In the absence of a live-action version, animated Batman is having a moment right now. DC Studios just used the Annecy International Animation Film Festival to announce a brand-new Absolute Batman animated series, Bruce Timm’s acclaimed Batman: Caped Crusader just returned for its second season, and the R-rated Batman: Knightfall, starring Anson Mount, arrives in September. With DC clearly betting big on animation as one of the best ways to tell Batman stories — even while the live-action side keeps everyone guessing over who’ll play the DCU’s next Batman — it’s the perfect time to look back at the movies that proved the format could go toe-to-toe with, and often outdo, anything live-action has managed.
Batman is one of the most iconic names in superhero media today, so it makes sense that he’s got more movies than any other hero, and we’re not just talking live-action. Many of the best Batman movies can be found in the extensive collection of animated DC films, which use characters and tell stories that live-action films could only dream of telling. Whether Batman is building his way to victory while learning the importance of family or hunting down a mysterious new enemy that somehow knows his every move, every animated Batman movie is entertaining. Let’s take a look at some of the best animated Batman movies.
1. Batman: Year One (2011) — Frank Miller’s Origin Story, Told Right
Based on the 1987 four-issue comic book arc of the same name, this animated movie focuses on Bruce Wayne’s first year as Batman. Bruce Wayne (Ben McKenzie) returns to Gotham after 12 years abroad around the same time James Gordon (Bryan Cranston) is transferred to Gotham. While Gordon is dealing with the corruption and violence of the GCPD, Bruce feels unprepared. After a disastrous first night out, Bruce decides to start saving in a bat-inspired costume, and crime begins to lessen significantly after a few weeks.
This gripping and mature retelling of Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s storyline gave fans a remarkable Batman origin.
Based on: Batman: Year One by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli (Batman #404–407, 1987).
Watch it: Streaming on HBO Max.
Score: 4/5
2. Batman: The Long Halloween, Parts One & Two (2021 & 2022) — Gotham’s Greatest Whodunit
This two-part film serves as the third and fourth instalments of the Tomorrowverse and follows Batman as he tries to uncover the identity of the serial killer Holiday. The series of murders starts with the death of Johnny Viti, the nephew of Carmine Falcone. Harvey Dent (Josh Duhamel) and Batman (Jensen Ackles) are brought in to investigate the murder. Unfortunately, things immediately begin to spiral out of control as Harvey burns Falcone’s cash stockpile, and his house gets blown up for it.
Mickey Chen, the man responsible for blowing Harvey’s house up, is found unbreathing on Thanksgiving, the same night Falcone’s son Alberto sends a hospitalised Harvey a taunting “get well soon” card. After visiting Calendar Man in Arkham Asylum to get a list of suspects, Batman realises that Joker has escaped and intends to stop Holiday from replacing him as Gotham’s most notorious criminal.
Both films were praised for their “compelling story adapted with care and performed with conviction”.
Based on: Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale (13-issue limited series, 1996–97).
Watch it: Streaming on HBO Max.
Score: 4/5
3. Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders (2016) — The Campy ’60s Batman Gets One More Adventure
Based on the 1960 Batman TV series, the film follows Batman (Adam West) and Robin (Burt Ward) as they set out to defeat Joker, Penguin, Riddler and Catwoman (Julie Newmar), who team up to steal a Replication Ray and plan to try and make Batman join their side with Batnip.
Batman becomes increasingly aggressive and ends up firing Alfred Pennyworth, savagely beating Joker, Penguin and Riddler after they betray Catwoman and throwing Dick Grayson out of the house. Grayson realises that Bruce has been affected by the Batnip after his clones start taking over Gotham, and he asks Catwoman for help.
The film saw Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar reprise their roles from the series. Fans and critics loved it, with Common Sense Media’s Renee Schonfeld praising how the campy, self-aware tone of 1960s TV Batman was brought back to delight longtime fans and win over new ones.
Based on: No specific comic — it’s a direct continuation of the 1966 Batman TV series starring Adam West.
Watch it: Streaming on HBO Max.
Score: 3.5/5
4. Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003) — The Animated Series’ Forgotten Detective Story
This film takes place between the end of The New Batman Adventures and the flashback sequence in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. We see Batman (Kevin Conroy) and Robin (Eli Marienthal) facing a new mystery while Harley Quinn and Joker are on their honeymoon outside of Gotham City. Batwoman (Kyra Sedgwick) is a new heroine who stands for justice but forsakes Batman’s number 1 rule to never take a life. Batman is also dealing with Penguin and Rupert Thorne in the background.
Critics called the film “gratifying,” highlighting the oft-forgotten “World’s Greatest Detective” aspect of Batman’s character. Similarly, the animation, music, and voice acting are all high quality, even if they could be more memorable.
Based on: No specific comic — an original direct-to-video story set in the DC Animated Universe continuity.
Watch it: Streaming on HBO Max.
Score: 3/5
5. The Lego Batman Movie (2017) — Proof Batman Can Laugh at Himself
By far one of the greatest animated Batman movies to ever grace DC fan’s screens, this kid-friendly CGI film worked as a spin-off of The Lego Movie franchise and follows a lonely Batman (Will Arnett) as he tries to stop Joker’s (Zach Galifianakis) latest plan while avoiding his greatest fear: being a part of a family again.
During Commissioner Jim Gordon’s retirement party, Bruce Wayne falls for Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson) and unknowingly adopts an enthusiastic Dick Grayson (Michael Cera) while Joker and most of Gotham City’s villains surrender, making Batman obsolete. However, Batman suspects Joker is up to something. So he uses Superman’s Phantom Zone projector to put him in the Phantom Zone, where he recruits villains from hundreds of different franchises in the LEGO multiverse.
Fans and critics loved the film and named it one of the best superhero movies. In addition, the film won several awards, including Best Animation/Family and Best Animated Film. It has a sequel planned that would have focused on Batman’s relationship with the Justice League, but it was cancelled after Universal Pictures acquired the rights to The Lego Movie franchise in 2020.
Based on: No specific comic — built from the LEGO Batman toyline and characters, spun off from The Lego Movie.
Watch it: HBO Max, Netflix, or rent on Prime Video.
Score: 4.5/5
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6. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) — Still the Best Batman Movie Ever Made
Based on Batman: The Animated Series, this film sees many of the animated series actors reprise their roles.
While visiting their parents’ graves, a young Bruce Wayne and Andrea Beaumont meet and begin a relationship. This is around the same time Bruce begins his attempts to try and stop crime in Gotham. While he initially struggles to decide between defending Gotham City and committing to Andrea, he eventually proposes to her. Unfortunately, she ends their engagement and leaves, leading a heartbroken Bruce to take on the mantle of Batman.
Ten years later, while breaking up a crime boss meeting, Batman (Kevin Conroy) is framed for Chuckie Sol’s death, who sped into a building because of the Phantasm. Arthur Reeves (Hart Bochner) sees this as his opportunity to get rid of Batman. The Phantasm defeats Buzz Bronski, and while Batman is investigating the scene of his death, he encounters Andrea (Dana Delany) and reveals his identity to her.
Michael Usian named Mask of the Phantasm “the best Batman movie ever made.”
Based on: No specific comic — an original story built for Batman: The Animated Series continuity by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski.
Watch it: Streaming on HBO Max.
Score: 5/5
7. Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000) — The Sequel So Dark It Got Censored
Based on the animated series Batman Beyond, this film ties off a couple of loose plot points from The New Batman Adventures. It follows Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy) and Terry McGinnis (Will Friedle), the new Batman, as they try to learn the truth about the Joker’s mysterious return.
During a press conference honouring Bruce’s return to Wayne Enterprises, the Jokerz gang attacks, and the Joker reveals himself to Bruce, who refuses to believe his archnemesis has returned. Bruce and the GCPD’s Commissioner Barbara Gordon, formerly Batgirl, refuse to give him any information, and Bruce demands Terry return the Bat suit. After the Joker nearly defeats Bruce, Barbara reveals what happened with Tim Drake and the Joker on the night of the Clown Prince’s death.
The film won an Annie Award for Best Animated Home Entertainment Production, and Mark Hamill won a DVD Exclusive Award for Best Animated Character Performance. In addition, many praised the film, with Entertainment Weekly’s Nish Gopalan showing particular enjoyment for the uncut version of the film, which sheds light on the dark, obsessive relationship between the villain and his vigilante counterpart.
It has easily earned the title of being one of the best of the Batman animated movies.
Based on: No specific comic — an original story set within the Batman Beyond animated series continuity.
Watch it: Streaming on HBO Max.
Score: 4.5/5
8. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Parts 1 & 2 (2012 & 2013) — An Aging Batman’s Last Stand
After the death of Jason Todd, Bruce (Peter Weller) retires his Batman persona and lets Gotham City run rampant with crime. He maintains a friendship with Commissioner Gordon (David Selby) and has not talked to Dick Grayson in a while. Meanwhile, the Joker is catatonic in Arkham Asylum, where he has been since Batman’s retirement.
After Harvey Dent is declared sane and disappears, Bruce becomes Batman again. Though he struggles with the physical limitation of age, he manages to rescue 13-year-old Carrie Kelley (Ariel Winter), who dresses as Robin.
While the voice performance and animation of the film were praised, some felt that the Cold War subplot was “a major distraction from an otherwise focused narrative.”
Based on: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller (4-issue prestige-format miniseries, 1986).
Watch it: Streaming on HBO Max.
Score: 4/5
9. Batman Ninja (2018) — Gotham’s Villains, Reimagined in Feudal Japan
While battling Gorilla Grodd at Arkham Asylum, Batman, the Bat-Family and Gotham City’s top criminals are sent to feudal Japan, where Batman learns that everyone has been there for two years. Eventually, he finds Alfred, who built a Batcave in his absence and his sons (Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake and Damian Wayne), who had been helped by the Bat Clan when they arrived. The Bat-Family and their allies work together to get the Gotham villains back to Gotham so feudal Japan can be restored.
IGN praised the film, saying DC’s decision to bring in visionary Japanese animators for a fresh take on one of the company’s most beloved characters resulted in a finished product that not only built upon past great adaptations but surpassed them.
Based on: No specific comic — an original story created for the film.
Watch it: Not currently on HBO Max — available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home, or free with ads on YouTube.
Score: 3.5/5
10. Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2019) — The Crossover Nobody Asked For (and Everybody Loved)
Based on the comic book miniseries Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this film sees Batman, Robin and Batgirl team up with the TMNT to save Gotham from Shredder and Ra’s al Ghul.
Barbara Gordon spots the Foot Clan and the TMNT while touring Powers Industrial. At the same time, Batman stops the Foot Clan and Shredder from stealing an experimental cloud seeder machine from Wayne Enterprises. After a brief battle, the Turtles and Bat-Family team up to take down their enemies. Batman is briefly turned into a deranged vampire bat, but a shot of anti-mutagen turns him back to normal.
Troy Baker reprised his roles as Batman and the Joker, making him the first to portray both characters in the same project.
Based on: Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by James Tynion IV and Freddie Williams II (DC/IDW crossover miniseries, 2015–16).
Watch it: Streaming on HBO Max.
Score: 4/5
11. Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) — The Robin Who Came Back Wrong
This animated film was highly praised for its storytelling, plot and animation and is widely considered one of the best animated Batman films. It tells the emotionally gruelling story of a battle between father and son.
Five years after the Joker’s (John Dimaggio) brutal murder of Jason Todd, a mysterious vigilante known as Red Hood (Jensen Ackles) appears in Gotham City. He takes over the drug trade, hijacks several of Black Mask’s shipments and causes problems for Nightwing (Neil Patrick Harris) and Batman (Bruce Greenwood). An audio recording reveals that Red Hood knows Batman’s identity. After helping Red Hood escape The Fearsome Hand of 4, Batman analyses a sample of the Red Hood’s blood and learns that it matches his dead son’s. He confronts Ra’s al Ghul and who admits that he had revived his son due to his guilt over Jason’s death.
The final confrontation between Jason and Bruce is heartbreaking, but it’s made worse by a flashback to Jason’s first day as Robin. A follow-up film titled Batman: Death in the Family saw the return of Greenwood, Martella and DiMaggio and Zehra Fazal came on board as Talia al Ghul.
Based on: Batman: A Death in the Family (1988) and the Batman: Under the Hood storyline by Judd Winick (Batman #635–641, #645–650, 2005–06) — Winick also wrote this film.
Watch it: Streaming on HBO Max.
Score: 4.5/5
12. Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (2018) — Batman Hunts Jack the Ripper in Victorian Gotham
This Elseworlds story adaptation is set in a reimagined Victorian-era Gotham. As always, our beloved Bats takes on the role of detective, this time investigating the infamous Jack the Ripper murders. Gotham by Gaslight introduces steampunk-inspired versions of Batman’s iconic villains (which include Catwoman, Hugo Strange, Solomon Grundy, and Poison Ivy), adding creative twists to the story.
Praised for character designs, clever twists, and being one of the most unique Batman stories, this should definitely be high on your must-watch list.
Based on: Batman: Gotham by Gaslight by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola (DC’s first Elseworlds one-shot, 1989).
Watch it: Streaming on HBO Max.
Score: 3.5/5
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Which do you think is the best animated Batman film?
