Fans Voted for the 10 Worst DCEU Movies

DCEU started out as a largely ambitious idea to replicate the success of the rival MCU. Warner Bros. came up with a decade-long plan to bring to the big screen some of the most iconic characters from the DC comic universe.

While the movies were profitable, the audiences disliked Snyder’s darker take on the characters and it was eventually disbanded with Gunn’s newly rebooted DCU put in place. While some movies were considered to be good, DCEU did give us some absolute flops. Due to this reason alone, fans gathered on Ranker to vote for the 10 worst DCEU movies, so, let’s check them out.

10. ‘The Suicide Squad’ (2021)

Following the mixed reception of David Ayer’s ‘Suicide Squad’ (2016), there were high expectations for Gunn’s take. Some fans were disappointed because the film didn’t align with their expectations or preferences for the franchise.

Gunn’s trademark irreverent humor and over-the-top style, which worked well for films like ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ didn’t resonate with everyone, hence why the movie managed to break into “top 10 worst” rankings.

9. ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ (2016)

Many fans found the plot of ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ convoluted and overstuffed. The film attempted to incorporate numerous storylines, including Batman and Superman’s conflict, the introduction of Wonder Woman and hints at the Justice League. This led to a sense of disjointed storytelling and uneven pacing.

The portrayal of Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) was criticized for being inaccurate when compared to comics. Batman’s character, in particular, was seen as excessively grim and violent, as Snyder made the same mistake as with Cavill’s Superman in ‘Man of Steel.’

8. ‘The Flash’ (2023)

Now, I don’t really agree with this ranking as it didn’t have the problems that the previous two movies did. ‘The Flash’ was absolutely a solid movie in my opinion but it was ruined by two big things. First, it starred Ezra Miller, who at the time faced several legal issues and grooming charges (which were eventually dropped).

It was also released at the time when it was known that DCEU was defunct, and it was basically meaningless to watch the movie. ‘The Flash’ would’ve been a lot more successful if it had been released earlier and with a different lead.

7. ‘Black Adam’ (2022)

‘Black Adam’ was definitely an unexpected flop. It was believed that DCEU couldn’t do wrong by casting Dwayne the Rock Johnson as Black Adam as the actor was seemingly born to play the role. However, despite having a big cast, and a big budget, critics buried the movie.

It was boring, too formulaic, focused on flashy CGI action and it basically had no meaningful story. It’s unfortunate that ‘Black Adam’ was also a movie via which Johnson allegedly attempted to take over the DCEU but failed in the process.

6. ‘Blue Beetle’ (2023)

‘Blue Beetle’ struggled due to pretty much the same reasons as Flash in the context of DCEU being over and everyone knowing it. That fact alone was enough to bury what was generally a wholesome and solid origin story.

I personally liked the movie, and considering that it revolved around a C-list character, it was successful enough. In fact, it looks like Gunn is unwilling to part from Blue Beetle, as the movie is getting an animated sequel in the form of a show that will officially be part of the DCU.

5. ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ (2023)

What worked for the first ‘Shazam’ (which was a hit) suddenly stopped working for the second installment. The sequel was noted for its insufficient character development. Some fans felt that the characters, including Shazam (Asher Angel/Zachary Levi) and his foster family, did not evolve much from the previous film.

The film struggled to provide meaningful growth for its characters, making them feel static and less engaging. Which is kind of ironic considering the plot and ending of the movie. I personally liked the movie, but the fact that I was one of 5 people in the theater proved how uninterested people were in the movie overall, it was always doomed to fail.

4. ‘Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)’ (2020)

In all honesty, no one asked for this movie and at this point, I’m struggling to understand why WB felt like it had to be made. While Margot Robbie’s portrayal of Harley Quinn was generally well-received, some fans felt that the other characters, such as Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), were underdeveloped.

The film’s tone and humor were polarizing. The comedic and irreverent style, while intended to be fun and edgy, didn’t resonate well with fans. Some fans felt that the humor was forced or inconsistent with the darker elements of the story, and that’s how you get a massive plot.

3. ‘Suicide Squad’ (2016)

The other Suicide Squad….There’s not a single thing that didn’t go wrong with Ayer’s ‘Suicide Squad,’ and the movie is considered to be abominable even by DCEU’s standards. In my opinion, it should be higher on the list.

2. ‘Justice League’ (2017)

The development of ‘Justice League’ was hell. The film underwent extensive reshoots and changes during its production. After Zack Snyder stepped down due to a personal tragedy, Joss Whedon was brought in to complete the film.

Whedon’s reshoots and alterations led to a noticeable shift in tone and style, resulting in a final product that many felt was disjointed and inconsistent. Luckily, Snyder Cut delivered the true vision.

1. ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ (2020)

Considering that the first ‘Wonder Woman’ was an unexpectedly massive success, the expectations for the sequel were high, and unfortunately, the movie did not deliver. Almost all aspects of the movie were criticized, the plot, the pacing, the characters, action, CGI, and bright aesthetics.

The movie unfortunately never stood a chance. I don’t necessarily agree that it’s worse than ‘Suicide Squad,’ but yeah, it’s pretty bad.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!

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