Essential Batman (Ranked)
by aaron-c-gleason | created - 09 Aug 2012 | updated - 09 Aug 2012 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. The Dark Knight (2008)
PG-13 | 152 min | Action, Crime, Drama
When the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine
Votes: 2,866,710 | Gross: $534.86M
2. Batman Begins (2005)
PG-13 | 140 min | Action, Crime, Drama
After witnessing his parents' death, Bruce learns the art of fighting to confront injustice. When he returns to Gotham as Batman, he must stop a secret society that intends to destroy the city.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Ken Watanabe, Liam Neeson
Votes: 1,576,236 | Gross: $206.85M
3. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
PG-13 | 164 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
Eight years after the Joker's reign of chaos, Batman is coerced out of exile with the assistance of the mysterious Selina Kyle in order to defend Gotham City from the vicious guerrilla terrorist Bane.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman
Votes: 1,824,920 | Gross: $448.14M
4. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
PG | 76 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Batman is wrongly implicated in a series of murders of mob bosses actually committed by a new vigilante assassin.
Directors: Kevin Altieri, Boyd Kirkland, Frank Paur, Dan Riba, Eric Radomski, Bruce Timm | Stars: Kevin Conroy, Dana Delany, Hart Bochner, Stacy Keach
Votes: 56,782 | Gross: $5.62M
5. Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000 Video)
PG-13 | 76 min | Animation, Action, Crime
The Joker is back with a vengeance, and Gotham's newest Dark Knight needs answers as he stands alone to face Gotham's most infamous Clown Prince of Crime.
Director: Curt Geda | Stars: Will Friedle, Mark Hamill, Kevin Conroy, Angie Harmon
Votes: 29,748
6. Batman: Arkham City (2011 Video Game)
T | Action, Crime, Mystery
When part of Gotham is turned into a private reserve for criminals known as Arkham City, all hell is sure to break loose, and the Dark Knight is the only one who can stop it.
Director: Sefton Hill | Stars: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, David Kaye, Carlos Alazraqui
Votes: 34,812
7. Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010 Video)
PG-13 | 75 min | Animation, Action, Crime
There's a mystery afoot in Gotham City, and Batman must go toe-to-toe with a mysterious vigilante, who goes by the name of Red Hood. Subsequently, old wounds reopen and old, once buried memories come into the light.
Director: Brandon Vietti | Stars: Bruce Greenwood, Jensen Ackles, John DiMaggio, Neil Patrick Harris
Votes: 67,727
8. Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995)
TV-PG | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The Dark Knight battles crime in Gotham City with occasional help from Robin and Batgirl.
Stars: Kevin Conroy, Loren Lester, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Bob Hastings
Votes: 116,750
9. Batman Beyond (1999–2001)
TV-Y7 | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Fuelled by remorse and vengeance, a high schooler named Terry McGinnis revives the role of Batman. Under supervision of an elderly Bruce Wayne, he fights crime in a harsh, futuristic Gotham.
Stars: Will Friedle, Kevin Conroy, Lauren Tom, Cree Summer
Votes: 30,443
10. Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009 Video Game)
T | Action, Crime, Mystery
Batman battles his archenemy, the Joker, who instigates an elaborate plot to seize control of Arkham Asylum, trap Batman inside with many of his incarcerated foes, and threaten Gotham City with hidden bombs.
Director: Sefton Hill | Stars: Mark Hamill, Kevin Conroy, Arleen Sorkin, Tom Kane
Votes: 31,407
11. Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1997 Video)
Unrated | 70 min | Animation, Action, Crime
When Mr. Freeze, desperate to save his dying wife, kidnaps Barbara Gordon (Batgirl) as an involuntary organ donor, Batman and Robin must find her before the operation can begin.
Director: Boyd Kirkland | Stars: Kevin Conroy, Michael Ansara, Loren Lester, Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
Votes: 18,054
12. Batman: Gotham Knight (2008 Video)
PG-13 | 75 min | Animation, Action, Crime
A collection of key events mark Bruce Wayne's life as he journeys from beginner to Dark Knight.
Directors: Yasuhiro Aoki, Futoshi Higashide, Toshiyuki Kubooka, Hiroshi Morioka, Jong-Sik Nam, Shôjirô Nishimi, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Yûichirô Hayashi | Stars: Kevin Conroy, Jason Marsden, Scott Menville, George Newbern
Votes: 30,206
13. Batman (1989)
PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Adventure
The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being Jack Napier, a criminal who becomes the clownishly homicidal Joker.
Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl
Votes: 403,843 | Gross: $251.19M
14. Batman Returns (1992)
PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Crime, Fantasy
While Batman deals with a deformed man calling himself the Penguin wreaking havoc across Gotham with the help of a cruel businessman, a female employee of the latter becomes the Catwoman with her own vendetta.
Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken
Votes: 327,135 | Gross: $162.83M
15. Batman: The Movie (1966)
PG | 105 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
The Dynamic Duo faces four supervillains who plan to hold the world for ransom with the help of a secret invention that instantly dehydrates people.
Director: Leslie H. Martinson | Stars: Adam West, Burt Ward, Lee Meriwether, Cesar Romero
Votes: 35,769
16. Batman (1966–1968)
TV-G | 25 min | Action, Crime, Fantasy
The Caped Crusader and his young ward battle evildoers in Gotham City.
Stars: Adam West, Burt Ward, Alan Napier, Neil Hamilton
Votes: 26,096
17. Batman Begins (2005 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Crime
You play as Batman and unleash your terror into the hearts of criminals, battling against foes such as Dr. Jonathan Crane/The Scarecrow, Ra's al Ghul, and Carmine "The Roman" Falcone.
Stars: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes
Votes: 14,957
18. The New Batman Adventures (1997–1999)
TV-PG | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The further and darker adventures of Batman with a new Robin, a closer association with Batgirl and the previous Robin now as Nightwing.
Stars: Kevin Conroy, Tara Strong, Mathew Valencia, Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
Votes: 19,119
19. Batman: Year One (2011 Video)
PG-13 | 64 min | Animation, Action, Crime
A wealthy playboy and a Chicago cop both return to Gotham City where their lives will intersect in unexpected ways.
Directors: Sam Liu, Lauren Montgomery | Stars: Bryan Cranston, Ben McKenzie, Eliza Dushku, Jon Polito
Votes: 38,070
20. Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003 Video)
PG | 75 min | Animation, Action, Crime
The Dark Knight must contend with a mysterious female vigilante who emulates him, but to a more ruthless degree.
Directors: Curt Geda, Jennifer Graves, Tim Maltby | Stars: Kevin Conroy, Kimberly Brooks, Kelly Ripa, Elisa Gabrielli
Votes: 14,186
21. Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008–2011)
TV-Y7-FV | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
An updated animated series centering on the Caped Crusader himself as he partners and deals with his fellow superheroes in the DC Comics universe.
Stars: Diedrich Bader, John DiMaggio, James Arnold Taylor, Dee Bradley Baker
Votes: 10,184
22. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012 Video)
PG-13 | 76 min | Animation, Action, Crime
Batman has not been seen for ten years. A new breed of criminal ravages Gotham City, forcing 55-year-old Bruce Wayne back into the cape and cowl. But, does he still have what it takes to fight crime in a new era?
Director: Jay Oliva | Stars: Peter Weller, Ariel Winter, David Selby, Wade Williams
Votes: 63,139
23. Batman: Vengeance (I) (2001 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Crime
When an elaborate scheme conceived by the Joker is set in motion, Batman embarks on a perlious journey to save Gotham from the clutches of his most dangerous adversaries.
Stars: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Arleen Sorkin, Tara Strong
Votes: 554
24. Lego Batman: The Videogame (2008 Video Game)
E10+ | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
The notorious criminals including the Joker, the Penguin, Catwoman, and Scarecrow have broken out of Arkham Asylum and are set to wreak havoc in Gotham City.
Director: Jon Burton | Stars: Ogie Banks, Steve Blum, Chris Edgerly, Keith Ferguson
Votes: 3,893
25. Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu (2003 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Crime
In Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu, a new villain who feeds off of dominance is in search of a new, difficult opponent. In Asia he hd heard of the Dark Knight of Gotham City, Batman, and has set up... See full summary »
Director: Pascal Colpron | Stars: Kevin Conroy, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Tara Strong, Loren Lester
Votes: 384
26. Batman Returns (1992 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Adventure, Crime
The game follows the storyline of the movie. Batman must fight two new criminals, The Penguin and Catwoman, which threaten the peace in Gotham.
Star: Oliver Theess
Votes: 437
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