The DC Animated films have a long, rich history that's rivaled its live-action productions. While the live-action DC films have had issues bringing most of their iconic characters to life, the animated side of their productions has had no issues. Characters such as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman have had some of their most iconic comic-book moments depicted in animated movies in ways that live-action couldn't do. Some of the very best adaptations of DC comic stories have been on the animated side of DC Comics.

Updated May 7th, 2023: This article has been updated by Danilo Raúl to add even more great DC Animated Films.

Films, including The Dark Knight and Man of Steel, may have been inspired by certain comic storylines, but DC animated movies have been allowed to fully adapt classic stories. Stories including Batman: Year One and The Death of Superman have been adapted into films and have stood out as some of the best DC animated movies to have been created. Some of the more outlandish villains that DC has to offer have been perfectly depicted in animated films. Meanwhile, heroes who have not had as much live-action screen time as some of DC's most iconic characters have been able to shine in their own films. These are 16 of the best DC animated movies that have showcased the very best of these iconic characters.

15 Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons (2022)

Johnathan Kent and Damian Wayne In Batman and Superman: Battle Of The Super Sons, Warner Bros. Animation (2022)
Warner Bros. Animation

Based on the bestselling book by Jorge Jimenez and Peter J. Tomasi, Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons is DC's first venture into 3D animation with the unique twist displayed in Sony's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It's an original story where Batman's psycho killer son Damian meets good-natured farm boy John Kent, son of Superman.

Related: Ten Amazing DC Elseworlds Stories Needing an Animated Adaption

An alien invasion led by Starro the Conqueror forces the team to work together to save their dads and the world. As you can likely guess, the pair don't get along that well, thanks to Damian's brash and abrasive attitude but similar to their father's, and they become unlikely friends and allies.

14 Superman Vs. The Elite (2012)

DCA_Elite
Warner Bros. Animation

Superman Vs. The Elite is an underrated gem that deserves more recognition than it gets. Based on a single story published in Action Comics #775 more than 20 years ago, Superman must face a new team of heroes who don't play by the rule of law and hand down justice by any means necessary. The Elite is a super-powered team (based on Wildstorm's The Authority) who drive Superman to the point of no return, making him teach them a lesson they will never forget about the meaning of real justice.

The ultimate Superman story shuts down the argument about Superman being a boring character to write because he's overpowered or too good for the modern world. With the recent announcements of both Superman: Legacy and The Authority in James Gunn's DCU, this animated film might be a good indicator of what audiences can expect to see in live-action.

13 Superman Man of Tomorrow (2020)

Superman: Man of Tomorrow
Warner Bros. Animation

If James Gun aims to please with a great introduction to a brand new Superman: Man of Tomorrow should be the canvas to draw inspiration from. While not an origin story per se, this film explores the nuances of a rookie Superman and how he deals with the world around him while he's still trying to figure out how to use his powers for good. It also establishes his relationships with friends such as The Martian Manhunter and foes like Lex Luthor, Lobo, and The Parasite. It's a touching and amusing story where The Man of Steel struggles with multiple aspects of life.

12 Superman Red Son (2020)

Superman Red Son
Warner Bros. Animation

Superman: Red Son is an incredible Elseworlds story that explores the events of a world where Kal-El did not land in Metropolis USA but in the collective cornfields of the USSR during the Bolshevik revolution. Superman would become the state's ultimate weapon, turning the tide of the Cold War to favor the Soviet Union. When Superman realizes the truth behind the horrors of the Soviet regime, he swiftly deposes Stalin. He becomes the nation's supreme ruler, with plans of expansion that include the whole world. The comic is one of the most celebrated Superman stories of all time, and the animated film is an exciting take on the Man of Steel and one not to be missed!

11 Batman The Long Halloween Parts 1 & 2 (2021)

batman the long halloween animated poster
Warner Bros. Animation

Batman: The Long Halloween is one of the most iconic Batman stories and has served as the inspiration for live-action films like Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Batman. This two-part animated film dives into the comic that the live-action versions never really could. The film adaptation is a multipart story that sees Batman faces a serial killer named Holiday, who targets critical members of The Falcone crime family.

Every killing takes place on a specific Holiday, and no matter how close Batman gets to the culprits, something changes each time to make his suspicious jump around among multiple subjects. It's a great story that tests the mettle of Batman's detective skills and costs him dearly as beloved allies and friends become sworn enemies. The film is connected to Superman: Man of Tomorrow as part of the Tomorrowverse. It shows an ability to take an iconic storyline and tell it properly while updating it to fit within a shared universe.

10 Green Lantern: First Flight (2009)

Green Lantern First Flight
Warner Bros. Animation/

Green Lantern is an original member of the Justice League. He's a character worthy of an epic live-action film, yet his most important story was told in the animated film Green Lantern: First Flight. This highly entertaining adaptation tells Hal Jordan's first mission as a Green Lantern.

Related: Here’s Why DC Animated Shows Are Consistently So Good

The movie essentially works as a cop film, with Sinestro acting as Hal's morally corrupt and jaded partner. Green Lantern: First Flight expertly portrayed the relationship between Hal Jordan and his eventual arch-enemy, Sinestro. While the 2011 live-action film disappointed critics and fans, this 2009 animated film showed that the character story was worth telling.

9 Batman: Year One (2011)

Batman Year One
Warner Bros. Animation

Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins took inspiration from Batman: Year One but the animated version of the comic was able to adapt the entire story. The film perfectly captured Bruce Wayne's first mission as Batman in his attempt to rid Gotham of crime and corruption. The film also introduces one of the most important partnerships in comics history: Batman and Commissioner James Gordon.

8 Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014)

Batman: Assault on Arkham Clip: Harley Quinn Vs. Batman
Warner Home Video

Despite the title, Batman: Assault on Arkham is a Suicide Squad story. The movie tells the story of the infamous Task Force X, led by Deadshot, as they're tasked with breaking into Arkham Asylum. The film was set in the video game universe of Batman: Arkham Asylum and was a must-watch with plenty of action and a surprising ending. When it was released, the Suicide Squad concept was still relatively new to mainstream audiences, but this was an exciting hit at what was to come in live-action.

7 Wonder Woman (2009)

Wonder Woman 2009
Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics

Before Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, Rosario Dawson lent her voice to the character in the 2009 animated film simply titled Wonder Woman. The origin story of the famed Amazonian princess was largely inspired by the character's origin story from the comics and was the first major attempt to give the character a solo animated adventure after Batman and Superman had been featured in so many. Wonder Woman 2009 serves as an exciting and interesting contrast to Patty Jenkins's 2017 film, showing how this character could inspire two different origin stories, both being narratively satisfying.

6 Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox (2013)

Thawne in DCAU
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox was an instrumental event in the comics as it essentially rebooted decades worth of DC storylines. Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox was a worthy adaptation of the story. It followed the Flash's failed attempt to save his mother from the clutches of The Reverse Flash, an attempt that led to a new timeline in which Bruce Wayne was killed, and his parents became twisted versions of Batman and The Joker. The film kicked off the DC Animated Movie Universe that ran for seven years.

5 The Death of Superman (2018)

the-death-of-superman-doomsday
Warner Bros. Animation

The Death of Superman had two adaptations. The superior version, however, was the second one released in 2018. The movie largely followed the famous storyline of Superman and his apparent death at the hands of the villain Doomsday. Due to being part of the DC Animated Movie Universe, this was a Superman audience had spent a great deal of time with and made his death even more tragic.

4 Justice League: Doom (2012)

Justice League Doom
Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics

Justice League: Doom is an action-packed film that shows the Justice League just how dangerous Batman can be. In the movie, a group of villains steals Batman's contingency plans to beat the Justice League should any of them ever go rogue. Based on the iconic storyline Tower of Babel, Justice League: Doom might stand as one of the best film stories the Justice League have ever had and one that fans can turn to if they have been disappointed by the live-action version.

3 Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)

Justice League Dark Apokolips War
Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is the most brutal DC animated story ever told. This movie is essentially the DC version of Avengers: Endgame if all of the Avengers were brutally murdered by Thanos and his minions. Despite depicting the final battle between the Justice League and Darkseid, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War was largely a John Constantine and showed how the DC heroes would deal with the end of the world. For fans who wished to have seen Zack Snyder's Darkseid apocalypse play out in the DCEU, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War helps fill that void.

2 Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)

Batman Beyond Return of the Joker
Warner Home Video

Batman Beyond brought the character of Terry McGinnis into the DC universe. His first feature film, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, solidified the character as a worthy successor to Bruce Wayne as he fought his greatest foe, The Joker. It is easily one of the darkest DC stories ever told, live-action or animated. This emotional Batman story is one of the best things to come out of the DC animated universe and proved why this Batman of the future was every bit as good as the original.

1 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

Batman Mask of the Phantasm
Warner Bros.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was the standard for animated superhero films for a long time. The feature film set within the world of Batman: The Animated Series saw Batman face the mysterious villain Phantasm as he grapples with his former flame Andrea Beaumont. This moody adventure made perfect use of its art deco setting while adding even more to the Batman mythos. Not only is Batman: Mask of the Phantasm a great animated DC movie, but it can stand side by side with the best of the live-action films.