Batman Movies Ranked (Theatrical)

Coming out this weekend is the latest iteration of everyone’s favorite cape crusader, Matt Reeve’s “The Batman.” In honor of that movie’s release, I wanted to release to you my list of favorite theatrical Batman movies. Actually, I got on a Batman kick last year after the release of Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” (a movie that ended up not making the list), with a plan on releasing it in the summer, but got distracted. Now within the last week I’ve seen a lot of people on social media and YouTube releasing their own Batman lists and suddenly I look like a trend follower instead of a trend setter. But oh well. Such is life.

A quick word about what I’ve deemed eligible here. By my personal count, there have been over 40 Batman movies that have been released. So to narrow it down, I’m going specifically with the movies that got a traditional theatrical release. I use that specific wording because three animated Batman movies, “Batman: The Killing Joke,” “Batman: Return of the Cape Crusader,” and “Batman and Harley Quinn” got a one-day specialty release in theaters. I didn’t put those in here. I’m also not including every movie where Batman made an appearance, so no Suicide Squad or Justice League movie. Just the ones that felt enough like a Batman movie. I had to make a personal judgment call on some of them, but it is what it is. Just know that there are a lot of these movies and most of them are on HBO Max. One day it would be fun to go through all of them and rank the non-theatrical movies as well. But for now we’re being simple and I’ve narrowed it down to 11 movies to rank and discuss.

And finally, this is my personal list based on my personal experiences. I’ve been a life-long Batman fan and huge DC fan. I grew up with these characters. But I still have different experiences with these than other fellow DC fans and thus this list might look very different from what you may expect. And that’s OK. It’s 100 percent biased and subjective, just like all movies are. There’s no right or wrong answer. Just personal opinions. So after you’ve read through this and have become sufficiently shocked at how I ordered this, I would be very curious to see you drop a note with how you would rank them. So let’s get started!

11- Batman Forever (1995)

We’re coming out of the gate swinging, with an absolute shocker, mostly for which movie is NOT in last place. We’ll get to why I think “Batman & Robin” deserves a second look, but it’s that movie’s predecessor that I think is the true mess. The two opposite sides of the spectrum for a Batman movie in regards to tone are the movies that decide to be super dark and serious as well the movies that decide to be lighthearted and silly. And whichever direction you decide to take your Batman movie is totally fine. Own up to it and do a good job at what you set out to do and I’ll be happy with it. But “Batman Forever” is a movie that wants to have its cake and eat it, too. It tries to be both campy and silly, taking advantage of the wonkiness of Jim Carrey, while also being as dark and realistic as the Tim Burton movies. The two tones clash so hard and the result is a movie that is a big, embarrassing pile of nothing that has no idea what it’s trying to do. And of all the Batman movies, this is the one that I have no desire to return to.

10- Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Almost a movie that I didn’t include because it’s more of a Justice League prequel than a genuine Batman movie. But nevertheless it wound up being the closest shot at a Ben Affleck solo movie that we ended up getting. And I’ll let you know straight-up that Ben Affleck is the one thing that worked to perfection. He was a great choice for both Batman and Bruce Wayne and he gave it his all. I just wish he had a competent man leading the way and had an opportunity when the mother studio had an idea of what they were doing. To me what “Batman v. Superman” represents is Warner Bros. and DC’s ineptitude at setting up a proper cinematic universe. They saw the success of Marvel and rushed into their Justice League. Instead of making individual movies leading up to “Justice League,” they made one giant bridge movie, five movies in one, and called that good. There are individual elements of this movie that work well. And there’s an ultimate cut that smooths out some of the rough edges. But not even that ultimate cut fixes the inherent problem at hand of there simply being too much going on. I think Warner Bros. has learned from this debacle and figured out their formula for success. But that doesn’t change the fact that “Batman v. Superman” is still an incredibly frustrating disaster instead of being the cinematic milestone that it deserved to be.

As a quick note, neither cut of “Justice League” is on this list, and neither is the 2016 “Suicide Squad,” wherein Ben Affleck gets a cameo. But all three would be higher than “Batman v. Superman” if I did include them.

9- Batman Returns (1992)

A second, or perhaps third controversial placement? I’ll have more to say about Tim Burton’s 1989 “Batman” in a second, but I think his movies get overshadowed by Nolan’s trilogy. And honestly, rightfully so. For the most part. Much respect for Tim Burton in what he did, both for Batman and for the superhero movie genre as a whole. But Tim Burton walked so that Christopher Nolan could run. “Batman Returns” specifically is a movie that is really hokey and borderline obnoxious. It’s not a mess like “Batman Forever,” but its extreme dedication to being dark and serious takes me out of the movie a bit when it comes to the origins of Catwoman and Penguin. It goes for a realistic interpretation, but those two characters are almost supernatural in their creation. Danny DeVito is having a lot of fun as Penguin, but he’s really hard to watch and his performance doesn’t hold up. In stark contrast, Michelle Pfeiffer absolutely nails the character of Catwoman and Selina Kyle, but the way in which she get falls out of a window and gets swarmed by cats is a little weird. Maybe if it was just Bruce and Selina, things would be much better and I could forgive the wonky origins, because I do love Michael Keaton as both Bruce Wayne and Batman, but Penguin is just too much. And most of the movie is focused around him. I’ve watched this twice in the last year, one a few days ago, and it’s just a movie that doesn’t connect with me.

8- The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

I want to say right before we start here that I really love Christopher Nolan and, as I stated in my summary of “Batman Returns,” he got Batman and the world right. The way he took some hokey, comic book characters and gave realistic portrayals in a dark world made for two of the greatest superhero movies ever made. But this final chapter is just… yikes. The initial hype of seeing this in theaters was incredible. And I was on such a high for a long time with it. And while there are still some great performances and some incredible sequences, this is just a movie that completely falls apart the more that I’ve seen it and pondered about it. And while I still love Nolan, this is the point where he began a string of movies that just fall flat for me. Yet there are still a large amount of Nolan fanboys that worship the man as their lord and savior. Not only will they refuse to believe he is incapable of doing anything wrong, but they will also not let anyone on the internet have an opposing opinion. And I think it’s this ludicrous Nolan hype that has elevated “The Dark Knight Rises” much higher than it deserves. If this was anyone other than Nolan that made this exact movie, I think the consensus would be that this is really just a mediocre superhero movie with a lot of problems. But because it’s Nolan, I get nearly crucified every time I bring up the fact that I think it’s not that great. But don’t worry. I’ll continue to give Nolan his much deserved praise. I just don’t think he stuck the landing on his trilogy.

7- Batman & Robin (1997)

Yup. Not last place, like one would think the consensus might be, but No. 7 of 11, ahead of “Batman Forever,” “Batman v. Superman,” “Batman Returns” and “The Dark Knight Rises.” Are some of those movies more competently made films with better filmmaking qualities? Sure. And no, I don’t have any level of nostalgia for this movie or any of the Schumacher or Burton films. My childhood love of Batman comes from the animated series. We watched the Christopher Reeve Superman movies a lot as a family growing up, but not the Batman movies. In fact, I had not even watched “Batman & Robin” all the way through until last year, despite hearing so much about it from every angle, the people who think it’s the worst movie ever and the people who love it. And I’m here to tell you that this movie deserves another look. It is an unmitigated disaster of a movie with so many issues, which is why it has a 3.7 on IMDb and a 12 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. And that’s almost why it is so darn entertaining. You can say it’s a “so bad, it’s good” sort of movie. And I accept that. But to a degree, I also believe that it is self-aware and knows exactly what it is, almost to the level of Adam West Batman camp and silliness. But whether it was intentional or unintentional, the entertainment value on this movie is so high that I really kinda love it. It’s not the Batman movie anyone wanted in 1997 and it almost killed the whole Batman franchise, but it just might be the Batman movie we all need in 2022, so I really encourage you to give it another, preferably with a big group of friends.

6- Batman (1989)

And now we head into the top six of this list, where all of the remaining entries are very high quality films that deserve to be watched for all of the right reasons. And much respect goes to this initial Tim Burton entry for helping to pioneer the comic book movie genre, together along with the Christopher Reeve Superman. And while I’m not sure the full history of Batman in the comics, I do feel confident in saying that this movie is very much responsible for the trend of Batman movies being dark and gritty. Just about every Batman movie since has made an attempt to follow its lead. And like I’ve mentioned with Nolan a few times now, Tim Burton paved the way for Nolan to make the two masterpiece films that he did. I don’t think Nolan could’ve done that without Tim Burton setting the standard. And while I do think that there is a level of hokiness that doesn’t quite fit the serious tone, namely the permanent smile stuck to Joker’s face, Jack Nicholson nevertheless does a terrifying job of being a sinister villain in perhaps the most classic clash of Batman vs. Joker. And it’s interesting in hindsight to note that this is essentially a classic 80s gangster movie with Batman characters. It worked very well for its time and I still think it holds up well to today, even though not all of its sequels follow suit.

5- Batman: The Movie (1966)

Back in the 1960s, Batman wasn’t dark and serious. He was goofy and silly. You sit back, throw all logic out the window, and you watch the legend himself, Adam West, entertain you to no end. And while, when done right, I love the dark and grim Batman movies, I honestly miss the idea of Batman being simply fun and entertaining. That might be why I really enjoyed “Batman & Robin” when I finally watched it last year. And it might be why I love No. 3 on this list. But unlike “Batman & Robin,” there is absolutely no question in regards to intent. This is 100 percent self-aware and purposely being goofy and silly. This is all the comic book characters gathering together to take down the heroes in a comic book villain style that almost doesn’t exist in the modern day. This is a giant, rubber shark biting Batman in the leg while hanging from a helicopter while Robin rushes to get the shark-repellant spray to stop it. And this is master detective Batman and Robin, solving all of the Riddler’s complex riddles in a manner of seconds, using logic that makes no real sense. Adam West is the absolute king of campiness and I honestly think the world of comic book movies and shows could use a lot more of that. And I was almost tempted to put this even higher on the list, but, well…

4- Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

Remember when I said my personal childhood introduction to Batman came via “Batman: The Animated Series”? Yup. Well, that and “Batman Beyond” defined my Batman childhood. “Mask of the Phantasm” is not a movie that I watched until fairly recently, and re-watched this past week in preparation for this list, but it’s pulled directly from “Batman: The Animated Series,” which is one of the greatest shows ever made. When I watched it, I became immediately filled with all of the joyous Batman nostalgia and I wanted to immediately go binge all of my childhood Batman. So yeah, in a completely subjective and personal list, this is the nostalgia that gets boosted up on my list, even if this particular movie is a fairly new watch for me. In fact, it almost feels out of place on this theatrical list. If I were to ever do the non-theatrical list, this movie fits better with all of those, which there are many great ones. But it did get a theatrical run and most Batman rankings include, so I’m fine with it representing an important part of my childhood here. On top of the nostalgia, it’s also honestly one of the best individual Batman stories. It has the classic Batman vs. Joker, the doomed romance, and some flashbacks that give origins to both Batman and Joker in this universe, all woven together in a beautiful, yet simply 71-minute animated film. It’s short, but it packs a real punch, giving you everything you want in a Batman film, showing why the animated series was so great.

3- The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)

I kid you not, I was very tempted to put “The LEGO Batman Movie” at No. 2, in between the two movies that you know were going to be at the top of this list. In the vein of “Batman & Robin” and “Batman: The Movie,” this is Batman being very silly and fun. And for a lifelong Batman fan, I remember laughing so hard at this movie in theaters that it was almost painful. Laughter that doesn’t give you a break and makes your stomach hurt. That’s the type of laughter that is extremely rare for even the funniest of comedies. And while the casual person can watch and enjoy, this is a parody movie that is directed at the lifelong Batman fan as it pokes fun at every single generation of Batman, from Adam West all the way up to Christopher Nolan. And the more you know about Batman, the funnier it is and the more you will understand all the references. And on that note alone, this is a movie that every Batman fan needs to see. But the thing that makes it worthy of being this high up on the list is that, through all the comedy, it somehow manages to also be a very touching Batman movie on its own. The best comedies also have a good deal of drama and this movie cuts deep and hits you in all the feels, which is something that I was not expecting at all. I said when I first watched it and I stand by it now, this is one of the best Batman movies ever made. And here’s me holding true to that.  

2- Batman Begins (2005)

I’ve had a lot of spicy choices on this list. Made some decisions that probably shocked you. And while I momentarily considered mixing it up at the top, sometimes the predictable and boring answer is the right one. No surprises. Nolan’s first two films are both masterpieces. He took Burton’s formula and perfected it. He made a dark and gritty film that really worked. And he took comic book characters and removed all the hokiness from them. No permanent smile. No supernatural cat thing. None of whatever the penguin thing is. And no self-aware silliness. Which works because Nolan knew exactly what he wanted and he crafted the perfect universe that feels lived in and real. Gotham came to life in a way that it never had before. And all the villains feel like they could’ve actually been real villains in a real universe, which makes this movie scarier and more intense. And he even answered the silliness of Bruce Wayne dressing up in a Batman suit and gave us an origin story that stands as one of the best, if not the best origin story ever told. The absolute gold standard for every origin story. And honestly, probably the best individual pure Batman movie ever made with the my personal favorite Batman via Christian Bale, the perfect choice for both version of the character.

1- The Dark Knight (2008)

Perhaps the easiest choice in the history of making lists on this blog in the last 10 years is creating a Batman movie list and putting “The Dark Knight” at No. 1. It’s the obvious choice. And it’s almost so obvious that it’s the boring choice. Yes, grass is green, the sky is blue, the Earth is round and spins around the sun, and “The Dark Knight” is the best Batman movie. Although to my previous comment I just made, “Batman Begins” might be the best individual pure Batman movie because “The Dark Knight” is more of a Joker movie than a Batman movie, but it still belongs on this list, obviously, and is no question deserving of the top spot. “Batman Begins” is the gold standard for superhero origin stories and “The Dark Knight” is the gold standard for superhero villain stories, which is why the two movies fit together so well. They both set out to do different things and they both do a perfect job at accomplishing those goals. And the movie is not dark just for the sake of being dark. Everything it puts in place has a purpose for being there, with haunting themes that stick with you for years after you see it. The type of movie that gets better over time and never gets old upon any re-watch. The only issue it really has is that every dark superhero movie that came after it never fully understood why and how it worked so well, so it started a trend of every superhero movie being unnecessarily dark. But that’s, of course, not this movie’s fault. Nolan knew what he was doing.