Batman Movies in Order: Which Universe Is Which

A lot of people search for "order to watch Batman movies" expecting one continuous story, the way Marvel's films connect. On screen, though, Batman has actually been told as several separate, unconnected universes. This guide breaks down what links to what and where to start, based on the films available in Kinogram's catalog.

Christopher Nolan's trilogy (2005-2012) is the best-known and most self-contained version. Watch in strict order: Batman Begins (2005) → The Dark Knight (2008) → The Dark Knight Rises (2012). This is a closed trilogy: no other Batman film connects to it, so you can watch it completely on its own.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) is a different universe entirely — the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), with Ben Affleck as Batman. It's formally connected to other films in that shared universe (like Man of Steel and Justice League), but it has nothing to do with Nolan's trilogy — it's an independent story with its own version of the character.

The Batman (2022) is a third take, this time with Robert Pattinson. Director Matt Reeves built his own continuity, independent of both Nolan's films and the DCEU. You can watch it on its own — a sequel hasn't been released yet, so for now it stands alone.

Animation: Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 (2013, an animated adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel) belong to DC's separate line of animated films and aren't connected to Nolan's trilogy, the DCEU, or the 2022 film. Both work as standalone viewing — a good next step if you've already seen the live-action films and want a more comic-accurate, adult-toned take on the character.

If you're just getting into Batman on screen, start with Batman Begins — it's the easiest entry point into the most complete version of the story. If you're curious about the DCEU, it makes sense to watch Batman v Superman after Man of Steel. The Batman (2022) and both animated films don't depend on anything else, so you can slot them in whenever. Full details for every film — synopsis, year, and where to watch — are on their Kinogram pages.