A complete guide to watching every animated "Justice League" movie in order Will HarrisSeptember 6, 2025 at 11:00 PM 0 DC/YouTube; Warner Bros.
- - A complete guide to watching every animated "Justice League" movie in order
Will HarrisSeptember 6, 2025 at 11:00 PM
0
DC/YouTube; Warner Bros. UK/YouTube; Warner Bros
'The Flashpoint Paradox,' 'Justice League Dark,' and 'Justice League x RWBY'
Though the animated Justice League movies are all relatively recent, the franchise has been decades in the making.
In 1960, writer Gardner Fox decided to take the Golden Age concept of the Justice Society of America and update it for the Silver Age, teaming a collection of established DC characters together to form the Justice League of America. Since then, the JLA — now generally known simply as the Justice League — has been a DC Comics staple, with an ever-changing lineup of heroes banding together to fight evil.
Animating DC's most famous superteam began in 1967, when a handful of Justice League of America cartoons debuted as part of the CBS Saturday morning series The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, followed by the long-running Super Friends. But it wasn't until 2008 that the Justice League earned its first full-length feature. Since then, Warner Bros. has made up for lost time; there are now over a dozen films.
Thankfully, each installment is available to rent or stream. Here's how to watch every animated Justice League movie in order.
01 of 16
Justice League: The New Frontier (2008)
Warner Bros. Entertainment/YouTube
Supreman in 'The New Frontier'
Let's put our cards on the table: This standalone Justice League film is probably the best of the bunch. Yes, it's a little dodgy to say that about the first in a lengthy list, but The New Frontier's critical acclaim speaks for itself.
An adaptation of Darwyn Cooke's graphic novel, this period piece begins at the end of the Korean War, introducing key characters like Hal Jordan, J'onn J'onzz, and Barry Allen, who has just recently acquired his powers and assumed the identity of The Flash.
The film soon fast-forwards two years and introduces other recognizable faces — Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc. It's effectively the story of how the League came together. With a voice cast that includes David Boreanaz, Neil Patrick Harris, Lucy Lawless, Kyle MacLachlan, Brooke Shields, Keith David, and more, it's one of the easiest JL films to sell a newbie on.
Where to watch Justice League: The New Frontier: Amazon Prime (to rent)
02 of 16
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010)
DC/YouTube
Green Lantern in 'Crisis on Two Earths'
No, we haven't gotten the title wrong: The number of Earths isn't infinite, it's only two. Given that the second Earth is home to the Crime Syndicate, however, two is plenty.
Borrowing elements from the classic Justice League of America story "Crisis on Earth-Three!" and Grant Morrison's JLA: Earth 2, the film finds the League visited by an alternate-dimension Lex Luthor, one who's a hero rather than a villain.
Upon Lex's pleas, the League travels to his Earth to help him battle the forces of evil, a.k.a. the aforementioned Crime Syndicate, which consists of villainous counterparts to League heroes: Ultraman rather than Superman, Owlman rather than Batman, Superwoman rather than Wonder Woman... you get the idea.
Where to watch Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths: Amazon Prime (to rent)
03 of 16
Justice League: Doom (2012)
DC/YouTube
Diana and Kal-el in 'Justice League: Doom'
Animated superhero adventures have come a long way since the Super Friends era, but there's an entire generation that still has fond memories of the despicable supervillain group known as the Legion of Doom. For those in that particular demographic, this is the movie to beat.
Yes, it's a rather dark take on the Legion, and neither the villains nor heroes are quite the same, but the fun of "good team vs. evil team" remains unchanged. Rather than being led by Lex Luthor, this Legion is headed up by Vandal Savage, who plans to create a new civilization by wiping out two-thirds of the population. He has the help of Bane, Cheetah, Ma'alefa'ak, Metallo, Mirror Master, and Star Sapphire to make that plan a reality.
An adaptation of the classic JLA arc "Tower of Babel," Doom was written by Dwayne McDuffie just before his death.
Where to watch Justice League: Doom: HBO Max
04 of 16
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)
DC/YouTube
The Flash in 'The Flashpoint Paradox'
This may be the single most borrowed-from premise in recent DC history, as many of its elements were utilized throughout The CW's The Flash (2014–2023) and the DCEU's The Flash (2023). And why not? It's one of the most epic stories in the character's history, and ropes in the entirety of the DC Universe.
The day after a battle with his Rogues' Gallery, including Professor Zoom, a.k.a. Reverse-Flash, Barry wakes up to find his powers are gone and key parts of his life have changed. His mother is still alive, his wife is married to someone else, and the Justice League doesn't exist.
The world at large is in a bad state, to put it mildly. Convinced that Zoom was responsible for changing the timeline, Barry goes in search of other superheroes for assistance, only to find things are trickier on that front as well.
Where to watch Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox: HBO Max
05 of 16
JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time (2014)
Warner Bros. Entertainment
Cyborg in 'Trapped in Time'
This is a bit of an outlier in the Justice League movie universe, as it doesn't connect to any other films. But it's possibly the most fun of these full-length animated adventures, being an interesting middle ground between Challenge of the Super Friends and the animated Justice League series. The former comparison comes with the use of the Legion of Doom, but its cast of characters is definitely more expansive.
Time travel provides an opportunity to bring in members of the Legion of Super Heroes: Dawnstar and Karate Kid. It also brings one of their villains, the Time Trapper, who teams up with Luthor in an attempt to stop Superman from ever coming to Earth as an infant, thus preventing the Justice League from being formed. In a perfect world, we would've gotten more of these JLA Adventures, but this remains the only one to date.
Where to watch JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time: Amazon Prime (to rent)
06 of 16
Justice League: War (2014)
DC/YouTube
Superman, Green Lantern, and Batman go to 'War'
Although it was released after The Flashpoint Paradox, Justice League: War is designed to serve as a new origin story for the League, seeing the team come together after an invasion by an all-time great villain, Darkseid. Based on Geoff Johns' Justice League: Origin, the film unites Batman, Green Lantern, and Superman, introduces Cyborg, then adds the Flash, Shazam, and Wonder Woman to the fight.
Fans will notice the absence of a few key names, but don't worry, they'll find their way into the group soon enough. It's a modernized version of the group's origin, which means it's aiming for a slightly older audience than some previous incarnations. Ultimately, it spends so much time setting up events for the inevitable sequel that it's not as exciting as it probably should be.
Where to watch Justice League: War: HBO Max
07 of 16
Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015)
DC/YouTube
A sextet of superheroes in 'Throne of Atlantis'
Set up with a post-credits scene at the end of War, this film finds the League investigating the death of an entire American nuclear submarine crew, which Wonder Woman identifies as the work of warriors from Atlantis. It turns out the king of Atlantis was accidentally killed during the events of the previous film; there's a schism between the leaders of the undersea kingdom over whether the blame lies with the Justice League or Darkseid.
This leads to a situation where Arthur Curry, the half-human, half-Atlantean prince, must be brought back to the kingdom to hopefully bridge the gap between the two worlds. Yes, that's right: We're talking about Aquaman, with the film both introducing the character and bringing him into the Justice League.
Where to watch Justice League: Throne of Atlantis: HBO Max
08 of 16
Justice League: Gods and Monsters (2015)
Warner Bros. Entertainment/YouTube
The son of Zod, Superman (yes, really) and Bekka (a.k.a. Wonder Woman)
This film has absolutely no connection to its direct predecessor, nor to any film that followed. Gods and Monsters is a standalone flick that takes place in an alternate universe (an Elseworld, if you will) where the League still features the core trio of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman — just not the versions you know. Batman is Kirk Langston, better known to DC fans as Man-Bat; Superman is Hernan Guerra, son of General Zod; and Wonder Woman is Bekka, one of the New Gods.
There are tons of DC characters in the mix, including some relative obscurities, and they're fighting against a still-villainous Luthor, but you also get everyone from the Metal Men to Mr. Terrific. This is one of the more unique Justice League films, and a must-see for hardcore DC fans.
Where to watch Justice League: Gods and Monsters: Amazon Prime (to rent)
09 of 16
Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016)
DC/YouTube
Justice League vs. Teen Titans
Forget most of what you know about DC's younger heroes from Teen Titans Go and Young Justice. This film provides a new introduction, with a lineup that includes Raven, Starfire, Changeling, Blue Beetle, and Robin (Damian Wayne, a.k.a. Bruce's son). There's also Cyborg, who, although a member of the Justice League, ends up working with the Titans because… hey, why not?
The plot revolves around Raven's father, the demon known as Trigon, and his efforts to take over Earth and reclaim his daughter by possessing the members of the League. Yes, the story is heavy on the Titans, which only makes sense when you consider it's their new origin story, but rest assured, there's still plenty of Justice League action to enjoy.
Where to watch Justice League vs. Teen Titans: HBO Max
10 of 16
Justice League Dark (2017)
Warner Bros. UK/YouTube
Wonder Woman and Superman go 'Dark'
Unlike the traditional Justice League, one of the key superhero teams of DC's Silver Age, the concept of Justice League Dark wasn't introduced until 2011, when DC kicked off its "New 52" relaunch. As such, this was new enough that comics fans were excited to see how it would look in animated form. Here, "dark" really just means mystical, and the film provides an opportunity to utilize characters that haven't been in animated form often, if ever.
After a poker game involving John Constantine and Jason Blood (alter ego of Etrigan the Demon) goes off the rails, average citizens suddenly start killing people, believing their victims to be demons. Batman has always been skeptical of magic, but nonetheless gets drawn into an investigation that involves Constantine, Etrigan, Zatanna, Deadman, Black Orchid, and Swamp Thing, leading them all into battle with villainous sorcerer Felix Faust.
Where to watch Justice League Dark: Amazon Prime (to rent)
11 of 16
Justice League vs. the Fatal Five (2019)
DC/YouTube
Wonder Woman takes on 'The Fatal Five'
Despite falling between two Justice League Dark movies, this throwback adventure is part of the universe within the Justice League Unlimited series. Better yet, it brings the Legion of Super Heroes into the fray. The Fatal Five are a notorious 31st-century team who regularly fight the Legion. Initially set in that future period, the film begins with the Five attacking Legion HQ to obtain their time sphere, which they successfully swipe and use to transport back to the 21st century.
When they do, Legion member Star Boy follows in their wake, eventually making his way to the Justice League to get their aid in stopping the Fatal Five's plan to change history. It's as convoluted as most time-travel stories, but also just as fun.
Where to watch Justice League vs. the Fatal Five: Amazon Prime (to rent)
12 of 16
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)
Batman and pals in the 'Apokolips War'
Bringing together virtually every hero introduced in the DC Animated Universe up to this point, Apokolips War sees them team up to take down Darkseid, only for the heroes to either be killed, enslaved, or go into hiding. Of the survivors, Superman works with Raven to find Constantine and help locate Robin, who's on a quest to free Batman from slavery.
Meanwhile, Lois Lane has gotten the surviving members of the Suicide Squad to join the cause, and the whole lot head to Apokolips. Cue some seriously crazy battles, including one that results in the return of Trigon. Yes, you'd expect a Justice League Dark film to be dark, but this is so dark, Spinal Tap would describe it as "none more dark."
Where to watch Justice League Dark: Apokolips War: HBO Max
13 of 16
Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen (2023)
Warner Bros
The Flash and pals seem to be alarmed in 'Superheroes & Huntsmen'
Fair warning: This is a Justice League film — a pair, actually, since it was released in two parts. It may confuse anyone who isn't also a fan of the RWBY franchise, which is set in the world of Remnant and revolves around teenagers who train to become warriors and fight off monsters known as Grimm.
Part One opens with members of the League — Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern (the Jessica Cruz version), and Vixen — finding they've been inexplicably de-aged into teenagers and trapped on Remnant… or are they? Therein lies the mystery.
It's definitely a different type of Justice League adventure; the plot and dialogue provide enough backstory for non-RWBY fans to get the hang of what's going on. Still, you need to be versed in both franchises to fully comprehend the storyline.
Where to watch Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen: HBO Max
14 of 16
Justice League: Warworld (2023)
Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman in 'Warworld'
This may not be the best JL film, but it's one of the most interesting on a structural basis. It's an anthology with three chapters, each focusing on one hero: Wonder Woman is in the Wild West, where she crosses paths with Bat Lash and Jonah Hex; Batman is on Skartaris with Travis Morgan, a.k.a. the Warlord; and Superman is in Grovers Mill, N.J., in the 1950s.
The latter chapter is the most experimental of the bunch, as it's in black-and-white and plays out like a film noir. Not to spoil the movie for anyone, but there's at least one more classic Justice League member in the mix, along with one of the fiercest — and funniest — antiheroes in the DC Universe. The ending of the film sets up Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Where to watch Justice League: Warworld: HBO Max
15 of 16
Scooby Doo, and Krypto, Too (2023)
Warner Bros
Krypto! And the Scooby gang
Okay, this isn't technically a canonical Justice League movie, but it's a great way to bask in a bit of brightness before the dark three-part epic that is Crisis on Infinite Earths. The film begins in a world where the League has been missing for months, with various supervillains — Brainiac, the Joker, Harley Quinn, Solomon Grundy, Giganta, and even General Zod, Non, and Ursa — taking over Metropolis in their absence.
After Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen investigate the eerily empty Hall of Justice and have a close encounter with what appears to be a phantom, they call in the gang from Mystery, Inc. Scooby and friends are on the case, meeting up with Lex Luthor and his dog, named — wait for it — Rex Ruthor.
As the title suggests, Krypto plays a major role as well. It's all very silly, lighthearted fun, harkening back to Saturday morning cartoons of yore.
Where to watch Scooby Doo, and Krypto, Too: Amazon Prime (to rent)
16 of 16
Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths (2024)
Warner Bros
And it's all been building up to this... 'Crisis on Infinite Earths'
It's all been leading up to this, an adaptation of the 12-issue DC miniseries that was perfectly summed up with this tagline: "Worlds will live. Worlds will die. And the universe will never be the same."
At the time of its release in 1985, Crisis on Infinite Earths was designed to take all the alternate Earths and parallel dimensions created throughout DC Comics history and combine them into a single universe that would be easier to follow. With this three-part adventure, the stakes aren't quite as high, which is perhaps why the creators felt they could tweak the plot considerably.
Yes, it's an opportunity to utilize any hero or villain within this animated universe, but it gets so convoluted by the end that, despite being a pretty wild ride, you're not entirely sure what the point of it all was. Still, there's no question it's an epic superhero adventure. If you don't expect it to mirror the original comic, there's a good chance you'll enjoy it.
Where to watch Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths: HBO Max
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