Wonder Woman 1984: 5 DC films to watch while you wait for its release

5. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice saw Zack Snyder return as director in the follow-up film to his 2013 blockbuster, Man of Steel, which gave fans their first look at Henry Cavill as Superman (we miss you).

Dawn of Justice follows the aftermath of the battle between Zod and Superman. Bruce Wayne a.k.a. Batman sees the extraterrestrial as a threat. Like any great hero, he plans to take him out, but he isn’t the only one. Jesse Eisenberg plays Lex Luthor, who sees an opportunity to take the Kryptonian down now that Bruce is in town. Superman was caught between a rock and a hard place, but one commonality would bring him and The Dark Knight together.

This film is polarizing to this day. Ask 10 people about it and you’ll likely get 10 different answers. The controversy started with the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman and later Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. The cold takes are laughable, and Gadot took it in stride and went on to nail Diana Prince in her brief albeit significant role in a film.

Seeing the holy trinity of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman on-screen was a historic event for comic book fans. Dawn of Justice cemented the DC Extended Universe as an alternative to the MCU. While it didn’t always live up expectations, it was the first time we got to see Gal Gadot as the DCEU’s Wonder Woman – and it was unforgettable.