Top five Batman movies, ranked - including Mask of Phantasm and The Dark Knight

Opinions on the best Batman film vary wildly and if you throw in the animated movies then your list may become even more contentious.

With more than fifty years of Hollywood history to choose from, here are the top five Batman films, ranked.

1. The Dark Knight (2008)

The Batman (2022) stars Robert Pattinson. Image: PA/Jonathan Olley

The Dark Knight is one of Christopher Nolan’s best movies and the best Batman film of all time. It set the standard for superhero movies, easily justifying its addition to the US Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” in 2020. Not to mention the powerhouse performances from the likes of Christian Bale, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and, of course, the late Heath Ledger as the Joker.

2. The Batman (2022)

When Robert Pattinson was cast as Batman there were many sceptics crawling out of the woodwork to criticise the choice. But director Matt Reeves easily proved them wrong with one of the most comic-accurate interpretations of Batman yet, including a Detective Batman for what feels like the first time since Adam West and a Gotham which actually felt like Gotham rather than Chicago, unlike the Nolan movies.

3. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

Starring the late Kevin Conroy, the best Batman actor of all time, the Mask of the Phantasm sees Batman wrongfully accused of murder. Add in a tragic romance, Mark Hamill’s Joker and stylish animation the film comes together with the definitive 90s Batman origin story.

4. Batman Returns (1992)

Tim Burton brought something fresh to the franchise with the dark gritty atmosphere of Batman (1989). However, following Michael Keaton’s first outing as Bruce Wayne, Batman Returns is both bigger and better than its predecessor – especially with Michelle Pfieffer’s Catwoman and Danny DeVito as Penguin in the rogues’ gallery.

5. The Lego Batman Movie (2017)

Giving us quotes such as “I only work in black and sometimes very, very dark grey,” The Lego Batman Movie was a breath of fresh air in 2017 after years of only self-serious and gritty Batman films. It’s fun, frenetic and fantastically weird, paying homage to the Dark Knight.