5 Batman movies to watch while waiting for The Batman

3. Batman Returns

With 1989’s Batman, Tim Burton successfully reintroduced the Bat world to mainstream audiences around the globe, reinventing how we view The Caped Crusader – giving us a darker Dark Knight for a new generation after Adam West’s definitive performance in the ’60s brightened things up. Burton even delivered what is now the definitive origin story for The Joker.

The film hit all the right notes at the right time and expectations were high for the sequel. When that sequel came in 1992, it wasn’t what anyone would have expected; for better or worse. Instead of trying to be better, Burton jumped at the chance to be darker.

What we got was a Dark Knight who blows up henchmen with a grin, a physically and mentally revolting Danny DeVito as The Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer offering questionable innuendos at every turn in what was just an overall ridiculous romp.

1992 audiences weren’t quite ready for just how ridiculous Burton wanted to make the Bat franchise (hence the mixed reviews) but in 2020, fans should be able to have some fun with the overall black humor and dark action undertones.

Plus, let’s get reacquainted with Pfeiffer and DeVito’s respective Catwoman and Penguin before we see Zoe Kravitz and Colin Farrell take up the roles in the upcoming film.