DC Animated Movie Universe

The DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU) is an American media franchise and shared universe of animated films distributed between 2013 and 2024 by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment. Based on characters from the DC Universe (DC Comics), the franchise is part of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line.

The main film series are split into two story arcs with different continuities. The first story arc began in 2013 with Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox and ended in 2020 with Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, while the second story arc, which was nicknamed as the "Tomorrowverse", began later that year with Superman: Man of Tomorrow and will conclude in 2024 with the Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths trilogy.

The franchise comprises twenty-six films overall, with tie-in media including 4 short films, one web series and two digital comics.

Development history

First story arc (2013–2020)

The franchise is initially loosely based on a set of New 52 storylines from the DC Universe. Following a teaser in the franchise's first film Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, a five-film story arc loosely based on the "Darkseid War" event written by Geoff Johns, started from Justice League: War and was later revisited in The Death of Superman, Reign of the Supermen and concluded in Justice League Dark: Apokolips War.

After the first story arc ended, screenwriter Ernie Altbacker teased the possibility of a new project related to that continuity. He said that "the way we ended it ... it's really like a tough balancing act: It ends something on a bittersweet yet hopeful note, and I'll just say, people who are saying, 'Oh man, we're not going to get anymore of these!' ... you're not losing something, you're gaining something new ..."

The DC Showcase short film Constantine: The House of Mystery was released in May 2022 and is a narrative sequel to Justice League Dark: Apokolips War.

Second story arc: "Tomorrowverse" (2020–2024)

Pre-production of the DCAMU's second story arc began a few years ago when Butch Lukic and Jim Krieg decided to plan out a ten-film story arc that would be set after the events of Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, which ends the first story arc with a universal reset. The arc itself originally was not planned to have the Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline as a major plot point, but these plans were eventually changed once executives from Warner Bros. Animation asked for it to serve as the finale.

Lukic and Krieg were also unaware of the Arrowverse's plans for their own adaptation at the time and only found out when Eric Carrasco contacted them, since he served as a writer for Justice League vs. the Fatal Five and knew them personally.

The franchise's second story arc has the art style and storyline being carried over to further films that were set in the same continuity. It gained the nickname of "Tomorrowverse" after the release of Superman: Man of Tomorrow.

Constantine: The House of Mystery continues certain story elements and helps set up the Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths plot, which was later confirmed to be a three-part storyline and serve as the overall conclusion to the DCAMU, with all the remaining films being scheduled to release in 2024.

List of featured media

Films

Cancelled adaptations

• Batman story arc "Going Sane"
• New Gods

Short films

Web series

Digital comics

Collected editions

Extended setting

• Super Friends (1973–1985)
• DC Animated Universe (1992–2006)
• Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans (2019)

List of characters and cast members

Reception

Sales

Sales figures represent DVD and Blu-ray sales in the United States. International sales, digital sales, and rentals are not included.

Accolades

In 2019, Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay and The Death of Superman were nominated for the Golden Reel Award in the category of "Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Sound Effects, Foley, Music, Dialogue and ADR for Non-Theatrical Animated Long Form Broadcast Media".

See also

• DC Animated Universe (1992–2006)
• Arrowverse (2012–2023)
• DC Extended Universe (2013–2023)
• DC Universe (2024)

References

External links

• DC Movie titles at dccomics.com