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On comic book pages, Batman debuted in Detective Comics #27 back in 1939. In the decades that followed, the DC character became one of the most well-known and globally recognizable characters.
The serious and gritty hero, whose moral compass points to righteous justice, he is a fan-favorite. Thus, ever since Lewis Wilson marked its first live-action appearance in 1943, his presence on the big screen has remained a much sought-after affair.
Thereafter, the likes of Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson stand as some of the most recent actors to have played and added weight to the character.
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The chronological order to watch the Batman franchise
Amid reboots and stand-alone appearances, the character has had at least 15 live-action movie appearances across several studios alongside animated ones. Spread out in phases, trilogies, and connected universes, a proper way to enjoy and honor these movies would be to watch them in chronological order.
For the most avid fans, here is the above-mentioned order of all appearances of the character in the films which received a full theatrical release:
1) Batman (1943)- Tubi
Starring Lewis Wilson, the 1943 live-action version was a 15-chapter serial film. The plot follows the character’s journey as a secret US government agent along with his ward, Robin. Set with World War II as its backdrop, their task was to stop a Japanese spy, Dr. Tito Daka, from stealing Gotham City’s radium supplies.
2) Batman and Robin (1949) - Tubi, Roku, Prime Video
A sequel to its 1943 edition, this adaptation also landed as a black-and-white serial of fifteen parts, although with a different cast. Robert Lowery helmed the main role while Jonny Duncan appeared as Robin.
The story revolved around the duo facing off against The Wizard, who could remotely control vehicles within a 50-mile radius. Suspense, heroism, and technological threats served as the necessary plot devices.
3) Batman: The Movie (1966)- Prime Video
1966’s Batman became the first feature-length adaptation of the iconic character with a runtime of 104 minutes and Adam West in the titular role.
Additionally, some of the most fan-beloved DC antagonists, such as the Joker, Penguin, and Riddler, appeared in this movie. The story had the hero and Robin rescue kidnapped victims as well as save the world from being taken over by the above group of villains.
4) Batman (1989)- HBO max
Director Tim Burton roped in Michael Keaton in the lead role and Jack Nicholson as The Joker.
A dark and gothic visual tone adorned Gotham City as the Caped Crusader faced off against his arch-nemesis atop the Gotham Cathedral. Moreover, the film also looked into the origins of the iconic villain as well as the organized crime syndicate run by Carl Grissom.
5) Batman Returns (1992)- HBO max
Michael Keaton returned for the sequel to his Tim Burton directorial alongside a cast that had Danny DeVito play The Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.
Set with Christmas as the background, the movie explores the origins and rise of The Penguin, all the way to his running for the mayor of Gotham.
Corruption and power served as the underlying themes with a dramatic showdown marking the climax of a movie highly praised for its visual effects and musical score.
6) Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)- Prime Video, Apple TV
The first animated entry on this list, Kevin Conroy, voiced the titular character while Mark Hamill voiced the Joker, and Stacy Keach, Phantasm.
The plot opens with a series of mystery kills of mob bosses across Gotham, originally committed by Phantasm but blamed on the hero.
The twists did not stop there as they involved the former love interests of Bruce Wayne as well. A mature story with an emotional impact made the film a highly praised outing.
7) Batman Forever (1995)- HBO max
Directed by Joel Schumacher, this live-action movie starred Val Kilmer as the titular hero. A significant departure from the previous adaptations, the flick featured a vibrant setting while he faced off against Tommy Lee Jones’ Two-Face and Jim Carrey’s Riddler. Seeking to control Gotham, the two villains face off in a dramatic conclusion.
8) Batman & Robin (1997)- HBO max
A reboot of sorts, this adaptation again had Joel Schumacher as the director, but George Clooney as the lead. Furthermore, the star-studded cast had Arnold Schwarzenegger play the first big-screen debut of Mr. Freeze and Uma Thruman as Poison Ivy.
The two antagonists paired up with one, planning to freeze Gotham and extort money in search of a cure for his terminally ill wife. Thereafter, the latter intended to achieve ecological domination. Chris O’Donnell as Robin complemented the story towards an ending with a 125-minute runtime.
9) Batman Begins (2005)- HBO max, tbs, tru tv
After nearly a decade of hiatus, Christopher Nolan brought in Christian Bale for his trilogy that began with the aptly named movie.
The story explores the origins of Bruce Wayne, from the murder of his parents to learning martial arts, understanding the criminal mind, and adopting a dual identity.
Cillian Murphy as Scarecrow and Tom Wilkinson as Carmine Falcone served as the primary antagonists with Ken Watanabe’s Ra’s al Ghul, culminating in the criminals’ intentions to vaporize Gotham.
10) The Dark Knight (2008)- HBO max
A superhero movie with one of the highest Oscar nominations, The Dark Knight, involved the late Heath Ledger as Joker and his posthumous Academy Award win for Best Supporting Actor.
A theme of 'Chaos versus Order' highlighted the story as the Joker threatened to bring complete anarchy as well as serve as the Dark Knight's strongest foe yet.
The plot also dove into testing the boundaries of the Dark Knight’s patience and moral compass as intense confrontations, dialogues, and complexity dotted the movie.
11) The Dark Knight Rises (2012)- HBO max, tbs, tru tv
Eight years after the terror of Joker, The Dark Knight Rises began its storyline, which also introduced Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. Following a period of peace, the story focuses on the retired hero in seclusion, being forced to return with the arrival of Tom Hardy’s Bane.
However, the masked villain imprisoned the weakened Bruce Wayne as he successfully took control of Gotham with a nuclear bomb at his disposal.
Redemption, sacrifice, failure, and hope then marked a satisfying end to the Nolan DC trilogy.
12) Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)- HBO max
Bringing in the era of Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne, this movie marked the first appearance of Gotham’s savior in full glory in the DC Extended Universe.
Directed by Zack Snyder, the plot immediately picked up from and during the ending of 2013’s Man of Steel. Manipulated by Lex Luthor, both Batman and Superman, played by Henry Cavill, are at odds with one another.
Believing him to be an outcast and a threat, the former goes to great lengths, almost taking the life of the Kryptonian before banding alongside Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman and fighting Doomsday.
13) Suicide Squad (2016)- HBO max
A DCEU entry, Suicide Squad was a direct competitor to Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Moreover, while it did not feature Bruce Wayne and his alter ego in a major capacity, it shared its universe and Gotham with Ben Affleck’s character, who also made a cameo appearance.
Iconic characters such as Joker, played by Jared Leto, explored the relationship between him and Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn as the rag-tag group of morally flexible individuals warded off threats in a rather unorthodox manner.
14) The Lego Batman Movie (2017)- HBO max
An official DC production, this entry is exactly what its name suggests- an animated film made using CGI legos. Making the mature underlying theme from the live-action movies more accessible to young viewers, the movie offered a unique take on the story and visuals.
Will Arnett voiced the hero in a plot that had him stop the Joker’s villainous plans but also hurt his feelings. In revenge, the latter then brought in a team of the most dangerous foes from the Phantom Zone, with Voldemort, King Kong, and Sauron serving as cameos.
15) Justice League (2017)- HBO max
A mixed reception product from the DCEU, Justice League, was expected to rival the MCU’s Avengers. Ben Affleck reprised his role as DC's Bruce Wayne and so did Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot as Superman and Wonder Woman, respectively.
Ezra Miller as The Flash, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, and Ray Fisher as Cyborg served as the remaining members of the iconic Justice League from DC Comics.
Unfortunately, Zack Snyder’s sudden exit from the project had Joss Whedon coming in to finish his vision, with key storylines being changed, Steppenwolf as the primary antagonist, coming to Earth to retrieve three Mother Boxes alongside his army of para-demons.
16) Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)- HBO max
After an outroar of fans, DC Studios succumbed to pressure and allowed Zack Snyder to complete his vision of the Justice League.
The entirety of the cast returned but with major changes. Superman wore a black suit, and Steppenwolf served only as an intermediary for Darkseid, one of DC’s most fearsome characters.
Major character arcs and plot developments were handed out to The Flash as well as Cyborg, even as Affleck's Dark Knight assembled the team and geared up the league for further missions.
17) The Batman (2022)- HBO max
Robert Pattinson of the Twilight fame helmed the titular role in Matt Reeves’ adaptation of the character. Set outside of the main DC universe, the film featured a detective noir style and a dark Gotham, with the director focusing on top-tier cinematography.
The Riddler’s serial kills across the city, including that of the mayor, left police puzzled, leaving the hero to uncover the mystery. Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman and Colin Farrell as The Penguin highlighted the plot even as the riddles led to dark secrets and Batman’s rise as a symbol of hope.
18) DC League of Super-Pets (2022)- HBO max
A light-hearted animation during tumultuous for DC Studios, DC League of Super-Pets had Keanu Reeves voice the lead and Kevin Hart, his pet, Ace the Bat-Hound.
The story follows Superman’s dog, Krypto, teaming up with a group of superpowered shelter pets to rescue the Justice League, kidnapped by Lex Luthor.
Filled with humor and heart, the movie served as a breather while bringing along themes of friendship, loyalty, and teamwork.
19) The Flash (2023)- Netflix, HBO max
Diving into the multiverse, The Flash marked the canonical end of the DC Extended Universe that began with Zack Snyder. As such, it also marked the final appearance of Ben Affleck as the billionaire hero while also bringing back Michael Keaton to reprise his iconic role once again.
Barry Allen’s reckless abuse of the Speed Force to change back time resulted in harrowing consequences, sending him to an alternate timeline as well as having to deal with a villainous self in the end.
Sasha Calle as Supergirl and Michael Shanon as General Zod also served their purpose as the film ended with a glimpse of George Clooney as Bruce Wayne.
DC Studios now has James Gunn and Peter Safran at the helm. While the duo has guaranteed Robert Pattinson returning for Matt Reeves’ The Batman sequel, they are also looking for a new Bat face for the fresh DC canon, set to begin with David Corenswet as Superman.
