When the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) began to develop after the release of 2013's Man of Steel, it was with a dark edge that turned off some fans and attracted others while starting an ongoing style trend in the shared universe as new characters were adapted for the big screen that would eventually lead to 2017's Justice League.
Of course, not everything was dark and gritty in the DCEU and some of the adapted characters actually fared better on the big screen than their comic counterparts in various ways, while other adapted characters struggled to meet the same levels of success as they did in the comics.
BETTER: Professor Emil Hamilton
Richard Schiff appeared as Professor Emil Hamilton in Man of Steel as a scientific expert working with the government who helped them locate the Kryptonian spaceship and then later observed the first meeting with Superman.
Hamilton was instrumental in stopping Zod's forces at the cost of his own life, which may not seem like he did better than his comic counterpart initially. Hamilton in the comics, while initially an ally of Superman, eventually became the insane villain Ruin instead of dying as a hero like he did on the big screen.
WORSE: Jimmy Olsen
While Superman's pal Jimmy Olsen first appeared on the '40s radio serial before making his comic debut in 1941's Superman #13, the plucky photographer has been a part of both Superman and Clark Kent's supporting cast for decades.
That's why fans were surprised when the Extended Cut of Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice revealed that the CIA operative played by Michael Cassidy that was unceremoniously killed at the beginning of the film was actually Jimmy Olsen. This was a small and unsatisfying adaptation of the classic character that almost felt like a sick joke, since literally nothing about him resembled what made Jimmy so iconic in the first place.
BETTER: Atlanna
While Aquaman was teased in BvS ahead of his debut in Justice League, it wasn't until 2018's Aquaman that Arthur Curry and his cast of characters were fully explored, which included both his father from the land and his mother from Atlantis.
In the film, Atlanna (played by Nicole Kidman) may have spent decades surviving the monstrous Trench and other sea creatures, but she was ultimately reunited with her former love and Arthur's father. Meanwhile, the comic version has rarely found a happy ending over the various reboots of the DC universe, almost always dying before Aquaman is born or at least before he even becomes a king.
WORSE: Cyborg
Ray Fisher brought the first live-action version of Cyborg to the big screen in Justice League after the character's origins were briefly teased in Batman V. Superman, though fans are hoping to see him further developed in the upcoming Snyder Cut on HBO Max.
While Cyborg's place as a founding League member references the New 52 version of the team and is a fitting place for the hero, his comic past with the Teen Titans and history was abandoned for the big-screen adaptation. This made Cyborg's story more tragic but not in the right ways, since it just felt like something or someone was missing.
BETTER: Captain Boomerang
2016's Suicide Squad introduced a number of villains into the DCEU as Amanda Waller's Task Force X, bringing the fan-favorite team into the shared universe with a roster that included Jai Courtney's Captain Boomerang. Though Suicide Squad was panned, one thing people did like was the casting, with many finding themselves oddly rooting for Boomerang, who in the comics is a joke but is depicted as an eccentric yet gritty badass in the film.
Courtney is one of the few actors set to reprise his role in James Gunn's upcoming The Suicide Squad, so it remains to be seen if he'll fall to the same depths as his comic counterpart, who became a laughing stock of a villain before his death during Identity Crisis.
WORSE: The Flash
Ezra Miller first portrayed Barry Allen in Batman V. Superman in a quick, surreal cameo in Batman's Knightmare before suiting up as the Flash alongside the rest of the Justice League. However, this Barry is in the very early stages of his career as a superhero and has a limited understanding of his abilities.
Allen's final moments in Justice League reveal that he has just accepted a job with the police but when Barry first appeared in the comics, he was an established forensic scientist and superhero with a strong support system. This is something DCEU's Barry has yet to develop, since he's starting out from a darker place where he's only just began to clear his father's name of a crime he didn't commit.
BETTER: Doctor Sivana
2019's Shazam! introduced the magically powered hero known as Shazam and his young alter ego, Billy Batson, while also exploring his villainous rival Doctor Thaddeus Sivana, played by Mark Strong in the film.
Not only was this a dramatic visual improvement over the character's usual appearance as a short and ugly mad scientist, but Sivana's origin was given a complete overhaul that modernized him while also connecting him further to Shazam's magical mythology. The new Sivana, in short, is a much improved version over his original incarnation that fans are excited to see more of in the upcoming sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
WORSE: Batman
While some fans believe that Ben Affleck's portrayal of the Batman that first appeared in Batman V. Superman is the best version of the character that's been seen on the big screen, he's not necessarily in the best place.
The DCEU's Dark Knight spent years in retirement after presumably suffering the loss of a Robin, as evidenced by the damaged suit in his Batcave, and doesn't appear to have come out of the dark hole left by that loss. This is something the comics Batman was able to move past thanks to his extended family of heroes, whereas his DCEU version is content with staying in a dark and murderous place before realizing the errors of his ways.
BETTER: Cassandra Cain
The character of Cassandra Cain made her theatrical debut in Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) as a pickpocket who stole from the wrong person, leading to a price on her head that brought her into contact with Harley Quinn.
The DCEU version of this particular Batgirl is very different from how she was in the comics, as Cassandra was raised without learning any spoken language in order to make her a more effective assassin. While comics Cassandra is considerably more tragic, her live-action counterpart has a much brighter future as a street urchin turned sidekick to budding psycho-for-hire Harley.
WORSE: Black Mask
Ewan McGregor joined the DCEU as Roman Sionis/Black Mask in Birds of Prey, where he portrayed an eccentrically ruthless crime boss and club owner who steals every scene he's in with his unique brand of madness after he goes after Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey.
While his face wasn't permanently burned into the skull-like visage from the comics which would seem like he was better off, Black Mask was dramatically blown into pieces in the climax, giving the character a much more ignominious end than his comic counterpart, who was shot and killed by Catwoman. That, and Black Mask has returned time and again in the comics whereas he's probably permanently dead in the films.