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How to watch all Batman Movies in Order? All live-action Batman films in chronological order
We take a look back at all the Batman live-action films that have been produced, from the 1960s to the most current film, 2022's The Batman.
The Batman, the most recent film in the franchise, has taken many twists and turns before confirming its worldwide release. In addition to the problems caused by COVID-19, which has halted filming on several occasions, there have been creative differences. Ben Affleck, director, screenwriter and star, ended up abandoning the project. After several ups and downs in the offices, the filmmaker Matt Reeves was finally chosen, along with Robert Pattinson, to play a younger Batman. But what about the rest of the films? What is the best way to enjoy the adaptations?
The character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger has had numerous incarnations throughout history, so one may wonder if there is any particular order to follow when watching the movies. There is no exact timeline because there are different versions of the Caped Crusader throughout all these years. Therefore, we break down the films into their various stages.
In what order to watch the Batman movies?
Classic era
- Batman: The Movie (1996, director Leslie H. Martinson, with Adam West)
The Batman of the 80's and 90's
- Batman (1989, director Tim Burton, with Michael Keaton)
- Batman Returns (1992, director Tim Burton, with Michael Keaton)
- Batman Forever (1995, director Joel Schumacher, with Val Kilmer)
- Batman & Robin (1997, director Joel Schumacher, with George Cloney)
Nolan's version
- Batman Begins (2005, director C. Nolan, with Christian Bale)
- The Dark Knight (2008, director C. Nolan, with Christian Bale)
- The Dark Knight Rises (2010, director C. Nolan, with Christian Bale)
Batman in the DC shared universe
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016, director Zack Snyder, with Ben Affleck)
- Justice League (2017, director Joss Whedon, with Ben Affleck)
- Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021, director Zack Snyder, with Ben Affleck)
A stand-alone Batman
- The Batman (2022, director Matt Reeves, with Robert Pattinson)
A brief overview of Batman in cinema
Although the first film in 1966 had the same tone as the television series broadcast at the time, the saga began to take off when Tim Burton took an interest in the Gotham superhero. Still keeping the humor in mind, the quirky director cast Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman, a version of the character who would soon return in the upcoming Batgirl and The Flash movies. Jack Nicholson stepped into the Joker's shoes in a performance that is still remembered today.
From that 1989 film came the sequel, Batman Returns, also starring Michael Keaton. Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) and the Penguin (Danny DeVito) made an appearance. However, the Burton-Keaton tandem was broken in Batman Forever: Joel Schumacher took the baton and was in charge of the last two films made in the nineties, the aforementioned Batman Forever and Batman & Robin.
The shift in style definitely took place in the mid-2000s, with The Dark Knight trilogy directed by Christopher Nolan. The late Heath Ledger wowed fans with his portrayal of the Joker, which, along with Jack Nicholson and Joaquin Phoenix, has remained in the collective memory.
None of the films in the so-called Snyderverse is focused exclusively on Batman. The construction of Bruce Wayne and the Caped Crusader was channeled through their initially antagonistic relationship with Superman. All of these products were built on the basis of building a shared universe, but it is now unclear to what extent this will be developed. What is clear is that Batman has many adventures ahead of him.