MovieChat Forums > Superman: Unbound (2013) Discussion > Most of the DC animated films can be in ...

Most of the DC animated films can be in the same continuity...

posted 11 years ago by sanddragon939
17 replies | jump to latest

I'm referring of course to the 'original animated films' line.

I know that for the most part, they are supposed to be stand-alone, but I think the majority of them can fit into the same universe/continuity. Moreover, I think if you arrange them in chronological order, they make up a coherent timeline that spans the DC Universe from the early days to the present...and by watching the films in that order, you can pretty much witness the evolution of the DC Universe and its heroes.

This is how I feel the timeline would go for the DC 'animated film' continuity-

Batman: Year One

Wonder Woman

Green Lantern: First Flight

Superman: Doomsday

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths

Batman: Under the Red Hood

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights

Justice League Doom

Superman vs. the Elite

Superman Unbound

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (?)

Now there are obviously a lot of the other films which simply cannot fit in. 'Batman: Gotham Knights' is meant to be set in the Nolanverse. 'All Star Superman', 'Justice League: The New Frontier' and 'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns' are all essentially 'Elseworlds' stories set in their own separate continuities. But that apart I think all the DC movies are meant to be in the same canon.

[–] kyle747 11 years ago

You can watch them in order, I have a preferred viewing order for Bruce Timm's Batman films.

Batman: Year One (or Batman Begins)

Batman: The Animated Series

Superman/Batman: World's Finest (from Superman TAS)

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (should have been named The Girl Who Fell from The Sky)

Batman: Under The Red Hood

The Dark Knight Returns - Part #1

The Dark Knight Returns - Part #2

Batman Beyond

[–] Otaku-sempai 11 years ago

But that apart I think all the DC movies are meant to be in the same canon.

With the exception of the two-part Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, the DC Universe Animated Original movies are meant to stand by themselves, even the ones that have a logical progression in the comics (Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and Superman/Batman: Apocalypse).

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[–] sanddragon939 11 years ago

That's what I said...they're meant to be stand-alone, but they CAN fit into the same continuity as well.

[–] superturbo4 11 years ago

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths for example can fit inbetween Justice League Season 2 and that of Justice League Unlimited.

As it explains where Wonder Woman got her Invisible Jet from doesn't it? And the League was in the middle of adding more members into their group after the Starcrossed episodes apparently!

ST4

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[–] sanddragon939 11 years ago

Well, Crisis on Two Earths was originally intended to be a movie set between JL and JLU...but it never materialized. Instead, they recycled the script and made it a stand-alone movie, replacing John Stewart with Hal Jordan. I'm not sure who Flash was supposed to be in the movie, but it could easily have been Barry.

[–] superturbo4 11 years ago

It was undoubtedly Wally thankfully.

Barry Allen wasn't ever a comic relief character and wouldn't have banged his head on Wonder Woman's Invisible Jet at the end of the film as The Flash did there.

Barry Allen was used as The Flash in; Justice League: Doom and Justice League: New Frontier though.

ST4

Name's Django, The "D" is silent.

[–] Jschaeffer07 11 years ago

I'm not sure you understand what DTV actually means.

With only a few exceptions, these movies are not stand alones. They are directly taken from the main universe. Some are amalgams. Flashpoint will be from the Earth-0 continuity.

This isn't even debatable.

also the Flash in JL/JLU/Crisis of Two-Earths is an amalgaml Bruce Timm loves making amalgams. It is Wally's name and personality, but Barry's power and origins. Barry's occupation too.

[–] libra113 11 years ago

Well, having read the material that "Superman Unbound" is based on I can say, in the comics at least, this wasn't Superman's first encounter with Brainiac exactly so much as his first encounter with the REAL Brainiac. It still mentions the Milton Fine version and the other versions in between as being probes of his (Fine is mentioned as being infested with nanites as I recall).

As for the "Green Lantern" movies there's a continuity issue there in that "First Flight" ends with Sinestro going evil but he's still a Green Lantern in "Emerald Knights" AND there's a segment predicting his becoming evil and forming the Sinestero Corps.

Still, it's a nice effort to unite the movies and sometimes I wish they had established a continuity between them but I guess this way they can do ones that interconnect (I still think the Superman/Batman movies are connected since they were in the comics and there are references in the second one to the down fall of President Luther). I guess this way they can have it both ways.

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[–] OrinAGN 11 years ago

You don't know what stand-alone means.

The movies stand alone from each other. That's what it means.

The expression has nothing to do with what they're based on or inspired by.

[–] OrinAGN 11 years ago

I have my own listing, which includes DCAU stuff.
Ignoring certain elements from various movies I've worked out my own list for a fun weekend marathon of films.

1. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (origin for Batman/ exists before Superman)

2. Superman: The Last Son of Krypton (origin/introduces Luthor/introduces Metallo/mentions Batman)

3. Batman: Gotham Knight (Batman established/ watch "Crossfire", "Working Through Pain", "Deadshot")

4. Wonder Woman (origin)

5. World’s Finest: The Batman/Superman Movie (already established/first team-up)

6. DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection (introduces Green Arrow and Captain Marvel)

7. Justice League: The New Frontier (Green Lantern & Martian Manhunter Origin/Introduces young Robin)

8. Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero (Features older Robin)

9. Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (backstory/Sinestro still good)

10. Superman: Doomsday (Doomsday/Superman well established in career/Superman "dies")

11. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (S/B relationship pre-established/Mentions Superman's "death"/ Luthor seeks revenge & arrested)

12. Green Lantern: First Flight (ignoring 5 minutes of origin/Sinestro becomes evil)

13. Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (all heroes established/Luthor of Main Earth in prison)

14. All-Star Superman (Luthor removed from prison by US GOV/seeking revenge/Superman set to return from Sun eventually)

15. Batman: Under the Red Hood (Robin now Nightwing/2nd Robin covered)

16. Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (Doomsday established/Supergirl introduced)

17. Justice League: Doom (All heroes established/introduces Cyborg)

18. Superman vs. The Elite (Lois already knows Superman's Identity)

(Upcoming)
Superman Unbound
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox - Don't know where to put these yet

???. (End of list)
Batman Beyond: The Movie
Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker

[–] julekmeister 11 years ago

Superman Unbound could fit somewhere after Superman/Batman: Apocalypse movie, since Kara has some problems adjusting to life on Earth and it is stated, that she arrived on the planet just a couple of months ago. Although other than that, there are no other indications of major events from the past, so it is truly a stand-alone film. And probably you could fit it in anywhere before first encounter with Brainiac.

[–] jritty 11 years ago

I love the stand alone nature of these films - as I believe that's what the animated films should be like - as opposed to the features. Personally I would have preferred Batman 5 over Nolan's fresh start AND a sequel to superman returns over Man of Steel. I don't like wiping out HISTORY in favor a reboot. To me that shows no real interest and sense of history. The story for Batman 5 sounded great. 5 years after B & R, Batman is semi-retired and Nightwing and Batgirl are the primary heroes until batgirl is KILLED by man-bat with the city believing it to be batman. toss is scarecrows plot to poison the city and a cameo by Jack Nicholson - FORGET ABOUT IT. That sounded dope. And I loved the way S Returns bypassed 3 & 4 and was a better sequel to the original 2. It just wasn't as exciting as it should have been but ALOT of it was great and could have rectified with an exciting sequel.

What i'd love to see is a burton/schumacher produced animated Batman 5. Voiced by Keaton, Odonnell, Silverstone and Nicholson... and I think animation is a GREAT and totally UNUSED medium for makign sequels we'll never see. I would MUCH rather see an animated (cuz the game was SICK) Ghosbusters 3 with ALL the voices over a half assed passing the torch feature with no bill murray. And ANYTHING sells nowdays and animation could be a great route to continuing 'lost' or basically UNENDED series alot of people grew up with and still love.

Superman Unbound was just OK imo ("So, you're...Braniac..?" - WOW what terrible dialogue for Superman). Doom, Crisis and Red Hood been the best. DKR was solid but a lil lacking. Overall they're mostly very good. For some reason I find the superman ones the weakest...

Edit - the movie actually picked up in the second half - it's worth watching.

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[–] AtariBaby 11 years ago

I would never recommend this list to anyone. Reason? Most of these movies are subpar. I would just turn people on to the series'. And even then I would stop at JLU. If someone can get through the slow beginning of TAS and appreciate the crude hand-drawn animation, now a thing of the past, then the content just gets better and better as one moves forward. I would pick maybe two or three of the animated film releases to recommend to anyone. To be fair to Timm, they kicked him upstairs and made him an exec producer long ago.

[–] ReelReviews14 11 years ago

What about Superman: Brainiac Attacks? I watched it back to back with Superman Unbound since they're both about Brainac.

Unbound is an origin film about Brainac, whereas Superman is already very familiar with him in Braniac Attacks, so it would make sense to watch Unbound and then Braniac Attacks. The problem with that is that Lois Lane ALREADY knows Clark Kent's true identity from the START of Unbound (an aspect of the movie I really didn't like, BTW), but she has no idea in Braniac Attacks. Superman considers revealing it her during the course of the movie, but decides not to.

[–] casbyness 11 years ago

I just like the way that Unbound makes a good direct sequel to Apocalypse :)

[–] lferrigon-1 11 years ago

I agree Unbound was a good continuation.

[–] Mithrandir-Olorin33 9 years ago

Following the comics Superman/Batman:Supergirl is before Under The Red Hood.

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