Across the history of the DC Universe, there have been many incredibly dark movie moments. Long before the beginning of the DCEU’s movie timeline, DC characters were being adapted to the big screen. The iconic heroes and villains of the comics featuring in high-stakes battles has led to many memorable moments throughout the history of DC movies, with some standing out above others for being decidedly less uplifting than one might expect from the superhero genre.
The movies of the DCEU brought many such moments to life, but other DC movies have also featured their share of darkness. At moments when the villain prevails, or when a hero is forced to make an impossible choice, the superhero stories of DC movies often tread dark or disturbing ground. Future DC movies under James Gunn may well embrace a lighter tone, but until then, here are the 10 darkest DC movie moments of all time.
10 Batman’s DCEU Introduction
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
The DCEU was often criticized for being needlessly dark and gritty, and one regularly-cited example of these traits is the introduction of the franchise’s version of Batman. Ben Affleck’s older iteration of the Caped Crusader was a hardened crime-fighter who had lost his willingness to preserve the lives of criminals, and his introduction outlined just how violent his tactics were. In a scene that is, quite literally, one of the darkest in the DCEU, Batman acts in a decidedly unheroic manner.
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20 8/10 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice PG-13
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*Availability in US Director Zack Snyder Release Date March 24, 2016 Cast Ben Affleck , Henry Cavill , Amy Adams , Jesse Eisenberg , Diane Lane , Laurence Fishburne , Jeremy Irons , Holly Hunter , Gal Gadot Runtime 152 minutes
While saving victims of human trafficking, Batman is shown killing some criminals, and branding others with the Bat-symbol. The vigilante’s reckless disregard for human life is one of the main sources of tension between Batman and Superman, making it a major plot point in Batman v Superman. Even so, seeing a traditionally heroic figure such as Batman violently killing and permanently scarring criminals was a particularly dark and shocking chapter in DC movie history.
9 Dark Flash’s Identity Reveal
The Flash (2023)
Though 2023’s The Flash was far from DC’s finest hour on the big screen, the movie did feature some dark moments of its own. After encountering a dark entity in the Speed Force, Barry Allen finds himself trying to save an alternate reality in which his mother was still alive. When his fellow heroes die at the hands of General Zod, Barry attempts to undo their deaths, only to learn the true identity of the main antagonist in The Flash’s cast: himself.
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6.5/10 The Flash PG-13
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*Availability in US Director Andres Muschietti Release Date June 16, 2023 Cast Ezra Miller , Michael Keaton , Ben Affleck , Sasha Calle , Michael Shannon Runtime 2 hours 24 minutes
The Flash learning that his obsession with saving his friends and loved ones will turn him into a villain is a deceptively dark moment. It’s a point in the hero’s story where he’s forced to accept the deaths of his friends and his mother as inevitable, despite having the ability to change the past. It’s a tragic and emotional development that explores how even the best of intentions can lead to incredibly dark moments.
8 Billy Meets His Mother
Shazam! (2019)
Many superheroes have tragic origin stories, but it’s not often that movies depict the specific moment that emotionally crushes them. Despite being largely comedic in tone, 2019’s Shazam! featured an unexpectedly dark moment relating to Billy Batson’s origins. After being lost as a child, Billy ended up being fostered by various families, hoping one day to find his way back to his mother. When he does so, it doesn’t go entirely to plan.
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7.8/10 Shazam! PG-13
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*Availability in US Director David F. Sandberg Release Date April 5, 2019 Cast Zachary Levi , Faithe Herman , Jack Dylan Grazer , Ian Chen , Asher Angel , Marta Milans , Mark Strong , Cooper Andrews , Andi Osho , grace fulton , Ron Cephas Jones , Ava Preston Runtime 132 Minutes
After finding his mother, Billy is confronted by the awful truth: she chose to give him up. As Billy has spent the majority of his young life waiting to be reunited with his biological mother, the devastating emotional blow is an especially dark moment. It’s a scene that highlights just how vulnerable Billy is, and that in spite of his staggering magical abilities, he’s just as human as anyone else.
7 Arthur’s Ending
Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
For all its many failings, Joker: Folie à Deux picked up where its predecessor left off to explore the effects Arthur Fleck’s crime spree had on the man beneath the make-up. The sequel is packed full of moments that shine a light on the dark side of the human experience, but Folie à Deux’s ending proved to be particularly upsetting. At the end of a troubled narrative arc, Arthur Fleck’s story ends in abrupt tragedy.
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62 5.2/10 Joker: Folie a Deux R
Director Todd Phillips Release Date October 4, 2024 Cast Joaquin Phoenix , Lady Gaga , Brendan Gleeson , Catherine Keener , Zazie Beetz , Steve Coogan , Harry Lawtey , Leigh Gill , Jacob Lofland , Sharon Washington , Troy Fromin , Bill Smitrovich , John Lacy , Ken Leung Runtime 138 Minutes
After admitting his guilt and renouncing his actions as criminal deeds, Arthur seemingly settles in to face the consequences. However, it all comes to an early end when Arthur is unceremoniously stabbed and killed by a man who had seemingly been inspired by the Joker persona. Seeing the darkness prevail even over Arthur’s crisis of conscience not only speaks to the power the Joker holds over Gotham, but ends the character’s story in a senselessly tragic manner.
6 Darkseid Defeats The Justice League
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War might not be the most well-known DC movie ever made, but it does feature one of the darkest moments in the history of DC adaptations. The movie begins with a scene in which the Justice League attack Darkseid on Apokolips, only to be overwhelmed by his forces. The resulting battle sees the majority of the Justice League killed, and others enslaved by Darkseid.
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Justice League Dark: Apokolips War R
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*Availability in US Director Matt Peters , Christina Sotta Release Date May 5, 2020 Cast Matt Ryan , Jerry O’Connell , Taissa Farmiga , Rosario Dawson , Rainn Wilson , Rebecca Romijn , Jason O’Mara , Camilla Luddington , Shemar Moore , John DiMaggio Runtime 90 Mins
Watching as Darkseid and his minions brutally kill some of DC’s most powerful heroes is undeniably dark. Even more so, seeing him enslave and torture Superman is far more disturbing, making the moment especially noteworthy as a result. The scene in which Darkseid defeats the Justice League is about as dark as they come, as it shows numerous iconic heroes laid low by the forces of evil in a way that many DC fans never thought would be adapted to the big screen.
5 The Murder Of Ricky
Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
Image via Warner Bros.
Ricky is one of the original characters written specifically for Joker: Folie à Deux, and his role in the movie is deceptively important. As one of Arthur Fleck’s fellow inmates, Ricky looks up to Arthur, particularly down to the way he was perceived to have rallied against the system. After Arthur is brutally beaten by the guards, Ricky attempts to speak up on his behalf, only to be strangled by one of the people tasked with keeping the peace inside Arkham Asylum.
Ricky’s death is a dark moment, mostly due to the innocent nature of the character and his earnest attempt to connect with Arthur being his undoing. It’s a scene that echoes real-world issues, but it’s also a hugely significant moment for Folie à Deux’s protagonist, who recognizes his own role in Ricky’s death. It’s a scene that’s dark enough to be difficult to watch, due to the context and the nuance involved.
4 Batman’s Nuclear “Death”
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The final film in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy ends the story of Christian Bale’s Batman in a singularly memorable fashion, with the Caped Crusader retiring and passing the mantle down to another capable individual. The manner of Batman’s retirement is somewhat deceptive, and though it’s not an obviously dark moment, it appears more so on closer inspection. In a final act of heroism, Batman seemingly sacrifices his life to save Gotham City from a nuclear blast.
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30 8.6/10 The Dark Knight Rises PG-13
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*Availability in US Director Christopher Nolan Release Date July 16, 2012 Cast Christian Bale , Tom Hardy , Anne Hathaway , Gary Oldman , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Marion Cotillard , Morgan Freeman , Michael Caine Runtime 164 Minutes
After showing Bruce Wayne’s funeral and a tearful Alfred, whose self-proclaimed worst fears have been realized, The Dark Knight Rises confirms that Bruce actually survived. Alfred glimpses Bruce in Florence with Selina Kyle, adding an even darker turn to his supposed death. The scene reveals that Alfred’s grief was entirely preventable, and that Bruce simply wanted his only surviving father figure to believe him dead.
3 Arthur Killing Randall
Joker (2019)
2019’s Joker explored the incredibly dark journey of Arthur Fleck as he assumed the persona of the iconic Batman villain, with multiple moments marking his descent further into the chaotic ideology of his alter-ego. One of the biggest turning points in Arthur’s story comes when he learns the truth about his mother, and reacts by smothering her to death. In his grief, Arthur is visited by two former colleagues, and when Randall mentions the police, Arthur begins stabbing his friend to death.
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14 8.3/10 Joker (2019) R
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*Availability in US Director Todd Phillips Release Date October 2, 2019 Cast Joaquin Phoenix , Robert De Niro , Zazie Beetz , Frances Conroy , Brett Cullen , Shea Whigham Runtime 122 minutes
The scene is perhaps the most visceral depiction of violence in Joker, as it shows Arthur’s crimes continuing to escalate in severity. His detached emotional state and muted reactions to committing such a violent act makes the scene even darker, erasing any potential sympathy the audience might still have harbored for the character. It’s one of the darkest scenes in one of the darkest DC movies ever made, simply due to the unexpected brutal violence on display.
2 Arthur Shoots Murray On Live TV
Joker (2019)
Shortly after murdering his friend Randall, Arthur Fleck makes a scheduled appearance on the Murray Franklin show, engaging in a live interview to discuss his stalling comedy career. Arthur instead plans to use his time on the show to end his own life, until Murray insults him after he admits his crimes. Arthur responds with a joke, punctuating it by shooting Murray dead live on air.
The plausibility of such a moment makes it all too disturbing, and that’s a sentiment that’s bolstered by Joaquin Phoenix’s utterly hypnotic performance. Arthur revels in the chaos that unfolds following Murray’s unexpected public execution at his hands, soaking in the fear of the audience around him. It’s a moment that’s reminiscent of multiple real-life tragedies, and it also taps into just how far Athur Fleck has spiraled into his violent persona.
1 Joker Appears On Gotham City’s News
The Dark Knight (2008)
2008’s The Dark Knight featured one of the most disturbing movie villains of all time in the form of Heath Ledger’s Joker. Ledger’s version of the Clown Prince of Crime was a much darker and more grounded take on the character than had ever been attempted before, captivating audiences with his mesmerizing frenetic energy and dedication to inciting chaos in Gotham. One act in particular cements Ledger’s Joker as the darkest villain in DC movie history.
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16 9.6/10 The Dark Knight PG-13
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*Availability in US Director Christopher Nolan Release Date July 18, 2008 Cast Christian Bale , Heath Ledger , Michael Caine , Morgan Freeman , Nestor Carbonell , Ritchie Coster , Cillian Murphy , Chin Han , Gary Oldman , Eric Roberts , William Fichtner , Aaron Eckhart , Maggie Gyllenhaal , David Dastmalchian , Anthony Michael Hall Runtime 152 Minutes Expand
During his crusade to unmask Batman, the Joker kidnaps a copycat vigilante, and makes a recording which is then sent to Gotham News. The footage shows the Joker torturing and taunting the man, before murdering him and hanging his corpse from a building. The video paints Joker as a domestic terrorist, with the tone of his video not dissimilar to real-life examples of hostage tapes, making it one of the darkest and most disturbing scenes in the history of the DC Universe.
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Superman (2025)
Release Date July 11, 2025
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Release Date June 26, 2026
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Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
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