60 Fun Facts About DC Movie

Who played Superman in Richard Donner's 1978 film?

Christopher Reeve, a little-known stage actor, was cast as Superman in Richard Donner's 1978 film; Marlon Brando (Jor-El) and Gene Hackman (Lex Luthor) received top billing above him.

Which novelist received the story credit for Superman (1978)?

Mario Puzo, author of The Godfather, wrote the story and first-draft screenplay for Superman (1978); David Newman, Leslie Newman and Robert Benton reworked his script.

Which Kryptonian general, played by Terence Stamp, escapes the Phantom Zone in Superman II?

Zod, the Kryptonian general played by Terence Stamp, escapes the Phantom Zone in Superman II with his followers Ursa and Non and demands that the US President kneel before him.

Which comedian co-starred in Superman III as computer programmer Gus Gorman?

Richard Pryor plays Gus Gorman in Superman III (1983); Gorman substitutes tar for an unknown element when synthesising kryptonite, which turns Superman bad rather than killing him.

Who played Supergirl in the 1984 spin-off film?

Helen Slater made her film debut as Kara Zor-El in Supergirl (1984); Faye Dunaway played the villainous Selena and Marc McClure returned as Jimmy Olsen.

In the 1966 Batman film, which actress replaced Julie Newmar as the feline villainess?

Lee Meriwether played the feline villainess in the 1966 Batman feature because Julie Newmar was unavailable; Eartha Kitt later took the role in the TV series' third season.

Which director's hiring for the 1989 Batman, alongside a comedic leading man, provoked an outcry from fans?

Tim Burton, then known for Pee-wee's Big Adventure and Beetlejuice, was hired to direct Batman (1989); fans sent Warner Bros. thousands of protest letters over him and his comedic star.

Which pop star wrote songs for the 1989 Batman film?

Prince wrote and performed the Batman (1989) soundtrack album, including the US number-one single 'Batdance', while Danny Elfman composed the orchestral score.

In Batman Returns, who plays the Penguin, raised in the sewers by a colony of birds?

Danny DeVito played Oswald Cobblepot, the Penguin, in Batman Returns (1992); the production used dozens of live penguins alongside animatronics and a little CGI.

Who took over the cowl in Batman Forever?

Val Kilmer took over as Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever (1995), opposite Jim Carrey's Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones's Two-Face; Seal's 'Kiss from a Rose' came from its soundtrack.

Which action star played Mr. Freeze in Batman & Robin?

Arnold Schwarzenegger played Mr. Freeze in Batman & Robin (1997), billed above George Clooney's Batman; the film's reception halted live-action Batman films until Batman Begins in 2005.

Which Batman: The Animated Series film is the only DC Animated Universe film released theatrically?

Mask of the Phantasm (1993) was planned as a direct-to-video release before Warner Bros. sent it to cinemas; Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprised Batman and the Joker.

Who plays Ra's al Ghul, the League of Shadows leader, in Batman Begins?

Liam Neeson plays Ra's al Ghul in Batman Begins (2005), introduced under the alias Henri Ducard; the man first presented to Bruce as Ra's turns out to be a decoy.

Which villain does Cillian Murphy play in Batman Begins?

Cillian Murphy plays Dr. Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow, in Batman Begins (2005); he had screen-tested for Batman himself and returned as Crane in cameos in both sequels.

The Dark Knight was the first major motion picture to shoot sequences with which format?

The Dark Knight (2008) was the first major feature film shot partly with IMAX cameras; about 28 minutes of the finished film, including the opening bank heist, were captured in the format.

Heath Ledger's Joker earned him a posthumous Academy Award in which category?

Heath Ledger won Best Supporting Actor at the 2009 Academy Awards for The Dark Knight, a year after his death; he was only the second posthumous acting winner, after Peter Finch.

Which villain, played by Tom Hardy, threatens Gotham with nuclear destruction in The Dark Knight Rises?

Bane, played by Tom Hardy, holds Gotham hostage with a neutron bomb in The Dark Knight Rises (2012); Nolan drew on the 1993 'Knightfall' comics, in which Bane breaks Batman's back.

Which film launched the DC Extended Universe in 2013?

Man of Steel (2013), directed by Zack Snyder from a David S. Goyer script developed with Christopher Nolan, was the first film in what became the DC Extended Universe.

Who plays Superman in Man of Steel?

Henry Cavill plays Clark Kent in the 2013 film; Michael Shannon plays the Kryptonian villain and Kevin Costner plays Clark's adoptive father Jonathan Kent.

What shared name stops Batman from killing Superman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice?

Martha is the name of both Martha Wayne and Martha Kent; Superman's plea to 'save Martha' halts Batman in Batman v Superman (2016), a moment widely mocked by fans and critics.

Which is the only DCEU film to have won an Academy Award?

Suicide Squad (2016) won Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 2017 Academy Awards despite scathing reviews; no other DC Extended Universe film won an Oscar.

Who directed Wonder Woman (2017)?

Patty Jenkins, whose earlier film Monster (2003) won Charlize Theron an Oscar, directed Wonder Woman (2017) after joining the project in 2015.

In Wonder Woman, Diana leaves her home island after a spy tells her about which war?

World War I is the conflict Steve Trevor, played by Chris Pine, describes after crash-landing off Themyscira; Diana leaves believing Ares is behind the war.

What happened to Zack Snyder during the production of Justice League (2017)?

Zack Snyder left Justice League in May 2017. He stepped down after the death of his daughter, and Joss Whedon handled reshoots and shared screenplay credit while Snyder kept the directing credit.

On which streaming service was Zack Snyder's Justice League released in March 2021?

About $70 million was spent to finish the effects, score and edit, with new material shot in October 2020.

Which horror director made Aquaman (2018)?

James Wan, the director of Saw and The Conjuring, made Aquaman (2018), in which Arthur Curry battles his half-brother King Orm, played by Patrick Wilson.

Aquaman (2018) became the highest-grossing film based on a DC character with roughly what worldwide take?

Aquaman grossed about $1.15 billion worldwide, the fifth-biggest film of 2018 and more than any earlier film based on a DC character, including The Dark Knight Rises.

In Shazam!, which actor plays the adult superhero form of 14-year-old Billy Batson?

Zachary Levi plays the adult champion in Shazam! (2019), with Asher Angel as the teenage Billy Batson; the hero draws the wisdom of Solomon and the strength of Hercules.

Which award did Joker (2019) win at the Venice Film Festival?

The Golden Lion, Venice's top prize, went to Joker in 2019 under jury president Lucrecia Martel, a rare festival win for a comic-book film.

Joker (2019) was the first film with which rating to pass the ten-figure mark worldwide?

Joker's R rating did not stop it passing $1 billion worldwide in November 2019, the first R-rated film to do so; Deadpool had previously topped out near $783 million.

Who plays Harleen 'Lee' Quinzel in Joker: Folie à Deux?

Lady Gaga plays Lee Quinzel opposite Joaquin Phoenix in Joker: Folie à Deux (2024), a musical sequel that grossed little more than $200 million worldwide against a budget of about that size.

Which director helmed Birds of Prey (2020)?

Cathy Yan, whose only previous feature was the indie Dead Pigs (2018), directed Birds of Prey (2020), with Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Ewan McGregor as Black Mask.

In Wonder Woman 1984, which two villains does Diana face?

Maxwell Lord and Cheetah, played by Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig, are the villains of Wonder Woman 1984 (2020), which opened in US theaters and on streaming the same day.

In James Gunn's 2021 Task Force X sequel, the team is sent to destroy which giant alien?

Starro the Conqueror, a giant mind-controlling starfish, is the creature Task Force X is sent to destroy on Corto Maltese in James Gunn's 2021 film; Sylvester Stallone voices King Shark.

Who plays the Riddler as a serial killer in The Batman (2022)?

Paul Dano plays Edward Nashton, the Riddler, as a serial killer in The Batman (2022); Colin Farrell is an unrecognisable Penguin and Zoë Kravitz plays Selina Kyle.

Which superhero team does Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam clash with?

The Justice Society, with Pierce Brosnan's Doctor Fate and Aldis Hodge's Hawkman, confronts Black Adam in the fictional nation of Kahndaq in the 2022 film.

Which past Batman actor returned in The Flash (2023)?

Michael Keaton returned as his 1989 Batman in the 2023 film, whose story draws on DC's Flashpoint comic; Sasha Calle debuted as Supergirl.

Which actor plays Superman in James Gunn's 2025 film that launched the new DCU?

David Corenswet plays Superman in James Gunn's Superman (2025), with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor; Krypto the superdog steals scenes.

What is the title of the first chapter of James Gunn and Peter Safran's DCU?

Gods and Monsters is the title of DCU Chapter One, announced by James Gunn and Peter Safran in January 2023; Superman (2025) is its first feature film.

Which comic-book film won the Razzie for Worst Picture of 2004?

Catwoman (2004) took four Razzies including Worst Picture, and Halle Berry collected her Worst Actress award in person while holding the Oscar she had won for Monster's Ball.

Who played test pilot Hal Jordan in the 2011 Green Lantern film?

Ryan Reynolds played Hal Jordan in Green Lantern (2011), a box-office disappointment he later mocked repeatedly in the Deadpool films.

Which director made Superman Returns (2006), starring Brandon Routh?

Bryan Singer left the X-Men series to direct Superman Returns (2006), with Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor and Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane; a planned sequel was scrapped.

V for Vendetta's screenplay was written by which filmmaking siblings?

The Wachowskis wrote and produced V for Vendetta (2006) from Alan Moore and David Lloyd's comic; James McTeigue directed, and the release slipped from Guy Fawkes Night 2005 to March 2006.

Who voices Batman in The Lego Batman Movie?

Will Arnett voices Batman in The Lego Batman Movie (2017), reprising the role from The Lego Movie; Zach Galifianakis voices the Joker and Michael Cera plays Robin.

What did the 1966 Batman famously pull from the Batcopter to fend off a great white hanging from his leg?

Bat-shark repellent, kept in the Batcopter in a labelled spray can, sends the shark plunging away in the 1966 Batman feature, the first full-length theatrical Batman film, starring Adam West and Burt Ward.

In The Flash, Ezra Miller's Barry Allen travels back in time to prevent whose death?

His mother's death is what Barry undoes: he saves Nora Allen, which also keeps his father out of prison but splinters the timeline.

In Batman Returns, who plays Selina Kyle?

Michelle Pfeiffer played Selina Kyle in Batman Returns (1992) after Annette Bening, originally cast, dropped out when she became pregnant; Sean Young famously lobbied for the role in costume.

Which Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely comic did James Gunn cite as inspiration for his 2025 DCU launch film?

All-Star Superman, Morrison and Quitely's 2005-08 series, was named by James Gunn as a touchstone for Superman (2025), a film first announced as Superman: Legacy before the title was shortened in 2024.

Which actor from the Aquaman films plays the bounty hunter Lobo in Supergirl (2026)?

Jason Momoa plays Lobo in Supergirl (2026), directed by Craig Gillespie with Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El and based on Tom King's Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

Peter Safran compared the tone of the 2026 body-horror film Clayface to which 1986 movie?

Mike Flanagan wrote the script but could not direct; James Watkins took over with Tom Rhys Harries in the title role.

Which villain did James Gunn announce in 2025 for Man of Tomorrow?

Brainiac is the villain of Man of Tomorrow, announced by James Gunn in 2025 for a July 2027 release, in which Superman and Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor are forced to work together.

Which Entertainment Weekly writer jokingly coined the term 'DC Extended Universe' in 2015?

Keith Staskiewicz used 'DC Extended Universe' as a joke in a 2015 Entertainment Weekly piece; Warner Bros. only adopted the name officially years later, after DC said it had never used it internally.

What relic turns Jaime Reyes into Blue Beetle in the 2023 film?

The Scarab, an alien biotech relic called Khaji-Da, bonds to Jaime Reyes and gives him his armour in Blue Beetle (2023), starring Xolo Maridueña.

Which cursed weapon does David Kane obtain in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom?

The Black Trident, a cursed weapon holding the spirit of the ancient king Kordax, is found by David Kane in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), the DCEU's fifteenth and final film.

Who plays Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)?

Jesse Eisenberg plays a young, twitchy Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), a casting announced in January 2014 alongside Jeremy Irons as Alfred.

Who plays Green Lantern Guy Gardner in Superman (2025)?

Nathan Fillion plays Guy Gardner, the bowl-cut Green Lantern of the Justice Gang, in Superman (2025); he had earlier played T.D.K. in James Gunn's 2021 Task Force X film.

Where did filming for Superman (2025) begin in February 2024?

Norway's Svalbard archipelago hosted the first days of shooting for Superman (2025) in late February 2024; most of the shoot then took place at Trilith Studios near Atlanta, wrapping in July 2024.

Which animated DCU series, set before Superman, introduced Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.?

Creature Commandos, the animated series that premiered on Max in December 2024, was the DCU's first release and introduced Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., a role he reprises in Superman (2025).

Which director was chosen for the 2023 Blue Beetle film in February 2021?

Ángel Manuel Soto, the Puerto Rican director of Charm City Kings, was hired for Blue Beetle in February 2021; filming ran from May to July 2022 in Atlanta and Puerto Rico.

Which 2023 DCEU film did Gunn and Safran say would 'reset' the timeline for what followed?

The Flash (2023) was described by Gunn and Safran in January 2023 as the film that 'resets' the DC timeline; Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom were to follow it into the DCU.