10 Years Ago, Two Superhero Movies Killed DC’s Momentum But They’re the Films We Still Keep Talking About
When the calendar turned to 2016, there was a lot of hype surrounding the DC Extended Universe. The MCU was on a roll, fresh off the $1 billion hit sequel Avengers: Age of Ultron, and was set to debut major characters like Spider-Man and Black Panther in the coming years. 2013’s Man of Steel introduced the world to Henry Cavill’s take on Superman while setting the stage for DC’s answer to the MCU. The DCEU wasn’t releasing its next film until 2016, with two on the horizon that promised to establish a much larger world filled with the most popular DC characters. The exciting trailers for the two movies became the talk of social media leading into their arrivals, yet they ultimately missed the mark and the franchise never really recovered. The DCEU kept releasing films with less of an impact until the series ended with a whimper less than a decade into its run.
Those two 2016 films were Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad. Despite strong box office numbers, neither movie received positive reviews from critics or audience members, which hurt the overall DCEU. Although the franchise couldn’t really get going after these struggles, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad are still movies that people talk about more than later DCEU projects.
Batman v Superman & Suicide Squad Were Huge Disappointments for So Many DC Fans
Early in 2016, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice hit theaters and seemed poised to do what Iron Man 2 did for the MCU: expand the universe. It added Batman to the franchise and brought in Wonder Woman, giving DC its famous Trinity of superheroes. The excitement led to the film grossing nearly $875 million worldwide. However, the reviews from critics were very negative, as it holds a 28% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie was criticized for overstuffing its narrative, a lackluster story, and other elements.
Even with that film’s critical struggles, Suicide Squad looked like a surefire way to get back on track. The trailer is still talked about today as one of the best, and the film was led by two bona fide stars in Margot Robbie and Will Smith. It grossed almost $750 million but was even more disliked by critics than Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The plot was muddled, characters were thinly written, the tone was inconsistent, and it’s widely viewed as one of the worst superhero movies ever made.
The DCEU Didn’t Make Much Of An Impact After That
It was extremely hard for the DCEU to rebound after those two catastrophic releases. Wonder Woman was a considerable step up, yet it was followed by Justice League, which was widely panned. A few later films were hits, including Aquaman crossing $1 billion at the box office, yet it never truly felt like that movie became a pop culture staple the way that the top MCU films do. Looking at it today, Aquaman isn’t as culturally relevant as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad both continue to be.
While it’s true that those films are remembered and discussed for how bad they were, they’re still notable a decade later. Fans often bring up things like their appreciation for the casting choices of Ben Affleck as Batman, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. Even if the ultimate showdown between Batman and Superman was viewed as a letdown by many, simply getting to see it play out on the big screen was an iconic moment for longtime fans.
The DCEU’s inconsistencies didn’t help its cause. For every The Suicide Squad, Blue Beetle, and Birds of Prey that received solid reviews, there was Black Adam, Wonder Woman 1984, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Even people who liked almost every DCEU release understand that the franchise never actually took off, thanks in large part to the failures of 2016, further adding to why Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad remain relevant.
How The Current DC Universe Can Avoid the DCEU’s Mistakes
James Gunn directed The Suicide Squad in 2021, which was a huge improvement over its predecessor. He was eventually given the reins of the DC film universe and got to work on starting relatively fresh, though he kept a few elements around like John Cena’s Peacemaker. Gunn wants to avoid a repeat of the DCEU, so it’s important not to have several misfires in a row. So far, this DC Universe has done well thanks to Superman, Peacemaker, and Creature Commandos, though 2026 is proving difficult.
Supergirl received mixed reviews and flopped at the box office, and while the upcoming Clayface looks interesting, he’s not exactly a character who fans are clamoring to see on the big screen. Lanterns, an upcoming series on HBO Max, looks good as well. The true test is going to be for 2027 and beyond. Man of Tomorrow, the Superman sequel, is the tentpole, yet the other projects lined up leave some question marks.
Swamp Thing, Booster Gold, Paradise Lost, Waller, and the planned Jimmy Olsen series don’t scream “must-see” on paper for most fans. However, The Brave and the Bold and the planned Wonder Woman films should be huge given the characters involved. These projects must deliver on the critical side of things to avoid the same problem that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad caused in the DCEU and establish that this DC Universe will be more successful than the last one.
