All Batman animated film shows why the Dark Knight is the DC UniverseHe is Bruce Wayne’s most popular character, as there are dozens of animated films of the most diverse styles centered on Bruce Wayne and Gotham City. DC’s animated films and TV shows have extensively explored Batman and other Justice League heroes over the past few decades. DC’s many animated universes and continuities have arguably provided better takes on Batman and his allies than most live-action films, largely because the animated format allows for more innovative and risky stories.
The DC Animated Universe timeline includes some great animated Batman films. Likewise, the wide array of DCAMU films contains several Batman stories, most of which highlight the Bat-Family. There are also many standalone animated Batman films that adapt classic comics or create original stories, which could also inspire future DC animated releases.
Every Upcoming Batman Animated Movie
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Upcoming Batman animated films |
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|---|---|
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Name |
Release date |
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Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires |
2025 |
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Batman Ninja League vs. |
2025 |
Now that the DCU is ready to begin with Creature Commands As of December 2024, it appears there aren’t many other animated projects in the works outside of this main continuity. However, there are two animated Batman films set for release in 2025, featuring different takes on the iconic character. Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires will revolve around an Aztec boy who works to fight against Spanish invaders. Batman Ninja League vs. is a continuation of Batman Ninjaand will feature the anime-inspired Caped Crusader facing off against a vast legion of Yakuza, including members of the Justice League.
36
Batman: The Killing Joke
2016
Based on one of the best and most influential Batman comics of all time, Batman: The killing joke It’s a terrible adaptation of a classic. Having Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprise their roles as Batman and Joker, respectively, The killing joke the adaptation was the perfect setting for what could have been a fantastic film.
Unfortunately, The killing joke does little to capture the essence of the comicalthough it tries to imitate the original art in its animation style. The killing jokeThe opening segment, which completely changes the source material and adds a romantic relationship between Batman and Batgirl, makes everything even worse.
35
Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts
2015
THE Batman Unlimited The film series has three episodes, all released between 2015-2016 and based on a toy line of the same name. Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts is the first of these films, and this may be what makes it the weakest of the trio, as it seems more transparently a story made to popularize the toy series for its audience. That said, Animal Instincts also had the toughest job, as the robotic animals are a little less in line with the usual Batman fare and therefore stand out a little brighter.
That said, Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts still has its strengths and includes a wider range of characters than one might initially expect based on the title alone. As such, it still has its own charm, even if audiences are less drawn to it than some of the more prestigious animated Batman films.
34
Batman Unlimited: Monstrous Mayhem
2015
Batman Unlimited: Monstrous Mayhem is the second installment in the Unlimited film series, featuring Batman facing off against a host of his scariest villains on Halloween. As such, the story generally feels a little more grounded in tangible Batman lore – something helped by the appearance of characters like the Scarecrow, the Joker, and Clayface. That said, there are still moments that clearly align with making sure audiences see as much of the toy line as possible, with one notable scene where Clayface transforms into a T-Rex to add some dinosaurs to the mix.
33
Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants
2016
As the third and final film in Batman Unlimited lineup, perhaps it is not surprising that Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants amps things up to be even wilder than the original two entries. The film includes a wide range of villains, a more concrete story than ever that actively follows up on the previous films, and a colossal Batman mecha suit that looks like something out of a Transformers series.
As such, while Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants It still has some of the film’s downsides, the way it leans into chaos makes it the most charming of them all. Likewise, it includes many moments that simply couldn’t appear in other Batman films, adding some inherent viewing value just through its clayface lava monster and mutated isopods.
32
Batman and Harley Quinn
2017
Batman and Harley Quinn is part of the DC Animated Universe timeline, meaning it is canon to shows like Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League. However, despite bringing in some of the DCAU’s original creators and voice actors, Batman and Harley Quinn It’s the franchise’s lowest point. The film, which features Batman, Nightwing, and Harley Quinn, sometimes feels more like a parody of these characters than an actual Batman story. His characterizations of Bruce, Dick and Harley were exaggerated, with comedic bits that don’t work at all.
31
Batman: Death in the Family
2020
Batman: Death in the family is a reinterpretation of Batman: Under the Red Hood film, combining old and new scenes. The project, which was part of the DC Showcase animated line, was released as an interactive film that allowed viewers to change the outcome of the story based on their decisions. Despite the interesting premise, Batman: Death in the family it’s an unnecessary addition to the legacy of what was already a great film. Enter to watch Batman: Death in the family or Under the Red Hoodthe last one is the correct option.
30
Batman: the disgrace that came to Gotham
2023
Based on a DC Elseworlds comic, Batman: the disgrace that came to Gotham Imagine Batman’s story as a period piece. It sees the Dark Knight and the Bat-Family face off against Lovecraftian creatures, moving Batman away from the usual realism. The premise is engaging and the original comic was good, but The misfortune that came to Gotham doesn’t work. Batman seems like a very different characterand even if that was the point, The misfortune that came to Gotham fails to make its premise seem as interesting as it did.
29
Batman: Calm down
2019
Similar to The killing joke, Batman: Silence it was based on one of the most popular Batman comics and could have made a great movie. However, Batman: Silence It fails both as a standalone film and as an adaptation. Set in the DC Animated Movie Universe timeline, Batman: Silence attempts to combine the original story with elements from the New 52 continuity in a bland film that doesn’t do justice to the comics. One of the final entries in DCAMU Batman: Silence It’s also one of the worst in the franchise.
28
Batman: Subzero
1998
Batman: Below zero revisit one of the best Batman: The Animated Series episodes, “Heart of Ice,” and sees a rematch between the DCAU Batman and Mr. With Arnold Schwarzenegger set to play Mr. Freeze in Joel Schumacher’s film Batman and RobinDC Animation was tasked with having the icy villain in its next Batman film. Interestingly, Batman & Robin’s box office failure ended up being Batman: Below zerolaunch was postponed. While Batman: Below zero is a fun Batman adventure, it falls short of the way “Heart of Ice” handled Mr..
27
Batman Vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
2019
Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have fought side by side several times, including in the 2019 film Batman Vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The plot is as simple and straightforward as this crossover demanded, with Ra’s Al Ghul and the Shredder serving as the main villains. While not as good as most animated Batman films, Batman Vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brings great interactions to life. Seeing the turtles in the Bat Cave, or Batman fighting Shredder, couldn’t have been cooler.
26
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse
2010
Most of the DC animated films of the 2000s and early 2010s were largely standalones, but every now and then they would release a sequel like Superman/Batman: Apocalypsewhich was a sequel Superman/Batman: Public Enemies of the previous year. Although Public Enemies was very good, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse missed the mark a little, with one important thing holding him back.
The film had a significant focus on Kara Zor-el, better known as Supergirl. Its story is great throughout the film, but the titular characters are relegated to more of a supporting role, which can be seen as a bit disappointing. Still, Darkseid is a great villain, and while he’s a bit underused, he presents a powerful force that the characters need to overcome. It’s a fun film, but it didn’t do enough to capitalize on its predecessor and be truly spectacular.
25
Batman: Batwoman Mystery
2003
Batman: Batwoman Mystery is part of the DCAU, although not as special as Batman: Ghost Mask or Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. A spin-off of The new adventures of Batman, Batwoman Mystery sees Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake investigating a new masked vigilante. The mystery surrounding Batwoman’s identity makes for a fun detective story, and the final twist works. The action is dynamic and seeing a bit of the classic Batman: TAS villains like Bane and the Penguin are always fung.
24
Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders
2016
Set in the same continuity as the 1966 Batman series, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders brought the dynamic duo back for another adventure. Adam West and Burt Ward reprized their roles as Batman and Robin, respectively, in a film that embraced everything that made the original show a classic. Batman ’66’s tone worked perfectly in animated formresulting in one of DC’s most unique animated films. Other cast members from the original show also reprized their roles.
23
Batman Vs. Two Faces
2017
Batman Vs. Two Faces was a continuation of Return of the Caped Crusadersonce again featuring Adam West and Burt Ward as the dynamic duo. The film also featured William Shatner as Two-Face, a character who never appeared in Batman ’66. Keeping the fun and comedy of the previous film, Batman Vs. Two Faces is even better than Return of the Caped Crusaders.
22
Happy Little Batman
2023
Among a selection of films that can often seem more similar Happy Little Batman is a stylized cartoon about the Dark Knight and his biological son Damian Wayne. In this world, Damian is desperately trying to convince his father that he is ready to take on the mantle of Batman alongside his father, which leads to some Alone at homestyle escapades when child Wayne is left alone in a supposedly crime-free Gotham, which quickly reveals itself to be less peaceful than it might seem.
Happy Little Batman is a light-hearted addition to the Batman lineup that delivers jokes and action in a colorful, kid-friendly format that can still be just as fun for adults. However, its seasonal premise means it’s not as universally watchable as other Batman films at all times of the year, and its more upbeat story means it lacks some of the poignancy and drama of other Dark Knight-focused installments.
21
Batman Ninja
2018
With character designs by Takashi Okazaki, best known for Afro Samurai, Batman Ninja is among the most unique animated Batman films. The combination of 3D and 2D animation made it visually different from previous Batman films, and the story was nothing like Batman’s usual adventures. The reinvented versions of characters like the Joker and Harley Quinn resulted in a unique Batman tale that also features time travel and mecha.
20
Batman: Bad Blood
2016
Batman has been at the center of several DCAMU films, including Batman: Bad blood. That being said, the 2016 film was more of a Bat Family film than a Batman film. Furthermore, Batman: Bad blood explored lesser-known members of the Bat-Family and did not feature characters like Jason Todd or Tim Drake. Instead, the story centered on Kate Kane, Batwoman. Batman: Bad blood It has a fast pace and most of the film is limited to action pieces. The same can be said about most of the DCAMU Batman films, but the overly fast pacing is a bigger problem in Bad blood.
19
Batman: Gotham by Gaslight
2018
Inspired by a DC Elseworlds comic, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight imagine Bruce Wayne in the Victorian era. Batman has to investigate a series of mysterious murders, bringing the Dark Knight face to face with Jack the Ripper. Batman: Gotham by Gaslight is one of DC’s darkest animated films, with surprising twists and creative action scenes. Gotham by Gaslight succeed where The misfortune that came to Gotham failed when it comes to being an adaptation of a DC Elseworlds story.
18
Batman Vs. Dracula
2005
Set in the same continuity as The Batman (2005), one of the best Batman animated series, Batman Vs. Dracula is a fun film that makes the most of the animated format. A confrontation between Batman and a man who can become a bat may not have worked in live-action, but it works in this animated film. That said, those who have never seen The Batman may find the unique character designs and overall tone of the film strange.
17
Son of Batman
2014
Son of Batman It has all the qualities and flaws of the DCAMU Batman films. It’s fast-paced, most of the scenes are action sequences, and it tries to combine New 52 stories with new elements. That being said, the good things outweigh the bad, and Son of Batman It’s a good Batman movie. Damian Wayne’s first on-screen portrayal is fun and engaging, and Deathstroke’s fight choreography is particularly great.