In recent years there’s always been something Batman-related on the horizon to look forward to. Currently, despite the unfortunate and unexpected cancelation of Batgirl, there’s still hope for the sequel and spin-offs of Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
Thankfully, meanwhile, there is plenty of Batman content to enjoy, whether in TV or films, live-action or animation. Some of these properties have become the torchbearers and champions for not only DC Comics content but superhero and pop-culture stories.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm – 7.8
Batman: The Animated Series launched the seminal DC Animated Universe in 1992 and in between its first and second seasons came one of the most venerated Batman films, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. It was such a monumental film that it was even released in theaters and is the first film by Warner Bros. Animation.
Mask of the Phantasm is still quite unlike many other Batman properties as it centered importantly on an entirely original character, Andrea Beaumont aka the Phantasm. It is truly a love story, though a tragic one, and set an incredibly high bar for subsequent DCAU films, a bar that was, unfortunately, never met.
The Batman – 7.9
Shortly after its release nearly half a year ago, The Batman quickly rose in the ranks as a Batman film. In fact, it quickly led to the classic argument among friends about who the definitive Caped Crusader is between Robert Pattinson, Christian Bale, Michael Keaton, and Kevin Conroy primarily. It drew from what came before to showcase a perspective lacking from previous portrayals, which is his proclivity for detective work.
Though it was naturally critiqued for its length, the positives vastly outweighed the negatives, especially when considering the additional standout performances of Zoë Kravitz and Colin Farrell as Catwoman and the Penguin, respectively. A sequel and spin-offs have been revealed to be in development, and fans have already created some interesting theories, so hopefully, some more news is made soon.
Batman: Under The Red Hood – 8.0
Another popular and highly-rated animated film is Batman: Under the Red Hood. Unlike Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, this film is independent from an established continuity. It simply adapted the Under the Hood arc, and it’s no wonder it was so successful since the comic’s writer, Judd Winick, also wrote the screenplay. This importantly follows the return of Jason Todd (the second Robin, presumably killed by the Joker) as the villain seeking revenge on Batman, Red Hood.
This actually marked Red Hood’s debut outside the comics, and since then he’s become a prominent figure returning to a life of heroics, just with different methods and ethics. The film was rightfully praised for its dedication to the story, focusing deeply on Bruce and Jason’s strained relationship.
Batman Beyond – 8.1
Batman Beyond is an important project not just for DC Animation but for the lore of Batman. The DC Animated Universe wasn’t a stranger to creating prominent original characters, such as Harley Quinn who has gone on to be one of the most recognizable DC Comics characters. They took a huge risk choosing an original creation as the protagonist of a new show, but in the end, it worked out.
Set decades after the end of Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond follows Terry McGinnis as he takes over for Bruce Wayne as Batman. Along with its futuristic, cyberpunk aesthetic, the series, importantly, delved into some mature storylines and topics, setting itself apart from the rest of the DCAU.
Batman Begins – 8.2
Christopher Nolan began to form his Batman trilogy in 2005 with Batman Begins. Crucially, along with the success of the X-Men and Spider-Man series, this film really helped establish superhero movies as a premiere form of entertainment. Especially compared to the amped-up and colorful aesthetic of the previous Batman films in the 1990s, Batman Begins takes an exceptionally realistic approach.
Interestingly, some of the same series were used as inspirations for the scripts for Batman Begins and The Batman, but they yielded vastly different films. Though it’s been largely overshadowed by its successor, Batman Begins stands certain as a concise, compelling, and captivating origin film.
The New Batman Adventures – 8.4
After eighty-five episodes and one film, Batman: The Animated Series concluded, but that was obviously not the end of Batman’s story in the DCAU. In fact, only two years later The New Batman Adventures debuted with an updated design and animated style. While it only lasted a single season (replaced by Batman Beyond), The New Batman Adventures explored a continuity expansion, incorporating aspects of Superman: The Animated Series and paving the way for Justice League.
While Batman was, naturally, a central figure, this show chose to focus even more on his fantastic allies, especially Nightwing, Batgirl, and Robin. Despite the recent cancellation of Batgirl, fans are still eager to see these Batman characters in the DCEU and/or Matt Reeve’s Bat-Verse. However, The New Batman Adventures could curb those feelings in the meantime.
The Dark Knight Rises – 8.4
It’s quite a difficult thing to end a popular and highly-respected trilogy in a logical and meaningful way, yet Christopher Nolan was able to do so quite successfully in 2012 with The Dark Knight Rises. Not only did it showcase yet another distinct perspective on Bruce Wayne and his life as Batman, but also the world and city which he is fighting to protect, all while tying it back to the first film with Marion Cotillard as Talia al Ghul.
Like the other Christopher Nolan Batman films, it is widely remembered for its antagonist. Tom Hardy as Bane had a very difficult act to follow from Heath Ledger’s Joker, but he was able to hold his own. Anne Hathaway was also a great addition as Selina Kyle, adding to the celebrated elite who’ve played Catwoman like Michelle Pfeiffer and Eartha Kitt.
The Dark Knight Returns – 8.6
The main comic inspiration for The Dark Knight Rises, The Dark Knight Returns, slightly outranks it. It is actually a two-part film, directly adapting the groundbreaking 1986 comic book, and is currently also ranked as the highest-rated animated DC Comics film. The film follows Bruce Wayne as he returns to his life as Batman after a decade away, a changed man following the death of Jason Todd.
The first part entails his unexpected team-up with one of the most forgotten Robins, Carrie Kelly, while the second brings Superman and Green Arrow into the picture. Bruce is forced to contend with new limitations and relationships as he tries to avert nuclear war and lead Gotham to safety.
Batman: The Animated Series – 9.0
While The Dark Knight Returns is DC’s best-animated film on IMDb, the honor of best animated series goes to Batman: The Animated Series, and is also considered one of the highest-rated Batman properties. This is not really a surprise given the incredible popularity of the series and what it set up down the line in the DCAU, incorporating characters from across his lore, and adding a few more too.
While there was turnover for live-action Batman, Kevin Conroy remained steady and present in animation, even till most recently in 2019, voicing Batman yet again in Justice League vs. the Fatal Five, the final entry in the DCAU. Batman: The Animated Series is still regarded as one of the most important pieces of comic book entertainment, serving as foundational inspiration for countless other projects.
The Dark Knight – 9.0
Of course, The Dark Knight claims the top spot with Batman: The Animated Series. Not only is it considered one of DC Comic’s best films, but also the single best comic-book film still to this day. Heath Ledger’s outstanding and award-winning performance as the Joker would be enough for many fans to earn The Dark Knight its place here. Consider the film’s emotional backbone, action sequences, and effects, and its spot is guaranteed.
The tone and approach throughout Nolan’s trilogy, but especially The Dark Knight has been emulated repeatedly over the past fifteen years, most notably by Arrow, in establishing Green Arrow as a Nolan-esque hero, and partly in what Zack Snyder clearly hoped for the DCEU. It will probably be a while until there’s something unique and compelling enough to unseat this champion.
