Related
Summary
The high - grossingDCmovies of all prison term may have achieve fiscal success , but rewatching them still highlights a handful of harsh realities . Since long before the beginning of theDCEU ’s movie timeline , there have been film adaption of the characters and stories of DC Comics . Bringing iconic heroes and villain to life comes with its challenges , but often its rewards , too . With the superhero literary genre come to overtop the box office in the 21st Century so far , it would seem that micturate DC - inspired movies should be a formula for success .
Compared to other superhero franchises , themovies of the DCEUstruggled to find their footing overall . Regardless , many of the dealership ’s films were able to execute well at the box office , comfort financial concerns for DC Studios . Throughout DC ’s chronicle of movies , there have been many luxuriously - gross movies , although rewatching each one in turn highlights several issues with the franchise and its many films .
DC ’s 10 high - gross picture
Release Year
Worldwide Box Office Gross
Aquaman
2018
$ 1.148 billion
The Dark Knight Rises
2012
$ 1.081 billion
Joker
Custom image by Niall Gray
2019
$ 1.074 billion
The Dark Knight
2008
$ 1.006 billion
Batman v Superman : Dawn of Department of Justice
2016
$ 873.6 million
Wonder Woman
2017
$ 822.8 million
The Batman
2022
$ 770.9 million
Suicide Squad
$ 746.8 million
Man of Steel
2013
$ 668 million
Justice League
$ 657.9 million
Here ’s every new DC movie confirmed as in exploitation by WB for 2024 and onwards , including sack date and where they belong in the enfranchisement .
10DC Has A Worrying Reliance On Batman
Many Of DC’s Highest-Grossing Movies Feature Batman
When reviewing the list of DC ’s highest - grossing picture show , it becomes right away manifest that there aremanyBatmanmoviesamong them . In fact , a disproportional number of DC ’s high earner feature either the Caped Crusader himself or some of his supporting characters , such as the Joker or Harley Quinn . This seemingly lends credence to a common literary criticism of DC movies : thatthey rely far too heavy on the popularity of Batman .
Of DC ’s 10 highest - gross titles , five of them sport Batman as a main character . Three others either see Batman appear in a cameo or follow a support character from the Dark Knight ’s mythos , or a combination of the two . Though it ’s clear that Batman is DC ’s most bankable hero , it also indicates a wider problem , as it seems that the studio apartment will likely continue to adapt Batman fib to the big screen above all else in the interestingness of playing it dependable .
9There’s A Lack Of Originality In DC’s Box Office Success
As well as leaning hard on Batman to bolster its success , there ’s a clear lack of conception in the most successful DC movies . Every entry into the top 10 make use of either an bloodline story or an adaption of an established comic ledger narrative , and away from underage stylistic tweak , most of them are fairly straightforward limning of their character . The most notable exceptions areJokerandThe Dark Knight , two of DC ’s most realized movies of all prison term .
DC ’s manifest desire to adhere with secure and borderline predictable origin stories is a relatively coarse thread throughout its most successful titles . However , in construct such fertile use of origin story and straight adaptation , DC ’s big movies express with them an air of the conversant , retreating ground previously walked by the comic book movies of yesteryear . As such , it appears thatthere ’s a distinct want of originality in DC ’s best - earning picture .
8The DCEU Failed To Capitalize On Box Office Success Through Sequels
Sequels To DC’s High-Grossing Movies Failed To Surpass Their Predecessors
The DCEU is well - represented among the 10 highest - grossing DC movies in story , with six plastic film from the dealership featuring as particularly gamey earners . However , there ’s one clear problem with the pic from the franchise that look on the tilt – they ’re all other appearances of their respective character . In fact , none of the DCEU ’s direct sequels broke the top 10 .
Wonder Woman , Aquaman , andSuicide Squadall received direct continuation within the franchise , though none of their respective follow - ups were able to out - earn their predecessors . Man of Steel ’s semi - sequel , Batman v Superman , ranks highly but is n’t technically a direct follow - up , as its story was specifically write to introduce Batman into the enfranchisement . It seems thatnone of the DCEU ’s sequel were able to capitalize on the success of their case ’ first outingsand that one of the biggest drift in the enfranchisement ’s success was in introducing raw characters to the DCEU .
7Many Of DC’s Best Movies Share A Common Criticism
Even DC’s Most Successful Movies Have A Common Problem
It ’s no secret that theDCEU had a major villain trouble , but the enfranchisement ’s less - exciting resister did n’t seem to injure the success of their movies too much . In fact , many of DC ’s highest - gross picture show deal the common criticism of ill - indite or disposable villains , marking a freaky trend in the franchise ’s success . Despite the interesting logical implication this has on the genre in general , it ’s something that becomes all too clear when rewatching DC ’s well - earning movies .
The like ofSuicide Squad , Wonder Woman , Batman v Superman , JusticeLeague , and evenThe Dark Knight Risesall received criticism for their use of their respective adversary . Each pic have at least one baddie who was look at disadvantageously - write or badly execute , as well as unnecessary supporting adversary who were wide criticized for the same reason . Though it wee-wee very short sense when viewed through the pretext of DC ’s success , there ’s surely an odd drift in the studio ’s highest - grossing titles .
6Superman’s Cinematic Legacy Doesn’t Reflect In The Numbers
Superman Is An Iconic Hero, But His Movies Aren’t DC’s Biggest Earners
Though the movies of theDCEU featured several perfect Superman instant , many considered the franchise ’s manipulation of the character underwhelming . Even so , rewatching DC ’s highest - gross movies highlight the rough reality thatSuperman plainly is n’t as present as one might gestate . In fact , it ’s onlyMan of SteelandBatman v Supermanthat heavy have the Last Son of Krypton , with Supes also playing a supporting role inJustice League . Regardless , seven out of the 10 flick do not boast DC ’s iconic hero sandwich at all .
Superman is undeniably one of the most iconic and perhaps the most influential superhero in all pop finish . One of the longest - lasting staples of the musical genre , he ’s the quintessential hero and one of DC ’s flagship characters . Even so , his loge office winner is dwarf by that of other DC characters , peculiarly Batman . As strange as it may seem , Superman ’s box office achiever comes nowhere near twin his widespread renown .
5The Rise & Fall Of The DCEU Is Sadly Evident
The DCEU’s Decline Is Made Clear By Box Office Numbers
The DCEU officially come to a close with theending ofAquaman and the Lost Kingdom , move over way to the new persistence known as the DCU . With DC ’s first endeavour at a apportion universe of discourse now having met its end , it ’s clean that the enfranchisement ’s days were add up when considering DC ’s best - earning film . Though there are multiple DCEU movies on the inclination , none of them came after in the timeline than 2018’sAquaman .
Looking over the DCEU moving-picture show on the lean and their respective location outlines a loose movement . Man of Steel , the first DCEU movie , is DC ’s 9th highest - gross motion-picture show , with subsequent entries perform well . However , the moving picture released into the dealership afterAquamandidn’t break the top 10 , proving thatthe franchise ’s financial success had been on the decline for five yearsbefore its eventual demise .
4There’s A Huge Tonal Divide Between DC’s Most Successful Movies
There’s A Disconnect Between DC’s Successful Movies
One of the more gonzo the true about DC ’s highest - grossing movies is that they all have comparatively footling in common . Out of the top 10 , there are moving-picture show that take a more grounded and gritty approaching to their characters , and there are also more freaky and fantastic dangerous undertaking . Some are franchise movies compose to exist in a share continuity , while others are more ego - contain menu . There are even some movies that travel along villains as react to heroes .
The harsh realism that this highlights is that there seems to be no primed formula for success when it comes to DC motion-picture show . The varied nature of DC ’s highest - gross picture show makes for an irregular listfeaturing a number of different writer and directors with immensely different approach to their stories . Trying to make common sense of such an eclectic mixture is particularly jarring , making DC ’s list of top movies seem all the stranger as a result .
3DC’s High-Grossing Movies Don’t Reflect Their Apparent Quality
Some Of DC’s Least Popular Movies Have Performed Well At The Box Office
A particularly rough reality about DC ’s top - gross movies is that there looks like no actual correlation between critical and commercial success . Many picture show in the top 10 are widely regard spoiled or controversial flick – such asSuicide Squad , Justice League , andBatman v Superman : Dawn of Justice – but this did n’t seem to curb their boxwood office appeal . Similarly , there are movies in the top 10 that received critical eclat , but they do n’t order as the highest earners .
Aquamanbeing the highest - gross DC film of all time is especially unmated . Considering it earn more at the box situation thanJokerorThe Dark Knight , both of which won major awards and are considered two of the right superhero moving picture ever made , seems particularly bizarre . Even so , it ’s an unpleasant verity thatcritical praise does n’t necessarily facilitate box office succeeder , particularly with DC movies .
2There’s An Alarming Lack Of Consistency In The Success Of DC Movies
There Is No Real Trend In DC’s Success
retrospect the list of DC ’s highest - gross film in order is a little mind - boggling for those attempting to extrapolate a practice . Whichever slant DC ’s box berth success is study from , there ’s no clear pattern and therefore no apparent formula for a financially successful DC movie . Though the quality of DC movies has always been somewhat inconsistent , await atthe specific earnings of its top picture highlights just how undependable the studio apartment really is .
In terms of release dates , there ’s no unshakable decline or considerable ontogeny in financial returns on DC movies . too , popularity with interview and critics does n’t appear to contribute directly to the box office issue of each moving-picture show . Being part of a franchise or a freestanding entity also seems to make no real difference , making it specially difficult to decipher exactly what crap sure DC movies more successful than others .
1The DCEU Performed Better Than It Gets Credit For
The Franchise Provided DC With Significant Box Office Success
After the massive success of the MCU , the DCEU was born with high hopes . However , it never reached the heights of succeeder enjoyed by its Marvel counterpart , with its box office returns failing to attain the same impressive feat as its contemporaries . Even so , rewatching DC ’s highest - gross movies outline that the franchise was actually far more successful than many seem willing to notice .
The number of DCEU movies that made a respectable amount at the box office staff is commendable , specially when weighed against the winner of non - DCEU movies such asBatman Begins , Watchmen , and earlierSupermanmovies . Considering the DCEU ’s reputation as a abruptly - lived and underwhelming partake movie universe , its movies achieved a reasonable amount of financial success , even though that ’s seemingly contrary to public consensus . Even so , it ’s all too absolved from DC ’s highest - grossing pic that theDC Universehas an undeniable amount of earning voltage .
Upcoming DC Movies
Release Date
Joker : Folie à Deux
October 4 , 2024
dot
July 11 , 2025
The Batman - Part II
October 2 , 2026
