As great as live-action Batman movies can be, there’s something special about his animated outings that just can’t be beaten. Whether that’s because animation can capture the spirit of comics in a way live-action rarely can, or simply because the talent involved in many of the animated films is so impressive, there’s no Batman quite like animated Batman. Batman’s animated outings span many different timelines and verses and while many of Batman’s earliest and arguably best-animated films were set in the universe of the Batman: The Animated Series television show, the majority (though certainly not all) of the films in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line are either standalone stories or set in the DC Animated Movie Universe. Beginning in 2007, the DC Universe Animated Original Movies regularly release animated films based on DC Comics directly to streaming and DVD. A variety of actors from the late great Kevin Conroy, to Jason O’Mara, to Jensen Ackles have voiced the caped crusader in these films, each bringing their own unique take to the character.
Batman DC Universe Animated Original Movies in Order of Release Date
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009)
Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010)
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012) and Part 2 (2013)
Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014)
Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)
Batman and Harley Quinn (2017)
Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (2018)
Batman: Hush (2019)
Batman: The Long Halloween Part 1 and 2 (2021)
Batman: Soul of the Dragon (2021)
Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons (2022)
Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham (upcoming)
Batman Animated Original Movies in Chronological Order
Nolanverse
Batman: Gotham Knight (2008): The first Batman film of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies, Batman: Gotham Knight is an anthology of Batman stories set within the universe of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy of films. With stories by the Japanese animation studios Studio 4C, Bee Train, Production I.G., and, of course, Madhouse, this is essential viewing for fans of these studios’ works as well as for Batman aficionados. Despite being nominally set within the universe of Christopher Nolan’s films, Batman: Gotham Knight also functions as a standalone film. Kevin Conroy, who also voiced Batman in the Batman: The Animated Series continuity, lends his voice to Batman in the English dub. Other voice actors include Will Friedle (who voiced Terry in Batman: Beyond), and Kevin Michael Richardson (who voices characters including Lucious Fox.) The anthology was sold both on its own and packaged with Batman Begins and with episodes of Batman:TAS. Batman: Gotham Knight is streaming on HBO Max.
Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009): The 2009 Batman and Superman film Superman/Batman: Public Enemies sees Supes (voiced by Tim Daly) and Batman (Kevin Conroy) forced to team up when supervillain Lex Luthor (voiced by Clancy Brown) becomes President of the United States and begins recruiting superheroes to join him. Other casting highlights include CCH Pounder as Amanda Waller, LaVar Burton as Black Lightning, and Bruce Timm voicing Mongul. The film was directed by Sam Liu and is based on the Superman/Batman crossover comic by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is streaming on HBO Max.
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010): Superman/Batman: Apocalypse functions as a standalone sequel to Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. Focused primarily on Superman (voiced by Tim Daly) and his cousin Supergirl (voiced by Firefly’s Summer Glau), Apocalypse isn’t nearly as Batman (Kevin Conroy) focused as many of the movies on this list and has mixed reception from fans, with only a 63% positive fan rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is available to stream on HBO Max.
Year One / Dark Knight Returns
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Batman: Year One (2011): Based on the comic by the same name, Batman: Year One was released in 2011, following a screening at San Diego Comic-Con. The film follows Bruce Wayne during his first year as Batman following a 12-year absence from Gotham. Batman (voiced by Ben MacKenzie, who played Gordon in the TV show Gotham) is assisted by Jim Gordon, who is voiced here by Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston. Batman: Year One is streaming on HBO Max.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 (2012): Based on the 1986 comic by Frank Miller, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 shows many of Miller’s signature elements, including his often cynical and dark tone. Taking place in 1986, many years after Batman has retired, the film follows Bruce being forced back into crime fighting and taking on a new Robin, Carrie Kelley. Released in 2012, The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 stars Peter Weller as the voice of Bruce Wayne/Batman and David Selby as Commissioner Gordon. Ariel Winter of Modern Family voices Carrie Kelley. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 is streaming on HBO Max.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 (2013): Released a year later, this sequel picks up where the previous film left off. Superman (who reports directly to Ronald Reagan) and other members of the Justice League are pulled into the sick game of the Joker (voiced by Lost’s Michael Emerson). Ariel Winter once again voices Carrie Kelley and Peter Weller continues the role of Batman. Superman is voiced by Mark Valley. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 is streaming on HBO Max.
Arkhamverse
Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014): Set within the same continuity as the Batman: Arkham video games, Batman: Assault on Arkham sees Batman (Kevin Conroy) facing off against The Suicide Squad, Joker (Troy Baker), and Riddler as the rogues try to detonate a dirty bomb in Gotham. Amanda Waller, voiced again by CCH Pounder, also plays a major role in the movie and Jennifer Hale and John DiMaggio also lend their voices to classic villains. Batman: Assault on Arkham is streaming on HBO Max.
DC Animated Movie Universe
Son of Batman (2014): Son of Batman introduces Bruce’s son Damian Wayne to the DC Animated Movie Universe. Damian (Stuart Allan) is sent by his mother, Talia Al Ghul (Morena Baccarin), to live in Gotham with Bruce (voiced by Jason O’Mara), after deciding life among the League of Assassins was too dangerous for a child following an attack by Deathstroke. Bruce, who had been unaware of Damian’s existence, tries to welcome the boy into the family but Damian’s aggression and anger make that a struggle. Son of Batman was released as a digital download and on DVD. It is available to stream on HBO Max.
Batman vs. Robin (2015): Loosely based on the Batman: The Court of Owls arc in the comics, Batman vs Robin has Batman, Nightwing, and Damian Wayne’s Robin facing off against a secret society called The Court of Owls. In addition to Jason O’Mara voicing Batman and Kevin Conroy voicing Thomas Wayne (Bruce’s father), Batman vs Robin also features the voice of Weird Al Yankovic in the role of the villainous Dollmaker. Batman vs Robin is part of the DC Animated Movie Universe and takes place shortly after Son of Batman. Batman vs Robin is streaming on HBO Max.
Batman: Bad Blood (2016): Taking place in the DC Animated Movie Universe and picking up shortly after the events of Batman vs Robin, Batman: Bad Blood sees Batman disappear, much to the concern of his family and friends. Damian takes up the mantle of Robin again and teams up with Batwoman, Nightwing, and a new hero called Batwing to try to find his father. Based loosely on Grant Morrison’s well-loved arc in the comics, Batman: Bad Blood is streaming on HBO Max.
DC Animated Universe
Batman and Harley Quinn (2017): Batman and Harley Quinn, despite being a DC Universe Animated Original Batman Movie, is actually in the same continuity as Batman the Animated Series, according to the film’s co-writer (and Batman: The Animated Series’ writer and showrunner), Bruce Timm. Timm has stated that the film is set shortly after The New Batman Adventures TV series and it sees Batman (Kevin Conroy) and Nightwing facing off against Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. Many reviewers, including Collider’s Dave Trumbore, were unimpressed with the film’s treatment of its characters and narratives. Batman and Harley Quinn is streaming on HBO Max.
Tomorrowverse
Batman: The Long Halloween Part 1 and 2 (2021): Jensen Ackles, who had previously voiced Red Hood, voices the caped crusader himself in Batman: The Long Halloween, a two-part movie that is set in the Tomorrowverse Continuity (a timeline that also includes Superman: Man of Tomorrow and Justice Society: World War II). The Long Halloween duology sees Gotham’s mafia families, the Falcones and Maronis, being targeted by a violent vigilante called Holiday (so named because of their fondness for committing their crimes on major holidays). With the help of Catwoman/Selina Kyle (voiced by Glee’s Naya Rivera), Batman must stop the killer and protect Gotham. The film also includes Troy Baker voicing the Joker and Josh Duhamel as the voice of Two-Face/Harvey Dent. Parts 1 and 2 of The Long Halloween are streaming on HBO Max.
Standalone Films
Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010): Arguably the best animated Batman film, Batman: Under the Red Hood boasts a 100% Fresh Rating on Rotten Tomatoes and features one of the more tragic stories in a franchise full of tragic tales. Based on the comic Batman: Under the Hood, the film is written by Judd Winick (who was also the co-writer of the comic) and is directed by Brandon Vietti. This film sees Batman (voiced by Bruce Greenwood) working with Dick Grayson/Nightwing (voiced by Neil Patrick Harris) to stop a new vigilante and drug lord going by the name Red Hood (Jensen Ackles) who appears to be targeting The Joker (voiced by John DiMaggio). It isn’t long before Batman begins to realize that the Hood is actually a person from his past. This film doesn’t shy away from showing how Batman/Bruce’s intensity and rigid moral code push away and hurt those closest to him. By focusing on Batman’s greatest failures and the ramifications of his strict no-killing code, the film isn’t just an action romp, but also a thoughtful character study on distant fathers, lost sons, and the space between them. With fantastic voice acting by all, especially Jensen Ackles, this is one of the most tragic and memorable Batman films. Batman: Under the Red Hood is available to watch on HBO Max.
Batman: The Killing Joke (2016): Based on the classic and controversial 1988 Batman comic of the same name by Alan Moore, Batman: The Killing Joke features the Joker (voiced by Mark Hamill, who also voiced the character in Batman: The Animated Series) torturing Barbara/Batgirl (voiced by Tara Strong) and Commissioner Gordon in an attempt to prove his theory that all it takes is “one bad day” to turn someone into a villain. Batman (voiced by Kevin Conroy) must rush to save them. With only a 36% positive critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and only a 50% positive audience rating, the film was criticized for its treatment of Barbara’s character and for adding material that wasn’t in the original comic. Collider’s review recommends “turning the movie on thirty to forty minutes in and just watching the actual Killing Joke portion of the animated feature.” Batman: The Killing Joke is streaming on HBO Max.
Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (2018): Batman: Gotham by Gaslight is a standalone film that opts to set the story of Batman (voiced here by Bruce Greenwood) in the Victorian era. When people begin suspecting that Batman and Jack the Ripper, a murderer who attacks some of Gotham’s most vulnerable citizens, are one and the same, Batman must work to clear his name and find the real killer with the help of some charmingly Dickensian orphans. Gotham by Gaslight is streaming on HBO Max.
Batman: Hush (2019): Batman: Hush is part of the DC Animated Movie Universe and technically takes place after the events of Batman: Bad Blood, but it does work as a standalone film. When Batman (voiced by Jason O’Mara) is seriously injured, he must rely on his family for help. His relationship with Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Jennifer Morrison) also grows as they begin working as a team more and more. Unfortunately, a strange new vigilante going by the name Hush begins to threaten Gotham and their relationship. Dave Trumbore, writing for Collider noted that the film struggled with turning a year-long arc in the comics into an 81-minute film and at times feels rushed, but he still praised Batman: Hush for its ambition. Batman: Hush is streaming on HBO Max.
Batman: Soul of the Dragon (2021): Batman: Soul of the Dragon, a standalone film that is not based on any preexisting comic arc, has Bruce (David Giuntoli) returning to the mystical city in the Himalayas where he once trained as a young man. Working with his former classmates, he must try to save his old master, O-Sensei. Batman: Soul of the Dragon has a 93% fresh critics rating and a 68% fresh audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie is streaming on HBO Max.
Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons (2022): Released on October 18, 2022, Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons, sees Damian Wayne/Robin teaming up with Jon Kent/Superboy to rescue Batman and Superman. The standalone film was the first fully CG DC Animated Original and has a distinct style that sets it apart from many films in the franchise. Battle of the Super Sons was praised by reviewers for its lighter and less grim tone (though it still has a PG-13 rating) and it currently has a 100% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons is not yet on HBO Max but is available to buy or rent on Amazon.
Rent on AmazonBatman: The Doom That Came to Gotham (upcoming): Batman: The Doom that Came to Gotham was announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 and is based on an Elseworlds comic by Mike Mignola and Richard E. Pace. This standalone story takes place in the 1920s and brings Lovecraftian eldritch abominations to Gotham. We can’t wait for the gibbering non-euclidean monstrosities!