The hope was that Supergirl would continue Superman's momentum, but the reality is that it now ranks among the worst-reviewed modern DC movies (an era which began with 2005's Batman Begins).
When a new title is released, we typically share an updated ranking of a franchise's movies based on their Rotten Tomatoes scores. Love or hate the review aggregator, it plays a huge role in whether a movie succeeds and remains the best way of gauging the critical response to a new release.
The DCU is still in its infancy, so we're shaking things up and presenting you with a full breakdown of the worst-reviewed DC blockbusters. Unfortunately, Supergirl makes the list, but what follows might surprise you.
Check out this ranking by clicking on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
10. Supergirl - 57%
Critics Consensus: Millie Alcock brings a swagger to Kara Zor-El that'd make Krypton proud in this otherwise familiar origin story, dawning a promising new hero in the DCU who's still waiting for an adventure that matches her vigor.
Is Supergirl the worst superhero movie ever made? Heck no. It is, however, a disappointing sophomore outing from DC Studios that majorly drops the ball after last summer's Superman.
Billed as an adaptation of the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic book, it leaves everything great about that series on the cutting room floor and shoehorns Lobo in for good (or not so good) measure. Supergirl's biggest crime is that it's a crushing disappointment, but Milly Alcock soars.
9. Wonder Woman 1984 - 57%
Critics Consensus: Wonder Woman 1984 struggles with sequel overload, but still offers enough vibrant escapism to satisfy fans of the franchise and its classic central character.
Bizarrely, when the review embargo first lifted, Wonder Woman 1984 had a score in the high 80s and a completely different Critics Consensus from the one you can read above. Oh, and it was "Certified Fresh" for a time as well!
That all changed in the days that followed, hence why this sequel is "Rotten." The movie worked in places, but made some baffling creative decisions in others, with Cheetah the biggest let-down. After this sequel, we don't really mourn Wonder Woman 3 being scrapped.
8. Man Of Steel - 56%
Critics Consensus: Man of Steel's exhilarating action and spectacle can't fully overcome its detours into generic blockbuster territory.
Henry Cavill's Superman remains hugely popular with many fans. However, critics never seemed entirely sure what to make of a darker take on the character in Man of Steel (General Zod's death remains a huge talking point even seven years later).
There were a ton of iconic moments, including Superman taking flight for the first time and the memorable final reveal that he'd finally donned Clark Kent's iconic glasses to work at The Daily Planet. Still, not unlike Supergirl, it was perhaps a little too dark.
7. Shazam! Fury of the Gods - 49%
Critics Consensus: More unfocused and less satisfying than its predecessor, Shazam! Fury of the Gods still retains almost enough of the source material's silly charm to save the day.
Some might argue that critics were too harsh towards Shazam! Fury of the Gods, especially when they tore into much of what was praised in its predecessor. It's the fact that it doesn't break much new ground that may be the biggest problem.
There's fun to be had, and it certainly doesn't play like a "Rotten" movie. Still, the newly created villains were lame, Zachary Levi proved he was a one-trick pony who wasn't actually that well-suited to playing Shazam, and the story was forgettable at best, boring at worst.
6. Justice League - 39%
Critics Consensus: Justice League leaps over a number of DC movies, but its single bound isn't enough to shed the murky aesthetic, thin characters, and chaotic action that continue to dog the franchise.
Justice League was a mixture of two competing visions (Zack Snyder's original movie and Joss Whedon's extensive reshoots), but it certainly wasn't the worst superhero movie ever released.
Whedon's hopeful take on Superman was welcomed, but the cheesy humour was not, and Steppenwolf proved to be a major disappointment. Needless to say, the "Snyder Cut"—while overlong—blew this effort away, even if it also had its fair share of issues.
5. Black Adam - 39%
Critics Consensus: Black Adam may end up pointing the way to an exciting future for DC films, but as a standalone experience, it's a wildly uneven letdown.
Dwayne Johnson promised that the hierarchy of power in the DCEU would change with Black Adam, and while the character is certainly formidable, this wasn't the fresh start this franchise needed.
A mediocre movie, it hits far too many familiar plot beats and fails to do right by its characters, with a forgettable take on the Justice Society and a lot of annoying supporting players. Still, we can't fault the badass action scenes, and Johnson was a pretty decent fit for the DCEU's Teth-Adam.
4. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom - 33%
Critics Consensus: Jason Momoa remains a capable and committed leading man, but even DC diehards may feel that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom sticks to familiar waters.
The final DCEU movie was Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and it was arguably the worst superhero movie 2023 had to offer. Messy, uneven, and a product of all those creative issues, the sequel landed with a thud.
There's fun to be had, but longtime Aquaman fans were always sceptical about Jason Momoa's casting, and this movie seemingly proved them right. He's since taken on the role of Lobo, of course, and is basically still playing Aquaman, just in makeup now.
3. Joker: Folie á Deux - 31%
Critics Consensus: Joaquin Phoenix's eponymous Joker takes the stand in a sequel that dances around while the story remains still, although Lady Gaga's wildcard energy gives Folie á Deux some verve.
This abomination of a movie was little more than a vanity project for filmmaker Todd Phillips and actor Joaquin Phoenix. Riding high on the success of the first movie, they used that to their advantage and made a cringeworthy musical that was an insult to the DC mythology.
Of course, we didn't go in expecting a comic-accurate take on the Clown Prince of Crime, but this was also a chore for anyone who likes movies or musicals. Throw in one of the worst endings ever committed to film, and the Joker sequel is best forgotten.
2. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - 28%
Critics Consensus: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice smothers a potentially powerful story -- and some of America's most iconic superheroes -- in a grim whirlwind of effects-driven action.
It may have been vastly different from what Marvel Studios had always delivered in terms of tone, but Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice didn't deserve the negative reviews it received, even if there were some questionable creative decisions (sorry, Zack, Batman should never kill).
Seeing the Man of Steel go to war with the Dark Knight was a blast, and from a visual standpoint, Snyder delivered a stunning, epic movie. Still, we can't ignore the shoehorned-in cameos, some weird creative decisions—largely with Lex Luthor—and the worst Doomsday design ever.
1. Suicide Squad - 26%
Critics Consensus: Suicide Squad boasts a talented cast and a little more humor than previous DCEU efforts, but they aren't enough to save the disappointing end result from a muddled plot, thinly written characters, and choppy directing.
Task Force X's debut was a box office hit, but behind-the-scenes issues meant that the finished product was a mess. There was a lot here that worked, and it's a shame people still tend to focus on what didn't, as the dynamic between these villains was a blast.
Ultimately, it was Harley Quinn and Deadshot who stole the show thanks to Margot Robbie and Will Smith. Director David Ayer, meanwhile, continues to insist that his "Ayer Cut" is better and that it will one day be released (it won't). The less said about Jared Leto's Joker, the better.