The Plot: Based on the campy, colorful 1960s TV show. Batman and Robin must stop a theatrical alliance of four of Gotham’s greatest villains—The Joker, The Riddler, The Penguin, and Catwoman—who plan to dehydrate the members of the United Nations Security Council into dust.
Batman (1989)
The Batman: Michael Keaton
The Plot: Directed by Tim Burton, this dark, gothic blockbuster revolutionized the superhero genre. A brooding Bruce Wayne fights street crime in a grim Gotham City while facing off against his parents' killer turned psychotic criminal mastermind, The Joker (Jack Nicholson).
Batman Returns (1992)
The Batman: Michael Keaton
The Plot: Tim Burton's darkly atmospheric sequel takes place during Christmas. Batman fights a bizarre, sewer-dwelling corporate pawn named The Penguin, while navigating a complex, dangerous romance with the vengeful vigilante Catwoman.
Batman Forever (1995)
The Batman: Val Kilmer
The Plot: Directed by Joel Schumacher, the franchise shifted back toward a vibrant, neon-lit pop aesthetic. Batman tries to stop a mind-controlling device invented by Two-Face and The Riddler, while simultaneously adopting a traumatized circus acrobat named Dick Grayson, who becomes Robin.
Batman & Robin (1997)
The Batman: George Clooney
The Plot: A high-camp, toy-etic cinematic era filled with ice puns and colorful sets. Batman and Robin struggle to keep their partnership together while attempting to stop Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy from freezing Gotham City solid.
The Dark Knight Trilogy
Batman Begins (2005)
The Batman: Christian Bale
The Plot: Directed by Christopher Nolan, this grounded reboot stripped away the comic book camp for a gritty, realistic psychological thriller. It explores Bruce Wayne's training under the League of Shadows and his return to Gotham to defeat the Scarecrow and Ra's al Ghul, who intend to destroy the city with fear toxin.
The Dark Knight (2008)
The Batman: Christian Bale
The Plot: Widely regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made. Batman joins forces with Commissioner Gordon and DA Harvey Dent to take down the mob, only to have their plans completely dismantled by an agent of pure, unpredictable chaos: The Joker (Heath Ledger).
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The Batman: Christian Bale
The Plot: Set eight years after The Dark Knight, a physically broken and reclusive Bruce Wayne is forced back into action when a brutal, masked terrorist named Bane takes nuclear control of Gotham City, forcing a final battle for the soul of the city.
The Modern & Cinematic Universe Eras
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
The Batman: Ben Affleck
The Plot: Set in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). An older, heavily armored, and more brutal Batman becomes obsessed with neutralizing the god-like alien Superman, believing his unchecked power is a threat to humanity, all while Lex Luthor manipulates them from the shadows.
Justice League (2017) / Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
The Batman: Ben Affleck
The Plot: Fueled by a restored faith in humanity, Batman steps up as a recruiter and leader, bringing together Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg to defend Earth from an alien invasion led by Steppenwolf.
The Batman (2022)
The Batman: Robert Pattinson
The Plot: A standalone, pitch-black detective noir directed by Matt Reeves. Set during Bruce Wayne's second year as a vigilante, a young, raw, and obsessive Batman investigates Gotham's elite corruption while hunting a cryptic, serial killer known as The Riddler.
The Batman is a completely separate universe ("Elseworlds") from the other films, heavily inspired by the 1990s grunge scene (like Kurt Cobain) and classic 1970s neo-noir detective comics.
