There have been many Batmen and Batman movies over the years. Here we will rank all the live action Batman films! Just as a note this list doesn’t include movies with cameo appearences or superhero team up movies unless Batman is the main character.
Batman and Robin
Well this was always going to be bottom, but don’t see that as a sign that we’re saying it’s bad here. It’s brilliantly bad! Bat-nipples, Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr Freeze and the trio of Batman, Robin and Bat Girl make this an enjoyably silly ride!
Batman The Movie
Yes, the 1960s Batman TV show got a movie! Long before The Batman, this movie gave us the same combination of The Joker, Catwoman, Penguin and The Riddler as villains. And although this is gloriously campy and doesn’t take itself serious as modern Batman movies, there’s something about these versions of the characters which feel most right about who they are.
Batman Forever
This was where the dark and serious Tim Burton movies took a step back towards the Batman of the 1960s. Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carey are Two-Face and The Riddler here, and although this is certainly a bit sillier with dramatically aged 90s special effects, it’s a solid enough movie to satisfy your Bat-needs.
Batman
When it was announced that Michael Keaton would play Bruce Wayne there was a fan campaign to get him removed from the role. It was huge in a time that predated social media, and oh boy are we glad it didn’t work. Keaton, who was known for comedic roles was brilliant as the dual role of Brice Wayne and Batman. His performance, combined with the much more serious tone given to the character and setting by director Tim Burton made this a huge hit.
An incredible foe in Jack Nicholson’s Joker help see this as the start of new interest in comic book characters in the late 80s and early 90s.
The Dark Knight Rises
Tom Hardy as Bane is the threat unlike Batman had ever faced before. This movie upped the stakes to levels not seen before in the Batman series, and wrapped up the brilliant Dark Knight trilogy. Christian Bale’s Bruce was older and wiser and started to show us a much grittier Batman. Catwoman was also in the movie, and just like everything else in Nolan’s trilogy is reimagined to work in a more realistic world.
Batman v Superman
Some people will hate that this is so hight on the list, but hear me out. After Man of Steel set the table for a new Justice League series, this second movie in the series gave us a new Batman and Ben Affleck proved all doubters wrong as a really excellent Bruce Wayne and brutal Batman.
The Ultimate Edition is the best way to enjoy this, and although not a perfect movie, it is the movie where we get to see Superman and Batman have a fist fight, and the live action debut of Wonder Woman.
Batman Returns
Danny Devito as the Penguin. We could almost leave it there, as that casting alone, and the truly terrifying look and portrayal of the character made this an instant classic. But hold the phone, as Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman captivated cinema goers with her most iconic role. The sass, and the costume meant that jaws dropped worldwide.
Batman Begins
This Batman reboot in the mid noughties flew under the radar for many. People heard there was a new Batman, but the stank of the campy 90s Batman Forever and especially Batman and Robin (even though both films are awesome in their own way) almost killed the franchise for good. So when this movie came out and reimagined Batman in a much more real and grounded way it took the world by storm.
The Batman
After Batman found himself in a world of Gods alongside the likes of Aqua Man and Superman, The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson went back in the direction of The Dark Knight trilogy and perhaps even exceeded it in terms of it being grounded in reality.
The Penguin, Catwoman and The Riddler all prominently feature in this movie which pushed Batman more towards his title of the world’s greatest detective than ever before on the big screen.
The Dark Knight
Could there be any other option? Christian Bale really came into his own as Batman in this movie, and this is in part due to his scenes with Heath Ledger as the Joker who was perfectly cast as Batman’s greatest foe ever.
The cast for this movie is incredible with Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman all giving their best as the supporting cast around Bale and Ledger.
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