Every R-Rated DC Animated Movie, Ranked

DC animated movies are not afraid to go dark. R-rated movies have been performing well and are appreciated by mature audiences around the world. Joker and Deadpool are perfect examples that set the precedent for more superhero-related projects to follow. It’s always interesting to see fan-favorite characters going a step further than fans are used to seeing.

DC hasn’t shied away from being gory and brutal in the animated universe. They never hold back with their R-rated movies, which care very little about being family-friendly, showing endless brutal kills from DC’s heroes and villains alike. Superman goes on a brutal killing rampage in Injustice, while Batman faces the knife-wielding Jack the Ripper in Batman: Gotham By Gaslight.

9 Injustice Should’ve Been Split Into Multiple Movies

Based on the Injustice: Gods Among Us video game, DC fans were treated to an animated version of the iconic series in 2021. The movie is set on an alternate Earth where Superman turns evil after Joker tricks him into killing Lois Lane. The newly unhinged Superman brutally murders Joker in front of a shocked Batman.

Injustice suffers from a short runtime that tries to pack in way too much as it pays homage to its source material. The premise is great, and the animation is pristine, but it should’ve been split into multiple movies or turned into a television show. However, it was still exciting to see Superman on a constant killing rampage, emphasizing the true extent of his powers.

8 Justice League Dark: Apokolips War Reset the DC Animated Universe

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War marked the end of the DCAMU before the Tomorrowverse began. The Justice League prepare for war after a series of failed invasions by Darkseid and his army from Apokolips. The league is defeated in battle, with many members killed, after it was revealed that Darkseid had been listening in on the league’s plans to take the fight to Apokolips. It will take more than just the Justice League to stop Darkseid.

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War adapts a mix of several major DC storylines, including “Darkseid War,” “Final Crisis,” and “Futures End.” The movie ends on a dire note that forces Flash to create a new timeline, resetting the DC animated universe. This was seen as an opportunity to start a fresh approach after the old timeline showed Earth on the brink of collapse, thanks to Darkseid.

7 Batman: Soul of the Dragon Is a Fun Homage to Martial Arts Movies

Bruce Timm takes Batman back to the ’70s where he sports funky outfits and fights crime along to great music. Batman: Soul of the Dragon follows young Bruce Wayne, who is taught martial arts by O-Sensei at a secret monastery called Nanda Parbat. The past comes back to haunt Bruce when a deadly threat compels him to gather together three classmates to take down his new enemy.

Batman: Soul of the Dragon is a great ode to ’70s martial arts movies. It brings in all the archetypes of what made those movies work, which also includes funky music, cool clothing and some killer moves. DC always hits the jackpot with elseworld movies like this, as it allows creativity to come to the forefront with very few restrictions. It’s up there as one of the most entertaining DC animated movies.

After being diagnosed with a terminal illness, Amanda Waller recruits a new version of Task Force X to steal a special black card with powerful qualities. This card is described as a “Get out of hell free” card, as going to hell is a major concern for Waller, given her past activities. Deadshot is joined by Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang and more to find the black card that is in Vandal Savage’s possession.

Things get brutal as the Suicide Squad aren’t the only people looking for the magical card. Zoom leads a group of villains wishing to get the card. The Flash villain eventually kills Savage before being killed by Deadshot himself, while Killer Frost kills other members of Zoom’s team. It’s a blood-soaked mess that ends with Waller receiving the seemingly useless card as Deadshot finishes his prison sentence.

5 Batman: The Killing Joke Is a Faithful Retelling of the Iconic Comic

Batman: The Killing Joke is one of the most disliked DC animated movies. The movie is adapted from the graphic novel of the same name, which sees Joker escape from Arkham Asylum. He becomes obsessed with driving Commissioner Gordon to insanity by crippling his daughter, Barbara Gordon. Batman does his best to stop the Joker before it’s too late.

Batman: The Killing Joke is a good retelling of the graphic novel, but the puzzling choice to have Batman and Batgirl briefly get together threw things off course for a lot of fans. It’s so spontaneous and just doesn’t seem right, especially before Batgirl is attacked by Joker afterward. Otherwise, the movie is worth the watch for the relentless battles between Joker and Batman.

4 Justice League: Warworld Was An Ambitious Closing Chapter

Justice League: Warworld finds the Trinity in three different realities. Batman is on Skartaris, a fantasy-inspired world, Wonder Woman is in the wild west, and Superman a classical black-and-white reality. The movie is splintered into those three parts before joining, as it’s revealed that Mongul of Warworld was pulling the strings behind the Justice League members’ reality.

Justice League: Warworld has been criticized for focusing too much on setting up the Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths movie series. It’s a valid complaint that most fans had, but the movie still delivers great action, as it puts the Trinity of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman on Warworld. It’s a mixed movie that serves its purpose to the greater DCAU.

3 The Arrowverse’s Constantine Reprises His Role in Justice League Dark

Justice League Dark was the eighth entry in the DCAU, which saw the Arrowverse’s Matt Ryan reprise his role as Constantine. It follows Constantine and fellow league members Zatanna, Swamp Thing, Deadman, Black Orchid and Etrigan. They are called in by Batman, who needs their help to stop a demonic threat that has forced civilians into committing heinous crimes.

It was great to see Constantine forming and leading the team after realizing his magic alone wouldn’t be enough to stop things fully. The mystery of who is behind the killings is well played out and the characters are introduced in a way that gets viewers excited for more of them to come. Justice League Dark is one of the most solid DC animated movies to date.

2 Batman: Gotham By Gaslight Is DC’s Most Unique Animated Movie

Batman: Gotham By Gaslight is one of the most intriguing DC animated movies due to its Victorian setting. It follows DC’s version of Jack the Ripper who stalks the streets of Gotham City, killing innocent women everywhere he goes. Batman and Catwoman team up to take down the murderous serial killer once and for all.

Being detached from the rest of the DC animated universe, Batman: Gotham By Gaslight is free to explore the Dark Knight in a new light. This is unique as most DC’s movies don’t have the opportunity to make their mark like this. The Victorian setting is fascinating and makes for an interesting crossover between reality and DC lore. While Jack the Ripper is genuinely scary and Batman looks great in his Victorian-era costume.

1 Batman: The Long Halloween Is DC’s Best R-Rated Animated Movie

Inspired by the ’90s comic book of the same name, Batman: The Long Halloween chronicles a series of murders committed by an unknown serial killer. The Holiday Killer begins their murder spree on Halloween and they kill again on almost every holiday. It’s one of Batman’s toughest cases that puzzled him, unlike any other murder mystery before.

Batman: The Long Halloween movie series was a hit for fans. The two parts were equally impressive, easily surpassing almost all the DCAU’s recent movies at the time. There is a reason that The Long Halloween is one of DC’s most popular and essential storylines, as its central mystery is both gripping, dark and intense as the kill count grows. It’s a relatively faithful retelling of the iconic murder mystery that remains thrilling and intriguing throughout.