How To Watch Batman’s Animated Movies In Order

Batman is undeniably one of the most famous fictional characters. The comic book icon has starred in serials, TV shows, and big budget features, with a few even gaining legendary status. Most recently, Robert Pattinson played the Dark Knight in Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” while DC studio head James Gunn is planning yet another iteration for his cinematic universe. But some of Batman’s best adventures have been animated, and it might surprise you to learn just how many animated “Batman”movies there are — with nearly 30 films in total. So you might be wondering where to even begin.

We’ve put together a handy guide to all 28 animated Caped Crusader adventures, and separated them into groups to give you a convenient way to start watching. Sure, you may not be able to get to them all in even a week, but at least now you’ll know which ones work best together, and how to separate them into sittings. 

• Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
• Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998)
• Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)
• Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003)
• The Batman vs. Dracula (2005)
• Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)
• Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)
• Batman: Year One (2011)
• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part I (2012)
• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part II (2013)
• Son of Batman (2014)
• Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014)
• Batman vs. Robin (2015)
• Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts (2015)
• Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem (2015)
• Batman: Bad Blood (2016)
• Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)
• Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants (2016)
• Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders (2016)
• Batman and Harley Quinn (2017)
• Batman vs. Two-Face (2017)
• Scooby-Doo & Batman: The Brave and Bold (2018)
• Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (2018)
• Batman Ninja (2018)
• Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2019)
• Batman: Hush (2019)
• Batman: The Long Halloween: Part I (2021)
• Batman: The Long Halloween: Part II (2021)
• Batman: Soul of the Dragon (2021)
• Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham (2023)
• Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League (2025)

In 2015, Batman returned to the world of kids’ cartoons after a brief hiatus with the “Batman Unlimited” shorts. These shorts, each depicting brief confrontations with the Dark Knight’s most popular villains, were tied into a toy line, and later received a trio of full-length animated movies. Despite their action figure origins, their kid-friendly nature makes them the perfect place to start your week-long Batman binge.

The trilogy starts with “Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts.” Not only does this one feature a horde of animal-themed baddies like Man-Bat, Killer Croc, and the Penguin, but also sees Batman teaming up with Nightwing, Red Robin, and fellow Justice Leaguers the Flash and Green Arrow. The second movie, “Monster Mayhem,” has Batman, the Flash, Cyborg, and Red Robin going toe-to-toe with Scarecrow, Clayface, Silver Banshee, and Solomon Grundy on Halloween Night, while the Joker infecting all of Gotham’s computer systems with a virus.

Last but certainly not least is “Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants,” where Mr. Freeze decides that turning Gotham into a winter wonderland isn’t enough. This time, he mutates Bane and Killer Croc into hulking monsters, with Batman, the Flash, Green Arrow, and Red Robin once again working together. Ideal for getting newcomers familiar with the Batman universe, “Batman Unlimited” may be for kids, but is still a ton of fun.

Many will say that the best place to begin a “Batman” animated movie marathon is with the films that sprung from the iconic 1992 series, “Batman: The Animated Series.” While we recommend “Batman Unlimited” as an appetizer, the “BTAS” movies are ideal first watches if you desire something more mature. To this day, “Batman: The Animated Series” remains one of the best superhero cartoons ever made, appealing to adults as much as anyone.

The first animated Batman film, “Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm,” isn’t just arguably the best entry on this list — often hailed as one of the best ’90s animated movies not from Disney – it’s also the only one to be given a major theatrical release, hitting cinemas in 1993. It delves into Bruce Wayne’s backstory in ways even the comics never did, and creates an all-new villain, the Phantasm, who has since been introduced into comics continuity. 1998’s “Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero” continues the story of Victor Fries from the animated series and concludes with a bittersweet ending that was followed up in the sequel series, “Batman Beyond.”

“Mystery of the Batwoman” introduced Kate Kane to the DCAU, and is the first animated Batman movie in the 21st century. But most notable might be “Batman and Harley Quinn,” a film set in the DCAU but released decades after the end of that series, with Kevin Conroy and the rest of the original cast returning for one more adventure. 

After you’ve finished your watch of all four “Batman” films from the DCAU, the next to queue up is, naturally, “Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker,” which takes place in the same universe — but decades later. From the same acclaimed team that produced the “Batman Beyond” series (which almost got a Michael Keaton-starring live-action adaptation), including “BTAS” architect Bruce Timm, “Return of the Joker” wraps up Batman’s story in a far-flung future where a new hero has taken on the mantle of the Dark Knight.

In the “Batman Beyond” series, we meet Terry McGuinness, an otherwise ordinary teen who discovers that the reclusive elderly business mogul Bruce Wayne was once Batman. He quickly becomes Wayne’s protege, and with futuristic technology, becomes a hero for a new Gotham City where high-tech criminals run rampant. In “Return of the Joker,” the original Batman’s most famous adversary mysteriously returns decades after his apparent death, leaving McGuinness to face off with Gotham’s most dangerous villain — past or present. 

Thanks to its direct-to-video release, “Return of the Joker” is a bit more mature than the Saturday morning cartoon it spun out of, with darker themes and more sinister story beats. And it’s all the better for it, as the film culminates in a climactic conclusion with an eye-popping twist that’s shocking and heartbreaking in equal measure.

The DC Animated Universe that began with “Batman: The Animated Series” — and included “Justice League” and “Batman Beyond” among others — proved such a success that the studio tried something similar once it came to a close. The result was a series aimed at more mature audiences beginning in 2013 with “Justice League: The Flashpoint.” Together with numerous other “Batman” animated movies, they connect to form the DC Animated Movie Universe.

The first “Batman” entry in this new lineage was “Son of Batman” in 2014, with Jason O’Mara taking on the role of Batman and “Breaking Bad” star Giancarlo Esposito playing Ra’s Al Ghul, who has been raising his grandson — Bruce Wayne’s child — to take over the League of Assassins. “Batman vs. Robin” and “Batman: Bad Blood” see Damian take on the mantle of Robin, and Dick Grayson graduate to the hero Nightwing, all while introducing lesser-known villains from the Dark Knight’s rogues gallery like the Court of Owls, Black Mask, and Firefly.

It’s worth noting that “Batman: Hush” and “Batman: The Long Halloween” are technically part of this universe, so you could also watch those two in between the adventures above. Either way, this is probably the best batch of “Batman” animated movies as a group.

Now that you’ve gotten through the second animated “Batman” universe, the next place to go are the adaptations of acclaimed graphic novels. This set encompasses seven titles, all drawing from works by legends like Frank Miller, Alan Moore, and Joeph Loeb. Though you can watch them in any order, we’ll recommend them in the order their source material was released, rather than the order the movies were produced. And that begins, appropriately, with “Batman: Year One.”

Adapted from the series by Miller and artist Dave Mazuchelli, “Year One” explores the first year of Batman’s crime-fighting career, including his first meetings with Selina Kyle and Lt. James Gordon. “The Dark Knight Returns,” meanwhile, is a two-part story that tells of a future where Batman has long since retired and superheroes have been outlawed. But a new threat forces a much older Bruce Wayne to don the cape and cowl to do battle with his oldest nemesis. 

From there, check out the controversial adaptation of “The Killing Joke,” a dark, twisted story from Alan Moore about a vengeful Joker who proves just how demented he really is when he cripples Barbara Gordon, sending Batman on a rage-fueled quest for justice. Up next would is the two-part film “The Long Halloween,” which stars Jensen Ackles as Batman, and finally, “Batman: Hush,” an exploration of a hidden time in Bruce Wayne’s past — and an old friend who could be his newest enemy.

In the late 1980s, DC Comics introduced a line of graphic novels known as “Elseworlds” that took DC’s most iconic heroes and put them in alternate realities. Designed for a more mature audience, and published in high gloss, square bound prestige format, many have gone on to receive notable praise, with two from acclaimed illustrator Mike Mignola even becoming animated movies.

The first is 2021’s “Batman: Gotham by Gaslight” originally published in 1989. The story is set in the late 19th century and begins with Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham City from England where he becomes the masked crimefighter known as the Batman. Not long after, the newly christened vigilante finds himself on the trail of a deadly serial killer known as Jack the Ripper — who has continued his spree in Gotham after terrorizing the streets of London. 

Mignola’s other Batman period piece, “Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham,” arrived in 2023. The film reinterprets Batman and his rogue gallery as characters in a fantastical story inspired by the work of H.P. Lovecraft, with Batman pitted against Ra’s Al Ghul, who is determined to unleash an ancient cosmic evil. A pair of horror movies that you probably wouldn’t have expected, “Gotham By Gaslight” and “The Doom That Came to Gotham” are visceral and uncompromising in ways we rarely see from the Caped Crusader. 

While we were tempted to lump it with the “Elseworlds” titles, “Batman: Soul of the Dragon” isn’t based on an existing comic book, nor is Mike Mignola involved. Instead, it’s executive produced by “Batman: The Animated Series” creator Bruce Timm, who, along with writer Jeremy Adams, crafts an “Elseworlds” style story that reimagines Gotham City in the world of 1970s cult classic action movies.

A mix of ’70s kung-fu and blaxploitation films — imagine “Enter the Dragon” with a bit of “Shaft” and “Superfly” for good measure — “Soul of the Dragon” introduces us to a version of Bruce Wayne who trained in the Far East under the tutelage of the mysterious O-Sensei, alongside a group of fellow martial arts pupils. In the present day, Wayne — now the crimefighter called Batman — must reassemble his old group of fellow students for a mission to stop a diabolical madman from opening a portal to a dimension where an ancient serpent god resides.

A fast-paced, high-concept action movie, the biggest flaw in “Batman: Soul of the Dragon” is that there isn’t a sequel (yet). It’s a fresh concept, and as a loving homage to movies of days gone by, it delivers everything a fan of ’70s pulp action could ask for.

A trio of feature-length “Batman” adventures exists that eschew Western animation in favor of the Far East’s anime. The first is “Batman: Gotham Knight,” unique not only for its art style but because it’s set in the same universe as Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy.

Released in 2008, “Gotham Knight” is a series of six individual stories, each from a different team of animators. Comic scribes Greg Rucka and Brian Azarello, alongside screenwriters Josh Olson, David Goyer, and Nolan’s producing partner Jordan Goldberg, join “Batman: The Animated Series” writer Alan Burnett in penning the six segments, each depicting a different Batman adventure as he wages war on the mafia in Gotham.

The second “Batman” anime film was 2018’s “Batman: Ninja.” This entry is untethered to any pre-existing universe and follows Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Red Robin, Catwoman, and Alfred as they inadvertently travel back in time to feudal Japan. There, they discover several villains sent into the past, and attempting to take over the region as feudal warlords. The film got a sequel with 2025’s “Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League,” which sees Batman returning to the present day to discover a portal to an alternate reality that has changed history, and is forced to contend with a deadly gang of evil, twisted versions of the Justice League.

If you’ve gotten this far, you’ve seen the best that DC has to offer. But for the most downright fun, look no further than the crossovers that pit Batman against heroes and villains from other fictional universes. 

That starts with the horror-infused “The Batman vs. Dracula,” a kid-friendly tale that’s actually an extension of the 2004 cartoon series, “The Batman.” In “The Batman vs. Dracula,” the king of all undead bloodsuckers arrives to turn the denizens of Gotham City into vampires. It’s a fun, relatively lightweight adventure, and the same is true of the second crossover, “Scooby-Doo! and Batman: Brave and the Bold,” itself also spun from an existing series, “Batman: The Brave and the Bold.” In it, the Mystery Incorporated gang don’t just fight alongside the Caped Crusader, but also meet Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, and Plastic Man.

The best of the three crossovers, however, is the latest, “Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” released in 2019. Based in part on the comic book miniseries from James Tynion IV and Freddie Williams II, the film sees Batman, Robin, and Batgirl teaming up with the Turtles to take on the combined forces of Shredder and Ra’s Al Ghul. More mature than the previous two crossovers while appropriately never going fully “adult,” this is a great watch for those seeking a more action-packed adventure.

We’ve seen a “Batman” animated movie set in the world of Christopher Nolan’s gritty film trilogy, but there’s another set that follow a very different live-action continuity. The duology of animated adventures, “Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders” and “Batman vs. Two-Face,” are both sequels to the 1966 “Batman” TV series starring Adam West as one of the most beloved interpretations of the character. Even better, original cast members West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar reprise their roles as Batman, Robin, and Catwoman respectively.

In “Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders,” Batman and Robin learn that several of their most diabolical villains — the Joker, Catwoman, the Penguin, and the Riddler — have combined forces to wreak havoc on Gotham by robbing the Acme Atomic Energy Laboratory and making off with an experimental replication ray. The sequel, released a year later in 2017, featured the villain Two-Face, who never appeared in the original TV show. To provide his voice, the studio tapped fellow ’60s TV star William Shatner, best known for playing Captain Kirk in the original “Star Trek” series, with Harvey Dent even modeled after Shatner.

Pure camp, and a worthy pair of sequels to the original ’66 “Batman” series, these two films are a loving homage to days gone by. They are also the last time that West played Batman, as the star passed away shortly before the release of the second film.