Here's Where You Can Watch Every Batman Movie in Order
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When it comes to superhero movies, it's easy to pick favorites and they're often based on when you were first exposed to a certain masked vigilante. For instance, with Spider-Man, you've got your Tobey Maguire fans, your Andrew Garfield lovers, and your Tom Holland devotees. With Superman, it's the same thing: Some fans picture Christopher Reeve others Henry Cavill. And with the many Batman movies, there are a number of actors who have stepped into the caped crusader's costume, too.
Batman was created in comic book form in 1939, and the first movie adaptation came only four years later, so... yeah, Bruce Wayne has been featured on screen for a very long time. Some of the famous names who have played him include Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and—the most recent addition to the list—Robert Pattinson. So, whether you are looking to check out some past Batmen or just want to find out where to start your DC superhero journey, keep reading to find out where to watch 16 Batman movies.
Batman (1943)
The first Batman adaptation was 1943's Batman. This one technically counts as a film, but was released as a serial—something that isn't common today. Each installment was released in a theater where moviegoers could keep up with the story—starring Lewis Wilson in the title role—much like with a comic book. (It should be noted: Some of the content is racist and offensive.)
Batman and Robin (1949)
As with 1943's Batman, Batman and Robin was also a serial. As you can tell, this one has more involvement from Robin. Batman was portrayed by Robert Lowery while Johnny Duncan played his sidekick.
Batman: The Movie (1966)
The first Batman movie that's actually a movie is appropriately titled Batman: The Movie. It stars Adam West, who had already starred on the 1960s Batman television series. Like the TV show, it was aimed at young viewers and is pretty silly. Not like the intentionally dark and gritty takes you see on Batman today.
Batman (1989)
In 1989, Tim Burton directed the first of his two Batman movies, which star Michael Keaton. The first one shows Batman facing off against the Joker, played by Jack Nicholson. Kim Basinger plays love interest Vicki Vale.
Batman Returns (1992)
Burton and Keaton both returned for 1992's Batman Returns. This one features Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman and Danny DeVito as the villain the Penguin. It's also a Christmas movie!
Batman Forever (1995)
Batman Forever is the sequel to Batman and Batman Returns, but features a new Batman, played by Val Kilmer, and a new director, Joel Schumacher. Of course, there's also a couple of new villains: the Riddler played by Jim Carrey and Harvey Dent/Two-Face played by Tommy Lee Jones. Nicole Kidman also joined the cast as Batman's love interest Dr. Chase Meridian and Chris O'Donnell joined as Robin.
Batman & Robin (1997)
The fourth movie in the late '80s/'90s Batman series is Batman & Robin, starring George Clooney. Other notable additions to the cast include Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy, and Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl. The movie is considered a disaster, and you may have heard Clooney make some self-deprecating jokes about his one-time superhero gig, particularly the fact that his Batman suit left less to the imagination.
Batman Begins (2005)
Eight years later, Batman returned to the big screen with Batman Begins, the first in director Christopher Nolan's trilogy. In all three films, Christian Bale stars as Bruce Wayne, and this first movie features Katie Holmes as a district attorney and romantic interest and Liam Neeson as villain Ra's al Ghul.
The Dark Knight (2008)
Three years later, Batman faced off against Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight. For the role, Ledger—who had died prior to the film's release—won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The Dark Knight was nominated for eight Oscars total, and the movie marked a real turn into critically-acclaimed territory for Batman.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The final Nolan Batman movie is 2012's The Dark Knight Rises. Batman battles Tom Hardy's Bane, who is determined to destroy Gotham City, and he's also joined by Anne Hathaway as burglar-turned-cohort-turned-love-interest Catwoman.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Ben Affleck first took on the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which is obviously about a battle between Batman and Superman—he's played by Henry Cavill here. The superheroes are pitted against each other by the villain Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg). Amy Adams co-stars as Lois Lane while Gal Gadot makes her first appearance as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman.
Suicide Squad (2016)
Affleck returned as Batman in Suicide Squad, which was released the same year as Batman v Superman, but you'll have to wait until the very end to see him in a mid-credits scene. The movie itself is about the supervillain gang the Suicide Squad, which includes Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), the Joker (Jared Leto), and Deadshot (Will Smith).
Justice League (2017)
Various superheroes team up in Justice League, including Affleck's Batman, Gadot's Wonder Woman, Cavill's Superman, Jason Momoa's Aquaman, and Ezra Miller's The Flash. The villain? An alien named Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds).
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Zack Snyder was replaced as the director of Justice League for the remainder of filming when his daughter passed away during production. After the original release of the movie, fans began to call for the release of a director's cut from Snyder, which happened in 2021 with Zack Snyder's Justice League. The "Snyder Cut" is four hours long—two hours longer than the original release — and it was better reviewed.
The Batman (2022)
The Batman played by Affleck exists as part of the DC Extended Universe, but there is also another Batman outside of that franchise. Robert Pattison made his debut as the superhero in 2022's The Batman from director Matt Reeves. This film is about a Bruce Wayne who has been operating as Batman for two years. Co-stars include Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Paul Dano as the Riddler, and Colin Farrell as the Penguin.
Bonus: The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
There have been countless animated Batman TV shows and movies, many of which were released directly to video. But, if you want to check one out that was a major theatrical release, there's 2017's The Lego Batman Movie. Will Arnett voices Batman, reprising his role as the toy version of the superhero from the 2014 hit The Lego Movie.
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