Batman Live-Action Film Series Order
The modern Batman live-action film series includes multiple franchises produced by major studios. The Tim Burton-era films began with Batman in 1989 and Batman Returns in 1992, both distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and produced by Jon Peters and Peter Guber. The Christopher Nolan Dark Knight trilogy, produced by Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment, consists of Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), with The Dark Knight earning $1.005 billion worldwide according to Box Office Mojo data. The Robert Pattinson Batman film, produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros., released in 2022 and grossed $770 million globally, with Matt Reeves directing and producing alongside Dylan Clark and Michael E. Uslan. The series order for the Burton films followed by the Nolan trilogy and then the Reeves film represents the primary live-action theatrical sequence, with additional projects including the canceled Matt Reeves The Batman Part II and various standalone films in development at DC Studios under James Gunn and Peter Safran as of 2024.
Box office performance across the Batman film series shows consistent commercial strength for the franchise. The Dark Knight remains the highest-grossing Batman film worldwide, while Batman Begins earned $373.7 million and The Dark Knight Rises earned $1.081 billion. The 1989 Batman film grossed $411.3 million worldwide, and Batman Returns earned $266.8 million. The 2022 The Batman earned $770 million globally, making it one of the highest-grossing films of that year. Production companies include Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, Legendary Entertainment, and Syncopy for the Nolan films, with Warner Bros. handling distribution across all live-action entries. The series order for box office rankings places The Dark Knight Rises first among Batman films, followed by The Dark Knight and The Batman, reflecting sustained audience demand across multiple decades and iterations of the character.
Batman Television Series Order
The Batman television series order includes multiple live-action and animated shows produced by Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment. Batman (1966), starring Adam West and Burt Ward, aired on ABC and ran for three seasons with 120 episodes, produced by William Dozier and Greenway Productions. Gotham (2014–2019), developed by Bruno Heller for Fox, ran for five seasons and 100 episodes, produced by Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment, following James Gordon's early career in the Gotham City Police Department. The series order for Batman TV shows also includes Titans (2018–2023), which aired on DC Universe and HBO Max, and Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995), produced by Warner Bros. Animation and originally aired on Fox Kids. Recent additions include Pennyworth (2019–2022), produced by Warner Bros. Television and Epix, which explored the early life of Alfred Pennyworth before Batman's career.
The animated Batman television series order features multiple shows across different networks and streaming platforms. Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995) aired on Fox Kids and was produced by Warner Bros. Animation, winning multiple Emmy Awards and establishing a dark, noir-inspired tone for the character. The series spawned spin-offs including The New Batman Adventures (1997–1999), Batman Beyond (1999–2001), and Justice League (2001–2004), all produced by Warner Bros. Animation and airing on Kids' WB. More recent animated series include Harley Quinn (2019–present), produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on DC Universe and HBO Max, and Batman: Caped Crusader (20