With the release of The Batman, the latest entrant that sees the caped crusader fight crime all over Gotham, we thought it would be a good opportunity to take a look back at some of the movies that laid the groundwork.
Perhaps DC's most iconic character (sorry Superman), Batman has persisted through the generations for a simple reason: his story and character is very cool. Putting on a bat costume and fighting crime with expensive gadgets easily qualifies as being among the better of the superhero franchises on offer.
Plus, depictions by others, perhaps most notably Christian Bale, have revitalised Batman in the modern day, spawning memes as well as producing genuinely excellent movies.
If you're in the mood for the Bat, Now TV has you covered with its NOW Cinema membership, available for as little as £9.99 per month after a seven day free trial. It isn't just Batman, either: you can access over 1,000 movies on demand, many of them blockbusters.
So, let's run through the top 3 Batman movies available on Now TV.
The Dark Knight
We're kicking off with perhaps the most obvious of the bunch but why not?
Christopher Nolan's second Batman, The Dark Knight, was where the trilogy really hit its stride, supported by a scintillating performance from Heath Ledger as The Joker, a genuinely terrifying portrayal.
Bale is excellent as the Bat, the visual effects are incredible, and that score...
Plus, Now TV has Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises, so you can watch them as intended. But if you only have time to watch one, make it this one.
Batman Returns
Now, if you can believe it, 30 years old, Batman Returns takes everything that made the 1989 film Batman so notable for the time and ups the anti and craziness. It's a Tim Burton flick so visually it is off the charts, with creepy and off-beat sets and characters a plenty.
It also stars awesome Catwoman Michelle Pfeiffer, who does spectacularly well in going up against Danny DeVito as the comic book-perfect Penguin, as well as Michael Keaton, who returns as the Batman. Professional on-screen baddie Christopher Walker also makes a great appearance as corrupt tycoon Max Shreck.
This movie was a massive success at the box office and with critics and it remains a very entertaining watch in 2022, with a plenty of action and emotional rollercoasters.
Lego Batman
Finally, we recommend checking out Lego Batman, especially if you're watching with your little ones.
Now TV has two on offer: Lego DC Batman: Family Matters, which sees Batman attempting to stop Red Hood from exacting revenge, and Lego Batman The Movie, where Batman teams with Superman and the Justice League to stop the Joker.
Both Lego versions are really fun and offer something compelling different to the Nolan and Burton series, as they're basically all about the jokes. There's plenty of adult comedy in these to justify a watch even if the kids are already tucked up in bed.
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