5 DCEU Movies That Make Us Miss the Franchise 2 Years After It Finally Ended

Two years after the final DC Extended Universe movie hit theaters, we still miss five movies from the otherwise-divisive DC movie franchise. The DCEU kicked off in 2013 under the watchful eye of filmmaker Zack Snyder, exciting some who wanted a darker live-action DC franchise, but alienating many others. Behind the scenes turmoil, production changes, actor and filmmaker controversies, and disappointing box office returns ultimately led to the franchise’s demise in 2023, but the DCEU did include some gems.

At the end of 2022, James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios as co-CEOs, and set to work rebooting the live-action franchise into the new DC Universe. Some elements of Gunn’s previous DC stories have been retained, but the majority of the DCEU has been completely retconned in the DCU—which is taking on a more upbeat, vibrant, and colorful tone. Unfortunately, this does mean the few DCEU movies we actually loved won’t be revisited in the future, so we’re paying homage to them two years after Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom premiered on December 22, 2023.

5) Man of Steel (2013)

Man of Steel was a controversial movie for many die-hard DC fans, as the DCEU’s first project removed the hopeful and optimistic Superman in lieu of a darker and more grounded iteration. Henry Cavill’s Superman wasn’t always everyone’s favorite when compared to his DC Comics counterpart, but, at face value, Man of Steel was a great movie that included inventive cinematography, thrilling flight scenes, and strong performances from Cavill, Michael Shannon, and Russell Crowe. James Gunn rebooted the Man of Steel in 2025 with Superman, which debuted David Corenswet as the titular hero in a much more comic-accurate story.

4) Blue Beetle (2023)

It was a shame that Xolo Maridueña made his DC debut as Jaime Reyes in 2023, as this year was plagued by poor box office returns in the wake of the DC Studio shake-up. Blue Beetle was a major box office bomb, just like its neighbors, but actually received positive reviews, and Maridueña has been teased to be returning in the new DCU. Whether Blue Beetle will be canonized or not is another question, but the movie boasted strong performances, fun sequences, and representative casting. We hope we see Maridueña suit up as Blue Beetle in the new DCU.

3) Shazam! (2019)

Its 2023 sequel was pretty awful, and had a box office return to reflect that, but the original Shazam! movie from 2019—released at the height of superhero fever in cinema—was brilliant. The DCEU’s first comedy, Shazam! highlighted its humor by having the titular hero (the controversial Zachary Levi) play a hero with the mind of a teenager (Asher Angel). Shazam! holds a whopping 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the second-highest-rated DCEU movie. It’s just a shame the movie’s success didn’t continue into its sequels, as it has now soured Shazam’s legacy in live-action.

2) Wonder Woman (2017)

Shazam! was beaten to the top spot on Rotten Tomatoes by Wonder Woman from 2017, which holds a 93% approval rating. After her appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Gal Gadot delivered a great performance in Wonder Woman, set during World War I when Diana leaves Themyscira to fight alongside Steve Trevor (Chris Pine). With brilliant action sequences and strong direction from Patty Jenkins, Wonder Woman was a strong addition to the DCEU, but we are excited to see what the DCU does with the character in a new Wonder Woman movie and the Paradise Lost series.

1) The Suicide Squad (2021)

Perhaps the most refined, unique, and stylistic DCEU movie was The Suicide Squad, which marked James Gunn’s first foray into the world of DC after his firing from Marvel. The Suicide Squad revitalized the Suicide Squad idea after their 2016 misfire, imbuing their outlandish mission to Corto Maltese with color, musicality, thrills, and shocks, all with Gunn’s trademark style. Elements of The Suicide Squad—especially those involving Christopher Smith’s Peacemaker (John Cena) and Rick Flag Jr. (Joel Kinnaman)—are canon to the new DCU, but we want to see even more brilliant characters from this entertaining flick return.

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