What order should you watch the Batman movies and shows?

(Pocket-lint) - A caller Batman movie, directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson arsenic the Dark Knight, is acceptable to deed theatres successful 2022 aft aggregate delays. 

Although you person plentifulness of clip to drawback up connected the franchise earlier The Batman yet releases successful cinemas, we're helping you binge it now, by rounding up each Batman movie and amusement and figuring retired the champion bid to ticker them all. But, to beryllium honest, this got complicated, quickly.

Unlike immoderate movie franchises, such arsenic Marvel's, determination isn't a singular chronology to follow, particularly erstwhile it comes to the live-action Batman films, which person been repeatedly rebooted. For instance, Warner Bros' archetypal Batman Anthology began anew with Christopher Nolan's Trilogy.

There is besides the wider DC Cinematic Universe to consider, wherever Batman sometimes plays a pivotal oregon inheritance relation but isn't really seen. While Batman ne'er appeared successful 2017's Wonder Woman, helium did instigate the film’s plot. Batman's Wayne Enterprises is besides mentioned successful 2013's Man of Steel. And let's not hide the DC Animated Universe, too, which is loaded with Batman content.

As a result, we can't springiness you a single, intelligibly defined viewing order. So, we've travel up with aggregate orders, each starring the Caped Crusader. Skip to the bottommost for our bulleted database versions of these orders if you privation a spoiler-free experience.

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Every Batman live-action movie successful the close order

NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS BELOW.

The Adam West movie

This is simply a standalone movie. It's a bully starting constituent for the films if you truly privation to steep yourself successful all-things Batman. It was intended to beryllium released by 20th Century Fox earlier the 1966 bid connected ABC, but it deed theatres 2 months aft the premiere of play one's last episode.

Batman: The Movie (1966)

The quality of Batman archetypal appeared successful Detective Comics No. 27 successful 1939. He was primitively named the "Bat-Man," though is besides referred to arsenic the Caped Crusader oregon the Dark Knight. It wasn't until 1966 that Adam West took connected the relation successful a live-action film, starring alongside Burt Ward arsenic Robin. The movie really premiered aft the archetypal play of the Batman TV show, which we'll get to later.

Batman: The Movie is absorbing due to the fact that it features not 1 but 4 of Batman’s astir celebrated nemeses: The Riddler, The Penguin, Catwoman, and Cesar Romero’s Joker. This gaggle of supervillains each squad up to effort to decision Batman, with the hopes of taking implicit the world.

The Batman Motion Picture Anthology

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Warner Bros kicked disconnected the archetypal cinematic beingness of live-action Batman films, with the merchandise of Tim Burton’s Batman successful 1989. That film, and the 3 films that follow, truly acceptable the signifier for the adjacent 25 years, successful which superheroes predominate the container office. Interestingly, 3 antithetic actors play Batman successful this "anthology", and the films themselves alteration successful some taxable and quality.

There's besides an awesome postulation of actors featured, from Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson to Jim Carrey and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Batman (1989)

This is the archetypal "modern" Batman film. It sees Michael Keaton instrumentality connected the mantle of the Caped Crusader successful bid to cleanable up the streets of Gotham up of its bicentennial. When a gunfight breaks retired astatine the Axis Chemical works betwixt the constabulary and a radical of gangsters led by Jack Nicholson’s Jack Napier, Batman of people responds. In the ensuing fight, Napier is dropped into a vat of chemicals and near for dead.

However, helium emerges, having been transformed into the madman known arsenic the Joker. It’s up to Batman to halt him earlier helium poisons the colonisation of Gotham with a deadly Smylex state that causes hysterical laughter successful its victims earlier they yet perish.

Batman Returns (1992)

After defeating the Joker, Michael Keaton’s Batman indispensable conflict his adjacent foe, The Penguin, played by Danny Devito, who partnered with a seedy millionaire, Max Shreck (Christopher Walken), to flight the sewers beneath Gotham. Batman began a romanticist narration with Shreck’s secretary, Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman, played by Michelle Pfeiffer), and successful the end, it’s not conscionable the Penguin’s crippled to abduct and execution the firstborn sons of Gotham citizens that Batman indispensable contend with, but besides Catwoman’s thirst for vengeance against Shreck.

Batman Forever (1995)

Micheal Keaton and Tim Burton declined to instrumentality for different Batman film, unluckily for us. This meant Batman Forever has a overmuch lighter and quirky code than the erstwhile films. Val Kilmer plays Batman this time, arsenic helium goes up against some Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and the Riddler (Jim Carrey). This movie besides introduces Robin (played by Chris O’Donnell) to a modern-day audience.

While Batman attempts to permission his crime-fighting persona down to unrecorded a mean beingness with Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman), the Riddler discovers his existent identity, acknowledgment to a brainwave instrumentality helium invented, which leads to Chase's seizure and Bruce’s realization that helium volition ever beryllium Batman.

Batman and Robin (1997)

While often derided arsenic the implicit worse offering successful the Batman series, 90s kids mightiness disagree. We deliberation Batman and Robin is worthy a rewatch.

George Clooney plays Batman here, but Chris O’Donnell returns arsenic Robin. The bully guys besides adhd a Batgirl to their lineup, the iconic Alicia Silverstone. And the trio face-off against Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dr. Freeze and Uma Thurman’s Poison Ivy. What a cast! We adjacent get to spot their masked henchman, Bane (Jeep Swenson). Perhaps the champion part, though, is the 7,000 ice-related puns said by Dr. Freeze.

Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy

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With the extremity of the archetypal Batman Anthology, besides came the extremity of bat nipples. There was a program for a 5th film, centered astir the villain Scarecrow, which marinated for astir a decennary until Christopher Nolan took implicit and brought the Batman franchise to unprecedented heights.

Batman Begins (2005)

So, it's hard to judge this, with the mode astir superhero franchises enactment today, but it took 5 films for america to spot the afloat Batman root communicative connected the large screen. This movie follows Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne, each the mode from the execution of his parents to his travel crossed the world, wherever helium learns to combat and is recruited into the League of Shadows by Liam Neeson’s Henri Ducard.

Once helium yet returns home, helium indispensable conflict the Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy), who uses a mind-altering toxin to origin terrifying hallucinations.

The Dark Knight (2008)

This movie serves arsenic a crowning accomplishment for possibly each superhero films. We spot Batman face-off with his astir unsafe nemesis, the Joker, who is played by the precocious Heath Ledger. Joker assumes power of Gotham’s organized transgression world, hatches a devious plot, and disfigures the city’s territory attorney, Harvey Dent, each portion trying to unit Batman to interruption his lone rule: Refusing to termination immoderate of his enemies.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

The Dark Knight Trilogy comes to its conclusion, with the accomplishment of Bane (Tom Hardy) successful the metropolis of Gotham.

Bruce Wayne has go a recluse since convincing Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) to blasted him for Harvey Dent’s rampage, and arsenic a result, Batman hasn’t been seen successful 8 years. The world of his life-fighting criminals each nighttime has besides acceptable successful for Bruce, arsenic a sojourn to the doc shows the litany of ways his assemblage has begun to interruption down. This leaves him wholly unprepared to look Bane, a erstwhile subordinate of the League of Shadows, who comes to Gotham to implicit Ra’s Al Ghul’s program of destroying the city.

Extended DC Cinematic Universe

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When Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight released, different little-known institution you astir apt ne'er heard about, Marvel, began making its ain comic films. So, it made consciousness for DC, with its immense backlog of characters, to make its a wider cinematic beingness with Batman tie-ins.

Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Batman vs Superman picks up 18 months aft the events of 2013's Man of Steel. Ben Affleck portrays a mentation of Bruce Wayne that has been warring atrocious guys for 20 years. He views Superman (Henry Cavill) arsenic an existential menace to humanity. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) is making his ain plans for dealing with Superman, including obtaining a clump of kryptonite and gaining entree to General Zod’s body.

Batman learns of the stash of kryptonite astatine Lexcorp and steals it, allowing him to make a Kryptonite-powered suit to decision Superman.

Suicide Squad (2016)

Suicide Squad follows a radical of imprisoned criminals from the DC Universe, specified arsenic Deadshot (Will Smith) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), who are offered reduced sentences successful instrumentality for completing a highly unsafe ngo that they’re improbable to survive. The movie features Ben Affleck’s Batman successful a fewer scenes portion gathering up to the enactment of the Justice League.

Justice League (2017) and Zach Snyder's Justice League (2021)

The archetypal Justice League began with Zack Snyder directing, but helium was forced to permission the accumulation pursuing a tragedy. Joss Whedon past came connected to decorativeness the film, and it each turned retired beauteous badly. The movie was a mess, and 4 years later, we’re inactive uncovering retired much astir the unhealthy moving situation that Whedon fostered connected set. 

This leads america to the Snyder Cut, released successful 2021 to HBO Max. It’s 4 hours agelong and acold from perfect, but it’s a overmuch amended mentation of the film.

It opens 2 years aft Superman’s death, and humanity is inactive reeling from his loss. Ben Affleck’s Batman and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman person begun the process of forming a squad that tin assistance support humanity from threats they could ne'er anticipation to look connected their own.

Joker (2019)

Joker is an root communicative for Batman's top villain. It follows Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, a disturbed antheral who hopes to beryllium a comedian. We spot him alteration into the madman known arsenic the Joker. The movie besides shows america the decease of Bruce Wayne's parents erstwhile again, conscionable successful lawsuit you haven't seen it enough. 

It's hard to spot Joker connected this timeline for a fewer reasons. It's an root communicative acceptable successful 1981 -- but erstwhile writer/director Todd Phillips wrote the script, helium wanted it to beryllium a stand-alone movie that had thing to bash with the DC Extended Universe. However, successful the clip since then, Joker has been nominated for 11 Academy Awards, and Warner Bros, the institution that owns the rights to Batman, has announced yet different Batman reboot starring Robert Pattinson arsenic Batman. So it wouldn't daze america if Joker ends up having much to bash with the DC Universe. Currently there's nary plans for a sequel however. 

The Batman (2022 - not successful theatres yet)

Set for merchandise connected 4 March 2022, this latest reboot of the quality volition instrumentality spot separately from the ongoing DCEU.

It volition prima Robert Pattinson arsenic Bruce Wayne and spot Matt Reeves direct. Batman is expected to squad up with Commissioner Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) and Batwoman (Zoe Kravitz) to instrumentality connected The Riddler (Paul Dano) and The Penguin (Colin Farrell). You tin cheque retired the trailer for the movie here. 

Every Batman live-action series

There is nary "right order" here, arsenic they're each disconnected and not chronological. So, we urge watching them successful bid of release. You tin ticker these earlier oregon aft the films. It won't marque overmuch of a difference, though possibly ticker 1966's Batman earlier Batman: The Movie.

The Batman (1943 - theatrical series)

This is the precise archetypal live-action Batman, and it stars Lewis Wilson. It's a 15-chapter bid from Columbia Pictures that premiered successful theatres and is present disposable to ticker on YouTube.

Batman and Robin (1949 - theatrical series)

Another serial accumulation from Columbia, some Batman (Robert Lowery) and Robin (Johnny Duncan) look and spell up against the Wizard. This series, which besides ran successful theatres, is sometimes known arsenic The New Adventures of Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder.

It’s presently disposable connected YouTube, arsenic well.

-This bid aired successful movie theatres successful 1949 with Robert Lowery playing Batman and Johnny Duncan playing Robin. 

Batman (1966 to 1969 - TV series)

This is Adam West's archetypal quality arsenic the Caped Crusader - adjacent earlier his live-action 1966 film. He maintains the relation for 3 seasons connected ABC, offering a much comedic take, particularly compared to the modern versions of the Dark Knight.

-Adam West played Batman for 3 play successful this tv series. The amusement is the astir comedic instrumentality connected Batman.

Gotham (2014 to 2019 - TV series)

Gotham premiered successful 2014 connected Fox and follows a young Commissioner Gordon (Ben McKenzie) arsenic helium starts retired his vocation successful the aftermath of the execution of Bruce Wayne’s parents. It besides features a young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz), who is dealing with the decease of his parents portion being raised by Alfred (Sean Pertwee). The bid introduces galore villains, too, who spell connected to beryllium problems for Batman successful the future.

This bid follows a young Commisioner Gordon (Ben McKenzie) successful the aftermath of the execution of Bruce Wayne's parents.

Titans (2018 to contiguous - TV series)

Titans airs connected The CW and follows the communicative of Dick Grayson, different known arsenic Batman's sidekick, Robin. He near that mantle behind, though, and became the person of the radical of heroes known arsenic the Titans. A large storyline successful the amusement is based astir Dick's erstwhile beingness arsenic Robin and his narration with Bruce Wayne, played successful Titans by Iain Glen. 

Titan's follows Dick Grayson arsenic a erstwhile Robin who present leads his ain squad of superheroes. Iain Glen plays an older Batman successful the series. 

Pennyworth (2019 to contiguous - TV series)

If you've ever wondered however Alfred raised Bruce Wayne, well, Epix has a amusement for you: Pennyworth. It follows the butler, but agelong earlier helium was a butler. Instead, it shows him arsenic a young antheral caller retired of serving arsenic a subordinate of the SAS and trying to commencement a information institution successful 1960.

The amusement is much of a spy-thriller bid than it is simply a superhero show, with Alfred, played by Jack Bannon, being targeted by a radical looking to prehend power of London. Fortunately, helium has assistance from an American group, which conscionable truthful happens to beryllium led by Batman's parents.

-This spy bid shows however Batman's butler went from being a subordinate of the SAS to, well, becoming a butler. 

Batwoman (2019 to contiguous - TV series)

This amusement is portion of the CW channel's Arrowverse, which is made up of a roster of TV shows based connected characters from DC comics. The series' 2nd play debuted successful January 2021, and the CW has already ordered a 3rd season. It follows Kate Kane, who is Bruce Wayne's cousin. She decides to instrumentality up the mantle and support Gotham successful Batman's absence. Ruby Rose played Kate Kane for the archetypal season, but was replaced by Wallis Day for the 2nd play and moving forward. 

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Spoiler-free version: Batman viewing orders

Below, you'll find spoiler-free versions of everything elaborate above.

Every Batman live-action movie

The Adam West Movie

• Batman: The Movie (1966)

The Batman Motion Picture Anthology

• Batman (1989)
• Batman Returns (1992)
• Batman Forever (1995)
• Batman & Robin (1997)

Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy

• Batman Begins (2005)
• The Dark Knight (2008)
• The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Extended DC Cinematic Universe 

• Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
• Suicide Squad (2016)
• Justice League (2017)
• Joker (2019)
• The Batman (2022 - not successful theatres yet)

Every Batman live-action series

• The Batman (1943 - theatrical series)
• Batman and Robin (1949 - theatrical series)
• Batman (1966 to 1969 - TV series)
• Gotham (2014 to 2019 - TV series)
• Titans (2018 to contiguous - TV series)
• Pennyworth (2019 to contiguous - TV series)
• Batwoman (2019 to contiguous - TV series)

Bonus list: Animated Batman movies and series

OK, truthful determination is simply a laundry database of animated Batman films and bid that scope successful prime and importance.

The astir influential of them is 1992's Batman: The Animated Series, which gave america Mark Hammil’s iconic Joker laughter and created the quality Harley Quinn, portion besides spawning a litany of spin-offs. Meanwhile, determination are galore animated films, which are nonstop adaptations of the comics, though the astir notable objection is the highly financially palmy Lego Batman.

If you privation to spot the full database of animated Batman films, go here. But if you privation a speedy must-watch viewing order, spot below:

• Batman: The Animated Series (1992 to 1995 - animated TV series)
• Batman: Under The Red Hood (2010 - animated film)
• Batman: Year One (2011 - animated film)
• The Dark Knight Returns (2012 - animated film)
• Batman: The Killing Joke (2016 - animated film)
• Lego Batman (2017 - animated film)

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Writing by Maggie Tillman. Originally published connected 19 September 2019.