Best D.C. Live-Action Movies/Shows
by vrockmccarty | created - 24 May 2021 | updated - 3 months ago | PublicOur favorite live action movies and shows based on D.C. comics.
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1. The Dark Knight (2008)
PG-13 | 152 min | Action, Crime, Drama
When the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine
Votes: 2,870,930 | Gross: $534.86M
2. Batman Returns (1992)
PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Crime, Fantasy
While Batman deals with a deformed man calling himself the Penguin wreaking havoc across Gotham with the help of a cruel businessman, a female employee of the latter becomes the Catwoman with her own vendetta.
Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken
Votes: 327,510 | Gross: $162.83M
3. Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (1980)
PG | 115 min | Action, Adventure, Romance
Superman agrees to sacrifice his powers to start a relationship with Lois Lane, unaware that three Kryptonian criminals he inadvertently released are conquering Earth.
Directors: Richard Donner, Richard Lester | Stars: Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty
Votes: 19,091
4. The Flash (2014–2023)
TV-PG | 43 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
After being struck by lightning, Barry Allen wakes up from his coma to discover he's been given the power of super speed, becoming the Flash, and fighting crime in Central City.
Stars: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes
Votes: 368,232
5. V for Vendetta (2005)
R | 132 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
In a future British dystopian society, a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of "V", plots to overthrow the tyrannical government - with the help of a young woman.
Director: James McTeigue | Stars: Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Rupert Graves, Stephen Rea
Votes: 1,179,359 | Gross: $70.51M
6. Joker (I) (2019)
R | 122 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
During the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.
Director: Todd Phillips | Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy
Votes: 1,489,131 | Gross: $335.45M
7. Peacemaker (2022– )
TV-MA | 40 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Picking up where The Suicide Squad (2021) left off, Peacemaker returns home after recovering from his encounter with Bloodsport - only to discover that his freedom comes at a price.
Stars: John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland
Votes: 135,023
8. The Batman (2022)
PG-13 | 176 min | Action, Crime, Drama
When a sadistic serial killer begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, Batman is forced to investigate the city's hidden corruption and question his family's involvement.
Director: Matt Reeves | Stars: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell
Votes: 787,080 | Gross: $369.35M
9. Shazam! (2019)
PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A newly fostered young boy in search of his mother instead finds unexpected super powers and soon gains a powerful enemy.
Director: David F. Sandberg | Stars: Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer
Votes: 384,963 | Gross: $140.37M
10. Wonder Woman (2017)
PG-13 | 141 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
When a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, Diana, an Amazonian warrior in training, leaves home to fight a war, discovering her full powers and true destiny.
Director: Patty Jenkins | Stars: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Lucy Davis
Votes: 699,680 | Gross: $412.56M
11. Superman (1978)
PG | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
An alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest superhero.
Director: Richard Donner | Stars: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando
Votes: 187,549 | Gross: $134.22M
12. Batman (1989)
PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Adventure
The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being Jack Napier, a criminal who becomes the clownishly homicidal Joker.
Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl
Votes: 404,283 | Gross: $251.19M
13. Batman Begins (2005)
PG-13 | 140 min | Action, Crime, Drama
After witnessing his parents' death, Bruce learns the art of fighting to confront injustice. When he returns to Gotham as Batman, he must stop a secret society that intends to destroy the city.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Ken Watanabe, Liam Neeson
Votes: 1,578,603 | Gross: $206.85M
14. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
PG-13 | 164 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
Eight years after the Joker's reign of chaos, Batman is coerced out of exile with the assistance of the mysterious Selina Kyle in order to defend Gotham City from the vicious guerrilla terrorist Bane.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman
Votes: 1,827,493 | Gross: $448.14M
15. Superman & Lois (2021–2024)
TV-PG | 42 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The world's most famous superhero and comic books' most famous journalist face the pressures and complexities that come with balancing work, justice, and parenthood in today's society.
Stars: Tyler Hoechlin, Elizabeth Tulloch, Alex Garfin, Erik Valdez
Votes: 39,631
16. Smallville (2001–2017)
TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A young Clark Kent struggles to find his place in the world as he learns to harness his alien powers for good and deals with the typical troubles of teenage life in Smallville, Kansas.
Stars: Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, Allison Mack, Kristin Kreuk
Votes: 138,093
17. Arrow (2012–2020)
TV-14 | 42 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Spoiled billionaire playboy Oliver Queen is missing and presumed dead when his yacht is lost at sea. He returns five years later a changed man, determined to clean up the city as a hooded vigilante armed with a bow.
Stars: Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Susanna Thompson
Votes: 446,066
18. Lucifer (2016–2021)
TV-14 | 4,393 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
Lucifer Morningstar has decided he's had enough of being the dutiful servant in Hell and decides to spend some time on Earth to better understand humanity. He settles in Los Angeles - the City of Angels.
Stars: Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Kevin Alejandro, D.B. Woodside
Votes: 355,998
19. Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
PG-13 | 130 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
The film continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word "SHAZAM!" is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam.
Director: David F. Sandberg | Stars: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Rachel Zegler
Votes: 124,779
20. DC's Legends of Tomorrow (2016–2022)
TV-14 | 42 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter must recruit a ragtag team of heroes and villains to help prevent an apocalypse that could impact not only Earth, but all of time.
Stars: Caity Lotz, Amy Louise Pemberton, Dominic Purcell, Nick Zano
Votes: 110,046
21. Stargirl (2020–2022)
TV-PG | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Teenager Courtney Whitmore joins the Justice Society of America. Based on the character from DC Comics.
Stars: Brec Bassinger, Trae Romano, Amy Smart, Luke Wilson
Votes: 20,621
22. Wonder Woman (1975–1979)
TV-G | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
The adventures of the greatest of the female superheroes.
Stars: Lynda Carter, Lyle Waggoner, Tom Kratochvil, Richard Eastham
Votes: 10,081
23. Batman (1966–1968)
TV-G | 25 min | Action, Crime, Fantasy
The Caped Crusader and his young ward battle evildoers in Gotham City.
Stars: Adam West, Burt Ward, Alan Napier, Neil Hamilton
Votes: 26,145
24. The Suicide Squad (2021)
R | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker, and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.
Director: James Gunn | Stars: Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman
Votes: 409,679 | Gross: $55.82M
25. Man of Steel (2013)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
An alien child is evacuated from his dying world and sent to Earth to live among humans. His peace is threatened when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth.
Director: Zack Snyder | Stars: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane
Votes: 811,913 | Gross: $291.05M
26. Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
R | 242 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Determined to ensure that Superman's ultimate sacrifice wasn't in vain, Bruce Wayne recruits a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions.
Director: Zack Snyder | Stars: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams
Votes: 438,391
27. Aquaman (2018)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Arthur Curry, the human-born heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, goes on a quest to prevent a war between the worlds of ocean and land.
Director: James Wan | Stars: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson
Votes: 520,752 | Gross: $335.06M
28. Watchmen (2009)
R | 162 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
In a version of 1985 where superheroes exist, the murder of a colleague sends active vigilante Rorschach on the trail of a conspiracy that will change the course of history.
Director: Zack Snyder | Stars: Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, Malin Akerman
Votes: 582,554 | Gross: $107.51M
29. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
PG-13 | 151 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Diana must contend with a work colleague, and with a businessman whose desire for extreme wealth sends the world down a path of destruction, after an ancient artifact that grants wishes goes missing.
Director: Patty Jenkins | Stars: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal
Votes: 291,796 | Gross: $46.37M
30. Black Adam (2022)
PG-13 | 125 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods--and imprisoned just as quickly--Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra | Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Pierce Brosnan, Noah Centineo
Votes: 273,977 | Gross: $168.15M
31. Blue Beetle (2023)
PG-13 | 127 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
An alien scarab chooses Jaime Reyes to be its symbiotic host, bestowing the recent college graduate with a suit of armor that's capable of extraordinary powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero known as Blue Beetle.
Director: Angel Manuel Soto | Stars: Xolo Maridueña, Bruna Marquezine, Becky G, Damián Alcázar
Votes: 94,721
32. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
PG-13 | 151 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Batman is manipulated by Lex Luthor to fear Superman. Superman´s existence is meanwhile dividing the world and he is framed for murder during an international crisis. The heroes clash and force the neutral Wonder Woman to reemerge.
Director: Zack Snyder | Stars: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg
Votes: 752,488 | Gross: $330.36M
33. Superman Returns (2006)
PG-13 | 154 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Superman returns to Earth after spending five years in space examining his homeworld Krypton. But he finds things have changed while he was gone, and he must once again prove himself important to the world.
Director: Bryan Singer | Stars: Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden
Votes: 291,365 | Gross: $200.08M
34. The Flash (I) (2023)
PG-13 | 144 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Barry Allen uses his super speed to change the past, but his attempt to save his family creates a world without super heroes, forcing him to race for his life in order to save the future.
Director: Andy Muschietti | Stars: Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton, Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon
Votes: 210,411
35. Batman Forever (1995)
PG-13 | 121 min | Action, Adventure
Batman must battle former district attorney Harvey Dent, who is now Two-Face and Edward Nygma, The Riddler with help from an amorous psychologist and a young circus acrobat who becomes his sidekick, Robin.
Director: Joel Schumacher | Stars: Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman
Votes: 266,593 | Gross: $184.03M
36. Batman & Robin (1997)
PG-13 | 125 min | Action, Sci-Fi
Batman and Robin try to keep their relationship together even as they must stop Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy from freezing Gotham City.
Director: Joel Schumacher | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell, Uma Thurman
Votes: 268,146 | Gross: $107.33M
37. Titans (I) (2018–2023)
TV-MA | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Dick and Rachel, a girl possessed by a strange darkness, get embroiled in a conspiracy that could bring Hell on Earth. Joining them along the way are the hot-headed Starfire and lovable Beast Boy. Together they become a team of heroes.
Stars: Brenton Thwaites, Anna Diop, Ryan Potter, Teagan Croft
Votes: 112,770
38. Doom Patrol (2019–2023)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
The adventures of an idealistic mad scientist and his field team of superpowered outcasts.
Stars: Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby, Matt Bomer, Riley Shanahan
Votes: 59,726
39. Gotham (2014–2019)
TV-14 | 42 min | Action, Crime, Drama
The story behind Detective James Gordon's rise to prominence in Gotham City in the years before Batman's arrival.
Stars: Ben McKenzie, Jada Pinkett Smith, Donal Logue, Camren Bicondova
Votes: 240,752
40. Black Lightning (2018–2021)
TV-14 | 43 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
A crusading school principal gets back into action as the original African-American electrical superhero.
Stars: Cress Williams, Nafessa Williams, Christine Adams, Marvin Jones III
Votes: 27,248
41. Green Lantern (2011)
PG-13 | 114 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Reckless test pilot Hal Jordan is granted an alien ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers that inducts him into an intergalactic police force, the Green Lantern Corps.
Director: Martin Campbell | Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong
Votes: 296,143 | Gross: $116.60M
42. Birds of Prey (2020)
R | 109 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins superheroines Black Canary, Huntress, and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord.
Director: Cathy Yan | Stars: Margot Robbie, Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett
Votes: 264,707 | Gross: $84.16M
43. Suicide Squad (2016)
PG-13 | 123 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A secret government agency recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse.
Director: David Ayer | Stars: Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis
Votes: 722,338 | Gross: $325.10M
44. Jonah Hex (2010)
PG-13 | 81 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
The U.S. military makes a scarred bounty hunter with warrants on his own head an offer he cannot refuse: in exchange for his freedom, he must stop a terrorist who is ready to unleash Hell on Earth.
Director: Jimmy Hayward | Stars: Josh Brolin, Megan Fox, John Malkovich, Michael Fassbender
Votes: 61,800 | Gross: $10.54M
45. Steel (1997)
PG-13 | 97 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
A scientist for the military turns himself into a cartoon-like superhero when a version of one of his own weapons is being used against enemies.
Director: Kenneth Johnson | Stars: Shaquille O'Neal, Annabeth Gish, Judd Nelson, Richard Roundtree
Votes: 15,074 | Gross: $1.71M
46. Catwoman (2004)
PG-13 | 104 min | Action, Crime, Fantasy
A shy woman, endowed with the speed, reflexes, and senses of a cat, walks a thin line between criminal and hero, even as a detective doggedly pursues her, fascinated by both of her personas.
Director: Pitof | Stars: Halle Berry, Sharon Stone, Benjamin Bratt, Lambert Wilson
Votes: 125,808 | Gross: $40.20M
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