The series is notable for its Tone Shift between the first two dark and gothic films directed by Tim Burton and the more colorful and campier latter two directed by Joel Schumacher, and for its changes in leading actors in-between installments — Michael Keaton played Bruce Wayne/Batman in the first two films, then was replaced by Val Kilmer for the third, himself then replaced by George Clooney for the fourth. Longtime Burton associate Danny Elfman composed the soundtrack for the first two films, and Elliot Goldenthal took over for the last two.
The success of the Burton films is credited with repopularizing Batman to a greater audience than the comics could at the time, and directly inspired the creation of the still very highly regarded Batman: The Animated Series. Following the critical and financial disappointment of Batman & Robin, Batman was rebooted on film with The Dark Knight Trilogy. For the following film incarnations of the Dark Knight, see also the DC Extended Universe and The Batman.
This world is Earth-89 in DC's live-action multiverse as established in 2019's Crisis on Infinite Earths, and made a reappearance in 2023's The Flash. There is also the 2021 Batman '89 comic book that continues the story after Returns while ignoring the Schumacher films.note Finally, 2004's Catwoman is implied, at least in Broad Strokes, to be part of these films due to a photo of Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman being shown.
See also the Superman film series, for the other major DC Comics superhero's first modern blockbusters.
Films and extended franchise:
Films:
- Batman (1989)
- Batman Returns (1992)
- Batman Forever (1995)
- Batman & Robin (1997)
- Catwoman (2004)
- The Flash (2023)
Live-Action TV
- Crisis on Infinite Earths (2019)
Comic Books:
- Batman '89 (2021)
Music:
Pinball:
- Batman (Data East, 1991; based on the 1989 film)
- Batman Forever (Sega, 1995; based on the film)
Video Games:
- Batman: The Video Game (1989)
- Batman Returns (1992)
- Batman Forever (1995)
- Batman & Robin (1998)
Tropes applying to the film series as a whole:
- Alternate Universe: According to Word of God and other sources the Burton films exist on Earth-89 while the Schumacher films are on Earth-97, though this hasn't been made official yet. Regardless Earth-89 was featured in Crisis on Infinite Earths, making it this trope in regards to the Arrowverse and the DC Extended Universe.
- Darker and Edgier: The two Tim Burton films were way more serious and gothic than the previous official Live-Action Adaptation of Batman, the Adam West series. They do have camp, but it belongs more in Burton's trademark macabre and gothic sort of camp rather than the silly and colorful camp of The '60s (though Prince's music videos for the first film's soundtrack still harkened back to the 1960s series' camp).
- Lighter and Softer: After vocal complaints about Batman Returns being "too dark" and following Tim Burton's departure, Batman Forever amped up the camp and colors, more specifically with its villains (with Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey trying to out-ham each other) and Neon City aesthetics. Batman and Robin went the extra mile with a Hurricane of Puns mainly coming from Arnold Schwarzenegger's Mr. Freeze.
- Movie Superheroes Wear Black: Batman introduced a full black suit for the eponymous hero, and every subsequent film in the series followed suit, with perhaps the exception of the arctic suit in Batman & Robin, which has prominent silvery elements.
- Race Lift: Happened twice, and for the same character oddly enough.
- Harvey Dent was white in the comics, and was played by the African-American Billy Dee Williams in 1989's Batman.
- Then the white Tommy Lee Jones played Harvey as Two-Face in Batman Forever.
- Retro Universe: Even though it's clear from the context that the Burton films are take place around the last decade of the 20th century, newspapers still cost about 25 cents, a chemical plant still dumps its toxic waste in the river, suburbs are nonexistent (except for Wayne Manor, of course), the town is without solar or even nuclear power, women still have no way to fight back against discrimination in the workplace, fedoras and late-1940s "New Look" dresses are everywhere, criminals fire Thompson submachine guns, and while the cars are at least contemporary, Bruce Wayne thinks nothing of having Alfred drive him around in a very old-fashioned 1930s Rolls-Royce.
