TheDC Universe’s vast cinematic history has led to several heroes receiving box office success, but how do they rank against each other? DC’s live-action feature film history stretches back to 1951, withSuperman and the Mole-Menkickstarting the long line of movies based on superheroes in the DC world. Since then, there have been several franchises featuring DC characters, from theorder of movies in the DCEUto the many different franchises featuring the brand’s most popular heroes.
There is no denying that some of the more commonly featured heroes include Batman and Superman, with manyhighly-rankedBatmanmoviesbeing released over the decades. The same can be said for Superman,with theupcoming list of DCU movies and showsfrom James Gunn continuing this trend by centering around the Man of Steel. However, where DC’s other heroes are concerned, box office success has ranged from lucrative to flat-out unprofitable. With that in mind, here is how DC’s highest-grossing heroes have fared at the box office against one another, with figures fromThe Numbers.
The following list is ranked lowest-grossing to highest, discounts appearances in team-up movies, and pertains only to movies of DC heroes in live-action.
10Blue Beetle - $130,788,072
1 Live-Action Movie In DC History
Despite being the second-most recent live-action DC hero to receive a feature film,Blue Beetleis the 10th highest-grossing character in the franchise’s history. Given thatBlue Beetlewas deemed a commercial failure, this puts into perspective how poor DC heroes have performed as a whole in the brand’s cinematic history. In 2023,Blue Beetlewas released starring Xolo Meridueña in the titular role, and told the story of Jaime Reyes, a younger iteration of the character from DC Comics.
The film received positive reviews, pleasing fans and critics alike. This led many to wonder whether Blue Beetle would continue intoupcoming DC movies, something James Gunn has since confirmed. Despite that,Blue Beetlewas mostly unsuccessful at the box office, grossing a worldwide total of $130,788,072 against a budget of $100-125 million. This worldwide total sums up the character of Blue Beetle’s entire box office haul, given that 2023’s film was the first to feature the character.
Blue Beetle
Cast
Blue Beetle is a 2023 action film focusing on Jaime Reyes, a recent college graduate who returns home to find his world changed. His life takes a turn when he discovers the Scarab, an ancient alien relic that grants him extraordinary powers, setting him on a new path.
9Green Lantern - $219,535,492
Another DC hero who has only had one live-action movie in DC’s history is Green Lantern. The DCU will not even change this in the near future, with James Gunn instead opting for aGreen Lantern series titledLanternsinstead of a feature film. As such, this makes the Ryan Reynolds-ledGreen Lanternfrom 2011 the sole box office earner for the DC hero regarding live-action iterations, again highlighting how someone as popular as Green Lantern may have deserved more movies.
TheGreen Lanternmovie was the opposite ofBlue Beetlein terms of critical reception. The former is considered one of the worst DC comic book movies ever made and failed to recoup much of a profit, if any, at the worldwide box office.Green Lanterncost $200 million to produce, earning just less than $220 million worldwide by the end of its theatrical run. As withBlue Beetle, this gross gives the character of Green Lantern his only box office haul in DC history.
My Most Anticipated DCU Show Can Make Up For A Major DC Box Office Bomb
I am very excited about the arrival of the new DC Universe, and the TV series I want to see the most can fix the issues of a major DC box office bomb.
8Constantine - $221,593,554
A surprise inclusion on this list is the character of Constantine, who ranks as the eighth-most successful DC hero at the box office. The reason for this surprise also comes from the fact that Constantine only has one live-action movie to his name which was from 2005 rather than a more recent effort likeGreen LanternandBlue Beetle.Constantinestarred Keanu Reeves in the titular role, and while it is a fun enough movie, it is somewhat unfaithful to the source material,
Nonetheless,Constantinewas a bigger box office success than the two aforementioned movies. The film cost $70-100 million to produce and earned a worldwide total of around $220 million. Interestingly, the hero John Constantine will receive another live-action movie in the DCU’s future as an Elseworlds project, meaning this and the 2005 effort - alongside the overall lack of successful movies based on DC heroes outside of the Justice League - will continue to see the character ranked as one of the most successful in the brand’s cinematic history.
Constantine
Constantine follows John Constantine, a chain-smoking occult detective who has journeyed to Hell and back. Released in 2005, the film pairs him with a policewoman to investigate her twin sister’s mysterious suicide, taking them into a hidden world of demons and angels in modern Los Angeles.
7The Flash - $266,550,332
Despite the Flash being one of the most popular heroes in DC Comics, the character has only received one solo live-action film. This came in 2023 with its share of controversy. Not only didThe Flashmake its way through several writing and directing teams, but its lead star, Ezra Miller, was wrapped up in endless scandals as the movie was being produced.
Regardless of production issues,The Flash wasreleased in the summer of 2023 and earned just less than $270 million worldwide. The film’s $220 million budget saw this deemed a failure and effectively ended hopes of another installment if the impending reboot of James Gunn’s DCU had not already done so. With its $266 million gross,The Flashgave the DC character his only earnings in DC box office history, though enough to rank him as the brand’s seventh-most successful hero.
Complete Breakdown Of Ezra Miller’s Allegations & Controversies (With Updates)
The Flash star Ezra Miller has been surrounded by controversy due to a number of criminal allegations in recent years. Here’s what you need to know.
The Flash
The Flash is a DC Extended Universe film starring Ezra Miller as Barry Allen, A.K.A. The Flash. Wishing for a world where his mother still lives, Barry Allen manages to find a way to travel through time to save her. However, Barry ends up in an alternate universe where metahumans aren’t present, meaning a living General Zod arrives to conquer the planet. To save this world and return home, Barry will seek the help of two alternate reality heroes, Batman (Michael Keaton) and Supergirl (Sasha Calle).
6Black Adam - $390,445,088
The final DC hero with only one live-action film under their belt is Black Adam.Black Adamspawned out of the relative success of 2019’sShazam!, with lead actor Dwayne Johnson looking to play the character for over a decade before the film entered production.Johnson hopedBlack Adamwould lead to a new era for DC in film, though its subsequent failure fed into the decision to reboot the DCEUas Gunn’s DCU.
Black Adamgives the DC hero a $390 million haul, making him the sixth-most successful from the source material…
Black Adamwas released in 2022 and earned a respectable $390 million worldwide. However, its budget was reported to have reached as high as $260 million, meaningBlack Adamwas a commercial failure, and the film offered little to write home about critically. Given the long period of development hell beforeBlack Adam’s release and the aforementioned DCU reboot being ordered after,Black Adamgives the DC hero a $390 million haul, making him the sixth-most successful from the source material.
Black Adam
Black Adam is a feature film centered around the DC Comics antihero Black Adam, portrayed by Dwayne Johnson. The story follows the titular character as he emerges in the modern world, freed after millennia of imprisonment, to deliver his own form of justice.
5Shazam! - $495,842,082
2 Live-Action Movies In DC History
The first DC hero on this list to have two live-action movies is Shazam. The hero has been the lead character ofShazam!in 2019 andShazam! Fury of the Godsin 2023. The first movie was more successful than its sequel, both critically and commercially.Shazam!earned a worldwide total of $363 million, rendering it a box office hit. This, alongside its strong critical reception, sawShazam! Fury of the Godsgreenlit.
The second movie was released in 2023 alongside fellow DC effortsThe Flash, Blue Beetle, andAquaman and the Lost Kingdom.Shazam! 2faltered at the box office, however, earning only $132 million worldwide against a $110-125 million budget. Combining the two totals sees the hero’s earnings rise to $495 million, ranking Shazam as the fifth-most successful DC hero in the franchise’s live-action history.
Shazam!
Shazam! follows teenager Billy Batson, who transforms into an adult superhero by uttering a magic word. Released in 2019, the film is part of the DC Extended Universe and explores Billy’s adventures and challenges as he discovers his new powers and battles the villainous Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.
4Wonder Woman - $984,051,998
With the first six entries on this list proving how most studios have failed to represent the majority of DC’s heroes in live-action, the top four prove how certain characters hold the most sway. The fourth-most successful DC hero in the franchise’s history is Wonder Woman. Despite her immense popularity,Wonder Woman has only had two moviesin live-action history: 2017’sWonder Womanand 202’sWonder Woman 1984.
It is primarily the success of 2017’sWonder Womanthat allows the character to rank as highly as she does on this list. This movie earned a worldwide total of $817 million, yet its sequel was released amid the COVID-19 pandemic, slumping to a $166 million haul. As such, the 2017 movie does a lot of the heavy lifting in making Wonder Woman a successful DC character, though she is only expected to earn more profits as Gunn’s DCU gets underway.
Recasting Wonder Woman For The DCU After Gal Gadot’s Exit
The entire Justice League cast is seemingly out for Gunn’s DCU, but fortunately there are some great choices to replace Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is directed by Patty Jenkins and introduces Diana, an Amazon princess, who ventures into the world of Man during World War I to combat the forces of evil and strive for peace. This film is a part of the larger DC Extended Universe.
3Aquaman - $1,565,695,266
Aquaman is undoubtedly a popular character in DC Comics as a member of the Justice League, but his online perception has often seen him labeled as a joke. This caused a drastic change in his depiction in live-action films, as Jason Momoa was cast as the king of Atlantis. As it turns out, this move paid off for DC, with the character even ranking above Wonder Woman as the third-most successful hero in DC history.
Similar to Wonder Woman, it is one of Aquaman’s two live-action movies that contributes to this success more than the other. The firstAquaman, released in 2018, grossed a massive $1.1 billion worldwide, making it the only movie in the entire DC Extended Universe to do so. The sequel - 2023’sAquaman and the Lost Kingdom -was still successful with a $433 million worldwide gross, granting the character of Aquaman a highly respectable $1.5 billion total and the bronze medal regarding DC’s most profitable heroes.
Aquaman
Aquaman follows Arthur Curry, a half-human, half-Atlantean, as he embarks on a journey to discover his true identity and claim his birthright as king. Released in 2018, the film explores his quest to bridge the worlds of land and sea in the DC Universe.
2Superman - $2,538,975,801
7 Live-Action Movies In DC History
As alluded to previously, the characters of Superman and Batman are the two most popular in DC’s live-action history. Every other hero on this list has one or two live-action movies, whereas Superman has seven: four starring Christopher Reeve, one starring Brandon Routh, and two starring Henry Cavill. These movies have all combined to make Superman the second-highest-grossing DC hero in live-action history, with his total haul only expected to grow with the release ofJames Gunn’sSupermanin 2025.
The highest-grossing Superman movie is actually one starring Batman too, 2016’sBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which grossed $872 million worldwide. 2013’sMan of Steelearned around $667 million three years prior, with Brandon Routh’sSuperman Returnsgrossing $391 million in 2006. In total, the Christopher Reeve movies earned just over $600 million collectively, combining to give Superman his $2.5 billion worldwide gross as DC’s second-highest earner.
All 8 Live-Action Superman Movies Ranked By Box Office Performance
Superman has had 8 live-action appearances throughout the DCEU, but some movies have performed significantly better than others at the box office.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice features the iconic clash between Gotham’s Dark Knight, played by Ben Affleck, and Metropolis’s Man of Steel, portrayed by Henry Cavill. As these two heroes confront each other, a looming threat endangers humanity, setting the stage for larger challenges ahead in the DC Extended Universe.
1Batman - $5,338,060,215
9 Live-Action Movies In DC History
Far and away the highest-earning DC hero in the franchise’s history is Batman. More so than any other character, Batman has had many live-action actors, franchises, and movies, all combining to make the hero the most lucrative from a DC standpoint. Two Batman movies have earned $1 billion at the worldwide box office, those beingThe Dark KnightandThe Dark Knight Risesstarring Christian Bale. Other successful Batman movies include the aforementionedBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceand 2022’sThe Batman,the latter of which earned $765 million.
Then there isBatman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever,andBatman & Robin, which earned $1.2 billion worldwide between them. When factoring inBatman Begins' $350 million gross, Batman becomes the undisputed king of DC heroes at the worldwide box office. Much like the character of Superman, this is only going to continue with James Gunn’sDCUandThe Brave and the Bold, as Gotham’s Caped Crusader solidifies his box office pull.
The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight Rises follows Batman as he returns to Gotham City eight years after the death of Harvey Dent. Now pursued by law enforcement, he faces new challenges from Selina Kyle and Bane, a formidable terrorist leader who threatens the city’s safety, compelling Batman to defend a city that sees him as a foe.
