The 8 Best Batman Movies in the DC Animated Universe to Watch

Looking forward to Matt Reeves’ The BatmanCulminating ahead of the film’s March 4 premiere, the latest cinematic incarnation of the Dark Knight starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz and Paul Dano is bat fever at an all-time high. As we patiently await the release of the new film, perhaps dive back into DC/Warner Bros.’ library of 1992-style animated titles Batman: The Animated Series or 1999s Batman beyond. But if you’re looking for a longer selection, there’s plenty to be had, as the WB also offers an extensive catalog of feature-length films, stretching back to the ones mentioned above Batman: TASeach with their own take on the Caped Crusader, more unique than the last.

We’ve scoured through all the Batman animated movies available in streaming to bring you the best. Here’s our list of the eight best animated Batman movies to watch while you wait for Matt Reeves The Batman.

Batman: Under the Red Hood

Image: Warner Bros.

A legendary entry in the animated Batman canon, this is a powerful story that packs an emotional punch. He delves deeply into how Bruce’s “parenting” puts the children he has taken responsibility for at risk, as well as the failings of his strict moral code, Under the Red Hood deserves its status as the all-timer Batman story. Jensen Ackles delivers an excellent voice acting performance as Jason Todd, and this version of the Joker (voiced by John DiMaggio) remains one of the most chilling renditions of the character to date. —peter people

Batman: Under the Red Hood is available for streaming

Batman: Year One

Image: Warner Bros. Animation

Based on the four-issue story arc of the same name by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli Batman: Year One tells not only the origins of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne as a crimefighter, but also James Gordon, a recently transferred Gotham police detective who fights against the corruption of his colleagues and the city’s criminal underworld. Directed by Sam Liu and Lauren Montgomery, the film is a faithful and compelling adaptation of Miller and Mazzuchelli’s groundbreaking storyline that explores not only Bruce’s development into the Dark Knight, but also the unlikely alliance between him and the future police commissioner. If you’re looking for an intriguing and fresh take on Batman’s origin story, Batman: Year One is it. – Toussaint Egan

Batman: Year One is available for streaming HBO Max.

Batman: Soul of the Dragon

Image: Warner Bros. Animation

A Batman movie in the style of a Bruce Lee movie, soul of the dragon based on no comic plot. Batman’s former martial arts teacher has gone missing and he teams up with some of his former classmates to solve the mystery. Legendary martial arts actors Mark Dacascos and Michael Jai White (who play the same role he played in the DC-CW verse) join in as voice actors in this fun time. —PV

Batman: Soul of the Dragon is available for streaming HBO Max.

Batman Ninja

Image: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Consider for a moment that maybe we’re all thinking too much about Batman. He talks about him for too long psychology or realism. Maybe these are not Yes, really the reasons people have been drawn to him for nearly 100 years. Maybe instead the answer is simple: Batman just looks pretty damn cool.

This is the heart of what drives Batman Ninja, Junpei Mizusaki’s fevered dream of a film that will transport Batman and a number of his most famous villains back to feudal Japan, where they will receive period-inspired makeovers and Power Rangers-like weaponry. None of this makes sense, and none of it matters because every frame of Batman Ninja is a wall-to-wall dazzling absurdity that takes iconic character designs and cranks them up to 11 using Afro samuraiis Takashi Okazaki. The film is 85 minutes of animated adrenaline that will kick your ass and make you laugh at the same time, and remains one of the best DC animated films ever released. —Joshua Rivera

Batman Ninja is available for streaming HBO Max.

Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Image: DC Entertainment, Nickelodeon Animation Studio/Warner Bros. Animation

A crossover match made in heaven, this entry features some of the best action sequences in any Batman film, live or animated. It’s also suitably silly considering the concept, but the pairing of these two franchises really works: the turtles have a lot in common, not only with Batman, but with the other wayward youths he draws into his crime-fighting orbit. Then of course there’s the martial arts, the quality of which is pretty outstanding, especially for what could easily have been a paint-by-numbers heist across two well-loved franchises. —PV

Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is available for rent Amazon, Appleand vudu.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

Image: Warner Bros.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is one of the greatest Batman movies of all time, period. Don’t just rely on me, just listen to the late great Roger Ebert and Polygon’s own Joshua Rivera. Originally produced by Batman: The Animated Series Producers Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm as a direct-to-video feature before it later hit theaters in 1993 Mask of the Phantasm pits the Dark Knight against a mysterious new foe posing as himself alongside his longtime nemesis, the Joker. The film examines the character’s inherent tragedy and story with a nuance and depth that few subsequent incarnations (live-action or otherwise) have successfully attempted, and conjures up a portrait of loss and heartbreak that resonates to this day. -AT

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is available for streaming HBO Max.

Batman Beyond: The Joker Returns

Image: Warner Bros.

Batman: The Joker Returns follows Terry McGinnis, the new Batman circa 2040, as he faces the Joker, seemingly resurrected after being presumed dead for several decades. Faced with his deadliest enemy yet, Terry must uncover the horrifying truth behind the night his mentor Bruce Wayne, the original Batman, fought his nemesis for the final time if he is to have any hope of bringing Gotham to the brink of annihilation rescue.

Alongside the clown Prince of Crime of the same name, the film also prominently features Barbara Gordon (aka Batgirl), now Commissioner of the GCPD, alongside an older version of Tim Drake (aka Robin), making for a bat-family reunion that touches both complicated the dynamic between Bruce Wayne and his charges, adding further dimension and pathos to Terry’s own tenure as Dark Knight. If that doesn’t pique your curiosity, acclaimed animator Hiroyuki Aoyama has contributed Return of the Joker‘s explosive finale, which harks back to his earlier work on Katsuhiro Otomo’s 1988 apocalyptic epic Akira while animating a deadly orbital laser beam cutting a path of destruction across Gotham as Terry races to save the day. -AT

Batman Beyond: The Joker Returns is available for streaming HBO Max.

The Batman vs Dracula

Image: HBO Max

There’s a new bat in Gotham. A little bit scary, more than a little bit silly and a whole lot of fun, The Batman vs Dracula is exactly what the title suggests. When the penguin accidentally awakens the legendary vampire (voiced by Peter Stormare) from his deep sleep, Batman must stop Dracula’s attempt to take over Gotham and turn its citizens into vampires. Leaning into the gothic vibe that already fits well with Gotham City’s vibe and architecture, Bat vs. Bat is a natural duel. If you find the fact that Dracula is from “Dr. Alucard” as his charming human alter ego, and you’re excited at the prospect of Batman beating a vampire Joker with garlic knuckles, you’ll have a good time with this one. —PV

The Batman vs Dracula is available for streaming HBO Max.