Batman Movie Watching Order

This watching order is designed to give an outline of major storylines featuring Batman throughout his film appearances. It highlights the different eras in Batman film history, explains the different continuities that exist, and looks at any connections that exist between them. This list does not focus on Batman’s television or animated film appearances but does note if/when they tie-in to a relevant continuity.

Jump to: The 1960s (Adam West Era) – Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher films (Burtonverse) – The Dark Knight Trilogy (Nolanverse) – DC Extended Universe (DCEU) – The Batman (2022)

The 1960s (Adam West Era)

The 1960s saw the rise of Adam West’s unique interpretation of Batman. This version of the Caped Crusader appeared in the first full-length Batman film. This film generally connects to the three season television series and two animated movies, also starring Adam West. For more information about this era’s specific watching order see ComicBookWire’s “1960s (Adam West) Batman Watching Order“.

Batman (1966) is directed by Leslie H. Martinson and stars Adam West as Batman. The movie is wacky, wild, and, above all, campy when it comes to tone.

Technically, Batman (1966) was released after season one of the companion TV series. However, one can choose to watch the movie with no knowledge of the TV series or at any point after watching the series, as the two have very few connections between them.

Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher films (Burtonverse)

In 1989, a new Batman film franchise began. The films released in this era have no direct ties to the previous era.

The Burtonverse began with the release of Batman in 1989 followed by Batman Returns in 1992. These films were directed by Tim Burton, starred Michael Keaton as Batman, and featured a darker tone than what was present in the Adam West era. These films were followed by Batman Forever in 1995 and Batman & Robin in 1997. Batman Forever starred Val Kilmer as Batman while Batman & Robin starred George Clooney as Batman; both films were directed by Joel Schumacher. The two Schumacher films were generally more lighthearted and comedic than the Burton films.

These four films all take place within the same continuity and take place in the order they were released. However, these movies are mostly independent, as each one requires little to no knowledge of the film that came before. There are a few reasons viewing them in order is preferable, like the fact that Batman (1989) highlights Batman's origin and early days or that Batman Forever creates a change in the status quo that is reflected in Batman & Robin, but, if desirable, fans can view them in whatever way they wish.

At this time, all of these films are available on HBO Max.

The Dark Knight Trilogy (Nolanverse)

The Dark Knight trilogy, once again, rebooted the world of Batman. These films have no direct ties to any of Batman's other film appearances.

This era saw the release of three films: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises. All of these films were directed by Christopher Nolan and starred Christian Bale as Batman. The films generally followed Batman's progression, depicting his early and later days as a hero. The films are also darker and more realistic than many other Batman movies.

The Nolanverse has a more exact viewing order than other Batman movies. Each film in this trilogy directly sets up plot points from that are then expanded upon in the following film. The final film then references all of the progress made over the first two films. Because of this, viewing them in order makes for the best experience.

At this time, all of these films are available on HBO Max.

DC Extended Universe (DCEU)

The start of the DC Extended Universe, with Man of Steel (2013), ushered in another reboot. The DC Extended Universe is a shared universe consisting of several DC Comics properties. As of now, Batman's appearances across the DCEU have no relation to any of his other movie appearances (though this looks likely to change with the release of the upcoming The Flash movie).

Batman has two major films in the DCEU, both of which are directed by Zack Snyder and feature Ben Affleck as Batman. Batman is introduced and stars in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). This movie directly sets up Justice League (2017), in which Batman is also a main character. After this, Batman is set to appear in the upcoming The Flash movie. Outside of these main appearances, this version of Batman also makes a brief appearance in Suicide Squad (2016).

As of now, viewers interested in seeing Batman's role in this era only really need to watch Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. These movies should definitely viewed in order though, as they significantly build on each other.

At this time, all of these films are available on HBO Max.

Notes

1. Batman makes a brief appearance in Suicide Squad (2016). This appearance highlights his crime-fighting abilities and shows his connection to a few villains. However, this appearance can easily be skipped if desired.

The Batman (2022)

This is the next solo Batman film. This film appears to be set in its own continuity, with no connections to other Batman movies. It will feature a younger Batman at an early point in his career. Currently, The Batman (2022) has a release date of March 4, 2022.

All DC Comics Watching Orders