Like the original DC Universe in comic books, the DCEU is established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters.

[1][2][3] Keith Staskiewicz, writing for Entertainment Weekly, jokingly coined the term "DC Extended Universe" (DCEU) in an article about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice on July 1, 2015.

Zaslav sought to overhaul the DCEU, and began searching for a creative leader akin to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to lead DC's film and television projects.

[40] During story discussions for The Dark Knight Rises (2012), David S. Goyer told Christopher Nolan his idea regarding how to present Superman in a modern context.

[48] Gotham City-based vigilante Batman travels to Metropolis to preemptively combat Superman, fearing what would happen if the latter is kept unchecked, while another threat endangers humankind.

[22][23] Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, and Laurence Fishburne reprised their Man of Steel roles,[52] while Ben Affleck was cast as Bruce Wayne / Batman.

[56] Initial filming occurred on October 19, 2013, at East Los Angeles College,[57] before full principal photography began in May 2014 and concluded that December.

[68] After Superman's death, a secret government agency recruits imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions and rescue the world from a powerful threat, in exchange for clemency.

[71] The main cast included Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Karen Fukuhara, Cara Delevingne, Viola Davis, and Joel Kinnaman.

[77] In a mid-credits scene, Amanda Waller (portrayed by Davis) meets Wayne in a restaurant and hands him a dossier containing information on future members of the Justice League.

[76] Motivated by Superman's death at the hands of Doomsday, Batman and Wonder Woman assemble a team of metahumans to stop the threat of Steppenwolf, who is in search of three Mother Boxes scattered across Earth.

[93][94] In May 2017, Snyder stepped down from his duties on the film due to his daughter's death; Joss Whedon filled his position on post-production, with additional scenes being written and directed by him.

[90][91][92] Justice League also introduces J. K. Simmons as James Gordon,[97] Amber Heard as Mera,[98] and Billy Crudup as Henry Allen,[99] with Joe Manganiello appearing as Slade Wilson / Deathstroke in a post-credits scene.

[132] Johnson was revealed to be portraying the antihero Black Adam, Shazam's nemesis in the film, with Darren Lemke set to write the script in September.

[144] Superman makes a cameo appearance at the end of the film, but his face is not shown as Henry Cavill was unable to reprise the role due to scheduling conflicts.

[149] By April 2018, Warner Bros. selected Cathy Yan as director, with Margot Robbie reprising her role as Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad.

[151] In addition to Robbie's starring role, the cast also includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, and Ella Jay Basco.

[160] Diana Prince comes into conflict with the Soviet Union during the Cold War in the 1980s and finds two formidable foes in the form of Maxwell Lord and Cheetah.

[167] Filming locations included the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in the United Kingdom and the islands of Tenerife and Fuerteventura in Spain.

[191] Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the powers of the Egyptian gods and imprisoned, Black Adam is freed from his tomb, ready to unleash his form of justice on the modern world.

[201] The film features the Justice Society of America, consisting of Aldis Hodge as Hawkman,[202] Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher,[203] Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone,[204] and Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate.

[205] Reprising their roles from previous DCEU media are Davis as Amanda Waller, Djimon Hounsou as the wizard Shazam, and Jennifer Holland as Emilia Harcourt,[206][207] with Henry Cavill appearing as Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman in a mid-credits scene.

[220] By July 2013, Greg Berlanti was developing a film that centered around Barry Allen / The Flash,[221] and drafted a script alongside Geoff Johns, Chris Brancato, Michael Green, and Marc Guggenheim.

[247] After Jaime Reyes graduates from college and returns to his hometown Palmera City, he is chosen to become a symbiotic host to the Scarab, an ancient alien biotechnological relic that grants him a powerful exoskeleton armor, turning him into the superhero Blue Beetle.

[267] Task Force X member Christopher Smith / Peacemaker is sent on a black-ops mission to target "butterflies", individuals possessed by parasitic, insect-like creatures invading the human race.

[268] The first season of Peacemaker is set five months after the events of The Suicide Squad,[273] with Steve Agee and Jennifer Holland reprising their respective roles as John Economos and Emilia Harcourt from that film.

[491] This divide lasted until January 2020, when the DCEU was retroactively established to have connections to The CW's Arrowverse continuity via an expansion of the multiverse concept, during Part 4 of the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover.

[62] The film concludes with the death of Superman, which is emphasized in Suicide Squad and Justice League, taking place approximately one and two years later, respectively.

In January 2023, Gunn and Safran announced the initial ten installments for the DCU, which make up a portion of the slate subtitled "Chapter One: Gods and Monsters".

They included the films Superman (2025), The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and Swamp Thing, as well as the television series Waller, Creature Commandos, Lanterns, Paradise Lost, and Booster Gold.