Batman is one of the most popular and beloved superheroes of all time. For the most part, comic fans were already aware of the dark nature of Batman long before the movies explored this dynamic. However, there’s no denying the fact that the Caped Crusader broke into the mainstream as a result of his amazing standalone films, some of which are still considered by many to be the greatest superhero films of all time to this day.
A major part of what makes these Batman movies so memorable are the scores accompanying each movie. Musical geniuses like Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer have contributed to the music in these movies, allowing viewers to experience the magic of these scores for themselves. Here are all the Batman movies, ranked by how iconic and memorable their themes are.
7 Batman & Robin (1997)
Batman & Robin is considered by many to be a cinematic disaster. Poor direction, character writing, and the movie being populated with useless villains are some of the major reasons why this film was considered to be one of the worst movies ever made, and that’s not a statement made lightly.
The music did this movie no favors, although it’s almost Beethoven-esque when compared to the other elements of this movie that are truly horrendous. It was clear that Joel Schumacher had a long way to go before he could capture the essence of Batman, with the two movies he was charged with being the worst of the lot.
6 Batman Forever (1995)
Batman Forever might not be the greatest Batman film around, but it’s still a worthy watch for fans of the series. The movie is a pretty simple and easy-to-enjoy flick that has none of the unnecessary complications as its successor, which is the major reason why it makes for a way better viewing experience than having to sit through Batman & Robin.
The theme of this movie is pretty fitting for Batman, with its more cheerful elements being inspired by the campy nature of this superhero in the past. While this was a unique course of action to take, most people remember and love Batman for his dark nature as opposed to a goofy one.
5 Batman V Superman (2016)
Batman v Superman might’ve failed on many fronts, but the movie’s characterization of Batman was unlike anything fans had ever seen before. Unlike his previous iterations, this version of Batman had no problem with killing people and was more of a jaded superhero who had grown disillusioned with the state of the world.
However, after seeing Superman’s reckless abandon and how he decimates everything around him, Bruce Wayne decides to stop this maniac in his tracks before he destroys all of Earth. To his credit, he almost manages to defeat Superman, before one of the most cringe lines of dialogue ever uttered in a superhero film stops him in his tracks.
4 The Batman (2022)
Most people can’t wait to see the latest version of Batman, with Robert Pattinson stepping up to play this hero in a time when people were salivating for a solo Batman movie that would bring the Caped Crusader back to the realm of relevance once again.
It’s obviously too early to judge The Batman, given the fact that it hasn’t even been released yet for fans to listen to the soundtrack and how much it adds to the film. However, given how epic and fitting this theme for Batman really is, expectations are already high for the latest movie to knock everyone’s socks off.
3 Batman: The Movie (1966)
It would be impossible to talk about Batman’s iconic themes without mentioning the campy TV show that brought this superhero’s name to broader audiences. Adam West’s Batman was a fun and silly version of the Dark Knight whose episodic hijinks were quite entertaining for its time.
Of course, in a modern context, the Adam West Batman TV show and movie can be rather painful to watch at times. However, its soundtrack is still a blast to listen to, with its original version of the Batman theme becoming legendary in its own right. It would be hard to find a single person who is yet to hear the iconic notes of this theme, given how much it has been referenced by fans in modern times.
2 Batman/Batman Returns (1989-92)
Tim Burton’s Batman duology features two of the best Batman movies that played a vital role in hurtling the Caped Crusader into the mainstream in a definitive fashion. All of a sudden, Batman wasn’t the goofy superhero as Adam West had made everyone believe to be the case — he was actually a dark and brooding superhero with a tragic backstory of his own.
It helped that the score of this movie was absolutely fantastic, with the legendary Danny Elfman composing the theme of these films. Both movies share a similar theme — with perhaps a few switched-up musical instruments — and the composer of the iconic Spiderman theme wastes no time in showing why he’s a legend in the filmmaking industry. Shades of Spiderman’s theme can be seen in the theme for Batman as well if listeners are keen enough to keep an ear out for this detail!
1 The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005-12)
The Dark Knight Trilogy is one of Christopher Nolan’s many cinematic accomplishments and is considered by many to be the greatest superhero trilogy of all time. While Christian Bale’s gruff voice as the Batman might be laughed at by many, even these people can’t deny that he’s a great actor to take on the role of Bruce Wayne.
The Dark Knight Trilogy’s main theme for Batman is one of the most iconic pieces of music ever made. Hans Zimmer’s orchestral masterpiece is a thing of beauty that perfectly complements Batman’s character and makes for one of the most recognizable characters themes in cinema history.
