer in "Shazam!"
Super-sized Billy Batson (Zachary Levi, left) and Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer) run into robbers on a mission to buy beer in "Shazam!"

The first breath of fun, fresh air that the DC films had been sorely lacking, "Shazam!" captures the same awe and childlike wonder of superheroes that Christopher Reeve's original "Superman" did back in the day. The movie marries family drama and a sneakily deep magical mythology, and there's much hilarity to be had when super-sized Billy (Zachary Levi) and foster brother Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) test his powers or stroll over to the local convenience store to buy beer. Levi should have been a franchise superhero way before this, though he couldn't have picked a better fit than this old-school caped crusader.

2. ‘Wonder Woman’ (2017)

Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) takes to the World War I front in "Wonder Woman."
Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) takes to the World War I front in "Wonder Woman."

Until “Black Panther,” no other superhero movie had quite the cultural impact of Patty Jenkins’ Amazon-filled World War I period piece. Gal Gadot’s Princess Diana learns about romance – with Chris Pine’s Trevor as a fantastic complement – but also the flaws of humanity, showing anybody who’ll watch how to be a hero by walking across a battlefield where literally no man will set foot. Pulpy personalities, a surprising sense of humor and a top-notch main character smooth over the foibles: another egregious digital main bad guy and final battle, which have become unfortunate DC signatures.

1. 'The Suicide Squad' (2021)

Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian, from left), Peacemaker (John Cena), Bloodsport (Idris Elba) and Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior) are the newcomers to Task Force X in James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad."
Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian, from left), Peacemaker (John Cena), Bloodsport (Idris Elba) and Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior) are the newcomers to Task Force X in James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad."

James Gunn's DC debut – as important to this universe as "Guardians of the Galaxy" was to the Marvel galaxy – is No. 1 with a bullet, thanks to Harley Quinn, criminal marksman Bloodsport (Idris Elba in grumpy leading-man mode) and his frenemy rival Peacemaker (John Cena channeling the worst Captain America ever). This "Squad" is a gory, crazy, curse-laden delight with a high body count and a welcome air of unpredictability (because you never know when your fave baddie will meet a bloody end), but Gunn has infused it with enough heart and personality that you're invested in who makes it out alive.

'We never get this chance': 'Blue Beetle' brings DC's first Latino superhero to life

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom': DC movies ranked from worst to best