Batman in film

Initial adaptations

Early films

Main article: Batman (serial), Batman and Robin (serial), Batman (1966 film)

Following the success of comic books featuring Batman in the early 1940s, three major Hollywood studios approached DC Comics to purchase the film rights. Columbia Pictures bought the rights shortly afterward, and, in 1943, released a fifteen-chapter serial film directed by Lambert Hillyer and starring Lewis Wilson as Batman. The story follows Batman and Robin's attempts to sabotage a Japanese spy's plot to aid Axis conquest of the United States by producing a super weapon. Elements of Batman deviate from the source material in significant respects, most notably the addition of a Japanese villain, underscoring the film's propaganda function. Conceived eighteen months after the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Batman reflected a wider cultural shift to arouse mass support for US intervention in World War II. Nevertheless, the serial introduced the Batcave and the Wayne Manor's secret grandfather clock entrance in Batman mythology. It was re-released in theaters in 1965 under the title An Evening with Batman and Robin.

In 1949, Columbia developed another fifteen-part serial, Batman and Robin, as the sequel to Batman, compelled by the success of Superman the previous year. Robert Lowery was Wilson's replacement as Batman, leading a new ensemble of actors opposite Johnny Duncan as Robin. Batman and Robin details the duo's retrieval of a stolen remote control machine from criminal mastermind Wizard, whose schemes threaten to disrupt Gotham City's transportation networks. Producer Sam Katzman sought to keep the cost of filming low, and the diminished budget led to further changes to the onscreen world. As a consequence, Batman and Robin fared poorly in reviews from the press.

The American Broadcasting Company's (ABC) creation of a live-action TV adaptation of Batman in the mid-1960s resurrected the character's popularity. 20th Century Fox released a theatrical film intended to be a precursor to the show in 1966. Featuring Adam West as the superhero, author Matthew J. Smith viewed the projects as campy, yet more faithful interpretations of the comics than the serials. West stated he was hesitant to consider the part because he feared being typecast, but was convinced by his agent. In the film, Batman and Robin (Burt Ward) confront the main antagonists of the series: the Joker (Cesar Romero), Penguin (Burgess Meredith), the Riddler (Frank Gorshin), and Catwoman (Lee Meriwether).

Limbo

The cancellation of Batman decreased Hollywood interest in further film adaptations. Superman was another catalyst for Uslan and Melniker's vision of a Batman film. Uslan pitched to multiple studios unsuccessfully, including Columbia and United Artists, prompting him to devise an outline, Return of the Batman, to better articulate his idea.

By November 1979, Uslan and Melniker obtained funding through a joint venture with Peter Guber, chairman of the film division of Casablanca Records. Under the arrangement, the producers were entitled to 40 percent of profits yielded by Casablanca. They commissioned a Batman film with a $15 million budget in 1981, but a series of corporate acquisitions prolonged negotiations over the film's distribution, stalling development. Another associate pitched the project to Warner Bros. Pictures executive Frank Wells, and afterwards Peters signed a deal with studio president Terry Semel which overlapped with the Casablanca contract. However, because Uslan and Melniker were unaware of the dealings, they challenged Warner Bros. over the claim that it had breached the Casablanca agreement.

Screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz completed the project's first draft in June 1983, titled The Batman. Mankiewicz took inspiration from Batman: Strange Apparitions, a multi-issue limited series by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers. Though The Batman was announced with a mid-1985 release date, revisions to the script impeded progress on the film. In total, the script underwent nine rewrites from nine separate screenwriters.

Original film series

''Batman'' (1989)

Main article: Batman (1989 film)

Warner Bros. appointed Tim Burton as Batman director in 1988. The studio approached Burton as early as 1985, but had no formalized deal until a week after Beetlejuice opened in theaters. Burton discarded Mankiewicz's screenplay as he found the tone too similar to Superman. Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns (1986) guided Hamm's script, reflecting a darker approach than previous interpretations to that point. When the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike forced Hamm to resign, Warner Bros. engaged Warren Skaaren, Charles McKeown and Jonathan Gems for additional rewrites to lighten the tone. Burton chose Michael Keaton among a number of leading men as Batman / Bruce Wayne, despite resistance from studio executives. Keaton was a controversial casting choice; he had been mainly known as a comedic actor and was not perceived to fit the Batman archetype. Jack Nicholson stars opposite Keaten as the Joker, earning as much as $50–$90 million for his work. Principal photography occurred from October 1988 to January 1989 on constructed sets at the backlot of Pinewood Studios in London. After its June 1989 release, Batman received mostly positive reviews and finished the theatrical run as the year's second highest-grossing film, with a box office take of $400 million. At the 62nd Academy Awards, the film won Best Art Direction.

''Batman Returns'' (1992)

Main article: Batman Returns

Studio executives prioritized a sequel to Batman beginning in late-1989. Warner Bros. secured Burton's commitment as director for Batman Returns in 1991. Burton was reluctant to return for another film because he was cynical about sequels. He had also been frustrated with the authority Guber and Peters exerted over the original film, agreeing to Batman Returns only on the condition of greater independence. Daniel Waters replaced Hamm as screenwriter based on Burton's preference for a writer that had no involvement with Batman. Waters developed the script with greater emphasis on the villains—including Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) and the Penguin (Danny DeVito). Burton brought on Wesley Strick for an uncredited rewrite before assigning Waters further script editing duties. Keaton reprised his role for a $10 million salary. Filmmakers shot Batman Returns from September 1991 to February 1992, and the film was released in theaters that June. Batman Returns polarized critics and, to the dismay of Warner Bros., saw diminished returns at the box office.

''Batman Forever'' (1995)

Main article: Batman Forever

To improve their profit-making potential, Warner Bros. developed Batman Forever with a more family-friendly tone. The studio did not want to continue the series with Burton and encouraged the filmmaker to seek other projects, though Burton remained involved as an executive producer. They hired Joel Schumacher as Burton's replacement, believing he could better realize a film conducive to advertising toys. The screenplay was conceived by Lee and Janet Scott-Batchler, a husband-and-wife writing team, and Akiva Goldsman. Keaton at first supported the changes but in time dropped out, objecting to the script. Ethan Hawke, Daniel Day-Lewis, Ralph Fiennes, and Kurt Russell were among those considered to play Batman, which inevitably went to Val Kilmer. Kilmer came to Schumacher's attention for his work in the Western film Tombstone (1993). Shooting took place from September 1994 to March 1995, followed by the theatrical rollout in June 1995. Batman Forever finished the year as the sixth highest-grossing film by amassing $350 million globally, but drew a tepid critical response. Nonetheless, the film received three nominations at the 68th Academy Awards.

''Batman & Robin'' (1997)

Main article: Batman & Robin (film)

Schumacher was signed as director of Batman & Robin while Batman Forever ran in theaters. Goldman and Chris O'Donnell returned, the former as the film's sole screenwriter. Kilmer did not reappear, and reports give conflicting accounts about the circumstance of the actor's departure. Schumacher maintained in a 1996 interview that producers "sort of fired" Kilmer because he was volatile on the set of Batman Forever. On the other hand, Kilmer cited scheduling conflicts that arose as a result of prior commitments to Heat (1995) and The Saint (1997). In his documentary film Val (2021), the actor clarified further that the experience working in the Batsuit, which he found cumbersome, influenced his decision to leave. Filming for Batman & Robin began in September 1996 and finished two weeks ahead of schedule in January 1997, and the theatrical release was scheduled in June 1997. Batman & Robin was a critical and commercial failure and is cited as one the worst blockbuster films ever made.

Unrealized proposals

Warner Bros. initiated plans to expand the franchise with several films, including a third Schumacher Batman film commissioned as Batman & Robin was in production. The studio announced the project with Mark Protosevich as screenwriter. Protosevich's treatment, a 150-page script named Batman Unchained, revolves around Wayne's efforts to confront figures of his turmoiled past, chiefly the Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, and, ultimately, the Joker through a drug-induced hallucination. In the film's final scene, Wayne is besieged by a swarm of bats as a symbol of triumph over his fears. Sequel development collapsed after the failure of Batman & Robin.

Around the same time, another project titled Batman: DarKnight was approved by Warner Bros., from a script conceived by novice writers Lee Shapiro and Stephen Wise.

Planned relaunch

At the turn of the millennium, Warner Bros. entered a protracted development period over a Batman film. Three reboot proposals emerged during this time, the earliest being an adaptation of Miller's comic book story arc Batman: Year One (1987). According to Aronofsky, the studio was receptive after he quipped, "I'd cast Clint Eastwood as the Dark Knight, and shoot it in Tokyo, doubling for Gotham City." He joined as director in 2000. Aronofsky worked with Miller to write the Batman: Year One script in their second collaboration; their first work together was an undeveloped screenplay of Miller's multi-issue series Ronin. Their script re-conceptualized Batman with working class origins and placed greater emphasis on the character's psychological profile. Owing to creative disagreements with Aronofsky and Miller, Warner Bros. abandoned efforts on the project.

Alan Horn succeeded Terry Semel and Bob Daly as COO and president of Warner Bros. in 1999. There he implemented plans to relaunch the Batman and Superman franchises as part of a broader measure to increase the studio's output of blockbuster films. The efforts may have been shaped in part by a corporate merger between parent company Time Warner and AOL in 2001. Although the idea of a crossover film portraying Batman and Superman as foes long circulated in the press, it was screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker who first brought forward the concept in earnest in August 2001. Warner Bros. engaged Wolfgang Petersen to direct Batman Vs. Superman, who then secured Walker's services to prepare a draft. Goldman was brought on for a rewrite when the studio rejected Walker's draft, but the successive script drew mixed reactions. Thereafter Petersen left to make another Warner project, the historical drama Troy (2004), and Horn clashed with producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura because they had competing visions for the franchises. Ultimately, the studio proceeded with plans for solo films and development of Batman Vs. Superman unraveled.

In 2000, Warner Bros. oversaw a live-action adaptation of their animated TV program Batman Beyond. They commissioned Boaz Yakin and Batman Beyond creators Paul Dini and Alan Burnett to write a draft, but found the direction unsatisfactory and severed further commitment. Little else is known about the project and filmmakers involved seldom discuss information in interviews with the media.

A younger Wayne played by Armie Hammer was a subject of a Justice League film known as Justice League: Mortal, which was meant to launch a franchise independent of the mainline Batman films in the late 2000s. Several problems beset the production. Warner Bros. suspended filming in the wake of an industrywide labor strike by the Writers Guild of America and again over disputes concerning the studio's request for tax subsidies from the government of Australia, which was denied by the Australian Film Commission. In turn, Warner Bros. relocated the film's administrative operations to Canada, before cancelling production to mandate solo films of the DC characters, enacted after the release of The Dark Knight (2008).

''The Dark Knight'' trilogy

The Dark Knight trilogy was ranked as one of the greatest film trilogies by /Film, Time Out, and CBR.

''Batman Begins'' (2005)

Main article: Batman Begins

Christopher Nolan was signed to a pay-or-play contract as director of Batman Begins in early 2003, after approaching Warner Bros. with the idea of making a Batman film centered on the character's origins. What's more, the studio wanted to reconcile relations with the filmmaker after Petersen took his place as Troy director. Nolan said he aimed to develop a more realistic, grittier film setting to differentiate Batman Begins from Warner's original Batman movies. This encompassed the creation of an updated Batmobile and an all-black Batsuit designed for more agile movement. Nolan and David S. Goyer produced the film's completed script. Management cast Bale, at the time a largely-unknown actor, under Nolan's belief that he exuded "exactly the balance of darkness and light" they desired for the character. To prepare for the role, Bale was given martial arts training, regained the weight he lost for The Machinist (2004), and increased his muscle mass, weighing about 220 lb. The filmmaking crew spent 2004 shooting Batman Begins in Iceland, the United Kingdom and Chicago, the lattermost within a three-week period. They relied on miniature effects and traditional stunts during the production, using computer-generated imagery (CGI) only sparingly. Despite a poor box office prognosis, the film was released in June 2005 to improved results, grossing $375.4 million worldwide. Reviews from critics were very positive, and Batman Begins became a candidate for Best Cinematography at the 78th Academy Awards.

''The Dark Knight'' (2008)

Main article: The Dark Knight

Nolan did not plan to make a sequel, but nevertheless brainstormed ideas with Goyer during the filming of Batman Begins. The men worked together to outline The Dark Knight essential plot points for three months. Nolan next assisted his brother Jonathan with development of the script, starting with a draft screenplay finished in six months. The brothers spent another six months collaborating on the final script. Filmmakers again redesigned the Batsuit to make it more comfortable to wear. Bale reprised his role as Batman, performing many of his own stunts. The film story sees Batman battling his arch-nemesis the Joker (Heath Ledger), who obstructs efforts to control organized crime by his newly-forged alliance with district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) and police lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman). The Dark Knight was shot on a 127-day schedule from April to November 2007, and opened to widespread critical acclaim in July 2008. It broke numerous box office records, becoming the highest-grossing film of 2008 and exceeding $1 billion by February 2009. Near the end of its global rollout, the film entered the 81st Academy Awards season as a frontrunner with eight nominations, winning two. Ledger's posthumous win for Best Supporting Actor made The Dark Knight the first comic book film to win an Academy Award for acting. In 2020, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry.

''The Dark Knight Rises'' (2012)

Main article: The Dark Knight Rises

After initial hesitation, Nolan returned to direct The Dark Knight Rises, and, with his brother and Goyer, conceived a story he believed would conclude the trilogy on a satisfying note. He contemplated story and character ideas with Goyer before tasking Jonathan with the scriptwriting. Warner Bros. proposed a character similar to Ledger's Joker as the film's primary villain, but Nolan picked Bane (Tom Hardy), favoring a physically imposing figure as antagonist. The director cited Metropolis (1927), Doctor Zhivago (1965), The Battle of Algiers (1966), Prince of the City (1981), and Blade Runner (1982) as major influences on The Dark Knight Rises artistic direction. One of Nolan's main goals was to shoot the film with IMAX cameras as he wanted visual uniformity between The Dark Knight projects. Production lasted from May to November 2011, and The Dark Knight Rises debuted in North American theaters in July 2012. The film eventually surpassed The Dark Knight box office gross and drew highly positive reviews from critics.

DC Extended Universe

Main article: DC Extended Universe

Title roles

''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' (2016)

Main article: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Press speculation about a sequel to Man of Steel (2013) preceded the 46th San Diego Comic-Con. At that event, director Zack Snyder announced Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice as Man of Steel follow-up, based on a narrative inspired by The Dark Knight Returns. Goyer returned to develop a screenplay that was rewritten at least three times, including once by Chris Terrio, because he was working concurrently on other projects of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Terrio's script was influenced by The Dark Knight trilogy and "Musée des Beaux Arts", an allegorical poem by English poet W. H. Auden. Nolan worked as an executive producer, albeit in an advisory role, but Warner Bros. did not approach Bale to reprise Batman. Ben Affleck stars in said role in Dawn of Justice, news of which was confirmed in August 2013. The casting choice was contingent on studio demands for an older Batman whose age could juxtapose the story. Dawn of Justice was derided in professional reviews, while the film fared better with audiences. At the box office, it emerged as the seventh highest-grossing film of 2016 with $874 million.

Ensemble roles

''Justice League'' (2017)

Main article: Justice League (film)

Warner Bros. filed a lawsuit against the estate of Joe Shuster over the execution of a termination clause barring the disposition of the estate's share of the copyrights to Superman. The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of Warner Bros. in October 2012, and the studio immediately moved forward with plans to create a Justice League film. They hired Will Beall to conceive the initial draft, which was replaced when Goyer took over as the scriptwriter the following year. Goyer's work was discarded for a rewritten script completed by Terrio in July 2015. Afterwards, Justice League fell into a drawn-out development phase involving a succession of rewrites and a dispute concerning the budget, delaying the film's production. Affleck returned as Batman, and Snyder continued his duties as director until his departure due to his daughter's death in 2017. His replacement, Joss Whedon, made substantial changes to the script and supervised reshoots, though only Snyder is billed as Justice League director. The film was shot from April to October 2016, and was released in November 2017 to largely negative reviews. It was also a box office disappointment by failing to recoup enough money to break-even. After Justice League release, Whedon was criticized for his treatment of the actors, and Terrio disavowed the film, citing studio interference.

''Zack Snyder's Justice League'' (2021)

Main article: Zack Snyder's Justice League

Given the negative reaction to Justice League, a fan campaign went viral on social media under the hashtag "#ReleaseTheSnyderCut", calling for the release of Snyder's version of the film. Snyder had an unedited cut of this film version saved on his laptop around the time of his departure, which was presented to Warner Bros. executives in February 2020 in an event he organized with his wife Deborah. That May, it was announced as an official project, a director's cut titled Zack Snyder's Justice League; the film premiered on HBO Max in March 2021. Warner Bros. allocated a $70 million budget to complete work related mostly to visual effects. The film does not share continuity with the DCEU. Zack Snyder's Justice League features a newly filmed scene with Affleck's Batman.

Other DCEU films

Main article: The Flash (film), Suicide Squad (2016 film), Batgirl (film)

In Suicide Squad (2016), Affleck features in flashback scenes depicting the arrests of Floyd Lawton / Deadshot (Will Smith) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). Keaton and Clooney's Batmen appear in supporting roles in The Flash (2023). Both actors play alternate versions of DCEU's main-continuity Batman (Affleck). Keaton was set to return to the DCEU in an expanded capacity in Batgirl until the film's cancellation in August 2022.

The Batman Epic Crime Saga

The Batman

''The Batman'' (2022)

Main article: The Batman (film)

Work on a standalone Batman film was well underway once Warner Bros. cast Affleck in 2014. He was signed as director, writer, and the film's starring actor, but stepped down amidst various personal and professional struggles. Matt Reeves replaced Affleck as director and writer, creating the story anew with Mattson Tomlin and Peter Craig. Reeves focused on a younger Batman, borrowing from the tradition of a detective story, and expunged connections to the DCEU in the script. To conceptualize the film world, and to bolster the plot, the director sought inspiration from an array of Batman comics and New Hollywood era films. The Batman universe is separate from the DC Universe (DCU), and hence will exist simultaneously with a DCU Batman within the continuity of a multiverse. The search for an actor to play Batman was described as "intense", but unusually quick for a superhero film. Speculation in the media favored Robert Pattinson, and Warner Bros. signed the actor in May 2019, prompting backlash from some fans. Reeves said he wrote the character with Pattinson in mind, having been impressed with his performances in Good Time (2017) and High Life (2018). Pattinson received a $3 million salary for his work. Filmmakers spent over a year shooting The Batman thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, which halted production for five-and-a-half months. Postponed twice, Warner Bros. released the film in March 2022.

''The Batman: Part II'' (2027)

A sequel, The Batman: Part II, was announced in April 2022; Reeves, Tomlin, and Pattinson will reprise their respective roles. The production was delayed to accommodate changes in the writing, and a completed script was submitted in June 2025. Part II is slated to be released on October 1, 2027.

DC Universe

Main article: DC Universe (franchise)

''The Brave and the Bold''

In October 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery formed DC Studios, with filmmakers James Gunn and Peter Safran as its co-chairmen and CEOs, to facilitate development of film and TV adaptations within the context of a new shared universe, the DCU. Warner Bros. enlisted Andy Muschietti as the film's director, with his sister Barbara set to produce through their production company Double Dream, alongside Gunn and Safran.

''Joker'' duology

Main article: Joker (2019 film), Joker: Folie à Deux

Beginning in 2019, Warner Bros. distributed two standalone films based on the Joker, directed by Todd Phillips. Both films predate Wayne's transformation into Batman. Joker depicts an origin story about a failed comedian's (Phoenix) descent into madness, culminating in the murders of Wayne's parents by a masked rioter. The film portrays Wayne as a young child (played by Dante Pereira-Olson).

Animated film

Main article: List of animated Batman films

Batman has appeared in a variety of animated film adaptations since the early 1990s. His first appearance was in Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993), voiced by Kevin Conroy. It originated as a direct-to-video release, following the breakout success of Fox's TV adaptation of the character, Batman: The Animated Series, itself influenced by the live-action Burton films. Mask of Phantasm received notice for its subject matter, animation style, and music. Conroy continued voicing the character in various productions up to his death in 2022. Batman is the titular lead in 39 films and features in another 35 in a supporting capacity, generally as part of an ensemble for the Justice League. Numerous actors voice Batman in animation, including Jensen Ackles, Michael C. Hall, Roger Craig Smith, and Troy Baker. Further development of animated Batman films is ongoing as of 2025.

Recurring cast and characters

Main article: List of Batman films cast members

Reception

Box office performance

Critical and public response

Accolades

Academy Awards

Main article: Academy Awards

British Academy Film Awards

Main article: British Academy Film Awards

Saturn Awards

Main article: Saturn Awards

Footnotes

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

References

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189. "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm".
190. "Batman Forever".
191. "Batman & Robin".
192. "Batman Begins".
193. "The Dark Knight".
194. "The Dark Knight Rises".
195. "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice".
196. "Batman: The Killing Joke".
197. "The Lego Batman Movie".
198. "Joker".
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206. "Batman Returns".
207. "Batman Returns".
208. "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm".
209. "Batman Forever".
210. "Batman Forever (1995): Reviews".
211. "Batman & Robin".
212. "Batman & Robin (1997): Reviews".
213. "Batman Begins".
214. "Batman Begins (2005): Reviews".
215. "The Dark Knight".
216. "The Dark Knight (2008): Reviews".
217. "The Dark Knight Rises".
218. "The Dark Knight Rises (2012): Reviews".
219. "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice".
220. "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016): Reviews".
221. "Batman: The Killing Joke".
222. "The Lego Batman Movie".
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227. "Joker Reviews".
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229. "Zack Snyder's Justice League Reviews".
230. "The Batman".
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