The Best Order To Watch Every Batman Movie

Unlike the MCU, which tries to tie in all of its movies into coherent, easy-to-follow timelines, DC managed to make each Batman movie seem like a standalone movie, showing just another incident of a superhero going up against yet another adversary - another day at the office - and that might be so. Subtle traits, though, become apparent upon closer inspection. For example, directing a Batman film appears to be a kind of experiment for the various directors, who all make sure to add their unique touch.

Deciding how best to watch the Batman movies is tricky. The sheer number of movies, coupled with the minimal continuity among them, makes them hard to arrange. They can simply be watched in order of release or watched in two batches - the campy ones first, then the darker, grittier Batman movies. There is also the option of watching them in batches according to the different eras of directors that have ever been at the helm of a Batman movie production.

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By  Chris Harkin

Batman (1943)

For the more curious ones wanting to understand the true origins of the protector of Gotham and how far he has come since leaving the pages of Detective Comics #27, it is best to start the Batman journey from here. The serial movie provides the first insight into what the billionaire vigilante would be like if he were flesh and blood and not just another piece of art in comic books. To be fair, since almost every Batman movie starts the same - with him watching his parents get gunned down - this is just as good as any point to start.

Directed by Lambert Hillyer, Batman stars Lewis Wilson and William Austin, both of whom were famous for being the first people to play Batman/Bruce Wayne and Alfred, respectively, in a film adaptation. Being based around the end/aftermath of World War II, it also gives insight into how even a movie rendition of a comic book character can be used to push war propaganda.

The first set of Batman movies to be made majorly put the main cast in the spotlight, especially the protagonists, leaving the directors as unsung heroes, a sensation that changed following Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy. But even at that, the Batman movies produced between 1943 and 1966 made sure to usher in a new cast with each new release.

Batman: The Movie (1966)

There was a Batman series released in 1966, but this is not it. However, it provides for this feature film's plot as well as a huge chunk of the cast, which especially includes Adam West, who is considered by many to have laid the first stones in building the character’s legacy as it is known today. This is the first full-length adaptation of the superhero into film, with Adam West’s deadpan delivery and square-jawed demeanor causing the movie to be considered many things - trailblazing, and moment-defining. Batman is also different, as the character is portrayed in much lighter tones than it is known today. It should appeal especially to nostalgia merchants, who will find themselves wondering what could have been when they see this stark 180 from Batman as he is known today.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

Former movies have shown how Arthur Fleck/Jack Napier becomes the Joker and how the Joker directly or indirectly sets Bruce Wayne’s resolve to actively fight crime in Gotham City as a full-fledged Batman. Matman Mask of the Phantasm chooses instead to shed light on Bruce Wayne’s transition into the world's greatest detective, choosing especially to emphasize the last straw that cements the birth of his alter ego. This animated movie’s unique perspective makes it the next movie to watch after The Joker, with it technically being a bridge between the 1981-set Joker movie and Tim Burton’s Batman, tying the two movies into one tenuous timeline.

Batman (1989)

So far, the Batman movies have moved from being made because someone felt it was time for people to see the caped crusader onscreen to the character being test-run as unconventionally humorous. This changes in Batman when Tim Burton steps into the mix and decides not to follow tradition, choosing instead to make Batman darker and more gothic, an experiment that was so wildly successful that its aftermath is still visible in the way the onscreen Batman is written today. Safe to say Burton redefined Batman and opened the doors for his continuous evolution over the years. Also, Batman (1989) is the first time the Gotham Guardian faces the Joker, who isn’t quite the same as Joaquin Phoenix's but shares some characteristics with Arthur Fleck all the same, such as being the reason for the existence of Batman due to him facilitating the death of Bruce Wayne’s parents.

Batman Returns (1992)

Seeing how successful Batman(1989) was, Warner Bros. Decided to leave the reins with Burton to make another movie, this time with significantly more creative control and a bigger budget. Burton, in turn, allows Michael Keaton to reprise his role as Batman but fails to replicate the successes of Batman, which causes him to be taken off the project. Honestly, there aren’t many compelling reasons to watch Batman Returns after Batman(1989), other than the fact that the two movies were directed by the same person and technically exist in the same timeline. And even at that, there aren’t any spillovers that might indicate that it is a continuation of Batman (1989).

Batman Forever (1995)

Enter Joel Schumacher into the director’s chair as Tim Burton’s replacement, and his first assignment is to tone down the gloominess of the Batman movies a bit, as this was perceived to have been the reason Batman Returns tanked at the box office. To do this, Schumacher opts to emphasize the general plot and, as a result, pays more attention to the antagonists. This succeeded in returning the movies to what they were before Tim Burton’s experiment, albeit for a short while, and although it didn’t do as well as Burton’s Batman, it was successful enough to earn Schumacher the go-ahead to make a second movie.

Batman & Robin (1997)

Unlike 1949’s Batman & Robin, Schumacher’s sequel of the same name was better put together, to say the least. Also, Warner Bros., at this point, already had the vision that the character deserved to transcend the big screen and was big enough to serve as inspiration for other merchandise, and Schumacher was mandated to make his movie to fuel the idea.

Batman & Robin saw George Clooney take over from Val Kilmer, following the latter having inherited the role from Keaton for one movie. But that isn’t why the movie comes next on the watch sequence. Plainly speaking, Schumacher’s movies should do just as fine if they were watched with the Batman movies from between 1943 and 1966, as they share key elements with the movies of that time. However, they also share continuity with Tim Burton’s, having reprized characters and design elements from them, among other things, so maybe they are best left as Burton sequels.

Batman Begins (2005)

This ushers in the era of Batman as the final product of numerous trial-and-error productions, with no one other than Christopher Nolan at the helm. Batman Begins marked the franchise’s return to a hardier audience, following the gross underperformance of Schumacher’s Batman & Robin at the box office despite it being made on the biggest budget for a Batman movie yet at the time.

The movie marks the beginning of yet another Batman franchise-in-franchise, offering a fresh insight into Bruce Wayne's journey to becoming the Dark Knight. Because it doesn’t share continuity with any of the Batman movies before it, it can’t be placed anywhere else on the watchlist without alienating it from the other movies in its trilogy.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Being the second release in Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, The Dark Knight is one of the best Batman movies ever created. Which is ironic considering it almost wasn't made, with every one of the main cast members putting in a ridiculously good performance. The movie challenges the traditional superhero narrative, opening the franchise to new themes. Above all, it became regarded as the blueprint for making superhero movies. This is arguably the best Batman movie ever released and comes as the sequel to Batman Begins. Christopher Nolan continues the Batman journey, bringing audiences face to face with Batman's most popular nemesis, the Joker. With incredible acting from Heath Ledger, the movie has earned serious acclaim from various sources.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

This rounds off Nolan’s trilogy and cements the director’s place as an important force in the evolution of modern-day Batman.

Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy reimagined Batman for a new era, bringing a more realistic perspective to the titular character. It also provided for a much more in-depth development of each character in general and was probably the first time there was such a cohesive narrative arc between three Batman movies. Interestingly, it also introduced the Bat-signal as a dual symbol, signaling hope for the victims and fear for the perpetrators.