Superman/Batman: Apocalypse

The end is near.

RELEASED 28 Sept 20101h 19m★ 7.2 TMDB

Batman discovers a mysterious teen-aged girl with superhuman powers and a connection to Superman. When the girl comes to the attention of Darkseid, the evil overlord of Apokolips, events take a decidedly dangerous turn.

WATCH NOTE

This entry covers the feature. Its Blu-ray and two-disc special-edition DVD also package the separate DC Showcase: Green Arrow (2010) short, catalogued independently. Watching that bonus short is optional; its runtime and characters are excluded from this feature.

Why it matters in DC

A young woman connected to Superman draws both Batman and Darkseid into a conflict over her place in the world. The film expands the Superman/Batman pairing toward the Superman family and Apokolips, shifting attention from their partnership to the responsibilities it creates for others.

Watch these first

4 titles to watch before Superman/Batman: Apocalypse — 21h 51m in total.

Justice League: Crisis on Two EarthsOptional background1h 15m★ 7.3
A separate adaptation of Batman and Superman and Wonder Woman; useful for comparison, but unrelated to Superman/Batman: Apocalypse’s story continuity.
Batman: Under the Red HoodOptional background1h 15m★ 7.8
A separate adaptation of Batman; useful for comparison, but unrelated to Superman/Batman: Apocalypse’s story continuity.
DC Super Friends: The Joker's PlayhouseOptional background0h 17m★ 5.2
A separate adaptation of Superman and Batman; useful for comparison, but unrelated to Superman/Batman: Apocalypse’s story continuity.
MADOptional background19h 4m★ 8.0
A separate adaptation of Batman and Superman and Wonder Woman; useful for comparison, but unrelated to Superman/Batman: Apocalypse’s story continuity.

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How these titles are 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

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is title 13 of 118 in our Animated Elseworlds viewing sequence. Apocalypse is the second Superman/Batman feature in this catalogue pairing, following Public Enemies as a useful starting point for the central partnership. Its focus shifts toward Superman's family and Darkseid. It is separate from the later connected animated movie universe and should not be placed inside that universe's Superman sequel chain.

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