Batman Movies in Order by Release Date and Continuity Guide
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Batman Movies in Order by Release Date and Continuity Guide

Batman Movies in Order: Release Order and Continuity Guide

Key takeaways

  • Watch the Batman movies in release order for a tour through the big-screen history of the Dark Knight.
  • For a connected story, choose one continuity: the Burton and Schumacher films, Christopher Nolan’s trilogy, or the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) films.
  • There’s no single timeline that joins every Batman movie.
  • The Nolan trilogy is the most direct three-film sequence; The Batman is an easy standalone starting point.

Table of contents

Batman movies in release order

For a tour through the big-screen history of the Dark Knight, watch the Batman movies in release order. If you want a connected story, choose one continuity instead: the Burton and Schumacher films, Christopher Nolan’s trilogy, or the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) films each have their own sequence. There’s no single timeline that joins every Batman movie.

The list below focuses on theatrical feature films in which Batman is a lead character or a significant part of the story. It includes live-action and animated films, but leaves out the 1940s movie serials, brief cameos and direct-to-video animated releases. Guides can differ because they don’t all use the same definition of a “Batman movie.” (IGN; TheWrap)

  1. Batman (1966) — Adam West stars in this feature connected to the 1960s television series. It’s a standalone watch, not the start of the later live-action film timelines.
  2. Batman (1989) — Michael Keaton’s first film as Batman, directed by Tim Burton.
  3. Batman Returns (1992) — Keaton returns in Burton’s darker follow-up.
  4. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) — An animated theatrical film based on the continuity of Batman: The Animated Series.
  5. Batman Forever (1995) — Val Kilmer takes over as Batman in the next film in the 1989 series.
  6. Batman & Robin (1997) — George Clooney plays Batman in the fourth film in that run.
  7. Batman Begins (2005) — The first film in Nolan’s separate Batman trilogy, starring Christian Bale.
  8. The Dark Knight (2008) — The second Nolan film.
  9. The Dark Knight Rises (2012) — The conclusion of Nolan’s trilogy.
  10. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) — Ben Affleck’s Batman enters the DCEU.
  11. The Lego Batman Movie (2017) — An animated comedy with a separate, lighthearted take on the character.
  12. Justice League (2017) — Batman joins the DC superhero team in the theatrical release.
  13. The Batman (2022) — Robert Pattinson stars in a separate Batman story, not a sequel to the Nolan or DCEU films.
  14. The Flash (2023) — A crossover film featuring Batman as part of its larger story.

This release order gives you a useful franchise overview, but it isn’t a continuous plot. The films move between different actors, creative teams, styles and fictional worlds. (Collider; TechRadar)

Optional: Zack Snyder’s Justice League

Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) is an alternate version of the Justice League story, rather than a required new chapter after the 2017 film. You can watch the theatrical cut or Snyder’s version; watching both is mainly useful if you want to compare the two. (TheWrap)

Batman movies in story order by continuity

For a connected viewing experience, follow one of these groups rather than trying to combine them all.

The 1966 film

  • Batman (1966)

This Adam West film belongs with the television series of the same era. It stands apart from the later film continuities.

The Burton and Schumacher films

  1. Batman (1989)
  2. Batman Returns (1992)
  3. Batman Forever (1995)
  4. Batman & Robin (1997)

The first two films star Michael Keaton and are directed by Tim Burton; Val Kilmer and George Clooney play Batman in the next two. Watching in release order is the straightforward choice for this four-film run. (Collider)

The Nolan trilogy

  1. Batman Begins (2005)
  2. The Dark Knight (2008)
  3. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

These films tell a connected story of Bruce Wayne’s development as Batman, so release order is also the story order. You can watch the trilogy on its own without seeing the other live-action Batman films. (TechRadar)

The DCEU Batman films

  1. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
  2. Justice League (2017) or Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
  3. The Flash (2023)

Ben Affleck’s Batman appears across this group. Choose one version of Justice League for a streamlined watch: the two films are alternate cuts of the same broad team-up story, not consecutive installments. (TheWrap)

Standalone and animated stories

  • The Batman (2022) is a separate live-action story starring Robert Pattinson. It doesn’t continue the Nolan or DCEU timelines.
  • Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) is connected to Batman: The Animated Series, not the live-action film runs.
  • The Lego Batman Movie (2017) is a self-contained animated comedy.

These films work well as individual picks if you’d rather not commit to a longer sequence.

Which Batman movie should you watch first?

For a complete trilogy with a clear beginning, middle and ending, start with Batman Begins. If you want a single standalone live-action film, try The Batman. For a broader look at how Batman’s screen persona has changed, follow the release-order list.

You don’t need to include Joker in a Batman watch order: it’s centered on the Joker and isn’t a Batman-led entry in these continuity groups. Likewise, guides may add films with brief Batman appearances or the 1940s serials, which is why “complete” lists don’t always match. (TheWrap; IGN)

Bottom line: watch in release order for a franchise overview, or pick one continuity for a connected story. The Nolan trilogy is the most direct three-film sequence; The Batman is an easy standalone starting point.