Batman (1989)
For an entire generation, 1989’s Batman is the film that started it all. Tim Burton’s fully-realized live-action take on the character helped pull him out of his ’60s campiness, and spawned a cultural phenomenon forever passionately known as “Batmania.”
It can easily be argued that Batman ’89 has only gotten better over time, remaining stylish, wacky, and jam-packed with iconic performances and imagery. Many — including its star, Michael Keaton — even cite it as one of the precursors to our modern-day superhero movie boom.
Batman Returns
We can debate at length about whether or not it is a Christmas movie, but one thing is for sure — Batman Returns is something special. Burton and Keaton’s second collaboration in the DC space upped the ante even further, all while weaving in portrayals of Selina Kyle / Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin (Danny DeVito) that still remain iconic to this day.
Three decades after Batman Returns‘ 1992 debut, the film’s narrative eccentricities and distinct characterizations are still as beloved as ever.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
The first animated Batman film to secure a theatrical release, 1993’s Batman: Mask of the Phantasm remains revered for a number of reasons. A bridge between the first and second seasons of Batman: The Animated Series, the series’ cast reprised their roles in a dark and surprising fight to protect Gotham City from its latest criminal vigilante.
From its biggest twist to its emotional moments to its poignant dissection of Batman’s mythos, Mask of the Phantasm is still talked about among DC fans all these years later.
The Dark Knight
No Batman film — and to an extent, no superhero film — has defined the 21st century quite like 2008’s The Dark Knight. The middle installment of Christopher Nolan’s grounded and gritty reimagining of the character, its fight between Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne and Heath Ledger’s Joker is jam-packed with iconic scenes and a new kind of verisimilitude towards the DC mythos.
In the two decades since The Dark Knight‘s debut, many have tried to capture its dark and relevant kind of magic — and the fact that plenty have failed along the way only makes the film’s success more groundbreaking.
Batman: Under the Red Hood
The DC Animated universe has adapted plenty of Batman tales over the years, but 2010’s take on Batman: Under the Red Hood continues to hold a special place in many fans’ hearts. Chronicling the tragic dynamic between Batman (Bruce Greenwood) and his former ward Jason Todd / Red Hood (Jensen Ackles), the film not only adequately honored its source material, but introduced its unique story to a larger audience.
There’s a reason why Ackles became a near-permanent part of fans’ DC fancasts in the years that followed Under the Red Hood’s debut.
The LEGO Batman Movie
After a scene-stealing appearance in 2014’s The LEGO Movie, it felt inevitable to spin off Will Arnett’s Batman into his own feature film — but that doesn’t make the end product any less extraordinary. 2017’s The LEGO Batman Movie is a wacky and no-holds-barred take on the larger DC mythos, brimming with absurd one-liners and some surprisingly sweet subplots.
All these years later, The LEGO Batman Movie just might have one of the better adaptations of Dick Grayson / Robin (Michael Cera) and The Joker (Zach Galifianakis) that have made it onto the big screen.
The Batman
And finally, Matt Reeves’ long-awaited take on the DC mythos became an instant classic when it premiered in early 2022. The Batman chronicles the early crime-fighting career of Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) in a way that feels both reverential of the character’s lore, and incredibly fresh.
From high-octane action scenes to quieter moments of character interaction, The Batman delivers plenty of moments that fans are still talking about. Luckily, with The Penguin television series currently underway and The Batman Part II on the horizon for 2026, there’s still plenty more story left to tell in the saga.
