For a Batfan, any day is a great day to watch all the Batman movies in order (most of which you can usually stream with a Max subscription). It can also be fun to have debates over which of the best Batman movies — such as Tim Burton’s 1989 classic or The Dark Knight — or even the most underrated Batman movies deserve a spot among the greatest superhero movies of all time.
Well, before you cast your vote, try revisiting (or, perhaps, even discovering) all of the live-action, feature-length DC movies starring the Caped Crusader so far on streaming, as a digital rental, or on physical media. We shall start with the “Bright Knight’s” big screen moment.
The Adam West Era
Batman: The Movie (1966)
Released months after its TV predecessor premiered, Batman: The Movie sees millionaire Bruce Wayne (Adam West, who later reprised the role in two animated movies) and his young ward, Robin (Burt Ward, who had some close calls on set), take on four fearsome members of their rogues gallery. The film may be a far cry from the character’s definitively darker iterations, but West’s legendary performance and its laugh-out-loud moments make it hard not to get wrapped up in this fun, campy classic.
Stream Batman: The Movie on Max.
Buy/rent Batman: The Movie on Amazon.
Buy Batman: The Movie on Blu-ray on Amazon.
The Tim Burton Era
Batman (1989)
The film that brought the Dark Knight in his definitive, brooding form back to the mainstream (for the first time) was this box office smash — the most popular movie of 1989 — that is also lauded as one of the best Tim Burton movies. For Michael Keaton’s grounded portrayal of the titular hero (despite facing premature backlash for his casting), Jack Nicholson’s timelessly manic take on the Joker, and Danny Elfman’s seminal score, Batman is considered one of the best movies of the ’80s and remains one of the most influential superhero movies of all time.
Stream Batman on Max.
Buy/rent Batman on Amazon.
Buy Batman on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Batman Returns (1992)
After requesting much of his dialogue be removed, Keaton put on the cape and cowl a second and last time (for a while, at least) to face The Penguin (a nightmarish Danny DeVito), Michelle Pfeiffer giving one of the best Catwoman performances ever, and Christopher Walken during one volatile holiday season. Returning director Burton runs wild with his signature, wondrously macabre style for Batman Returns, resulting in a strange and controversial, but still thoroughly entertaining, interpretation of Gotham City lore.
Stream Batman Returns on Max.
Buy/rent Batman Returns on Amazon.
Buy Batman Returns on Blu-ray on Amazon.
The Joel Schumacher Era
Batman Forever (1995)
Following Batman Returns‘ divisive reception, the late Joel Schumacher was tapped to direct this action-packed spectacle that is still dark on the inside (delving deeper into Bruce Wayne’s “scarred psyche”), but brighter on the outside (making Gotham look like Vegas with miniatures and digital effects). Val Kilmer steps in to play the lead in Batman Forever — which Kevin Smith claimed does, indeed, have a “Schumacher Cut,” according to IGN — along with Nicole Kidman as psychologist Chase Meridian, Jim Carrey as one of the most iconic Riddler depictions, Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face, and Chris O’Donnell as Robin.
Stream Batman Forever on Max.
Buy/rent Batman Forever on Amazon.
Buy Batman Forever on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Batman & Robin (1997)
O’Donnell returned as the grown-up Boy Wonder, but this time with George Clooney — who is not the biggest fan of his performance as Wayne — for Schumacher’s final DC movie, which is much brighter tonally and visually, but still does work for some people despite an initially cold reception from most. Batman & Robin sees the Caped Crusaders facing off against Mr. Freeze (a scenery-chewing Arnold Schwarzenegger) and the deceptive Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman, who wore a surprising amount of rubber for the role), with unexpected help from Batgirl (Alicia Silverstone).
Stream Batman & Robin on Max.
Buy/rent Batman & Robin on Amazon.
Buy Batman & Robin on Blu-ray on Amazon.
The Dark Knight Trilogy
Batman Begins (2005)
After nearly a decade of dormancy, co-writer and director Christopher Nolan revived Batman on the big screen by going back to basics and to the beginning of Bruce Wayne’s war on crime. Christian Bale secures himself as one of the best actors to wear the cape and cowl in Batman Begins, which also features one of the coolest Batmobile designs and beautifully bridges the gap between comic book fantasy and grounded, action-packed thrills.
Stream Batman Begins on Max.
Buy/rent Batman Begins on Amazon.
Buy Batman Begins on Blu-ray Amazon.
The Dark Knight (2008)
Batman Begins was a major turning point for superhero movies, but Nolan’s brilliantly crafted, astonishingly successful follow-up truly sparked a revolution in the genre that finally convinced experts to treat comic book movies like genuine cinema. It may be a Batman movie, but the late Heath Ledger (who once was considered to play the hero before Bale) steals the show with his Oscar-winning performance as the Joker and pushes The Dark Knight into the higher echelon of the pop culture stratosphere.
Stream The Dark Knight on Max.
Buy/rent The Dark Knight on Amazon.
Buy The Dark Knight on Blu-ray on Amazon.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Nolan ended his Dark Knight Trilogy with a send-off that sees Bale (who turned down the chance for a fourth installment) as a Batman pushed to his farthest limits as his city becomes an anarchic “No Man’s Land.” Once again, however, it is the villains who steal the spotlight in The Dark Knight Rises with Tom Hardy as a properly imposing and intelligent Bane and Anne Hathaway surprising fans as a cunning Catwoman who almost rivals Michelle Pfeiffer.
Stream The Dark Knight Rises on Max.
Buy/rent The Dark Knight Rises on Amazon.
Buy The Dark Knight Rises on Blu-ray on Amazon.
DC Extended Universe
Director Zack Snyder’s Superman movies reboot, Man of Steel, was the first installment of a new shared universe referred to as the DC Extended Universe. Of course, such a franchise could not be complete without Batman — as played, in most titles, by Academy Award winner and former Marvel movie actor (from 2003’s Daredevil), Ben Affleck… but he would not be the only one.
The following are all the movies in the DC Extended Universe so far, by order of release date:
- Man Of Steel (2013)
- Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016)
- Suicide Squad (2016)
- Wonder Woman (2017)
- Justice League (2017)
- Aquaman (2018)
- Shazam! (2019)
- Birds Of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020)
- Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
- Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
- The Suicide Squad (2021)
- Black Adam (2022)
- Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
- The Flash (2023)
Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016)
In 2013, Affleck was announced as Bale’s successor for a gruffer, older, beefier (and, arguably, better) take on Batman. By revisiting Man of Steel’s climax through Bruce Wayne’s eyes at the beginning, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice — available on Max as a three-hour “ultimate” cut — sets the Dark Knight on a path toward vengeful conflict with the god-like Kryptonian (Henry Cavill) as his heroism is also put under intense scrutiny.
Stream Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: Ultimate Edition on Max.
Buy/rent Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice on Amazon.
Buy Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: Ultimate Edition on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Suicide Squad (2016)
Following speculation over his involvement, Affleck made a brief, but memorable, appearance in Suicide Squad just a few months after Batman v Superman. In two of the best sequences (in addition to a mid-credits cameo) from David Ayer’s supervillain crossover flick, the vigilante apprehends Deadshot (Will Smith) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), putting them behind bars and making them eligible to do Amanda Waller’s (Viola Davis) dirty work on Task Force X.
Stream Suicide Squad on Max.
Buy/rent Suicide Squad on Amazon.
Buy Suicide Squad on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Justice League (2017)
Seeking redemption for the mistake that led to Clark Kent’s demise, Bruce Wayne seeks out a crew of powerful people to help him defend Earth from an impending, otherworldly threat. While some may assume Superman is the de facto leader of the Justice League, it is this more hopeful Batman calling the shots in the first cinematic interpretation of DC’s most powerful heroes uniting.
Stream Justice League on Max.
Buy/rent Justice League on Amazon.
Buy Justice League on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
Seeking redemption for the mistakes that led to Justice League‘s disappointing critical and commercial reception, Warner Bros. finally decided to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut as a four-hour streaming exclusive (along with a black and white version) on Max that better represents director Zack Snyder’s original vision before he left the project. While Affleck does have his moments in Joss Whedon’s theatrical cut, it is Zack Snyder’s Justice League that presents some of his Batman’s most badass moments on screen.
Stream Zack Snyder’s Justice League on Max.
Stream Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Justice is Gray on Max.
Buy Zack Snyder’s Justice League on Blu-ray on Amazon.
The Flash (2023)
After discovering he can use his lightning-fast speed to alter the past, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) finds himself trapped in an alternate reality that, in order to save it, will require some help. Director Andy Muschietti’s DC Multiverse-spanning adventure, The Flash, not only features Affleck’s Batman, but also Michael Keaton in an awesome return to the role and one other surprise cameo at the end that I will let you find out on your own.
Stream The Flash on Max.
Buy/rent The Flash on Amazon.
Buy The Flash on Blu-ray on Amazon.
The Matt Reeves Era
The Batman (2022)
After Affleck walked away from directing and leading a solo film, Matt Reeves assumed the reins and reinterpreted the Dark Knight (an electrifying Robert Pattinson) as the hard-boiled detective fans had been dying to see on the big screen. Also featuring a stellar cast including Zoë Kravitz’s Selina Kyle, Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon, Paul Dano’ssadistic Riddler, and an unrecognizable Colin Farrell’s The Penguin, The Batman is a gritty, exciting, Academy Award nominated noir — with, arguably, the franchise’s best chase scene — that reimagines Gotham City as a grimy cesspool of corruption just barely beyond saving.
Stream The Batman on Max.
Buy/rent The Batman on Amazon.
Buy The Batman on Blu-ray on Amazon.
The beauty of a character like Batman is there are so many different versions for any kind of fan to enjoy, with some even preferring the DCAU’s version of Batman, voiced by the late Kevin Conroy. It looks like yet another big screen interpretation of the Dark Knight is about to be added to the mix as part of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe. Enjoy this binge of all the live-action Batman movies so far — which is subject to change with all the upcoming Batman movies on the horizon — at any Bat-time, any Bat-place, and (usually) on the same Bat-channel.