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IMDbPro

Batman

  • 19891989
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 6m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
374K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
470
241
Batman (1989)
Trailer with text and price on screen
Play trailer1:22
12 Videos
99+ Photos
ActionAdventure
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.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.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.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
374K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
470
241
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Tim Burton
    • Writers
      • Bob Kane(Batman characters)
      • Sam Hamm(story)
      • Warren Skaaren(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Michael Keaton
      • Jack Nicholson
      • Kim Basinger
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Tim Burton
    • Writers
      • Bob Kane(Batman characters)
      • Sam Hamm(story)
      • Warren Skaaren(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Michael Keaton
      • Jack Nicholson
      • Kim Basinger
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1KUser reviews
    • 238Critic reviews
    • 69Metascore
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 9 wins & 26 nominations total

    Videos12

    Batman
    Trailer 1:22
    Batman
    How 'The Batman' Resets Gotham for Penguin, Falcone, and More Rogues Gallery
    Clip 3:42
    How 'The Batman' Resets Gotham for Penguin, Falcone, and More Rogues Gallery
    Jaws, Shreks, & Lion Kings: A Summer Blockbuster History
    Clip 7:23
    Jaws, Shreks, & Lion Kings: A Summer Blockbuster History
    Is the New 'Joker' Most Like Jared, Heath, or Jack?
    Clip 4:46
    Is the New 'Joker' Most Like Jared, Heath, or Jack?
    'Batman' | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:20
    'Batman' | Anniversary Mashup
    How 'The Batman' Could Connect to 'Joker'
    Clip 3:36
    How 'The Batman' Could Connect to 'Joker'
    Holy Martin Scorsese! 'Joker' Is New 'King of Comedy'
    Clip 4:00
    Holy Martin Scorsese! 'Joker' Is New 'King of Comedy'
    A Guide to the Films of Tim Burton
    Clip 2:11
    A Guide to the Films of Tim Burton
    What We Know About 'Joker' ... So Far
    Clip 2:39
    What We Know About 'Joker' ... So Far
    Batman -- "What Is This Character?"
    Clip 1:49
    Batman -- "What Is This Character?"
    By the Numbers: Joker Movies
    Video 4:36
    By the Numbers: Joker Movies
    Who Nearly Played Alfred Pennyworth?
    Video 3:04
    Who Nearly Played Alfred Pennyworth?

    Photos486

    Kim Basinger in Batman (1989)
    Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989)
    Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989)
    Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989)
    Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton in Batman (1989)
    Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton in Batman (1989)
    Kim Basinger and Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989)
    Kim Basinger and Michael Keaton in Batman (1989)
    Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989)
    Jack Nicholson and Jerry Hall in Batman (1989)
    Michael Keaton in Batman (1989)
    Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Michael Keaton
    Michael Keaton
    • Batman…
    Jack Nicholson
    Jack Nicholson
    • Joker…
    Kim Basinger
    Kim Basinger
    • Vicki Vale
    Robert Wuhl
    Robert Wuhl
    • Alexander Knox
    Pat Hingle
    Pat Hingle
    • Commissioner Gordon
    Billy Dee Williams
    Billy Dee Williams
    • Harvey Dent
    Michael Gough
    Michael Gough
    • Alfred
    Jack Palance
    Jack Palance
    • Grissom
    Jerry Hall
    Jerry Hall
    • Alicia
    Tracey Walter
    Tracey Walter
    • Bob the Goon
    Lee Wallace
    Lee Wallace
    • Mayor
    William Hootkins
    William Hootkins
    • Eckhardt
    Richard Strange
    Richard Strange
    • Goon
    Carl Chase
    • Goon
    Mac McDonald
    Mac McDonald
    • Goon
    • (as Mac Macdonald)
    George Lane Cooper
    George Lane Cooper
    • Goon
    Terence Plummer
    Terence Plummer
    • Goon
    Philip Tan
    Philip Tan
    • Goon
    • Director
      • Tim Burton
    • Writers
      • Bob Kane(Batman characters)
      • Sam Hamm(story) (screenplay)
      • Warren Skaaren(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Robin Williams was offered the role of Joker when Jack Nicholson hesitated. He had even accepted the role, when producers approached Nicholson again and told him Williams would take the part if he did not. Nicholson took the role, and Williams was released. Williams resented being used as bait, and not only refused to play Riddler in Batman Forever (1995) but also refused to be involved in any Warner Bros. productions until the studio apologized.
    • Goofs
      (at around 1h 2 mins) When destroying the paintings in the museum, one of Joker's henchmen puts several hand prints on a painting. Later, we see Joker imitating the statue, and in the background we can see the painting that had supposedly been fingerpainted is not.
    • Quotes

      The Joker: Tell me something, my friend. You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?

      Bruce Wayne: What?

      The Joker: I always ask that of all my prey. I just... like the sound of it.

      [shoots him]

    • Crazy credits
      The opening credits appear as the camera goes through/around a giant Batman symbol.
    • Alternate versions
      In order to put the 126m. movie in 120m. video cassette, South Korean video distributor cut two scenes when the movie was first released on VHS. The first one is a whole sequence where The Joker kills a mob with a quill pen in front of the city hall. The second is the arrival of Batman on the rooftop of the cathedral and a few fight scenes with the goons. After the police sweeps the cathedral with searchlights, the scene abruptly cut to the scene where a goon with rope (the third goon that attacks Batman) desperately seeks Batman. Also, the initial South Korean DVD release has only widescreen version of the movie, so it featured a strange cut where Vicki pretends to tempt The Joker. This scene has been fixed on the special edition DVD.
    • Connections
      Edited into 5 Second Movies: Batman (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      The Future
      Written, Produced and Performed by Prince

    User reviews1K

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Science Fiction/Action Classic and the best Original Batman film from the 80's.
    The 1989 Batman is the original Dark Knight and Tim Burton's Classic Dark Knight film. This is my number 1 personal favorite Batman of all Batman movies this is my movie and I love this film to death! Jack Nicholson was well-cast as The Joker he was a wonderful in his lead role performance. Michael Keaton was just great as Bruce Wayne/Batman, he acted like the role of Batman was written on his skin. Kim Bassinger did a wonderful performance as her role Vicki Vale. I think Vicky Vale is very underrated character from all other female lead characters in all Batman films. Michael Gough did a wonderful job as the butler Alfred Pennyworth Batman's helper. Seriously Alfred for me will be always Michael Gough not only that he acted much better than Michael Caine did he even showed more heart and caring in the whole Batman franchise than Michael Caine did. The acting in this film is awesome, the character developments and the story plot are TERRIFIC!

    Michael Keaton caused an uproar when he was casted as Batman as fans boycotted the idea yet in Christmas 1988 when the trailer hit theaters the silence was shut as it was a nice teaser. This movie was the most hyped movie of 1989 as months audiences including fans had waited even with a second trailer that showed up in the spring of 1989 and merchandise was everywhere as it was the year of the Batman, hell even TV stations had reruns of the 60's Batman show to cash-in on the phenomenon. This movie opened on June 21st 1989 and became one of the highest grossing movies of all time and the biggest movie of the year earning acclaim and making Batman cool again just like Frank Miller and Alan Moore did. The Action and fights sequences were great and awesome. At least so much better than they were in Batman Begins (2005). It was my first Batman film I ever saw and this movie just absolutely Kick Ass. The Batwing that appears by the end of this movie is awesome by using to combat the Joker. When the Joker launches a deadly Smilex gas attack through balloons, Batman came in the Batwing and destroyed the balloons, angering Joker. Awesome! Batman then fired off several missiles and two mini guns, killing many henchmen but missing Joker, who in turn shot it down with one bullet from his long barreled revolver. The Joker Thugs are amazing. The main theme score by Danny Elfman was just amazing and really beautiful. I absolutely love this movie. I would never compare all other Nolan batman films with this masterpiece. Except The Dark Knight that it is the best Batman film. I will say it again this movie is AWESOME! The Batsuit designed by Costume designer Bob Ringwood who turned down the chance to work on Licence to Kill in favor of Batman was AWESOME! Ringwood found it difficult designing the Batsuit because "the image of Batman in the comics is this huge, big six-foot-four hunk with a dimpled chin.

    Gotham City, a big city where crime has been occurring lately and a mysterious caped crusader named Batman (Michael Keaton) is wiping streets clean of criminals, it leaves the police especially commissioner Gordon (Pat Hingle) baffled. A gangster named Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson) was dropped into a vat of chemicals which leaves him disfigures with paint-like white bleached skin and ruby-red lips plus green hair which makes him clown-like as he now calls himself Joker, he begins to terrorize the city of Gotham and stalk a sexy photographer named Vickie Vale (Kim Bassinger). Bruce Wayne who is Gotham's richest man falls in love with Vickie yet she doesn't know his true secret that he's Batman, but can Bruce deal with romance and battling with Joker at the same time?

    Batman is a 1989 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton and produced by Jon Peters, based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It is the first installment of Warner Bros.' initial Batman film series. The film stars Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton in the title role, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, and Jack Palance.

    The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being the clownishly homicidal Joker.

    This is definitely my favorite classic Action film from the 80's it was always my favorite childhood movie and it will always be. The action scenes are just fantastic and how Batman saves Gotham City from the Joker balloons of a deadly Smilex gas attack was amazing. Burton's Batman is my number 1 favorite film of all times and it will always be and I love it to death! 10/10

    Michael Keaton will be the only Batman for me!:P.
    helpful•122
    23
    • ivo-cobra8
    • Oct 10, 2015

    FAQ21

    • Which characters were adapted from the Batman comic books?
    • Who created the character of Batman? Bob Kane is listed in old (pre-2015) media including the comic books as creating Batman on his own but new media (made after 2015) shows him as co-creating the character with someone called Bill Finger, so what's all that about?
    • Does Batman intentionally or accidentally drop Jack Napier into the chemical vat?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 23, 1989 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Official site
      • Facebook
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Betmen
    • Filming locations
      • Knebworth House, Knebworth, Hertfordshire, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Warner Bros.
      • The Guber-Peters Company
      • PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $35,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $251,409,241
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $40,489,746
      • Jun 25, 1989
    • Gross worldwide
      • $411,569,241
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 6 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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