Watch order guide · Batman

How to watch the Batman movies in order

Updated October 21, 2026 · 20 min read · 26 titles · 222 hours

Batman films don't connect across eras, so pick a continuity: Tim Burton's (Batman, 1989, and Batman Returns), Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy (2005 to 2012), or Matt Reeves's The Batman (2022) with The Penguin. Each is best in release order. On the animated side, Batman: The Animated Series (1992) leads into Mask of the Phantasm and Batman Beyond, the animated films (Year One, The Killing Joke, Under the Red Hood, The Dark Knight Returns) each stand alone, and Gotham (2014) is a prequel series about young Bruce and Jim Gordon.

Titles

26

Films

19

Series

7

Watch time

222 hours

Box office

$6.12 billion

Avg IMDb

7.5

Batman movies in release order

Here is every Batman title in the order it came out, 1966 to 2024: 19 films and 7 series. Optional entries are marked; you can skip them on a first watch.

Batman timeline: movies in chronological order

The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.

Release or chronological: which order is best?

Release order and story order disagree on 21 titles here. In release order you start with Batman (1966); in story order you start with Batman, set in 1966.

First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns Batman into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.

Batman also runs 12 separate continuities: The 1966 film, Burton and Schumacher, The animated series, The Dark Knight trilogy, The Lego Batman Movie, Joker, The Batman, The Batman (2004 series), Batman: The Brave and the Bold, The animated films, Gotham (2014), and Batman: Caped Crusader. Each has its own line on the timeline, so you can watch them on their own without breaking the main story.

Where to start

Every Batman movie, explained

One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.

No. 01 · 1966 · Film · 1h 45m · optional

Batman

The Dynamic Duo faces four super-villains who plan to hold the world for ransom with the help of a secret invention that instantly dehydrates people.

Why it matters: Adam West's camp classic; its own world.

Starring

Adam West, Burt Ward, and Lee Meriwether

Director

Leslie H. Martinson

Box office

$4 million on a $1 million budget

Scores

IMDb 6.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 80%

No. 02 · 1989 · Film · 2h 6m

Batman

Having witnessed his parents' brutal murder as a child, millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne fights crime in Gotham City disguised as Batman, a costumed hero who strikes fear into the hearts of villains. But when a deformed madman known as 'The Joker' seizes control of Gotham's criminal underworld, Batman must face his most ruthless nemesis ever while protecting both his identity and his love interest, reporter Vicki Vale.

Why it matters: Tim Burton's Batman with Michael Keaton, who returns in The Flash.

Starring

Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, and Kim Basinger

Director

Tim Burton

Box office

$411 million on a $35 million budget

Scores

IMDb 7.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 77%

No. 03 · 1992 · Film · 2h 6m

Batman Returns

The monstrous Penguin, who dwells in the sewers beneath Gotham, joins up with corrupt mayoral candidate Max Shreck to topple the Batman once and for all. But when Shreck's timid assistant Selina Kyle finds out, and Shreck tries to kill her, she's transformed into the sexy Catwoman. She teams up with the Penguin and Shreck to destroy Batman, but sparks fly unexpectedly when she confronts the caped crusader.

Why it matters: Burton's darker sequel with the Penguin and Catwoman.

Starring

Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, and Michelle Pfeiffer

Director

Tim Burton

Box office

$280 million on a $80 million budget

Scores

IMDb 7.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 81%

No. 04 · 1992 · Series · 31h 10m · 6th in story order

Batman: The Animated Series

Vowing to avenge the murder of his parents, Bruce Wayne devotes his life to wiping out crime in Gotham City as the masked vigilante "Batman".

Why it matters: The 1992 cartoon many fans call the definitive Batman.

Starring

Kevin Conroy, Loren Lester, and Mari Devon

Creator

Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski

Scores

IMDb 9

Episodes

85 across 4 seasons

No. 05 · 1993 · Film · 1h 17m · 7th in story order

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

Andrea Beaumont leaves her father to return to Gotham, rekindling an old romance with Bruce Wayne. At the same time, a mysterious figure begins to hunt down Gotham's criminals, wrongly implicating Batman in the murders. Now on the run from the law, Batman must find and stop the culprit, while also navigating his relationship with Andrea.

Why it matters: The animated series' feature film.

Starring

Kevin Conroy, Dana Delany, and Hart Bochner

Director

Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski

Box office

$6 million on a $6 million budget

Scores

IMDb 7.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 83%

No. 06 · 1995 · Film · 2h 1m · 4th in story order

Batman Forever

Batman faces off against two foes: the schizophrenic, horribly scarred former District Attorney Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face, and the Riddler, a disgruntled ex-Wayne Enterprises inventor seeking revenge against his former employer by unleashing his brain-sucking weapon on Gotham City's residents. As the caped crusader also copes with tortured memories of his parents' murder, he has a new romance, with psychologist Chase Meridian.

Why it matters: Val Kilmer takes over in the same continuity.

Starring

Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, and Jim Carrey

Director

Joel Schumacher

Box office

$337 million on a $100 million budget

Scores

IMDb 5.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 41%

No. 07 · 1997 · Film · 2h 5m · 5th in story order

Batman & Robin

Batman and his sidekick Robin attempt to the foil the sinister schemes of a deranged set of new villains, most notably the melancholy Mr. Freeze, who wants to make Gotham City into an arctic region, and the sultry Poison Ivy, a botanical femme fatale. As the Dynamic Duo contend with these bad guys, a third hero, Batgirl, joins the ranks of the city's crime-fighters.

Why it matters: George Clooney's turn ends the run.

Starring

George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell, and Arnold Schwarzenegger

Director

Joel Schumacher

Box office

$238 million on a $125 million budget

Scores

IMDb 3.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 11%

No. 08 · 1999 · Series · 17h 56m

Batman Beyond

As new villains overrun Gotham City of the future, the aging Bruce Wayne hangs up the cape of the once invincible Batman. But when troubled teenager Terry McGinnis stumbles upon the Dark Knight's secret, a new alliance is forged. And a triumphant new Batman is born.

Why it matters: An old Bruce Wayne trains Terry McGinnis as the new Batman in 2039; continues Batman: The Animated Series.

Starring

Will Friedle, Kevin Conroy, and Cree Summer

Scores

IMDb 8.1

Episodes

52 across 3 seasons

No. 09 · 2000 · Film · 1h 17m

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

The Joker is back with a vengeance, and Neo-Gotham's Dark Knight, Terry McGinnis, needs answers as he stands alone to face the old Gotham's most infamous Clown Prince of Crime.

Why it matters: The Batman Beyond film: the Joker is back in Neo-Gotham, and a flashback shows his last night with the old Batman family.

Starring

Will Friedle, Kevin Conroy, and Mark Hamill

Director

Curt Geda

Scores

IMDb 7.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 100%

No. 10 · 2004 · Series · 23h 50m · 18th in story order

The Batman

A young billionaire Bruce Wayne fights crime and evil as the mysterious vigilante, The Batman.

Why it matters: A younger Bruce in his third year as Batman, with new designs for every villain.

Starring

Rino Romano, Alastair Duncan, and Danielle Judovits

Creator

Duane Capizzi

Scores

IMDb 7.4

Episodes

65 across 5 seasons

No. 11 · 2005 · Film · 2h 20m · 10th in story order

Batman Begins

Driven by tragedy, billionaire Bruce Wayne dedicates his life to uncovering and defeating the corruption that plagues his home, Gotham City. Unable to work within the system, he instead creates a new identity, a symbol of fear for the criminal underworld - The Batman.

Why it matters: Christopher Nolan's origin story; starts the Dark Knight trilogy.

Starring

Christian Bale, Michael Caine, and Liam Neeson

Director

Christopher Nolan

Box office

$374 million on a $150 million budget

Scores

IMDb 8.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 85%

No. 12 · 2008 · Film · 2h 32m · 11th in story order

The Dark Knight

Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker.

Why it matters: Heath Ledger's Joker; the trilogy's centrepiece.

Starring

Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, and Aaron Eckhart

Director

Christopher Nolan

Box office

$1.01 billion on a $185 million budget

Scores

IMDb 9.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 94%

No. 13 · 2008 · Series · 23h 46m · 19th in story order

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

The Caped Crusader is teamed up with Blue Beetle, Green Arrow, Aquaman and countless others in his quest to uphold justice.

Why it matters: A lighter, Silver Age-style Batman teaming up with a different DC hero each episode.

Starring

Diedrich Bader, Dee Bradley Baker, and Kevin Michael Richardson

Creator

James Tucker and Michael Jelenic

Scores

IMDb 7.4

Episodes

64 across 3 seasons

No. 14 · 2010 · Film · 1h 15m · 22nd in story order

Batman: Under the Red Hood

One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code.

Why it matters: The second Robin, Jason Todd, returns from the dead as a vigilante who kills.

Starring

Bruce Greenwood, Jensen Ackles, and Neil Patrick Harris

Director

Brandon Vietti

Box office

$7 million

Scores

IMDb 8.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 100%

No. 15 · 2011 · Film · 1h 4m · 20th in story order

Batman: Year One

A wealthy playboy named Bruce Wayne and a Chicago cop named Jim Gordon both return to Gotham City where their lives unexpectedly intersect.

Why it matters: Frank Miller's story of Bruce's first year as Batman and Jim Gordon's first year in Gotham.

Starring

Ben McKenzie, Bryan Cranston, and Eliza Dushku

Director

Sam Liu and Lauren Montgomery

Scores

IMDb 7.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 89%

No. 16 · 2012 · Film · 2h 45m · 12th in story order

The Dark Knight Rises

Following the death of District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman assumes responsibility for Dent's crimes to protect the late attorney's reputation and is subsequently hunted by the Gotham City Police Department. Eight years later, Batman encounters the mysterious Selina Kyle and the villainous Bane, a new terrorist leader who overwhelms Gotham's finest. The Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.

Why it matters: Ends the Dark Knight trilogy, eight years later.

Starring

Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, and Tom Hardy

Director

Christopher Nolan

Box office

$1.08 billion on a $250 million budget

Scores

IMDb 8.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 87%

No. 17 · 2012 · Film · 1h 16m · 23rd in story order

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1

Batman has not been seen for ten years. A new breed of criminal ravages Gotham City, forcing 55-year-old Bruce Wayne back into the cape and cowl. But, does he still have what it takes to fight crime in a new era?

Why it matters: An aging Bruce comes out of retirement to fight the Mutant gang.

Starring

Peter Weller, Ariel Winter, and David Selby

Director

Jay Oliva

Scores

IMDb 8 · Rotten Tomatoes 100%

No. 18 · 2013 · Film · 1h 18m · 24th in story order

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2

Batman has stopped the reign of terror that The Mutants had cast upon his city. Now an old foe wants a reunion and the government wants The Man of Steel to put a stop to Batman.

Why it matters: The Joker wakes, and the government sends Superman to stop Batman.

Starring

Peter Weller, Ariel Winter, and David Selby

Director

Jay Oliva

Scores

IMDb 8.4

No. 19 · 2014 · Series · 72h 55m · 25th in story order

Gotham

Everyone knows the name Commissioner Gordon. He is one of the crime world's greatest foes, a man whose reputation is synonymous with law and order. But what is known of Gordon's story and his rise from rookie detective to Police Commissioner? What did it take to navigate the multiple layers of corruption that secretly ruled Gotham City, the spawning ground of the world's most iconic villains? And what circumstances created them – the larger-than-life personas who would become Catwoman, The Penguin, The Riddler, Two-Face and The Joker?

Why it matters: A prequel series: young Jim Gordon on the Gotham police, and Bruce growing up after his parents' murder.

Starring

Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, and David Mazouz

Creator

Bruno Heller

Scores

IMDb 7.8

Episodes

100 across 5 seasons

No. 20 · 2016 · Film · 1h 17m · 21st in story order

Batman: The Killing Joke

As Batman hunts for the escaped Joker, the Clown Prince of Crime attacks the Gordon family to prove a diabolical point mirroring his own fall into madness.

Why it matters: The Joker tries to drive Commissioner Gordon mad; based on Alan Moore's comic.

Starring

Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, and Tara Strong

Director

Sam Liu

Box office

$4 million on a $4 million budget

Scores

IMDb 6.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 35%

No. 21 · 2017 · Film · 1h 44m · 13th in story order · optional

The Lego Batman Movie

A cooler-than-ever Batman must face the usual villains as the Joker plots a takeover of Gotham City. But when Bruce Wayne accidentally adopts a teenage orphan who wishes to become his sidekick, he’s forced to give up his lone-vigilante ways and learn to work with others.

Why it matters: A comedy spin-off; optional.

Starring

Will Arnett, Michael Cera, and Rosario Dawson

Director

Chris McKay

Box office

$312 million on a $80 million budget

Scores

IMDb 7.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 89%

No. 22 · 2019 · Film · 2h 2m · 14th in story order

Joker

During the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.

Why it matters: Arthur Fleck's story; stands apart from every Batman continuity.

Starring

Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, and Zazie Beetz

Director

Todd Phillips

Box office

$1.08 billion on a $55 million budget

Scores

IMDb 8.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 68%

No. 23 · 2022 · Film · 2h 57m · 16th in story order

The Batman

In his second year of fighting crime, Batman uncovers corruption in Gotham City that connects to his own family while facing a serial killer known as the Riddler.

Why it matters: Robert Pattinson's detective Batman in his second year.

Starring

Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, and Jeffrey Wright

Director

Matt Reeves

Box office

$773 million on a $185 million budget

Scores

IMDb 7.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 85%

No. 24 · 2024 · Series · 8h 47m · 26th in story order

Batman: Caped Crusader

Welcome to Gotham City, where the corrupt outnumber the good, criminals run rampant and law-abiding citizens live in a constant state of fear. Forged in the fire of tragedy, wealthy socialite Bruce Wayne becomes something both more and less than human—the Batman. His one-man crusade for justice attracts unexpected allies within the GCPD and City Hall, but his heroic actions spawn deadly, unforeseen ramifications.

Why it matters: Bruce Timm's noir Batman in a 1940s-style Gotham.

Starring

Hamish Linklater, Jason Watkins, and Eric Morgan Stuart

Creator

Bruce Timm

Scores

IMDb 7.2

Episodes

20 across 2 seasons

No. 25 · 2024 · Series · 7h 47m · 17th in story order

The Penguin

With the city in peril following the seawall's collapse, Oswald "Oz" Cobb seeks to fill the power vacuum left by the death of Carmine Falcone and finally give his mother Francis the life he's always promised. But first, Oz must confront his enemies and his own demoralizing reputation as "the Penguin."

Why it matters: Picks up a week after The Batman; essential before Part II.

Starring

Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, and Rhenzy Feliz

Creator

Lauren LeFranc

Scores

IMDb 8.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 95%

Episodes

8

No. 26 · 2024 · Film · 2h 18m · 15th in story order

Joker: Folie à Deux

While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur Fleck not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that's always been inside him.

Why it matters: The sequel to Joker.

Starring

Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, and Brendan Gleeson

Director

Todd Phillips

Box office

$208 million on a $190 million budget

Scores

IMDb 5.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 31%

Batman box office and budgets

The 15 Batman films with reported numbers have grossed $6.12 billion worldwide on about $1.45 billion in combined budgets, roughly 4.2 times what they cost. The biggest is The Dark Knight Rises at $1.08 billion, 18% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Joker ($1.08 billion) and The Dark Knight ($1.01 billion).

Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to Joker, which made 20 times its $55 million budget. The weakest was Batman: Mask of the Phantasm at 94% of its $6 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.

The best and worst rated Batman movies

Across 26 rated titles, Batman averages 7.5 on IMDb. The top of the list is The Dark Knight at 9.1, then Batman: The Animated Series (9) and The Penguin (8.6). At the bottom: Batman & Robin (3.8) and Joker: Folie à Deux (5.2). Money and quality don't line up perfectly: the highest grosser, The Dark Knight Rises, is only the 4th best rated.

1. The Dark Knight9.1 · RT 94%
2. Batman: The Animated Series9
3. The Penguin8.6 · RT 95%
4. The Dark Knight Rises8.4 · RT 87%
5. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 28.4
6. Joker8.3 · RT 68%
7. Batman Begins8.2 · RT 85%
8. Batman Beyond8.1
9. Batman: Under the Red Hood8.1 · RT 100%
10. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 18 · RT 100%

Who appears in the most Batman movies

Kevin Conroy leads with 5 appearances as Batman and Bruce Wayne, ahead of Pat Hingle (4) and Michael Gough (4). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.

Batman directors and creators

19 filmmakers have directed or created Batman; Bruce Timm has the most, with 3.

• Bruce TimmBatman: The Animated Series (1992), Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993), and Batman: Caped Crusader (2024)
• Christopher NolanBatman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
• Tim BurtonBatman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992)
• Eric RadomskiBatman: The Animated Series (1992) and Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
• Joel SchumacherBatman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997)
• Sam LiuBatman: Year One (2011) and Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)
• Jay OlivaBatman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012) and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 (2013)
• Todd PhillipsJoker (2019) and Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
• Leslie H. MartinsonBatman (1966)
• Curt GedaBatman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)
• Duane CapizziThe Batman (2004)
• James TuckerBatman: The Brave and the Bold (2008)
• Michael JelenicBatman: The Brave and the Bold (2008)
• Brandon ViettiBatman: Under the Red Hood (2010)
• Lauren MontgomeryBatman: Year One (2011)
• Bruno HellerGotham (2014)

How long it takes to watch every Batman movie

All 26 titles add up to 222 hours: 35 hours of film and 186 hours of series, counting every episode. That is about 111 two-hour evenings, or 23 days of ten-hour binges. The essentials cut it to 218 hours. The longest film is The Batman at 2h 57m.

Which Batman movies can you skip?

2 titles can go without losing the main story. They are side stories, spin-offs or entries the later films ignore. Dropping them saves 3 hours.

• Batman1966 · Film · 1h 45m · optionalAdam West's camp classic; its own world.
• The Lego Batman Movie2017 · Film · 1h 44m · optionalA comedy spin-off; optional.

Upcoming Batman movies

• The Batman: Part IIFebruary 18, 2028

Common questions

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