DC's animated game is on point! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the greatest animated DC movies. Some spoilers may be ahead.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the greatest animated DC
00:12movies.
00:13Some spoilers may be ahead.
00:19Number 20.
00:20Batman Vs. Robin Ever wanted to see Batman and Robin go head
00:24to head.
00:32When Batman accuses Robin of killing the Dollmaker, it causes a rift which leads Robin towards
00:37the tutelage of the Talon.
00:39A fight between father and son wasn't on our beagle cards, but this movie delivers
00:44a compelling conflict between the dynamic duo.
00:46It also introduces the Court of Owls to the DC AMU in an exciting way and sets them up
00:52as intimidating threats.
00:53Besides expanding the lore of Gotham, the movie also explores Batman and Robin's strained
00:58relationship through plenty of emotional scenes.
01:01Throw in some high intensity fights and you've got yourself a fun watch.
01:17Number 19.
01:19Batman Vs. Superman – Battle of the Supersons
01:30When Starro brainwashes the world's finest, the Supersons have to save the day.
01:35It was only a matter of time before Damian Wayne and John Kent got to team up on the
01:39big screen.
01:40Thankfully, this superhero outing didn't disappoint.
01:44It may follow predictable story beats, but it still manages to do so in entertaining
01:48ways.
01:49The unlikely friendship between the Supersons is one of the movie's biggest trends.
01:53The interactions between them are so fun, they feel like they were ripped straight from
01:58the comics.
01:59While CGI might not be everyone's cup of tea, the vivid animation style here only compliments
02:04the film.
02:05Batman and Superman may have the top billing, but it's clear who the real stars are.
02:10Number 18.
02:20Batman Assault on Arkham
02:21While a film involving Batman stopping the commotion in Arkham might sound like a fairly
02:26straightforward story, don't let this movie's name or premise fool you.
02:31Because this is actually a secret Suicide Squad movie.
02:44Amanda Waller calls upon Task Force X to infiltrate Arkham Asylum to retrieve vital information
02:50that the Riddler had stolen.
02:52But as you can expect when dealing with the Squad, things don't exactly go to plan.
02:56The real brilliance of Assault on Arkham is in its execution.
03:01This might be a movie with Batman, but if anything, he's kind of the antagonist.
03:06It's not often that Batman movies flip the script like this, and with all of the colorful
03:10characters in the Squad, you just can't be bored.
03:20Number 17.
03:22Superman vs. The Elite
03:23Despite being arguably the most important superhero of all time, Superman's had his
03:28fair share of detractors.
03:30Some of his biggest come in the form of the Elite.
03:32These anti-heroes aren't afraid to get their hands dirty, and that reckless way of operating
03:37puts them at odds with the Man of Steel.
03:50This movie doesn't just show us why a Superman with no morals is terrifying, it also shows
03:55us why Superman is the best of us.
03:57He never stoops to the levels of those who wish to do him harm.
04:01Superman vs. The Elite is a great movie that's not just about conflicting ideologies, but
04:06also about the importance of hope and integrity.
04:09Qualities like these are what make this such an uplifting watch.
04:24Number 16.
04:26Green Lantern – First Flight
04:35In First Flight, rookie Hal Jordan gains his Lantern Ring and joins the Green Lantern Corps
04:40under the mentorship of Paul Sinestro.
04:43This is a thrilling sci-fi adventure that shows us how Hal Jordan's epic Green Lantern
04:47run came to be, but it also masterfully portrays Sinestro's descent into villainy.
04:53This movie is fast-paced, action-packed, and brimming to life with color.
04:58If you want to wash the bad taste of the 2011 live-action film out your mouth, Green Lantern
05:03– First Flight is the perfect palate cleanser.
05:09Number 15.
05:11Justice League – Doom
05:17This movie can essentially be summed up as that time Batman nearly murdered the Justice
05:22League.
05:23Until Savage and his allies within the Legion of Doom get a hold of Batman's contingency
05:26plans for how to neutralize the Justice League, no one is safe.
05:30Doom shows us our beloved superheroes at their lowest points.
05:35Since everyone's weaknesses are exploited and preyed upon, this movie isn't afraid
05:39to go into some uncomfortable territories, but it's also not afraid to ask serious
05:44questions like, what happens if the League goes bad?
05:47This film's examination of the Justice League and Batman's place in it makes for a truly
05:52compelling plot.
05:53With so many moments of nail-biting suspense and explosive action, there's something
05:57for everyone.
06:10Number 14.
06:11Superman, Batman – Public Enemies
06:13Whenever we get to see Batman and Superman just hanging out and going on epic adventures
06:17together, you know it's going to be an amazing time.
06:21After becoming president, yeah, we know, Lex Luthor begins to seriously abuse his power.
06:27He frames the world's finest for the death of Metallo and puts a bounty on their heads.
06:42Everything from there is a thrilling race against the clock to stop Lex and stay alive.
06:46Trust us when we say there is no shortage of badass action here.
06:51Whether it be them fighting government-enforced superheroes or cash-seeking supervillains,
06:55Batman and Superman simply refuse to stay down.
06:58Public Enemies is a must-watch for any and all fans of the Man of Steel and the Dark
07:03Knight.
07:10Number 13.
07:11Teen Titans – Trouble in Tokyo
07:25When the Teen Titans head to Tokyo to investigate a mysterious individual named Brushogun, their
07:30world gets quickly turned upside down.
07:33One of the movie's strengths is when we see the team working in full tandem.
07:37It also shines when it examines the team's relationships, like the romance between Robin
07:42and Starfire.
07:56Brushogun's ability to bring his drawings to life makes him a character with a unique
08:01skill set that is sure to get your attention.
08:04This feature-length movie takes the franchise to some darker places, but it's still at
08:09its core a Teen Titans story, and a great one at that.
08:17Number 12.
08:18Superman-Batman Apocalypse
08:32When Superman's cousin Kara Zor-El arrives on Earth, she gains the attention of not only
08:37the world's finest, but also Darkseid.
08:40Fans are in for a treat with this movie, not only because it's got Batman, Superman, Wonder
08:45Woman and Supergirl, but also for its cosmic elements.
08:49Characters like Big Barra and the Female Furies in settings like the planet Apocalypse all
08:54get parts to play.
08:55Besides the bombastic plot and great art style, there are also so many showdowns we don't
09:01always see.
09:02There are not too many other movies where you'll get to see Batman get one-up on Darkseid.
09:07That detail alone should be enough to solidify this as a must-watch.
09:11Number 11.
09:18Justice League Crisis on Two Earths
09:21The crime syndicate on Earth-3 may have set its sights on taking over Earth-1, but they've
09:26got to get past the Justice League first.
09:29Who wouldn't want to watch a titanic slugfest between two super-teams?
09:33By featuring some truly terrifying crime syndicate villains, Crisis on Two Earths makes us realize
09:38how scary it is that such wicked and evil versions of our beloved heroes exist, especially
09:44Owlman as voiced by James Woods.
09:46Once completed, the QED will give us life and death power over the entire planet.
09:52Originally, this film was envisioned as a transition tale between the Justice League
09:56and Justice League Unlimited television shows.
09:59While the project eventually evolved into something different, the results were nothing
10:03short of epic.
10:17Number 10.
10:18Batman Year One
10:21The legend of Gotham's Dark Knight starts here.
10:28Back home after more than a decade away, Bruce Wayne begins his lifelong crusade to
10:33end the corruption and crime wave infesting Gotham.
10:36Adapted from the celebrated Frank Miller storyline, Batman Year One not only fleshes out the beginnings
10:41of Bruce Wayne's crime-fighting career, but also the rise of other characters in the
10:45Batman legend.
10:49Jim Gordon, Selina Kow, and Harvey Dent are only a few of the faces you'll notice in
10:54this skillfully animated adaptation.
10:56It's a gritty beginning for one of DC's most beloved superheroes, and it's an incredible
11:01thrill to enjoy.
11:08Number 9.
11:09Wonder Woman
11:12Following a fateful meeting with pilot Steve Trevor, Diana, Princess of the Mascara, becomes
11:17the Amazonian ambassador to the world of men.
11:25As Ares, God of War, sets his eyes on the conquest of this realm, Diana must transform
11:30from peacemaker to warrior princess as the mighty Wonder Woman.
11:34This movie features just about everything we could want in a Wonder Woman movie.
11:38A fast-paced story, some intense action sequences of Amazonian badassery, and brilliant chemistry
11:44between Diana and Steve thanks to voice actors Keri Russell and Nathan Fillion.
11:49In short, it's a wonder to behold.
11:53Number 8.
12:01The Death of Superman
12:10A story as iconic as this is bound to get adapted multiple times over.
12:15The Death of Superman movie is a deeply emotional one that sees the DCAMU Superman fall to doomsday.
12:22Its death creates a vacuum in Metropolis and the rest of the world.
12:26As far as the source material goes, this is a pretty faithful interpretation.
12:30While it triumphs with the conflicts surrounding Superman, it also does a terrific job showing
12:35the struggles that follow Clark Kent.
12:37A compelling story, somber atmosphere, and great focus on the characters make this movie
12:42one to check out.
12:49Number 7.
12:50Justice League Dark Apocalypse War
13:01If Avengers Endgame could be considered the culmination of everything that the MCU had
13:06been leading up to, Apocalypse War is pretty much that for the DCAMU.
13:10Unfortunately, though, this universe definitely did not get a happy ending.
13:15After a botched attack on Apocalypse, Darkseid and his forces conquer and enslave humankind.
13:20Though this might be a sequel to Justice League Dark, the pain dished out isn't exclusive
13:25to the JLD.
13:26Essentially, every member of the superhero community is placed in danger.
13:30With tons of brutal kills and wild fights, this might not be suitable for younger audiences.
13:35If you can stomach the more extreme moments, you have a movie we can say you'll never
13:40forget.
13:49Number 6.
13:50Batman Beyond Return of the Joker
13:56After a 35-year absence, the clown prince of crime suddenly returns to Gotham, directly
14:02targeting Bruce Wayne.
14:06The new Batman, Terry McGinnis, must learn the horrifying truth behind the final battle
14:11between Bruce and his archnemesis.
14:13In keeping with a Batman story, Return of the Joker doesn't skimp on the darkness,
14:18which actually led to two different versions of the film.
14:22The original uncut edition is filled to the brim with some of the most intense images
14:27ever seen in a Batman cartoon.
14:29Too intense even for broadcast.
14:32Each version is worth checking out, as both have the same awesome storytelling, action,
14:37and Mark Hamill behind the mic as the Joker.
14:43Number 5.
14:44The Lego Batman Movie
15:00When Joker bursts out of the phantom zone with multiple franchises worth of bad guys,
15:05Batman has to save the day.
15:06Did any of us seriously expect that one of the most genuinely refreshing depictions of
15:11Batman would come from Legos of all things?
15:13Well, as the Lego Batman movie proved, their depiction of Batman and everything surrounding
15:18him is kind of awesome.
15:20This is a Batman movie that doesn't try to take itself too seriously, which only helps.
15:24It's also a lot less brooding on gargoyles and more trying to have a good time.
15:30When it needs to get serious, like addressing Batman's inner turmoil, it can still deliver
15:34some really impactful scenes.
15:36Overall, this flick is fun for the whole family.
15:50Number 4.
15:51Batman The Dark Knight Returns
15:58Unable to stand what Gotham has become since he retired, Bruce Wayne returns to the crime
16:02fighting scene as THE Batman.
16:04Joined by a new Robin, Bruce launches a new reign of terror, one that strikes fear into
16:10the heart of Gotham and raises concerns for his once closest friends.
16:14It was the adaptation everyone had been waiting for, and it was so epic that it was split
16:19into two parts.
16:21Frank Miller's legendary miniseries got the star treatment here.
16:24The animation was faithful to his art style, and they even got Robocop himself, Peter Weller,
16:30to voice the Dark Knight.
16:32Plus, we got the throwdown between Batman and Superman we all really wanted to see.
16:38Welcome back Mr. Wayne.
16:44Number 3.
16:45Justice League The Flashpoint Paradox
16:55The world is on the brink of collapse, Atlantis and the Amazons are at war, and Barry Allen
17:00has no powers.
17:02Talk about a nightmare for the Flash.
17:09Based off of Geoff Johns' limited series, this adaptation takes the source material's
17:14nail-biting intensity and manages to go one step further in some aspects.
17:18The origins of Flashpoint Batman and the coldness of Flashpoint Wonder Woman are some of the
17:23darkest moments seen in a DCAU film yet.
17:27Yeah, time paradoxes don't get much worse than this.
17:30But what's more, much like the comic, the Flashpoint Paradox also serves as a setup
17:35for the new shared universe of animated DC films.
17:39Number 2.
17:49Batman Under the Red Hood
17:53When the mysterious Red Hood begins running amok in Gotham, Batman is forced to confront
17:57one of the darkest moments of his life.
18:05Based on the A Death in the Family and Under the Red Hood story arcs, this flick presents
18:10viewers with a study of Batman never seen before.
18:13We get to see the guilt and emotional torment he's been unable to shake after losing partner
18:17Jason Todd, aka the second Robin.
18:20It's a poignant tale, but also an exciting one with some of the best action in the DCAU
18:26films to date.
18:27You may come out with a whole new appreciation of the Dark Knight after checking this one
18:31out.
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18:53Number 1.
18:54Batman Mask of the Phantasm
19:00Framed for the deaths of Gotham's mob bosses, Batman must not only confront a shadowy assassin,
19:05but also his own origins, the love of his life, and the Joker.
19:10There's so much this movie gets right that we can't discuss everything here.
19:13In a nutshell, it's all the amazing animation, writing, and voice acting from the people
19:18who brought you Batman the Animated Series taken to the next level.
19:22It's action-packed, but very deep.
19:24It's adult, but can be enjoyed by all ages.
19:29We consider Mask of the Phantasm to be the greatest Batman movie of all time, even more
19:34than The Dark Knight.
19:38How can we not award it our number one spot for that accolade alone?
19:42What's your favorite animated DC movie?
19:45Share it in the comments down below.
19:59Thanks for watching!