Let’s be real: if you’re a film fan, at some point you’ve debated the “best Batman movie” with friends. Gotham’s caped crusader has had more cinematic reinventions than almost any other superhero, and each new version has brought its own vibe, sometimes dark, sometimes campy, sometimes a little messy. But all of them have left their mark on pop culture. So, then, which Batman movies actually hold up? Get your cape ready, let’s zip through the top 10, weakest to best.
10. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
On paper, this should have been a one-for-the-ages occasion: Batman and Superman finally clashing on the big screen. In practice? It’s a bloody, joyless grind. Zack Snyder goes all-in on dark visuals and slo-mo spectacle, and while Ben Affleck’s roughhouse Batman has some highlights (the warehouse battle is genuinely incredible), the movie is most often recalled for one meme-inducing word: “Martha!”
9. Batman & Robin
Ah, yes, the film that provided us with Bat-nipples, ice puns, and a cartoonish Bane. Joel Schumacher’s neon extravaganza is much-derided, but it’s not entirely without its appeal—Uma Thurman’s Poison Ivy is wonderfully campy, and Michael Gough is still a warm, solid Alfred. Nonetheless, let’s be real: this is more a guilty pleasure than a good film.
8. The Dark Knight Rises
The last in Nolan’s trilogy is large, brash, and perhaps a tad too serious for its own good. Tom Hardy’s Bane is compelling (and sempiternally parodied), Anne Hathaway is a tart Catwoman, and that initial airplane sequence remains king. But the movie trudges in spots, and it does not deliver with the same accuracy as its two predecessors. A good ending, but not in the upper echelons of Bat.
7. Batman Begins
Nolan’s remake de-camped and remade Batman from scratch. Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne is layered, and the movie grants actual significance to his backstory. Cillian Murphy’s Scarecrow is creepy fun, although the action cuts are lacking. Nonetheless, it set the stage for contemporary superhero films in a way that few movies have.
6. Batman: The Movie (1966)
Shark repellent spray. A collective villain alliance. Adam West in all his over-the-top splendor. This is as Saturday-morning as it gets, and although it’s hugely different from the dark Batman most are familiar with today, its lighthearted nature is contagious. Being dumb sometimes has a time and a place, and this movie demonstrates it.
5. Batman Forever
Val Kilmer dons the cape for this flair-filled mid-’90s spin, joined on screen by Jim Carrey’s unhinged Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones’ unhinged Two-Face. It’s extravagant, chic, and with a soundtrack that’s instantly iconic—Kiss From a Rose alone makes it worth mentioning. Not good art, but certainly good fun.
4. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
Underappreciated for being animated, this is one of the most emotionally satisfying Batman tales ever presented. It walks the tightrope between noir moodiness and actual heartbreak, capturing Bruce’s sacrifices and regrets better than nearly every live-action iteration. And, of course, Mark Hamill’s Joker is at his best. Must-see for any Bat-enthusiast.
3. Batman (1989)
Tim Burton’s gothic Gotham changed the game. Michael Keaton proved doubters wrong with a brooding, mysterious Batman, while Jack Nicholson’s Joker stole the spotlight with unhinged energy. Add Danny Elfman’s iconic score and those unforgettable visuals, and you’ve got a classic that redefined superhero cinema.
2. The Dark Knight
You knew it was coming. Heath Ledger’s Joker is one of the all-time greatest performances in movie history—period. The bank robbery, the interrogation sequence, the truck flip… this movie is on all cylinders. If there’s a criticism, it’s that the Two-Face subplot comes and goes too quickly. But even then, it’s an almost perfect work of blockbuster filmmaking.
1. Batman Returns
At the top is Burton’s warped gem. Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman is a revelation, tragic, seductive, and unforgettable—while Danny DeVito’s grotesque Penguin is repulsive yet somehow sympathetic. Throw in Christopher Walken’s smarmy Max Shreck, a haunting score, and Burton’s snow-dusted, gothic look, and you have not only the greatest Batman movie, but a work of art.
From camp staples to gothic fables to realistic crime epics, Batman’s filmography is as varied as the character himself. Whatever your taste for the Dark Knight, serious, silly, or in between — there’s a Bat-film out there that’ll suit your mood.