While Marvel Studios has had a distinct leg-up in live-action media over the past two decades, DC has been dominating the animated game since 1992. The DC Animated Universe has consistently produced highly-rated animated franchises consisting of direct-to-video feature films, shorts, and television series that enrich and expand the DC canon.
DC continued this legacy in 2013 when the company launched the DC Animated Movie Universe, an interconnected cinematic universe adapting classic DC storylines, as well as incorporating elements from the New 52 continuity. Creating compelling original storylines, the DCAMU remains an important part of DC’s animated history.
Updated on June 15, 2022 by Scoot Allan: After the success of DC Universe’s Original Animated Movies, the connected continuity of the DCAMU gave fans a new way to enjoy the storylines of the New 52. While the storyline seemingly ended in 2020, an animated short in 2022 starring John Constantine briefly explored the aftermath of the epic finale. A new continuity of animated films was also launched that has continued DC’s legacy of elevated animated stories.
20 The DC Universe Of Original Animated Movies Laid The Foundation For The DCAMU
Before the beginning of the DCAMU continuity, several feature-length animated films were released which adapted comic storylines and original plots. 2007’s Superman: Doomsday kicked off the line with a very different adaptation of The Death of Superman storyline.
Comic adaptations like Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and the two-part The Dark Knight Returns helped build the fanbase. Semi-connected stories from films like Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths and Justice League: Doom also began laying the foundation for what would become the DCAMU after Flashpoint Paradox changed the timeline.
19 A New Animated Universe Was Created In Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox
2013’s Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox is the film that established DCAMU. The film depicts the well-known Flashpoint storyline from the comics, in which Barry Allen/Flash travels back in time to stop his mother’s murder. The ripple effects of his actions culminate in a drastically different present where the world is on the brink of destruction.
In this alternate timeline, Barry’s once-wife is now married to someone else. Worse, the Justice League doesn’t even exist. Wonder Woman is at war with Aquaman, Thomas Wayne becomes Batman after the death of his son, and the Flash is at the center of it all.
18 The Heroes Of The DCAMU United To Stop Darkseid’s Invasion In Justice League: War
Justice League: War is an adaptation of Geoff Johns and Jim Lee’s “Origin” storyline which kicked off the New 52. 2014s War is the second film in the DCAMU, but the first to really take the interconnectedness to heart. The film follows a series of strange occurrences in Gotham City, all of which lead to the discovery of several Parademons hard at work on a mysterious project.
Batman, Green Lantern, and Superman worked together, discovered Darkseid was behind the Parademon invasion, then joined Flash, Wonder Woman, and Shazam in battle. War also served as a solid origin story for Victor Stone/Cyborg, whose body became fused with Mother Box technology. A post-credits scene also promised a future appearance from Aquaman.
17 Damian Wayne Was Introduced In Son of Batman
Son of Batman fulfills the titular promise of introducing Bruce Wayne’s son Damian, whose mother is Talia al Ghul, daughter of the Demon’s Head. Slade Wilson/Deathstroke has been vying to become the League of Assassins’ head and leads to an attack which ends with Ra’s al Ghul’s death.
Damian’s entire life up until that point was spent training to be a more-than-efficient assassin, dissolving most of his humanity in the process. After they were introduced, Bruce and Damian butted heads at every turn. It’s only through their shared mission of rescuing Talia from Deathstroke’s clutches that they began to see eye-to-eye. Damian then chose to become the new Robin.
16 Justice League: Throne of Atlantis Introduced Aquaman And A War With Ocean Master
2015’s Justice League: Throne of Atlantis served as a one-off sequel to 2014’s Justice League: War. The previous film included a post-credits scene in which Ocean Master vowed revenge against land-dwellers for the demise of the Atlantean king. Throne of Atlantis adapted Geoff Johns’ arc of the same name from the New 52.
Mera was sent to teach Arthur Curry about his Atlantean heritage while Prince Orm was manipulating a war to secure the throne of Atlantis with Black Manta. This standalone entry marked Aquaman’s decision to officially join the Justice League, establishing his role in future installments.
15 Nightwing & Robin Is A Quick Animated Short Setting Up The Next DCAMU Film
The 45-second short Nightwing and Robin is set parallel to the events of Throne of Atlantis, as Batman’s partners were sent on a mission to take down Scarecrow. Nightwing and Robin swoop into a warehouse, beat up a couple of baddies, and then take down Scarecrow with a couple of well-placed batarangs and a swift kick to the head.
Although the film is only 45 seconds long, it’s the last few seconds that reveal a mysterious stranger watching the events from a skylight. Nightwingand Robin is intended as an appetizer for the next feature-length animated film in the DCAMU which reveals the silent watcher is a member of the Court of Owls.
14 Talon And The Court Of Owls Set The New Dynamic Duo Against Each Other In Batman Vs. Robin
In its adaptation of the Court of Owls storyline, 2015’s Batman vs Robin paired down the narrative to its most essential parts: Batman, Robin, and the Court of Owls — the latter of who represents a viable option for Damian to utilize his assassin training.
Bruce and his son Damian reached a boiling point of differing ideologies, straining their relationship. The mysterious figure teased in the 45-second short was revealed as Talon, who tried to manipulate Damian. The film found father and son trying to figure out how to work together and creating a lasting bond while dealing with those pesky Owls.
13 Batman: Bad Blood Introduced Batwoman And Batwing After The Apparent Death Of The Dark Knight
2016’s Batman: Bad Blood takes place six months after the events of Batman vs Robin. Following the apparent death of Batman after an explosion caused by a villain known as Heretic, Nightwing and Robin team up with Batwoman and Batwing to get to the bottom of the mystery and stop a shadowy threat.
What they discover involves Damian’s mother, Talia al Ghul, and a cloning experiment to create the perfect soldier. The Mad Hatter also has a hand in the dirty dealings and a plan that will have an impact on the entire world. Bad Blood also serves as Batgirl’s introduction, which occurs at the end of the film, promising a future team-up.
12 Justice League Vs. Teen Titans Introduced The Younger Team As They Faced Their Mentors
Justice League vs Teen Titans brought together two of the most prominent DC teams. The film followed Robin as he’s sent to “slum it” with the Teen Titans, following a blatant disregard for his father’s orders. There, he found himself enmeshed in a tale involving demons and Raven’s mysterious past.
Raven’s father Trigon, a demonic entity, proves to be a formidable foe for the Justice League and possesses several of their ranks. It’s then up to the Titans to stop the “evil” version of the League and Trigon’s nefarious plans.
11 Batman, John Constantine, And Zatanna Put Together A Mystical Team In Justice League Dark
Justice League Dark followed a special line-up of heroes whose interests and talents align with the occult and macabre. Batman recruited this darker version of the Justice League to step in when a supernatural force started inflicting people with nightmarish hallucinations that had lethal consequences.
The team consisted of John Constantine, Deadman, Zatanna, Etrigan the Demon, Swamp Thing, and Black Orchid. Justice League Dark was a refreshing, magical take on the DC realm complete with dreamstones, Merlin, and several far-out elements that would otherwise have trouble finding a place in the DC universe.
10 Teen Titans: The Judas Contract Adapted The Iconic Storyline And Featured The Original Team
2017’s Teen Titans: The Judas Contract is a direct sequel to Justice League vs Teen Titans. The film retells the classic Titans storyline where the team is confronted with death and betrayal while uncovering a plot set against them by their persistent enemy, Deathstroke. The movie features a fun look at the original Teen Titans before following up with the modern team.
The Titans are eager to welcome new member Terra on board, unaware she’s a double-agent working for Deathstroke. However, Deathstroke is working for another big bad, and he later betrays Terra. While her appearance is all too brief, Terra is a great addition who shook the Teen Titans to their very core.
9 Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay Set Task Force X Against Other Villains For A Mystical Item
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay is a stand-alone story in the DCAU canon. The film follows Task Force X, the notorious team of villains gathered by Amanda Waller who are forced to do her bidding under the threat of certain death.
The Squad is tasked with locating what’s essentially a “Get Out of Hell Free” card, which a terminally ill Waller wants for obvious purposes. Opposing the charming anti-heroes is Vandal Savage and his crew, including his own daughter Scandal, and many other villains from the Squad’s rogues’ gallery. Reverse-Flash from Flashpoint also plays a role, further connecting the film to the DCAMU.
8 Constantine: City of Demons Is A Spin-Off Of Justice League Dark That Was Tied To The Live-Action TV Series
Constantine: City of Demons — The Movie is the feature-length compilation of the short-lived animated web series which spun off from the 2017 DCAMU movie, Justice League Dark. The film follows John Constantine, the renowned occult detective demon hunter who also happens to be one of the most powerful sorcerers in the DCU canon.
When Constantine is tasked with helping out an old friend whose daughter is in a coma, the antihero must confront his inner demons and face off against his powerful nemesis, Nergal. The animated web series starred Matt Ryan as Constantine, allowing the actor to reprise his role from the Constantine TV series.
7 The Death of Superman Introduced Doomsday And Adapted The Iconic Storyline With A New 52 Twist
2018’s The Death of Superman is only the latest iteration of the hero to fall to Doomsday. Unlike the previously animated version of the famous story (2007’s Superman: Doomsday), Death of Superman is more faithful to the source material.
The film charts Clark Kent’s relationship with Lois Lane, who feels like Clark is keeping things from her. At this point, Lois doesn’t know Clark’s true identity as Superman, and it takes a beast of seismic proportions to bring them together, albeit briefly. The film features an incredibly epic fight scene between Doomsday, Superman, and the Justice League which set up a sequel.
6 Reign Of The Supermen Introduced Characters Like Steel And Superboy And Brought Back Superman
2019’s Reign of the Supermen is the direct sequel to 2018’s Death of Superman. The film takes place six months after Superman’s demise when several new “Supermen” show up under mysterious circumstances. Among them is an adolescent Superman named Superboy, a clone created by Lex Luthor.
A new Cyborg Superman starts causing trouble while others like Steel and Eradicator try to fill the void Superman left. It’s up to Lois Lane and Lex Luthor to bring back the hero and uncover the truth about the new Supermen. Thankfully, Superman is able to return, and he teams up with Steel and Superboy to save the day from Cyborg Superman and a mysterious threat.
5 Batman: Hush Adapted The Hit Comic Storyline With A New But Divisive Twist
Batman: Hush followed Batman as his relationship with renowned cat burglar, Catwoman was further developed. Together, they set out to outsmart a crafty new villain who went by the name of Hush. However, Hush had the upper hand, as he seemed to know a lot about Bruce’s personal life, including his identity.
What made Hush such an interesting film in the DCAMU is that it changed Hush’s story from the comics, creating a new identity behind the bandages. Additionally, the reveal had not one, but two major twists. It was a bit divisive among fans, but it undoubtedly added something unexpected to the storyline.
4 Wonder Woman: Bloodlines Introduced Villainy, Inc. As They Attempted To Locate Themyscira
2019’s Wonder Woman: Bloodlines followed the titular heroine as she uncovered a new threat known as Villainy Inc. The team included several enemies from her past, including Doctor Cyber and Silver Swan. When Wonder Woman defied the Amazonian “no man” law, she was disowned by her mother Hippolyta, and exiled.
Suffering from a magical memory block, Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor tried to nullify the spell’s effects and locate Themiscyra. However, Villainy Inc. also wanted to locate the Amazonian land in order to gain access to their mystical technologies. The Wonder Woman-centric film was one of the few animated movies not focused on Batman, Superman, or the League.
3 Justice League Dark: Apokolips War Brought A Violent And Bloody End To The DCAMU
2020’s Justice League Dark: Apokolips War was the final feature-length film within the DCAMU. Apokolips War was a culmination of every team established within the DCAMU, as members of the Justice League, Teen Titans, Justice League Dark, and Suicide Squad joined forces to save Earth after a devastating battle ended in Darkseid conquering the planet with multiple casualties.
After the fall of the League and other allies, the film picked up two years later under Darkseid’s rule. Several of the heroes had fallen under his control, and it was up to the motley few survivors to pick up the pieces. The final stand and its fallout left the future of the heroes unknown as reality was once again rewritten by The Flash.
2 Constantine: The House Of Mystery Followed The Character In The Aftermath Of Apokolips War
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Constantine: The House of Mystery is a supplemental extension to the DCAMU. It follows the Hellblazer himself, John Constantine in the aftermath of 2020’s Apokolips War. Thanks to his intervention in the proceedings — in which he meddled with the timeline by telling The Flash to alter history again — Constantine was thrown into the House of Mystery.
There, Constantine was doomed to spend the rest of eternity being hounded by demons. The short film featured Matt Ryan reprising his much-acclaimed role as the titular hero and served as a final epilogue to the DCAMU.
1 A New Connected Continuity Of DC Films Launched That Wasn’t Tied Any Established Comic Canon
After the finale of the DCAMU, the DC Universe of Original Animated Movies continued on with new original stories and a fresh animation style that separated it from the previous continuity. 2020’s Superman: Man of Tomorrow launched the new continuity with an original story that was followed by films like Batman: Soul of the Dragon and Justice Society: World War II.
Comic adaptations continue to be released as well, tailored to fit in the new continuity — much like in the DCAMU. The two-part Batman: The Long Halloween adapted the iconic series while Injustice brought the hit video game and comic series to the animated universe. The future is looking bright for the new DCAMU.