Batman, a superhero created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger for comic books published by DC Comics, has appeared in nearly every form of media, including film since the 1940s. Columbia Pictures supervised the first film adaptations with Batman (1943) and Batman and Robin (1949), which deviated significantly from the source material. 20th Century Fox then released Batman (1966) as the theatrical spinoff to the American Broadcasting Company 's (ABC) live-action TV program, also titled Batman (1966–1968), starring Adam West. After several years in limbo, Warner Bros. Pictures purchased the copyrights and developed a succession of Batman films in the late twentieth century, two directed by Tim Burton and another pair by Joel Schumacher. Michael Keaton portrays Batman in the Burton films, while Val Kilmer and George Clooney feature in said role in the Schumacher films.
Warner Bros. spent the turn of the millennium again in protracted development over a reboot, leading to the production of a trilogy of films starring Christian Bale: Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Another reboot followed with the creation of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), in which Ben Affleck features as Batman beginning with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). The Batman (2022) and The Brave and the Bold will revamp the established continuity of the live-action films with incarnations of Batman played by Robert Pattinson and another actor. Joker (2019) features a depiction of the character as a civilian, predating his transformation into a vigilante. Numerous actors voice Batman in animated film.
The Batman films are generally successful and comprise the tenth highest grossing film franchise of all time, grossing over $6.76 billion globally. Critical opinion of films vary substantially. Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic report a spectrum of aggregated scores between the best-received film, The Dark Knight, and the worst, Batman & Robin (1997). Occasionally, Batman films attract Academy Award recognition for acting and technical achievement.
