Characters of the DC Extended Universe

The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is a shared universe centered on a group of film franchises based on characters by DC Comics and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Despite numerous film franchise in the past on characters such as Superman and Batman, none of those film series were connected. The DCEU debuted in 2013 with Man of Steel, centered on Superman, and has grown to include other characters such as Batman, Wonder Woman, and several others included in this list. The shared universe, much like the original DC Universe in the comics, was established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters, and crossed over with separate timelines from other DC-licensed film series in The Flash to create a "multiverse" before being largely rebooted as the new DC Universe franchise under new management from DC Studios, with the previous universe concluding in 2023 with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

The DCEU centers mostly on superhero characters, including the members of what would become the Justice League, but also features antiheroes such as Floyd Lawton / Deadshot, Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn, Christopher Smith / Peacemaker, and Teth-Adam / Black Adam.^[1]

Clark Kent (portrayed by Henry Cavill, Channing Tatum, David Corenswet and more), born Kal-El, is a Kryptonian refugee sent to Earth by his parents Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van prior to the planet's destruction and is raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent in Smallville, Kansas. As the Sun's radiation enhances his cells, Clark develops superhuman abilities, but struggles with his identity when Jonathan reveals his otherworldly origins. After Jonathan's death, Clark travels the world trying to find himself and eventually discovers his true identity after finding a Kryptonian scout ship. He eventually embraces his powers after learning from his biological father's hologram, gaining the military codename Superman as he uses his powers to protect the Earth's citizens. Superman eventually comes to odds with Batman before finding commonality and inspires Batman and other vigilantes and metahumans to band together and protect the world from greater threats.

Cavill is the first non-American actor to portray Superman in film. In addition, Zack Snyder has aimed to give Superman a more realistic arc in his DCEU films as opposed to in the past and not be a "one-dimensional Boy Scout".^[2]

Bruce Wayne (portrayed by Ben Affleck) is the multibillionaire CEO of Wayne Enterprises, but secretly moonlights as the feared vigilante Batman in an effort to battle crime in Gotham City, taking inspiration from his parents' deaths and his fear of bats to crack down on criminal activity. He has been active as Batman for 20 years prior to Clark Kent's emergence as Superman, becoming jaded and disillusioned over time, especially after the murder of his protégé Robin. Bruce antagonizes Superman after personally witnessing the Battle of Metropolis, in which the ruckus caused by the Kryptonians destroys a considerable part of the city, including the destruction of Wayne Tower and the deaths of a large portion of Wayne's workforce in Metropolis. He is determined to kill the Man of Steel until finding commonality with him and later becomes inspired by Superman's selflessness and sacrifice, later recruiting other metahumans around the globe to form the Justice League and embarking on a path to redemption after years of moral ambiguity.^[2]

The DCEU iteration of Batman is notably older and more battle-weary than previous cinematic portrayals. Affleck's Batman is described as the "angriest we'd ever seen" by Screen Rant,^[3] and was inspired by Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns comic storyline.

Diana of Themyscira (portrayed by Gal Gadot), commonly known by her civilian name Diana Prince, is an immortal Amazon warrior from the hidden island of Themyscira who is the daughter of Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons and the Greek God, Zeus, the king of the Olympians. Upon venturing to the world of Men after Steve Trevor crash-lands on Themyscira and warns of a global conflict threatening the world, Diana begins protecting mankind as Wonder Woman, secretly living amongst humanity while ending conflicts for nearly 100 years and gradually learning more about the world after living a sheltered life on Themyscira. Diana is inspired by Steve's bravery and learns to find the goodness in mankind, despite evil existing in the world. She is brought back to the forefront after an extraterrestrial threat emerges, with Bruce Wayne recruiting her and other metahumans to fight against the forces of Apokolips.

Despite being part of DC Comics' main "trinity" of superhero characters alongside Superman and Batman, Wonder Woman did not debut on the silver screen until her appearance in Batman v Superman in 2016. Gadot was originally offered the role of Faora in Man of Steel, but turned it down due to pregnancy at the time. This paved the way for her casting as Wonder Woman, with Zack Snyder saying she had the "magical quality" that made her perfect for the role.^[4]

Arthur Curry (portrayed by Jason Momoa) is a brooding metahuman with aquatic superpowers, later gaining the moniker Aquaman. The son of, Thomas “Tom” Curry, a human lighthouse keeper and Atlanna, queen of Atlantis, Curry is portrayed as a reluctant hero. Dealing with his dual identity, he chooses to hide among humanity despite helping in small doses. After being sought out by Batman to join the Justice League and stop Steppenwolf, Arthur is later called by his old mentor Nuidis Vulko and Mera to claim his rightful spot as King of Atlantis, regaining confidence in himself.

Aquaman was heavily redesigned in the DCEU, sporting tattoos and a gruff demeanor as opposed to his comics counterpart who is often ridiculed due to his campy depiction in previous adaptations of the source material.^[5] Critics have described this iteration of the character as an extension of the "larger than life actor who portrays him, Jason Momoa".^[6]

Barry Allen (portrayed by Ezra Miller) is a college student and a metahuman with the ability to move at supersonic speeds, along with time-traveling abilities. As his father Henry was wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and Barry's mother Nora, Barry seeks to prove his father's innocence while occasionally engaging in vigilantism with his superpowers. Batman discovers Barry upon recruiting metahumans to join the Justice League upon the forces of Apokolips arriving on Earth.^[7] First cast in 2014, Miller made cameo appearances in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Suicide Squad (2016) before appearing properly in Justice League (2017) and the 2021 director's cut Zack Snyder's Justice League. Miller would later make future appearances as the character in the Arrowverse crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths (2019-2020) and the season one finale of Peacemaker. Miller reprised the role in The Flash (2023), the first ever solo film for the character.^[8][9][10]

Victor Stone (portrayed by Ray Fisher) is a former college football player who suffers devastating injuries in a car accident that also kills his mother, Elinore. Rebuilt into a cyborg by his estranged father, Silas, Victor is recruited by Wonder Woman and Batman to join the Justice League. Initially refusing to join at first, he joins the team after his father is endangered and the device that rebuilt him, one of three Mother Boxes, is being sought by Steppenwolf. Victor provides the team key intel on the devices, and while working with the League, he learns to trust others again, overcome his trauma, and use his new abilities for the greater good, becoming instrumental in stopping Steppenwolf from terraforming Earth with the Mother Boxes. Following the battle, he accepts his new abilities and potential as Cyborg.

Cyborg's character development in the theatrical cut of Justice League was controversially cut down and minimalized by the studio and replacement director Joss Whedon, despite the character being described as the "heart of the movie" in Zack Snyder's original version, which has since been released as Zack Snyder's Justice League. Fisher's performance in the latter version of the film has received critical acclaim.^[11] Prior to landing the role, Fisher was a little-known theater actor.^[12]

Billy Batson (portrayed by Asher Angel) is a mischievous and troubled teenager from Philadelphia in the foster-care system. Having been abandoned at a carnival at a young age by his single mother, Marilyn, Billy has gained a reputation as a "problem child", repeatedly escaping from foster homes and hijacking police cruisers to locate his mother. After being apprehended again, Billy is placed into the home of the Vazquez family, which also has other foster children such as Freddy Freeman and Mary Bromfield. Upon returning from school on the subway, he is contacted by the dying wizard Shazam, who bestows his powers to Billy after deeming him worthy as his champion.

Gaining the ability to transform into an adult superhero (portrayed by Zachary Levi) upon calling the name "Shazam", Billy creates a YouTube channel with Freddy to display his superpowers and continues to act mischievously until friction occurs with his foster siblings and Doctor Sivana emerges, being envious of Billy's powers and wanting them himself after being denied by Shazam earlier. Billy realizes the importance of using his powers for good, battling Sivana and the Seven Deadly Sins with little success at first. After he learns why his mother abandoned him, Billy accepts his foster family as his true family, sharing his superpowers with his siblings and creating the Shazam Family, which allows them all to defeat Sivana and imprison the Seven Deadly Sins and fully staff Shazam's temple.

Dr. Harleen Quinzel (portrayed by Margot Robbie) first appears in Suicide Squad as an up-and-coming psychiatrist who works with the Joker, falling madly in love with him and being swayed to insanity and a life of crime by the "Clown Prince" of crime. Picking up the moniker Harley Quinn, she and Joker terrorize Gotham City until she is apprehended by Batman. She is later recruited by Amanda Waller along with Deadshot and other criminals into Task Force X, also known as the Suicide Squad, before Joker breaks her out. Birds of Prey explores Harley's misadventures and personal development after she breaks up with Joker, while The Suicide Squad (2021) sees her re-incarcerated and sent on another mission with a later roster of the Suicide Squad.

Harley's character arc in the films sees her go from being defined by her abusive relationship with Joker to becoming more independent and willing to help society, despite her malevolent tendencies and chaotic, unpredictable personality.^[13][14] Robbie stated that it took three hours to prepare her hair, makeup and costume for the role and "at least 45 minutes" to take it off.^[15]

Floyd Lawton (portrayed by Will Smith) is introduced as the main protagonist of Suicide Squad as the "most wanted hitman in the world", Deadshot. Trained to kill with precision using a wide variety of weapons, including even a potato cannon, Deadshot maintains a professional persona as long as he is paid, holding a moral code to never kill women or children, and has a tough, sarcastic personality. However, he is also torn between his career as a mercenary and his compassion for others, also having a strained relationship with his ex-wife and the mother of his daughter, Zoe. Lawton is apprehended by Batman while shopping with Zoe, and is blackmailed by Amanda Waller into joining the Suicide Squad during his incarceration. He strikes up a friendship with fellow squad members Harley Quinn and Chato Santana / El Diablo, and despite the squad not getting along at first, its members appear to have a high respect for Deadshot, something that even Rick Flag points out. After Deadshot helps take down Enchantress, Waller rewards Lawton with ten years taken off his sentence and visitation hours with his daughter.

The DCEU version of Deadshot is African-American as opposed to Caucasian in the comics.^[16] In addition, David Ayer's original version of Suicide Squad had him become romantically involved with Harley Quinn.^[17] Smith signed on to reprise the role in a multi-film deal, but did not appear in the sequel film The Suicide Squad due to scheduling conflicts, with Idris Elba's Bloodsport being given a prominent role in that film in Smith's absence, though the window remains open for Deadshot to return in the future.^[18]

Robert DuBois (portrayed by Idris Elba^[19]), codenamed Bloodsport, is a mercenary with a biometric set of weaponry and armor. After being convicted of shooting and hospitalizing Superman with a kryptonite bullet, DuBois is coerced by Amanda Waller into joining the Suicide Squad, and is sent with Peacemaker, King Shark, Ratcatcher 2 and her pet rat Sebastian, and Polka-Dot Man to destroy the starfish-like alien Starro in Jötunheim, a Nazi-era research facility, having to do with Project Starfish on the island nation of Corto Maltese, which was taken over by an anti-American coup and could use the alien as a weapon against other countries. DuBois and his teammates successfully infiltrate the island, connect with pro-democracy insurgents planning to retake the island, and rescue Rick Flag and Harley Quinn, which unknown to the team, were sent to the island with an earlier squad, which was merely a deliberate decoy by Waller to let the other team infiltrate the island unnoticed.

As characterized in The Suicide Squad, this iteration of Bloodsport is a Black British mercenary, has a daughter named Tyla and often butts heads with Peacemaker while developing an emotional bond with Cleo, despite his fear of rats. He has a battle-hardened, no-nonsense attitude but is compassionate for those he cares for. After learning that American astronauts captured Starro and discovering the inhumane experiments of Project Starfish, DuBois saves Cleo from Peacemaker, who was secretly charged by Waller to make sure that no evidence on the project is leaving the building, as he kills Flag and attempts to kill her for attempting to leak a U.S. government secret related to the project, revealing that the squad was not only send to destroy it, but also to bury its U.S. connections. He takes leadership of the remaining squad members after Flag's death and after Starro escapes following the facility's accidental destruction by the team, Bloodsport defies Waller's orders to leave the island, inspiring the other squad members to defeat Starro and save the island from total destruction. Following the team's victory, he blackmails Waller into setting them free, airlifted off the island and still drop his daughter's trial, which Waller had threatened by incarcerated her if DuBois had refused to join the team, threatening to release the government secrets. After Waller accepted the deal, in honor of their late common friend Flag, Harley proposes to him to become friends with each other.

Going off the theme of the film's main characters representing different eras in film, director James Gunn described Bloodsport as an unsentimental portrayal of a 1960s action hero like Steve McQueen, without the "moral repercussions" of those characters.^[20] Elba was reportedly originally cast to replace Will Smith as Deadshot, but the character was changed to Bloodsport to allow Smith to reprise his role in the future;^[18][21] Gunn did not change the story that he had written for Elba, and just chose Bloodsport because he liked the character in the comics. The character's comic book ability to manifest weapons is adapted in the film as different gadgets and transforming weaponry that come from his costume.^[22] Bloodsport's ability to send Superman to the ICU was referenced from the character's first comics appearance in 1987, arguably making him more formidable in the films' universe.^[23]

Christopher Smith (portrayed by John Cena), also known as Peacemaker, is a ruthless, jingoistic mercenary recruited into a later roster for the Suicide Squad. Described by The Suicide Squad director James Gunn as the "biggest douchebag in the universe,"^[24] Smith claims in the film that he loves peace so much, that "[he doesn't] care how many men, women, and children [he has to] kill to get it".

Bloodsport, King Shark, Ratcatcher 2 and her pet rat Sebastian, Polka-Dot Man and Harley Quinn, after her rescue from the local regime, Peacemaker sets out with his teammates to take out the Corto Maltesean Nazi-era research facility, Jötenheim, housing Project Starfish, and despite butting heads with Bloodsport and Rick Flag, helps the team get to Jötenheim. After Flag and Ratcatcher 2 discover the U.S. government's involvement with Project Starfish, Peacemaker reveals his secret orders to ensure those details stay confidential to prevent an international incident. He reluctantly kills Flag after a struggle for refusing to destroy a hard drive with the evidence, and later attempts to kill Ratcatcher 2 when she also refuses to hand over the drive, but is thwarted by Bloodsport, who shoots him in the neck. Peacemaker is later revealed to have survived and watched over by Amanda Waller's subordinates for Project Butterfly as he recovers in a comatose state.

Cena reprises the role in the 2022 series Peacemaker as member of Clemson Murn's team of A.R.G.U.S. agents to prevent an invasion by parasitic Butterfly aliens, exploring Peacemaker's relationship with his white supremacist father and how Flag's death affected him. Cena was told by Gunn not to read any comics on the character and to act like a "bro-y, douchey Captain America."^[25]

Teth-Adam (portrayed by Dwayne Johnson) is a former slave originally from ancient Kahndaq 5,000 years in the past. After living under a tyrannical king who oppressed all the inhabitants of the country, Adam becomes endowed with the powers of the Council of Wizards as his son Hurut, who was directly given those powers by the council, transfers them to him to save his life, at the cost of his own. Adam becomes consumed with rage at his son's death, using his powers to avenge Hurut and destroy the king and his men by any means possible, but due to his uncontrollable anger and the resulting mass destruction, Adam is imprisoned for millennia by the council until he is set free in the present day. Seeing Kahndaq under oppression again by foreign interests, he resolves to free his nation by any means necessary, adapting the more modern moniker Black Adam, but also coming to odds with Amanda Waller, A.R.G.U.S., and the Justice Society, who are aware of his past rampage.

The character first appeared in Shazam! as a holographic image, with Johnson's facial likeness used, before making his on-screen debut in Black Adam.^[1] Johnson had stated his intentions for Black Adam to fight Shazam, Superman, and other Justice League members in future DCEU films.^[26]

Jaime Reyes (portrayed by Xolo Maridueña) is a college graduate from Palmera City who tried to help pay off his family's debts by working at Kord Industries, but accidentally bonded with biotechnological alien Khaji-Da. In an attempt to get rid of the beetle, Reyes teamed up with Jenny Kord and his uncle Rudy Reyes to do so, being chased by Victoria Kord and coming into conflict with Conrad Carapax. After the death of his father Alberto Reyes and his capture on Pago Island, Reyes regained his trust, accepting Khaji-Da and fighting Kord Industries to save his family. Accepting to be a superhero, Reyes became Blue Beetle, following the legacy of Ted Kord.

Ares (portrayed by David Thewlis^[27][28]) is the Olympian God of War and the last surviving member of the Old Gods by the events of Wonder Woman. Despite originally aiding the forces of Earth against the first invasion from Apokolips as seen in both versions of Justice League, Ares turns on his fellow gods and goddesses as he comes to resent humanity, causing mankind to wage war among itself and killing his brothers and sisters until Zeus drives him off Mount Olympus and uses the last of his life force to hide the Amazons on Themyscira and create the "Godkiller". After hiding for millennia and continuing to corrupt mankind upon regaining his strength, Ares resurfaces using the guise of British politician Sir Patrick Morgan and gives off a welcoming, pacifistic demeanor as part of the British Imperial War Cabinet while secretly manipulating the Central Powers, leading to World War I.^[29]

As Sir Morgan, Ares provides some secret aid to Diana and Steve Trevor's team as they venture to the front lines of the war in an attempt to destroy the gas being concocted by General Ludendorff and Dr. Maru, despite the War Cabinet vehemently disapproving. After Diana kills Ludendorff, whom she mistakenly believes is Ares, Morgan reveals himself and attempts to sway her to help him in destroying humanity, also revealing her true parentage as her paternal half-brother and her nature as the "Godkiller" (as only a god could kill another god). Diana fights off the temptation, seeing the good in mankind, and overpowers Ares after Steve's death, killing the God of War by redirecting his lightning at him with her Bracelets of Submission.

In Justice League and its director's cut, stuntman Nick McKinless physically played the role, with Thewlis's face digitally superimposed over his.^[30]

Ignacio Carapax (portrayed by Raoul Trujillo), is a troubled Guatemalan lieutenant who, after suffering injuries in battle, began working with Victoria Kord, becoming a powerful soldier with armor and cybernetic enhancements, after being experimented on by Kord Industries. Serving as Victoria's right-hand, he helped her to find biotechnological alien Khaji-Da, coming into conflict with Jaime Reyes to get the relic, gaining new powers until Reyes spared his life, causing Carapax to redeem himself, sacrificing himself to kill Kord.

Darkseid (portrayed by Ray Porter), originally known as Uxas, is a New God who is the tyrannical ruler of Apokolips and the master of Steppenwolf and DeSaad. While he is merely mentioned in the theatrical version of Justice League, the character makes his first on-screen appearance in the director's cut, with his scenes being restored. The "Snyder Cut" portrays Darkseid, then named Uxas, leading the invasion of Earth prior to his rise to power. As Uxas prepares to use the Anti-Life Equation and the three Mother Boxes to conquer the Earth, a coalition of warriors, which includes mankind, Atlanteans, Amazons, Old Gods, and a Green Lantern, counterattack, forcing his retreat after grievously injuring him and separating the boxes. While he recovers and takes over the throne of Apokolips over the course of millennia, the location of the equation is lost and the Mother Boxes are hidden by the Amazons, Atlanteans, and humans.

After Steppenwolf is alerted to the presence of the boxes and equation on Earth, he informs Darkseid, who entices his disgraced uncle and lieutenant to seize both so he can use the equation to take over the multiverse. Darkseid opens a portal to Earth when the Mother Boxes are nearly synchronized, only to see Barry Allen undo the Unity by entering the Speed Force. This allows the Justice League to separate the boxes and kill Steppenwolf, throwing his body back through the portal to Darkseid's feet. An enraged Darkseid then tells Desaad to "ready the armada" and use the "old ways" to reclaim the Anti-Life Equation, with the Mother Boxes no longer able to be used to conquer planets.

Porter played Darkseid through the use of motion capture^[31] and "went through a few different vocal gymnastics trying to figure out the voice".^[32] Porter was unfamiliar with the Darkseid character upon being cast, but Zack Snyder and screenwriter Chris Terrio helped guide him with their knowledge of the comic book lore.^[32]

Ishmael Gregor (portrayed by Marwan Kenzari^[33]) is the leader of the Kahndaq faction of Intergang, an international criminal organization. He poses as an associate of archaeologist Adrianna Tomaz, who seeks to find the crown of Sabbac and hide it from malevolent individuals, not knowing that Gregor is after the crown himself as the last descendant of the oppressive King Ahk-Ton, the creator of the crown. Gregor, like his ancestor, seeks the crown so he can harness its power and become the all-powerful ruler of Kahndaq. He kidnaps Adrianna's son Amon to coerce her into giving him the crown and get Teth-Adam's attention, manipulating Adam into killing him so he can be reborn with the crown's power as Sabbac. Kent Nelson / Doctor Fate realizes he and the Justice Society were wrong about Adam after seeing Sabbac's rampage, so Fate releases the apprehended Adam so he can defeat and kill Sabbac, which he does by ripping Sabbac in half, restoring order to Kahndaq and potentially the world.

Hespera (portrayed by Helen Mirren) is the eldest daughter of Atlas and the sister of Kalypso and Anthea. Millennia after Atlas' death, Hespera and her sisters sought to recover their father's stamina from the Shazam Family and restore their home realm using the Golden Apple from Hera's sacred tree, while Kalypso also intended to terraform Earth with Shazam's Staff of the Gods. When Hespera and Anthea objected, Kalypso mortally wounded Hespera before planting the Apple and attacking Philadelphia with her army of mythical creatures, but Hespera helped Billy defeat her in her last moments before dying.

The Joker (portrayed by Jared Leto) is the archenemy of Batman, the ex-boyfriend of Harley Quinn, and a ruthless crime lord in Gotham City. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice alludes to Joker murdering Batman's protégé Robin prior to the film's events. Joker first meets Harley, then a budding psychiatrist named Dr. Harleen Quinzel, while imprisoned during a flashback seen in Suicide Squad. She falls madly in love with him and goes great lengths to be with him after he escapes prison, and the two begin to terrorize Gotham City as its most notorious criminals. After Harley herself is imprisoned and pressganged into the Suicide Squad, Joker aims to free her from her predicament, not liking that something of his was taken from him. Later, however, he breaks up with her prior to the events of Birds of Prey, because she wanted credit for her ideas for their successful crimes, and can be seen in Batman's premonitions of a potential future world ruled by Darkseid in Zack Snyder's Justice League.

This iteration of the Joker was met with polarized reviews, especially in the theatrically released version of Suicide Squad. However, director David Ayer and Leto both revealed that the studio cut out much of the Joker's footage in the film, which arguably cut down his characterization in the theatrical release.^[34][35]

David Kane (portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is a pirate and mercenary working alongside his father, Jesse. The two lead a strike force contracted by King Orm to hijack a Russian Akula-class submarine, which is foiled by Aquaman sometime after the Justice League defeats Steppenwolf. Arthur dispatches the pirates and inadvertently traps Jesse in the submarine when the Kanes attempt to kill him, leaving Jesse to drown despite his son's pleas. A vengeful Kane escapes the submarine and is later given advanced Atlantean armor and command of a strike force of Atlantean soldiers by King Orm after Arthur and Mera escape Atlantis. Kane rechristens himself Black Manta after modifying the armor and attacks Arthur and Mera with his strike force in Sicily, though the two fend off the attack. After heated one-on-one combat, Arthur damages Manta's armor and sends him careening off a cliff into the sea. Manta is later found and rescued by Stephen Shin, and makes a deal with Shin to tell him more about Atlantis in exchange for helping him track down Aquaman.

In the DCEU's continuity, the title "Black Manta" was first conferred on Kane's grandfather as a nickname when he was working as a frogman for the U.S. Navy during World War II; Kane's grandfather turns to piracy when he was not recognized for his accomplishments due to his African-American heritage and passes his illicit trade to his son and grandson.^[36] Mateen reprised his role as Black Manta in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Kalypso (portrayed by Lucy Liu), is the second daughter of Atlas and the sister of Hespera and Anthea. Millennia after Atlas' death, Kalypso and her sisters sought to recover their father's stamina from the Shazam Family and restore their home realm using the Golden Apple from Hera's sacred tree, while Kalypso also intended to terraform Earth with Shazam's Magic staff. When Hespera and Anthea objected, Kalypso mortally wounded Hespera and depowered Anthea before planting the Apple and attacking Philadelphia with her army of mythical creatures until her demise by Billy Batson.