Matt Reeves’s spin on The Batman starring Robert Pattinson will be released soon, and if you want to relive some of the best moments of Bruce Wayne, then we have you covered.
We’ve rounded up a comprehensive list of all the main Batman films, along with links to where to watch them. He’s appeared in more films than that though, so we’ve included links to more films that feature Batman, though not necessarily as the main character.
You can also check out a similar guide on how to watch the Spider-Man films in order , and find out when tickets for The Batman (2022) go on sale .
How to watch the Batman films in order
Batman features in numerous different cinematic universes – sometimes just in a standalone film, and sometimes as part of an anthology. It doesn’t matter what order you watch the series, though you may want to see some of the older films before watching The Flash later this year (more on that below).
The first-ever live-action Batman film starring Adam West stands as its own film, but it’s really a spin-off from the ’60s TV series, also starring West. In 1989, The Batman Motion Picture Anthology kicked off. This universe is made up of four films – though Batman is played by three separate actors: Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and George Clooney.
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy saw Christian Bale step into the role, starring opposite some iconic villains – the most famous being Heath Ledger’s take on The Joker.
Then there’s the DCEU version of Batman, with Ben Affleck in the cape and cowl. In Batman v Superman, he’s a co-lead alongside Henry Cavill. This character is also one of the five protagonists of the superhero team-up film, Justice League.
There are two versions of Justice League – the one directed by Joss Whedon, and the one directed by Zack Snyder. Snyder was originally signed on to direct the original Justice League but had to leave filming partway through.
Whedon took over, and the film underwent some significant changes that deviated from Snyder’s original vision. After years of petitioning from both fans and even the actors, Zack Snyder teamed up with HBO Max to release a four-hour cut of the film. You can choose to watch either Justice League rather than both. The Zack Snyder one is widely considered to be the better film, but be prepared for a long sitting.
The next DCEU film is The Flash, due this November, with Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck both set to reprise their roles as Batman – officially introducing the concept of the multiverse into the DCEU.
Before that, Matt Reeves is releasing his own take on The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, in March. So far, this is not confirmed to tie into any other existing films based on DC characters.
This list also includes the Lego Batman Movie. This character features in other Lego films, but also has his own standalone flick, with Will Arnett voicing. It may not be as gritty as some other titles on this list, but it is hilarious.
The Adam West Movie
- Batman: The Movie (1966)
The Batman Motion Picture Anthology
- Batman (1989)
- Batman Returns (1992)
- Batman Forever (1995)
- Batman and Robin (1997)
The Dark Knight Trilogy
- Batman Begins (2005)
- The Dark Knight (2008)
- The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
DC Cinematic Extended Universe (DCEU)
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
- Justice League (2019)
- Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
- The Flash (releases in cinemas on 4 November 2022)
Lego Cinematic Universe
- The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
Matt Reeves’s The Batman
- The Batman (releases in cinemas on 4 March 2022)
Where to stream and watch the Batman films
If you would like to watch any of these films, then we’ve rounded up all the places that you can stream them right now in the UK and US – along with links to the places to rent and buy your own copies.
Whilst this list is correct at the time of writing, streaming services do constantly change their libraries. If you are unsure of where to find something, then head to JustWatch and search for the title you want.
UK
- Batman: The Movie – Not available to stream
- Batman – Now , Sky Go , Virgin TV Go
- Batman Returns – Now , Sky Go , Virgin TV Go
- Batman Forever – Now , Sky Go , Virgin TV Go
- Batman and Robin – Now , Sky Go , Virgin TV Go
- Batman Begins – Now , Sky Go , Virgin TV Go
- The Dark Knight – Now , Sky Go , Virgin TV Go
- The Dark Knight Rises – Now , Sky Go , Virgin TV Go
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Now , Sky Go , Virgin TV Go
- The Lego Batman Movie – Netflix , Amazon Prime Video , Virgin TV Go
- Justice League – Netflix , Amazon Prime Video , Virgin TV Go
- Zack Snyder’s Justice League – Now , Sky Go , Virgin TV Go
US
- Batman: The Movie – Not available to stream
- Batman – HBO Max , Fubo TV , AMC+ , Direct TV , Spectrum on Demand
- Batman Returns – HBO Max , Fubo TV , AMC+ , Direct TV , Spectrum on Demand
- Batman Forever – HBO Max , Fubo TV , AMC+ , Direct TV , Spectrum on Demand
- Batman and Robin – HBO Max , Fubo TV , AMC+ , Direct TV , Spectrum on Demand
- Batman Begins – HBO Max
- The Dark Knight – HBO Max
- The Dark Knight Rises – HBO Max , Direct TV , Spectrum on Demand
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – HBO Max
- The Lego Batman Movie – HBO Max
- Justice League – HBO Max
- Zack Snyder’s Justice League – HBO Max
Additional viewing for Batman
If all that is still not enough, then there are a whopping 26 animated Batman movies . Starting from 1993, these films explore some of the classic villains such as Two-Face and Hush, as well as some bizarre crossovers with the likes of Dracula and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. These can be rented or bought from the major VOD platforms.
Author: Hannah Cowton-Barnes, Entertainment Editor, Tech Advisor
As Tech Advisor’s Entertainment Editor, Hannah is the resident expert in all things streaming, film and TV. Before joining Tech Advisor in 2019, she studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Leeds and created a website dedicated to geek culture and lifestyle. She’s also reviewed a whole range of gadgets including flagship smartphones, wearables and styling tools. Outside of Foundry, she’s written freelance pieces for Polygon, Metro and Den of Geek, and is proud to be a Women Techmakers Ambassador for Google.
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