2022’s DC blockbuster movie The Batman with Robert Pattinson (Tenet) in the titular role was a resounding success. The film received widespread critical acclaim and no less than three Academy Awards nominations, among other accolades.
Not only is a sequel about to start production, but some are even arguing that Matt Reeves’s The Batman is superior to Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. While that’s a debate unlikely to reach a definitive resolution online, not all films about the beloved vigilante billionaire are cinematic gems. Some Batman movies are outright terrible.
These are the 13 Batman live-action movies ranked from worst to best according to IMDB scores.
13. Batman & Robin (1997) – 3.8/10
- Director: Joel Schumacher
- Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, Chris O’Donnell, Uma Thurman
Official synopsis: Batman and Robin join forces to stop Gotham City’s villains, but tensions surface between them. The dangerous Poison Ivy can make anyone fall in love with her, while the icy Mr. Freeze freezes everything in his path to achieve his goals.
12. Batman Forever (1995) – 5.4/10
- Director: Joel Schumacher
- Starring: Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman
Official synopsis: Gotham’s Dark Knight battles Two-Face and the Riddler while finding love with Dr. Chase Meridan. Adopting Dick Grayson as Robin, Batman fights to save the city from their nefarious plans.
11. Justice League (2017) – 6.1/10
- Director: Director: Zack Snyder
- Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller
Official synopsis: Fueled by his faith in humanity and Superman’s sacrifice, Batman teams up with Wonder Woman to confront a new enemy. They assemble a league of heroes, including Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash, to combat the impending cataclysmic threat. Despite their unprecedented alliance, saving the planet may prove to be a race against time.
10. Batman (1943) – 6.1/10
- Director: Lambert Hillyer
- Starring: Lewis Wilson, Douglas Croft, J. Carrol Naish, Shirley Patterson
Official synopsis: In his on-screen debut, Gotham City’s Batman aka Bruce Wayne, takes on the cunning Dr. Daka, the leader of a wartime espionage-sabotage group. Armed with a deadly radium-powered death ray and other nefarious devices, Daka poses a grave threat to the city.
9. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)– 6.4/10
- Director: Zack Snyder
- Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg
Official synopsis: In a divided world, Superman and Batman’s actions spark public concern. Batman’s fear of unchecked power drives him to confront Superman, while the Man of Steel grapples with his role on Earth. Meanwhile, the cunning billionaire Lex Luthor plots to challenge Superman using his resources. As tensions rise, an epic battle looms, and the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.
8. Batman: The Movie (1966) – 6.5/10
- Director: Leslie H. Martinson
- Starring: Adam West, Burt Ward, Lee Meriwether, Cesar Romero
Official synopsis: In this action-packed movie, the arch-villains of the United Underworld, the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler, and the Catwoman, unite to eliminate Batman and Robin while plotting to control the world. The villains hijack a yacht with a powerful dehydrator, capable of turning humans into dust. Batman and Robin pursue them in their Batboat, launching a thrilling showdown to save the world and defeat the evildoers.
7. Batman Returns (1992) – 7.1/10
- Director: Tim Burton
- Starring: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken
Official synopsis: In the twisted world of Gotham City, the Penguin seeks to uncover his origins while Catwoman plots to kill the wealthy businessman Max Shreck. As millionaire Bruce Wayne returns as Batman to stop the Penguin’s evil plans, a web of secrets and alliances unfolds between the four individuals with conflicting goals.
6. Batman (1989) – 7.5/10
- Director: Tim Burton
- Starring: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl
Official synopsis: In crime-ridden Gotham City, crime boss Carl Grissom clashes with Batman, leading to Jack Napier’s transformation into The Joker. Amidst the chaos, reporter Vicki Vale forms a relationship with Batman’s alter ego, Bruce Wayne. As The Joker terrorizes the city, Batman must stop him and protect Gotham.
5. The Batman (2022) – 7.8/10
- Director: Matt Reeves
- Starring: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell
Official synopsis: After two years of crime-fighting, Bruce Wayne embraces his nocturnal persona as Gotham’s Dark Knight. However, he faces a new adversary in The Riddler, who is on a quest to expose corruption and eliminate key political figures in Gotham. With the help of both familiar and new allies, Bruce must confront his father’s legacy, question his impact as Batman, and bring the relentless killer to justice.
4. Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) – 7.9/10
- Director: Zack Snyder
- Starring: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams
Official synopsis: Considered by fans far superior to the theatrical version, the film starts immediately after Superman’s sacrifice in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Bruce Wayne teams up with Diana Prince to assemble a team of metahumans to protect the world from an impending catastrophic threat. The task proves challenging as each recruit must confront their past and overcome personal obstacles to form an unprecedented league of heroes.
3. Batman Begins (2005) – 8.2/10
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Ken Watanabe, Liam Neeson
Official synopsis: After witnessing the murder of his parents, billionaire Bruce Wayne travels to Asia where he undergoes training under Henri Ducard and Ra’s Al Ghul to combat evil. However, when he learns of Ducard’s plan to eradicate evil in Gotham City, Bruce opposes it and returns home. Embracing the persona of Batman, he uses his fear-inducing image to fight crime and corruption. But soon, Gotham’s tranquility is disrupted as new challenges arise, putting Batman to the ultimate test.
2. The Dark Knight Rises (2012) – 8.4/10
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman
Official synopsis: Burdened by a tarnished reputation, Batman feels compelled to come out of hiding and aid Gotham City’s struggling police force. With the menacing Bane set on destroying the city, Batman must rise once again to confront this threat and protect the people he swore to defend.
1. The Dark Knight (2008) – 9/10
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine
Official synopsis: Gotham’s new District Attorney, Harvey Dent, aims to take down organized crime, but the emergence of the Joker complicates matters. The Joker unleashes calculated attacks, targeting Dent and Batman. As chaos ensues, Batman follows a lead to Hong Kong while both heroes face a moral dilemma in their quest to stop the Joker and save Gotham.
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