The Batman (2022) already seems to be a resounding critical and commercial success, with fans hailing it as an amazing superhero experience. But there are plenty of people who have yet to check the film out. Many fans are looking forward to watching the film later on after the initial hype has died down – others might want to wait until the film hits HBO Max in April.
For those who haven’t gotten around to seeing The Batman yet, there are some movies that they should probably take a look at first. None of which are directly connected to the latest installment in the Batman franchise, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t relevant in their own way.
10 Good Time Shows Robert Pattinson’s Range
Perhaps the biggest complaint preceding The Batman is that Robert Pattinson is playing the iconic role of Bruce Wayne. It’s a logical enough casting choice, but far too many people have Pattinson’s role in Twilight still dancing in their heads. Well,Good Time (2017) will promptly push their prejudices aside.
The fast-paced thriller features Pattinson as Connie Nikas, a criminal who wants to help out his brother while also avoiding being tossed in jail for myriad indiscretions. Good Time is a fantastic film that displays Pattinson’s hitherto unseen range. Hopefully, for those who give it a chance, the film will sway wrongly held opinions that the actor hasn’t been doing some great work in recent years.
9 Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes Is A Showcase Of Matt Reeves’ Talent
Director Matt Reeves, who helmed The Batman, is a director who’s been at this for over two decades now and has several noteworthy films under his belt, ranging from more indie-oriented fare to blockbusters.
Audiences might remember Reeves from the found-footage monster movie Cloverfield (2008), but one of the more recent projects that Reeves has been involved with was the recent Planet of the Apes trilogy, of which, he directed the second and third installations: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes (2014 and 2017, respectively). Movie fans might want to check the series out to get a feel for Reeves’ directorial style.
8 Batman & Robin Is The Only Batman Movie With The Bat-Family In It
Batman & Robin (1997) was the last major superhero film of the 90s, and with good reason. It’s not only that the film is bad, it’s that it is so far from what the initial Tim Burton films set out to create. Where Batman is dark and mysterious, Batman & Robin bathes its Gotham in neon and feels like the Las Vegas Strip.
Batman & Robin is bogged down with characters as well, featuring not only Batman, Robin, and Batgirl, but a hearty rogues’ gallery as well: Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, and Bane. That said, this 1997 installment is also the only live-action theatrical Batman film with any semblance of the Bat-Family in it. And judging from The Batman, it’s going to stay that way for a long time.
7 Batman Forever Is A Comic Accurate Version Of The Riddler
The Batman‘s Riddler is unlike most versions of the Riddler that people are familiar with. The 2022 version has more in common with a horror villain (a Jigsaw-like creep) than the Riddler of cartoons and comics past. For something live-action, but a little more like the Riddler of the comics, fans might want to go back to the past and check out Batman Forever (1995).
Batman Forever marks Val Kilmer’s first and only attempt at the titular hero and saw the Caped Crusader teaming up with Robin to go up against Two-Face and the Riddler. The Riddler, played with comic glee by Jim Carrey, is a wacky, wily-haired character who brings more than a generous helping of that cartoon energy to the big screen – and spandex.
6 Batman Returns Was The Most Iconic Version Of Catwoman For Years
In the upcoming Batman film, Zoë Kravitz plays Selina Kyle, burglar and sporadic love interest of Bruce Wayne. But that’s not the first time people were exposed to Catwoman as a character. She has regularly made appearances since the 60s TV show. And in 1992, Tim Burton released the sequel to Batman, aptly titled Batman Returns.
This film is a bit more “out there” in terms of being a Batman film, as Burton was granted more creative control. As a result, Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman gets a legitimately supernatural origin story. Still, it’s a worthwhile look into a version of the character that helped define the character for the better part of the 90s.
5 Batman (1989) Made Batman As Famous As He Is Today
It’s always good to see where everything began. Before Batman (1989) launched, the character wasn’t anywhere near as popular as he is today. Tim Burton presented viewers with a darker, art deco version of Gotham that’s been firmly lodged in society’s collective consciousness ever since.
Meanwhile, Michael Keaton’s Batman and Jack Nicholson’s Joker created a superhero-supervillain rivalry that was previously unmatched. Batman doesn’t look nearly as serious now as it did when it first launched in 1989, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less important to the story of the Caped Crusader.
4 The Dark Knight Rises Presents A Batman At The End Of His Career
In hindsight, The Dark Knight Rises is likely the worst of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. However, it presents something that fans had never seen before in the films: an older Batman, worn down by the years of crime-fighting and making Gotham into a better place.
This Batman also presents a new look at Catwoman and Bane, giving both characters the depth they were lacking in their original appearances. This film serves as an excellent contrast to The Batman, which focuses on Bruce at the beginning of his journey.
3 Batman Begins Details The Origin Of Batman In Gotham
The Batman isn’t interested in telling fans things they should already be well-aware of. It skips over Bruce’s origins and even the entire first two years of Batman’s vigilante crusade in Gotham City. Instead, the film focuses on a Batman who has already become synonymous with the shadows in which he lurks.
But if newer fans have yet to see a film that focuses on Bruce Wayne’s beginnings, the best thing for them to watch is the 2005 classic, Batman Begins. The film shows Bruce Wayne before he figured out what form he wanted his vengeance to take, and gradually builds him up into the legend that fans have always wanted to see.
2 Joker Shows A Darker Side Of Gotham And The Wayne Family
Joker (2019) is a standalone film about Batman’s most well-known nemesis. It features Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character, a failed comedian who goes insane and serves as the catalyst for a major change in Gotham – that is if things are what they appear to be.
There’s no connection between this film and The Batman. However, it simply offers a glimpse at a Joker that’s more humanized than he’s ever been. This film is in the running for one of the best films set in a superhero universe, alongside The Dark Knight. Joker also offers a look at a version of the Waynes that aren’t exactly as pure as they are in the comics, something that future Batman films might also take into account.
1 The Dark Knight Is The Standard For Superhero Films
The Dark Knight isn’t just one of the best Batman films ever, it’s one of the best films of the last twenty years. Even 14 years after its original release, the portrayals in this film are still the gold standard for every character. From the Joker to Harvey Dent, The Dark Knight is filled to the brim with friends and foes to Batman that somehow never feels too crowded.
Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson have a goal of creating the next legendary Batman film, and they both know this is the one they’ll have to match up to.
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