Ranking every live-action Batman movie from worst to best

Photo: Batman (1989) Courtesy DC Universe PR

Holy Batman celebration! Batman 89’ turns 30-years old this year and it’s time to take a look back at the best live-action Batman movies.

There’s no comic book hero with more iconic movies than DC Comics’ Batman. In 1966, it was Batman: The Movie which saw the first live-action iteration of Batman on the big screen. In the decades which followed, DC would go on produce several additional live-action Batman inclusive films including many hits… and a few rare misses.

Batman is a comic book icon and fans will argue he’ll beat anyone with the right amount of prep time. Bruce Wayne, the playboy billionaire, runs the conglomerate, Wayne Industries by day; when the city darkens, he puts on the cape and mask as the Dark Knight, protector of Gotham.

The tone of Batman differs from his DC counterparts like Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Green Lantern, to name a few. The brooding nature and tragic story of a child who witnessed the murder of his parents makes him unique.

Despite being a billionaire, his tragic origin and the fact that he’s human makes the character feel relatable. He’s fighting for his people during the darkest hours of the night to take back his city from corruption. Bruce is cold in nature, but has shown the ability to care for others.

No, he won’t win any parent of the year awards, but he’s changed and shaped the lives of many. Even those who weren’t lucky enough to call themselves his sidekick.

Besides being a master in hand-to-hand combat, he’s wildly considered the World’s Greatest Detective. Batman has a vast world within the world of DC Comics, which is perhaps why we’ve seen so many films over the years set in Gotham and featuring the Caped Crusader.

DC understands who their cash cow is and that’s Batman. Fortunately, fans have proven they may never get tired of seeing him as long as the stories are great with the character just as popular today as he was back in 1939.

The Dark Knight will rise again in 2021 thanks to Matt Reeves’ The Batman starring Robert Pattinson. However, before we indulge in yet another Batman film, it’s time take a look back and rank the various live-action Batman films which have graced our screens in the past decades!