All 31 animated Batman movies ranked from worst to best

23. Batman: Bad Blood

The Son of Batman saga reached new highs with its second sequel Batman: Bad Blood. The thing that set this one apart from its predecessor was the boldness of the narrative and the overall involvement of the Bat-Family, who all must step up in a way they never had before.

The film focuses on the apparent death of Bruce Wayne, which leaves Gotham City without its Batman. Dick Grayson takes it upon himself to step into the role as the city’s new Batman, while the Bat-Family rally around him, including Bruce’s troublesome son Damian, the lone vigilante Batwoman, and new hero Batwing.

We may not have known it during the first movie, but the Son of Batman franchise is an ensemble story and that’s why Batman: Bad Blood works the best out of the three. Its story allows it to focus on the supporting cast of the series, allowing other characters to take center stage. The camaraderie and conflict among the Bat-Family also makes for a compelling hook, and it also presents Damian Wayne with his biggest challenge yet: Working with other people towards a common goal.

Bad Blood was an ambitious and satisfying culmination to this chapter of the story, allowing successor Batman: Hush to take things in a different direction.