Every Cinematic Batman Appearance Ranked!
In honor of 'The Flash,' which sees the return of Michael Keaton as Batman and opens in theaters on June 16th, Moviefone counts down the best Batman movie appearances of all time!
(L to R) Ezra Miller as The Flash, Michael Keaton as Batman and Ezra Miller as The Flash in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The FLASH,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.
Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger in 1939, Batman has remained a beloved character in pop culture for over 80-years. There have been over a dozen live action movies made about the character since his big screen debut in 1943, as well as several animated features and cameo appearances.
Acclaimed actors like Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson have all played the role, and acclaimed filmmakers such as Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan, Zack Snyder, and Matt Reeves have made movies about the Caped Crusader.
With Michael Keaton returning as Bruse Wayne and Batman in 'The Flash,' which opens in theaters on June 16th, Moviefone is counting down the top 14 cinematic Batman appearances of all time! For this list, we are including any live action or animated film featuring Batman, as long as it was originally released theatrically.
Let's Begin!!!
14. 'Batman & Robin' (1997)
(L to R) Alicia Silverstone, George Clooney, and Chris O'Donnell in 1997's 'Batman & Robin'
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13. 'The Dark Knight Rises' (2012)
Tom Hardy as Bane in 'The Dark Knight Rises.'
Following the death of District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman (Christian Bale) 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 (Anne Hathaway) and the villainous Bane (Tom Hardy), a new terrorist leader who overwhelms Gotham's finest. The Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.
12. 'Batman Forever' (1995)
Jim Carrey as the Riddler in 'Batman Forever.'
Batman (Val Kilmer) must battle a disfigured district attorney (Tommy Lee Jones) and a disgruntled former employee (Jim Carrey) with help from an amorous psychologist (Nicole Kidman) and a young circus acrobat (Chris O'Donnell)).
11. 'Batman: Mask of the Phantasm' (1993)
Warner Bros.
When a powerful criminal, who is connected to Bruce Wayne's ex-girlfriend (Dana Delany), blames the Dark Knight for killing a crime lord, Batman (Kevin Conroy) decides to fight against him.
10. 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' (2016)
Warner Bros.
Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. With Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.
9. 'Batman' (1966)
Warner Bros.
The Dynamic Duo (Adam West and Burt Ward) faces four super-villains, Joker (Cesar Romero), Penguin (Burgess Meredith), Riddler (Frank Gorshin), and Catwoman (Lee Meriwether), who plan to hold the world for ransom with the help of a secret invention that instantly dehydrates people.
8. Batman Begins (2005)
Warner Bros.
Driven by tragedy, billionaire Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) 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.
7. 'Batman Returns' (1992)
Warner Bros.
While Batman (Michael Keaton) deals with a deformed man calling himself the Penguin (Danny DeVito), an employee of a corrupt businessman (Christopher Walken) transforms into the Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer).
6. 'The Batman' (2022)
Robert Pattinson as Batman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Batman,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
From Warner Bros. Pictures comes Matt Reeves' "The Batman," starring Robert Pattinson in the dual role of Gotham City's vigilante detective and his alter ego, reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne.
5. 'Zack Snyder's Justice League' (2021)
Warner Bros.
Determined to ensure Supermanan's (Henry Cavill) ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) aligns forces with Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions. The task proves more difficult than Bruce imagined, as each of the recruits must face the demons of their own pasts to transcend that which has held them back, allowing them to come together, finally forming an unprecedented league of heroes.
Now united, Batman (Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and The Flash (Ezra Miller) may be too late to save the planet from Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds), DeSaad (Peter Guinness), and Darkseid (Ray Porter) and their dreadful intentions.
4. 'The Flash' (2023)
Michael Keaton as Batman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure 'The Flash,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
When his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod (Michael Shannon) has returned and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. In order to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry's only hope is this universe's Batman (Michael Keaton). But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?
3. The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
Warner Bros.
A cooler-than-ever Bruce Wayne (Will Arnett) must deal with the usual suspects as they plan to rule Gotham City, while discovering that he has accidentally adopted a teenage orphan who wishes to become his sidekick (Michael Cera).
2. Batman (1989)
Warner Bros.
Batman (Michael Keaton) must face his most ruthless nemesis when a deformed madman calling himself "The Joker" (Jack Nicholson) seizes control of Gotham's criminal underworld.
1. The Dark Knight (2008)
Warner Bros.
Batman (Christian Bale) raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), 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 (Heath Ledger).
