In the comics, the Justic League have undertaken some incredible, time-twisting, multiverse-spanning, and action-packed adventures under some of comic books’ great creatives. Many of those have made it to the screen, although it’s fair to say that DC’s premier superteam hasn’t had as good a run as their Marvel rivals, the Avengers.Â
While the live-action series attracts the most attention, the Justice League has enjoyed a much more consistent journey in animated features. Warner Bros. Pictures carved out a particular continuity for the Justice League through the DC Universe Animated Original Movies (DCUAOM.)
The DCUAOM began in earnest in 2007, building on the solid foundations of Batman: The Animated Series and its spin-offs and movies. Unfortunately kicking off with the Man of Steel’s darkest hour in Superman: Doomsday, the DCUAOM quickly strengthened the roster with Justice League: The New Frontier. Within three stories, it had set a new continuity which stands as the longest and most consistent way of catching up with Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, et al in feature film form.
We’ve listed exactly how you can watch every Justice League movie in order of release. Don’t expect the continuity to make total sense as it leaps between versions and format, but do expect the adventures of the mightiest heroes on Earth and beyond.Â
Justice League of America (1997)
This TV movie was a pilot for a CBS series that never materialized. Justice League of America will seem strange to many viewers who are more familiar with the Justice League’s later screen appearances. It concentrated on a less familiar incarnation of the heroes taking on the villainous Weatherman to save the city of New Metro. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman escaped this underpowered production, but Green Lantern, Atom, and the Flash weren’t so lucky. Consider it a palette cleanser.
Justice League: The New Frontier (2008)
Picking up from writer and artist Darwyn Cooke’s 2004 graphic novel, the DCAU chose a Silver-meets-Golden Age origin story to kick off its Justice League adventure. Justice League: The New Frontier was the animated feature debut for big-hitters like Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter.
Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths (2010)
The Justice League’s second appearance, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, drew on the comic arc Crisis on Earth-Three! and the graphic novel JLA: Earth 2 ,as the superteam clashed with their inverted counterparts, the Crime Syndicate.Â
Justice League: Doom (2010)
Justice League: Doom is a sequel to Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths reworked comic arc JLA: Tower of Babel, and pits the heroes against the Legion of Doom led by immortal villain Vandal Savage.Â
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)
An adaptation of the huge comic series that demonstrated just how dangerous the Flash’s powers could be, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox used the ready-made reset of Flashpoint and Barry Allen’s misplaced attempt to save his mother to create a new sub-continuity: the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU.)
Justice League: War (2014)
Justice League: War doesn’t hang around setting up the overarching threat of the new DCAMU. The abduction of Superman is only the first part of Darkseid’s invasion of Earth as the New Gods arrive in the mythology.Â
Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015)
Justice League: Throne of Atlantis is a standalone sequel to Justice League: War and a chance to provide an origin for Aquaman that will seem very familiar to fans of the live-action feature released in 2018.
Justice League: Gods And Monsters (2015)
A fascinating dip into an alternate reality where the Trinity of the Justice League doesn’t quite feature the icons we know, Justice League: Gods and Monsters features a Superman who’s the son of Zod, a Batman who’s more Man-Bat, and a Wonder Woman who’s a New God rather than an ancient one.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
When is a Justice League film not a Justice League film? The Trinity of the League dance around each other in Zack Snyder’s dark and brutal telling of how the League came to be. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be remembered for many things other than what it got right and the fact that the trilogy Snyder intended never concluded.Â
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice stands out in this list for presenting a dystopic DC universe even before the dystopia arrives. If you like your Wonder Woman lonely, your Batman particularly obsessive, and your Superman at his most inspirational when he’s dead, this is the version for you.
Justice League Vs. Teen Titans (2016)
When the demonic forces of Trigon possess the Justice League, it falls to The Teen Titans, featuring Nightwing, Starfire, Raven, and Robin to save the day.Â
Justice League Dark (2016)
By now, the Justicle League animated feature film series had a taste for taking the premier superteam out of the action and introducing characters from the wider universe. Justice League Dark features Batman joining forces with the supernatural equivalent of the Justice League to combat a mystical threat. Making his first appearance in the Justice League feature films was Matt Ryan’s John Constantine, who stars alongside the likes of Zatanna and Swamp Thing.
Justice League (2017)
The live action version of the Justice League finally made it to the screen with a big budget, dream cast, and crushing disappointment. The return of Superman was botched in a skimmed-down, poorly rendered, and frustratingly light film that wasn’t the meeting of Earth and Apokolips fans had spent years wishing for. The failure of the Justice League feature film resulted in the live-action DC Extended Universe grounding to a halt, and it’s hard not to think the animated equivalent didn’t take quick notes so it could round out its story more satisfactorily.
The Death Of Superman (2018)
In the wake of Justice League, it was time for the DCAMU to tackle the infamous storyline that saw the Last Son of Krypton fall at the rocky hands of Doomsday and the surviving members of the Justice League deal with the consequences.Â
Reign Of The Supermen (2019)
Where there’s a Death of Superman, there’s a return. As well as the mystery of which of several contenders is truly the returned Man of Steel, Reign of the Supermen offered a chance for lesser-known DC superheroes to step up to the Justice League.Â
Justice League Vs. The Fatal Five (2019)
Justice League Vs. The Fatal Five stepped away from the DCAMU to pick up from the Justice League Unlimited series, as the Justice League takes on villains from the far future.Â
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)
With Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, the conclusion to the DCAMU continuity gathers threads and references from the preceding seven years of movies, as the Justice League takes a final stand against the returning forces of Darkseid and Apokolips.Â
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2017)
The symbol on Superman’s chest famously means hope, and this epic director’s cut may be the closest we’ve come to experiencing it. Out of nowhere, Warner Brothers announced and released this original extended vision of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which expanded the team, increased the threat, and at least partially made up for the pain of the Joss Whedon directed 2017 Justice League.
DC League of Super-Pets (2022)
DC League of Super-Pets stepped away from the other continuities and, as it stands, is the Justice League’s last appearance on the big screen. When the Justice League once again shows off its skill for being abducted, it’s down to their super pets to save the day. The film stars Dwayne Johnson as Krypto the Superdog; Kevin Hart as Ace the Bat-Hound; and Vaness Bayer as PB the size-changing pet of Wonder Woman.
A cameo by Black Adam handed Dwayne Johnson three roles in DC League of Super-Pets, helpfully summing up DC adaptations’ current state of flux. We don’t know if any of these stories will continue in their current form, but while we wait, at least there’s a goldmine of Justice League features to keep you busy.
Published: Jan 1, 2023 08:59 pm