Summary
It’s becoming an increasingly common practice in recent years for movies and TV shows to frequentlyrotate in and out of different streaming services– or even disappear entirely – much to the frustration of general audiences trying to track down their favorite movie or comfort show. After just a handful of months on the service,it’s been announced that a popular cinematic universe is set to be axed from Netflix in its entirety– and it’s a big one at that.
Although theDC Extended Universe– better known as theDCEU– has received a somewhat mixed reception overall, this news will likely come as a disappointment to die-hard fans, especially since it seems like the franchise had only just made its way to the streaming platform.
The DCEU movies are leaving Netflix
Initially created in response to the massive success of the burgeoning MCU, the DCEU never quite gained the traction it needed to go toe-to-toe with its main competitor, ultimately struggling to find its footing. This is hopefully something that can be fixed withJames Gunn’s upcoming reboot of the franchise, which is due to launch withSuperman– formerly known asSuperman: Legacy– in July 2025. Still, while the DCEU never quite came together as a cohesive universe in the way moviegoers had hoped, there’s no denying that some of the project’s individual entries were legitimately entertaining.
Which DCEU movies are worth watching?
Wonder Woman
Notable for beingthe first entry in the DCEU to receive a ‘fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, boasting an impressive 93%, Patty Jenkins’Wonder Womanremains one of the franchise’s most action-packed and heartfelt entries. The movie chronicles the origins and rise of itseponymous Amazonian warrior-princess, following Diana as she braves the outside world for the first time in an attempt to quell the horrifying bloodshed of World War I. Cleverly,Wonder Womanchooses to put much of its focus on the palpable chemistry between its two lead actors, grounding the movie’s darker themes and explosive spectacle in something meaningful – with hope, love and optimism balancing out the movie’s more melancholy moments. In Richard Brody’sreview of the filmfor the New Yorker, he stated:
Wonder Woman is a superhero movie, and it fulfills the heroic and mythic demands of that genre, but it’s also an entry in the genre of wisdom literature that shares hard-won insights and long-pondered paradoxes of the past with a sincere intimacy.
The Suicide Squad
Following the overwhelmingly negative reception of 2016’sSuicide Squad, DC hired James Gunn ofGuardians of the Galaxyfame to helm a part-sequel, part-reboot of the property, offering a life raft to the handful ofSuicide Squad’s functional elements. The resulting movie – titledThe Suicide Squad–stands out as one of the DCEU’s very best. By this point in his career, Gunn has proved he has a talent for takingbizarre, lesser-known charactersand turning them into lovable, albeit flawed, heroes. In allowing Gunn to take stewardship of these characters, DC managed to create a Suicide Squad movie that’s able to live up to the grisly promise of its title, freeing the director from the family-friendly shackles of Marvel Studios. The film takes more narrative risks than perhaps any other DCEU movie, with no character feeling truly safe, making its stakes feel considerably higher than in typical superhero fare. Gruesome and hilarious in equal measure,The Suicide Squadis a must for fans of violent, over-the-top action flicks as well as witty, character-centric team-up movies in the vein ofGuardians of the Galaxy.
Shazam!
Although it was directed by famed horror director David F. Sandberg,Shazam!strangely remains one of the breeziest, most light-hearted DCEU movies to date. Feeling like a breath of fresh air for the franchise – especially in the wake of po-faced entries likeBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice–Shazam!tells the story of Billy Batson; a troubled teenager who’sgranted the powers of a godby a mysterious wizard. With his newfound powers, Billy is able to transform into an adult version of himself by shouting “Shazam!”, giving him near-invulnerability, super-strength, flight and electricity-based powers, eventually bringing him into conflict with the nefarious Dr Sivana and the Seven Deadly Sins. Reveling in the absurdity of its premise, the movie takes full advantage of Zachary Levi’s casting as the adult Billy – who still evidently has the mind of a teenager – painting a comical picture of what might happen if a group of kids suddenly discovered one of them has superpowers.
When are the DCEU movies leaving Netflix?
The entire DCEU is set to depart Netflix on June 26, 2025– so fans of the series don’t have long to do one last marathon. The movies will remain on the Max streaming service, however, and will still be available to watch over there after leaving Netflix.
Watch the DCEU movies on Netflix
DC
DC is a brand of superhero comics, television shows, movies, video games, merchandise, and more. The company owns the rights to popular characters like Batman, The Suicide Squad, Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, and many more.
