How many Batman movies are there?

There are 8 films in Batman Live-Action Films, running from Batman (1989) to The Batman (2022). Watching all of them takes about 19 hours.

What order should I watch Batman in?

Start with Batman (1989) and work through in order. The story and the release dates line up for this saga, so there is only one sensible order.

Which Batman movie should I watch first?

Batman (1989). It is both the first release and the earliest point in the story.

How long does it take to watch all of Batman?

About 19 hours of screen time across 8 films, or 18h 52m to be exact. At one film a night that is 8 evenings.

Are these all the same Batman?

No. Burton and Schumacher share one continuity, Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy is its own, and Matt Reeves' The Batman starts fresh again.

Can I watch just the Dark Knight trilogy?

Yes. Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises form a complete standalone story.

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Watch Order Generator

Batman Watch Order

Watch Batman Live-Action Films in release order, starting with Batman (1989) and finishing with The Batman (2022). The story runs in the same order the films were released, so there is only one order to follow. All 8 films run about 19 hours in total.

Films

18h 52m

Total runtime

1989 to 2022

Years

1.Batman
1989 · 2h 6m
Tim Burton's gothic take, and the film that opens the first of several separate continuities.
2.Batman Returns
1992 · 2h 6m
Burton's darker sequel, following the same Batman against Catwoman and the Penguin.
3.Batman Forever
1995 · 2h 1m
Joel Schumacher takes over with a new lead and a brighter tone, though the continuity carries on.
4.Batman & Robin
1997 · 2h 5m
The end of the Burton and Schumacher run, and the film that prompted the series reboot.
5.Batman Begins
2005 · 2h 20m
Christopher Nolan restarts from scratch, making this a clean entry point for newcomers.
6.The Dark Knight
2008 · 2h 32m
The centrepiece of Nolan's trilogy, picking up on threads left open by Batman Begins.
7.The Dark Knight Rises
2012 · 2h 45m
The finale of Nolan's trilogy, set years after the previous film and closing that story out.
8.The Batman
2022 · 2h 57m
Matt Reeves begins a fresh continuity with a detective-noir angle, requiring no prior films.

Which order is right for you

Watching Batman in order

The live-action Batman films span several separate continuities, so there is no single in-universe timeline to follow. Release order lets you watch the character evolve across eras and directors. Watch by release date.

Release order follows the real-world dates the films came out. It is usually the safest choice for a first watch, because every reveal, cameo, and callback lands the way audiences experienced it at the time.

Batman Live-Action Films is one of the straightforward ones. The story moves forward with each release, so the chronological timeline and the release timeline are the same list. Start at the top and work down.

Planning a marathon? Work out the schedule with the Binge Watch Calculator, or browse every franchise watch order.