With the recent release of Matt Reeve's The Batman, what better time to take a look back at the masked vigilante's cinematic history with some of the best Batman movies, according to the cinephiles over at Ranker. The Batman stars Paul Dano, Zoe Kravitz, and Robert Pattinson in the titular role of Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Fans of the franchise have been loving the dark and violent take on the superhero, but there are a lot of b0th live-action and animated iterations of the iconic character in existence since Hollywood started making Batman films in the late 80s.
Batman: The Dark Night Returns, Part 1 (2012)
Batman: The Dark Night Returns, Part 1 is a unique take on the superhero as it's an animated film about a 55-year-old Batman being forced back into the suit after a ten-year hiatus due to the sudden appearance of a new bread of criminals that are terrorizing Gotham. The film is directed by Jay Oliva and features outstanding voice performances from Peter Weller, Ariel Winter, and David Selby.
This fan favorite is a classic adaptation of Frank Miller's comic of the same name. The comic has served as one of the most inspirational comics of the series for filmmakers working on the franchise.
The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
The Lego Batman Movie is a fun kid-centric animated Batman movie that is extremely funny, and enjoyable for audiences of all ages. The film is about Bruce Wayne squaring off against the usual suspects as they attempt to rule Gotham while discovering that he accidentally adopted a son.
The Lego Batman Movie is directed by Chris McKay and has an all-star cast featuring Will Arnett, Michael Cera, and Rosario Dawson. Fans of the film felt the animated feature was even better than the live-action Batman films in multiple ways, specifically loving the comedy and humor of the movie.
Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker - (2000)
Batman Beyond television show. The film is about Bruce Wayne and Terry McGinnis, the new Batman, squaring off against the legendary Joker.
Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker stars Will Friedle, Mark Hamill, and Kevin Conroy, and is directed by Curt Geda. Fans of the animated television show loved this continuation of the storyline, specifically citing Hamill's performance as the Joker as a high point of the film.
Batman: Under The Red Hood (2010)
Batman: Under The Red Hood is an animated film directed by Brandon Vietti, and stars Jensen Ackles, Bruce Greenwood, Neil Patrick Harris, and John DiMaggio. The film is about Batman going toe-to-toe with a mysterious masked vigilante that goes by the name Red Hood, but as buried memories come to light old wounds are reopened for Batman.
Batman: Under The Red Hood features an incredible balance between action and character development with this excellently written crime mystery. Despite being animated, this film is intended for a more adult or mature audience as it is PG-13.
Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm (1993)
Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm is another animated film featuring incredible voice acting from Mark Hamill, Kevin Conroy, and Stacy Keach. The film is about Batman being wrongly implicated in a series of murders of high-level mob bosses that are being done by a new and mysterious vigilante assassin.
Many fans of the franchise cite this as being one of the best animated Batman films ever made, and even comparable to some of the best live-action Batman films. The excellently written action is paired with outstanding voice acting and an incredible narrative to make for an unforgettable Batman film.
Batman Returns (1992)
Batman Returns is Tim Burton's highly successful sequel that sees Bruce Wayne squaring off against The Penguin as he builds his underground lair with the help of an evil businessman, and Catwoman as she forms her vendetta with Batman. The film has an incredible cast featuring an iconic performance from Danny DeVito as The Penguin as well as Michael Keaton, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Christopher Walken.
Fans loved seeing Keaton's portrayal of Batman square off with DeVito's Penguin in a Gotham that only Tim Burton could portray.
Batman (1989)
Batman was Tim Burton's classic first portrayal of the caped crusader with Michael Keaton playing the titular role of Bruce Wayne. The film is about Batman beginning his war on crime by taking down Jack Napier the crime lord that would eventually become The Joker.
Batman is one of the first feature film iterations of the character and despite being made in 1989 holds up incredibly well to this day. The film features incredible performances from Jack Nicholson as The Joker, as well as Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, and Billy Dee Williams.
The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight Rises is Christopher Nolan's highly anticipated conclusion to his Dark Knight Trilogy. The film takes place 8 years after the events of the previous film as Bruce Wayne is forced out of exile to protect Gotham from a brutal terrorist named Bane.
While the film isn't the fan-favorite of the series, it is the most underrated film of the trilogy. Featuring incredible performances by Tom Hardy as the incredibly physical antagonist Bane and Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. The Dark Knight Rises is an excellent conclusion to one of the best superhero trilogies of all time.
Batman Begins (2005)
Batman Begins is the first film in The Dark Knight Trilogy, directed by Christopher Nolan. The film is about Bruce Wayne training under his mentor Ra's Al Ghul as he becomes Batman and begins his fight against crime and corruption in Gotham.
Batman Begins has an incredible cast featuring Christian Bale, Michael Cane, Morgan Freeman, and Liam Neeson. The film is often cited as one of the best Batman origin stories put on film as fans loved the grounded, dark, and realistic take on the superhero as he establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with in Gotham.
The Dark Knight (2008)
The Dark Knight is the second film in Christopher Nolan's massively successful and influential The Dark Knight Trilogy. The film is about Batman being faced with one of his toughest and most cruel villains, the Joker, as he attempts to put an end to the chaos that is being caused around Gotham.
The Dark Knight features one of the most iconic performances in a superhero movie of all time in Heath Ledger's role as the Joker. Ledger won an Academy Award for the unforgettable performance as well. Fans often cite this as one of their favorite superhero movies ever made due to the dark grounded realism and excellent acting.
