Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

The greatest gladiator match in the history of the world.

RELEASED 23 Mar 20162h 32m★ 6.0 TMDB★ Essential pick

Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.

Why it matters in DC

Bringing Batman into direct conflict with Superman turns the existence of superheroes into a public and moral problem. The film connects Clark's story to a wider world of heroes while making fear of unchecked power a force capable of dividing its potential defenders.

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1 title to watch before Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice — 2h 23m in total.

Man of SteelStory prerequisite2h 23m★ 6.7

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How this title is selected

Story prerequisites are curated. Likely prerequisites are inferred from sequel numbering or explicit synopsis references. Recommendations are earlier stories in the same continuity; background picks are separate adaptations. Series lists cover whole shows, not an episode-by-episode watch order.

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Where it fits in the DC universe

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is title 4 of 16 in our DC Extended Universe viewing sequence. This is the bridge from Man of Steel to the DCEU's Justice League story, bringing Batman and Wonder Woman into Superman's wider world. Man of Steel supplies the immediate context for the conflict around Clark. Choose a version of Justice League afterwards; watching both cuts as consecutive adventures would repeat the team's formation.

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