Batman Movies Ranked: Every Film, Best to Worst
Batman movies ranked, in my opinion, put The Dark Knight (2008) first and Batman & Robin (1997) last across 11 theatrical films, from Batman (1966) to The Batman (2022). The list covers nine live action films and two animated spin-offs, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) and The Lego Batman Movie (2017), and each gets a short verdict that is labeled as opinion.
Key Takeaways
- The Dark Knight (2008) is first, The Batman (2022) is second and Batman Begins (2005) is third.
- The Dark Knight Rises (2012) earned the most of any Batman film, about $1.09 billion worldwide according to Box Office Mojo, yet it ranks seventh.
- The two animated spin-offs are on the list: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is fourth and The Lego Batman Movie is eighth.
- Batman & Robin (1997) is last, and the reasons are the script and the tone, not the cast.
- Batman v Superman, Justice League, Zack Snyder's Justice League and The Flash are appearances, so they are not ranked.
Hot Takes
- Batman Returns (1992) is a better film than Batman (1989), and the gap is wider than my one place of separation suggests. Jordan Okafor, opinion.
- Batman: Mask of the Phantasm belongs in the top four, ahead of both Tim Burton films, and it is the most overlooked Batman film. Jordan Okafor, opinion.
- The Dark Knight Rises is the most overrated big earner in the series: the scale is real, but the plot is not as tight as its two predecessors. Jordan Okafor, opinion.
Opinion, by Jordan Okafor.
- 1
The Dark Knight
Heath Ledger's Joker is the sharpest villain performance in the series, and the script puts Batman, Harvey Dent and Jim Gordon under real pressure for 152 minutes. Christopher Nolan opens on a bank robbery that tells you who the Joker is within minutes. It is the film I would give to anyone asking for the best Batman movie.
- 2
The Batman
Matt Reeves makes Batman a detective, which fits the character's comics roots better than most earlier films. Robert Pattinson plays a Bruce Wayne two years into the job, and Paul Dano's Riddler gives the mystery a real threat. At 177 minutes it is long, but Colin Farrell's Oz and the Iceberg Lounge earn the time.
- 3
Batman Begins
Christopher Nolan gives Bruce Wayne an origin with consequences, from the well in Gotham to the League of Shadows in Bhutan. Christian Bale, Michael Caine as Alfred and Liam Neeson as Ducard anchor it well. The final act is looser than its sequel, which is why it sits third.
- 4
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
At 77 minutes it is the tightest Batman story on the list, and it was the first animated Batman film to get a theatrical release. Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill and Shirley Walker's score make it feel like a full theatrical release. It earned only about $5.9 million worldwide, so most fans came to it late.
- 5
Batman Returns
Tim Burton's sequel is stranger and sadder than Batman (1989), with Danny DeVito's Penguin, Christopher Walken's Max Shreck and Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman. Pfeiffer took over after Annette Bening left the role because of pregnancy, and she makes Selina Kyle the emotional center. It earned $266.9 million worldwide against $411.6 million for its predecessor, which suggests a darker film was a harder sell.
- 6
Batman
Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson, with Danny Elfman's score, set the template for the modern Batman film. It earned $411.6 million worldwide on a $35 million budget. It sits below Returns because Burton's style is more complete in the sequel and the plot here is thinner.
- 7
The Dark Knight Rises
It is the series' biggest earner, about $1.09 billion worldwide according to Box Office Mojo on a $250 million budget. Tom Hardy's Bane and Anne Hathaway's Selina Kyle are strong, and the scale is real. At 165 minutes the last act leans on coincidence.
- 8
The Lego Batman Movie
Will Arnett's Batman is a funny, affectionate send up of every era, directed by Chris McKay. The cast list runs from Zach Galifianakis' Joker to Voldemort and King Kong, and it earned $312 million on an $80 million budget. It ranks eighth only because it is a comedy about Batman rather than a Batman story, which is my opinion.
- 9
Batman
Adam West and Burt Ward star in a pop art comedy directed by Leslie H. Martinson, with Nelson Riddle composing and four villains (the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler and Catwoman) teaming up. It was made on a budget of about $1.4 million. I enjoy it as camp, but it has the least in common with the later films.
- 10
Batman Forever
Joel Schumacher's film has Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne, Jim Carrey as the Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face, and Kiss from a Rose by Seal came from its soundtrack. It earned a solid $336.6 million worldwide. The tone swings between brooding and cartoonish, and Kilmer is given little to work with.
- 11
Batman & Robin
Joel Schumacher's sequel has George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy and Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl. It earned $238.3 million worldwide on a $125 million budget, the lowest gross of the four films from 1989 to 1997. It is last because of the toy-like script and the tone, not because of the cast.
Batman Movies Ranked Best to Worst: How I Judge Them
I rank Batman films on four things: how well the film tells a Batman story, how strong its villain is, how well it is made and how well it has aged. All 11 theatrical films get a place, animated spin-offs included, because someone searching for the best Batman movie wants one list, not two. Every verdict here is my opinion, and the numbers behind them (runtimes, budgets, grosses) come from Box Office Mojo, The Numbers and TMDB.
The Top Tier: Nolan and Reeves
The top three are The Dark Knight (2008), The Batman (2022) and Batman Begins (2005). Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is first because Heath Ledger's Joker pulls Bruce Wayne, Harvey Dent and Jim Gordon into choices that last the full 152 minutes, and the film grossed more than $1 billion worldwide. Matt Reeves takes second place by making Batman a detective, with Robert Pattinson's Bruce Wayne, Paul Dano's Riddler and Colin Farrell's Oz. Batman Begins is third, and that is a close call, since Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Liam Neeson give Nolan's origin story real weight.
The Middle: Where Animation and Burton Land
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is fourth, which will surprise anyone who has only heard of it in passing. Kevin Conroy voices Batman and Mark Hamill voices the Joker, and at 77 minutes it is the tightest Batman story on this list. It earned only about $5.9 million worldwide, so most fans never saw it in a theater. Tim Burton's two films follow: Batman Returns is fifth and Batman (1989) is sixth. Burton's second film is stranger and sadder, with Danny DeVito as the Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman, while the first made $411.6 million on a $35 million budget and set the template for everything after it.
The Bottom: Big Earners and Camp
The lower half holds the series' biggest earner and its most divisive era. The Dark Knight Rises is seventh despite its $1.09 billion worldwide total, because Tom Hardy's Bane and Anne Hathaway's Selina Kyle cannot fully hide a loose last act. The Lego Batman Movie is eighth and Batman (1966) is ninth: both are comedies about Batman, and both are worth your time on those terms. Batman Forever is tenth, with Val Kilmer, Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones in a film that cannot decide whether it is dark or cartoonish. Batman & Robin is last, and George Clooney deserves a better script than the one he got.
Why Four Batman Films Are Not Ranked
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, Zack Snyder's Justice League and The Flash all feature Batman, but they are team-up and crossover stories rather than Batman films, so they appear in the Batman movies in order guide and not on this list. Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck and the rest of the Batman actors in order show up there too.
If you are new to the series, start with The Dark Knight and then work back through the release order. If you want the money side first, the Batman box office page has every gross.
FAQs
Which Batman movie is considered the best?
In my opinion, the best Batman movie is The Dark Knight (2008), directed by Christopher Nolan, thanks to Heath Ledger's Joker and a story that tests Batman, Harvey Dent and Jim Gordon together. The Batman (2022) is my second choice, and Batman Begins (2005) is third.
Who is rated the worst Batman?
I rank Batman & Robin (1997), with George Clooney as Batman, as the worst film, and Batman Forever (1995), with Val Kilmer, tenth. I do not blame the actors, because the weak entries come from scripts and tone. Joel Schumacher directed both.
Which is the most popular Batman movie?
By box office, The Dark Knight Rises (2012) is the most popular, with about $1.09 billion worldwide according to Box Office Mojo. The Dark Knight (2008) is next with more than $1 billion worldwide, and The Batman (2022) earned about $773 million.
What is considered the best Batman of all time?
In my opinion, Christian Bale is the best live action Batman, because he plays both Bruce Wayne and the mask across three films. Michael Keaton is a close second. For voice work, Kevin Conroy in Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is my pick.
What are the Batman movies ranked live action?
My live action order, best to worst, is The Dark Knight, The Batman (2022), Batman Begins, Batman Returns, Batman (1989), The Dark Knight Rises, Batman (1966), Batman Forever and Batman & Robin.
Are the animated Batman movies on the list?
Yes. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) is fourth and The Lego Batman Movie (2017) is eighth, because the list covers all theatrical Batman films, live action and animated.