Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in March 1939, created in the United States as a DC Comics superhero who would become one of the most enduring figures in popular culture. On film, the character's theatrical legacy begins with the 1943 Columbia serials starring Lewis Wilson, then expands through the 1966 feature Batman tied to the Adam West television series. Tim Burton's Batman opened the modern blockbuster era for the character in 1989, followed by Batman Returns in 1992, Batman Forever in 1995, and Batman & Robin in 1997, completing that film run.
Christopher Nolan launched a new trilogy with Batman Begins in 2005, followed by The Dark Knight in 2008 and The Dark Knight Rises in 2012, redefining the superhero genre with grounded storytelling. The broader animated and live-action film lineage includes Batman: Mask of the Phantasm in 1993 and The Lego Batman Movie in 2017. The Batman, released in 2022, reset the character into a separate, grittier continuity, with recent coverage pointing fans toward the upcoming sequel The Batman: Part II, expected in 2027. Each era brought distinctive visual styles that translate beautifully into poster art.
