DCEU: All 16 DC Extended Universe films ranked from worst to best (including Aquaman 2)

4. Shazam!

It’s ironic that one of the lesser-known DC Comics superheroes was responsible for one of the DCEU’s greatest films, but that’s the irony that is Shazam!.

The latest entry in the franchise, the film stars Asher Angel as the young Billy Batson who has spent years running away from the system in an endless bid to find his own mother. That quest leads him to a supernatural entity and a heroic – and adult – other-half in the form of Shazam (Zachary Levi).

However, as being a hero was never something he wanted, he must rely on his new foster family, particularly the infectiously nerdy Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer) to show him the ropes. And the result is, well, really quite something.

Shazam! is undoubtedly the DCEU’s most unapologetically fun offering. It’s a superhero movie that never takes itself too seriously as it embraces the fun of its own genre. But it’s also about family and, thanks to the wonderful cast’s performances (and the holiday setting), it’s a heart-warming tale that you can enjoy again and again.

On that note, it’s hard to put into words just how enjoyable Shazam! truly is. A film that is, at its heart, about what it means to be a hero, this light-hearted triumph highlighted that there was hope for the future of the DCEU.