How to Watch All theBatmanMovies In Order — And WhereThe PenguinFits Into the DC Universe

Mar. 15, 2025

Christian Bale as Batman in The Dark Knight ; Robert Pattinson as Batman in The Batman.Photo:Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection

Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection

Batman has had a number of famous faces through the years from legends likeMichael Keatonto 2000s icons likeRobert Pattinson. But in every iteration, he is the same surly, dark hero of the crime-ridden Gotham City, facing down villains like the maniacal Joker and the gangster Penguin.

The trueBatmanmovies go in chronological order of their release date, with five versions of the hero’s origin story retold within 60 years. The only exception to the chronology isJoker, which is set in 1981, but the movie focuses on a Joker set in a different universe than those canon to theBatmanmovies that feature the supervillain.

How to watch theBatmanmovies and shows in chronological order

Batman(1943)

Douglas Croft and Lewis Wilson in 1943’s Batman.Mary Evans/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection

Mary Evans/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection

The first Batman movie featured Lewis Wilson as Batman and Douglas Croft as Robin, his faithful sidekick. It was the first of a 15-part movie serial featuring the characters as they faced Dr. Daka (J. Carrol Naish), a villain created specifically for the movie.

1943’sBatmanis not available on streaming.

Batman and Robin(1949)

Robert Lowery as Batman and John Duncan as Robin in 1949’s Batman and Robin.Everett Collection

Everett Collection

WatchBatman and RobinonRoku.

Batman(1966)

Adam West and Burt Ward in 1966’s Batman.Everett Collection

The third person to play Batman in the 1966 version is Adam West. This feature marked the first time three major Batman villains were introduced to the big screen: Joker (Caesar Romero), Riddler (Frank Gorshin) and Penguin (Burgess Meredith).

Batman(1989)

Michael Keaton in 1989’s Batman.Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection

Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection

Arguably the first person to bring Batman into mainstream culture, Keaton helmed the role in 1989’sBatman.Tim Burton’s version of the movie saw Keaton as a dark, surly Batman, shaping the way the character would be portrayed for the next three decades.

WithJack Nicholsonas Joker, the movie was met with critical and box office success, making over $400 million globally.

WatchBatmanonMax, andHuluandAmazon Prime Videowith a premium subscription.

Batman Returns(1992)

Michael Keaton in 1992’s Batman Returns.Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection

WatchBatman ReturnsonMax, andHuluandAmazon Prime Videowith a premium subscription.

Batman Forever(1995)

Val Kilmer and Nicole Kidman in 1995’s Batman Forever.Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection

WatchBatman ForeveronMax, andHuluandAmazon Prime Videowith a premium subscription.

Batman & Robin(1997)

Chris O’Donnell and George Clooney in 1997’s Batman and Robin.Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection

Though the movie retained the same director with Schumacher continuing to helm the film, the actor for Batman was swapped from Kilmer toGeorge Clooneyin 1997’sBatman & Robinwhich saw the title character faceArnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze.

WatchBatman & RobinonMax, andHuluandAmazon Prime Videowith a premium subscription.

Batman Begins(2005)

Christian Bale and Cillian Murphy in 2005’s Batman Begins.Alamy

Alamy

WatchBatman BeginsonMax, andHuluandAmazon Prime Videowith a premium subscription.

The Dark Knight(2008)

Christian Bale as Batman in The Dark Knight (2008).Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection

The sequel toBatman Beginsis perhaps considered even more iconic than the original. Bale and Nolan returned for the film, adding onHeath Ledgeras Joker in what quickly became one of the most-lauded performances of all time, earning him a posthumous Academy Award.

WatchThe Dark KnightonMax, andHuluandAmazon Prime Videowith a premium subscription.

The Dark Knight Rises(2012)

Morgan Freeman and Christian Bale in 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises.Everett

Everett

The movie was not as critically lauded asThe Dark Knightbut was still met with whopping fan and commercial success, grossing over $1 billion at the box office.

WatchThe Dark Knight RisesonMax, andHuluandAmazon Prime Videowith a premium subscription.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice(2015)

Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in Batman v Superman.Clay Enos/Warner Bros.

Clay Enos/Warner Bros.

WatchBatman v Superman: Dawn of JusticeonAmazon Prime Videowith a premium subscription.

The Batman(2022)

Zoe Kravitz and Robert Pattinson in 2022’s The Batman.Jonathan Olley/Warner Bros.

Jonathan Olley/Warner Bros.

The latest and final installation of Batman’s origin story is Pattinson’s 2022The Batman. The movie is possibly the darkest yet, and follows in Nolan’s path of steering away from classic superhero movie tropes. Instead, it follows a distrusting and violent Batman as he teams up with one not-crooked police officer (Jeffrey Wright) to take down Paul Dano’s Riddler.

WatchThe BatmanonMax, andHuluandAmazon Prime Videowith a premium subscription.

How to watch all the movies Batman is featured in in chronological order

Suicide Squad(2016)

Jay Hernandez, Jai Courtney, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Margot Robbie, Will Smith, Joel Kinnaman and Karen Fukuhara in 2016’s Suicide Squad.Warner Bros. /Courtesy Everett Collection

Warner Bros. /Courtesy Everett Collection

Affleck briefly appears in 2016’sSuicide Squad, a David Ayer-led adventure featuring the villains and anti-heroes of the DC comics. Batman makes cameos in two flashbacks featured in the movie, but otherwise, has no role in the plot.

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Justice League(2017)

Ezra Miller, Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot in 2017’s Justice League.Warner Bros.

Warner Bros.

In an attempt to parallel Marvel’s Avengers, DC brought together their own crew of superheroes inJustice League. Affleck reprised his role as Batman in the film alongside other powerful heroes like Aquaman and Wonder Woman.

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Joker(2019)

Joaquin Phoenix as Joker in 2019’s Joker.Niko Tavernise

Niko Tavernise

2019’sJokertook the darkest approach yet to the diabolical character, starringJoaquin Phoenixas a severely mentally ill man struggling to become a comedian and descending into madness. The movie was met with mixed reviews butearned Phoenix the Academy Awardfor Best Actor in 2020.

WatchJokeronMax, andHuluandAmazon Prime Videowith a premium subscription.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League(2021)

Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and Ray Fisher as Cyborg in 2021’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League.HBO MAX

HBO MAX

Four years after the initial movie came out, Snyder released the version he had originally envisioned — tacking on an additional two hours of runtime, bringing the movie to a total of four hours. However, fans enjoyed the deeper dives into their favorite characters, and the movie featured more of Affleck’s Batman than the original.

WatchZach Snyder’s Justice LeagueonMax, andHuluandAmazon Prime Videowith a premium subscription.

The Flash(2023)

Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne in 2023’s The Flash.Warner Bros. / courtesy Everett Collection

Warner Bros. / courtesy Everett Collection

The Flashwas a fan service project to those who have been Batman fans since the Keaton days. Set in modern day, The Flash (Ezra Miller) is desperate to reverse time to free his wrongly incarcerated father. To do so, however, he messes with the multiverse and changes who the Batman in his universe is (featuring a brief cameo of Clooney as Batman 30 years after he took on the role).

While Affleck is the main Bruce Wayne in the story, The Flash hardly sees him as he is brought to a different universe where Keaton plays a retired and secluded Batman.

WatchThe FlashonNetflixandMax, andHuluandAmazon Prime Videowith a premium subscription.

source: people.com