Since first making his debut in Detective Comics #27 in 1939, Batman has become one of the most beloved and iconic characters in the world. As such, he has been the central focus of countless stories, including a plethora of live-action feature films over the last 50 years.
One of the things that have made Batman such a successful character is his deep roster of compelling supporting characters who bring out the best in the Dark Knight. From colorful sidekicks to deeply disturbing villains, Batman movies always feature great supporting characters.
Robin In Batman: The Movie
After the first season of the Batman television series, Leslie H. Martinson's Batman: The Movie was released in 1966 as the first feature-length adaptation of the character. In the film, Batman and Robin must stop the Joker, the Riddler, Catwoman, and the Penguin from turning people into dust.
Both the show and film use a campy, cheesy tone, playing more like a comedy than a big-budget action movie. Burt Ward's Robin is the perfect sidekick for this version of Batman, perfectly nailing the right amount of campiness as he utters such lines as "Holy sardine!"
The Joker In Batman
After a two-decade absence, Batman returned to the big screen in Batman. Tim Burton's 1989 version is more serious than the previous Batman movie. The film depicts Batman facing off against the Joker by trying to prevent him from releasing toxic laughing gas on Gotham City.
This version of the Joker is a great balance between the cartoonish source material and the darker tone of the movie. He is over-the-top and chews the scenery in a good way while also conveying actual menace. For many years, Jack Nicholson's Joker has been considered one of the best supporting acting performances in comic book movie history.
Catwoman In Batman Returns
Building on Batman's mature tone, Batman Returns is a darker and more stylized film than its predecessor. The movie centers on Batman's efforts to prevent the Penguin from killing every firstborn son in Gotham City.
Batman Returns is primarily memorable for introducing Michelle Pfeiffer's Selina Kyle, who transforms from a mild-mannered secretary to the eccentric Catwoman. It is a tremendous performance that demonstrates great acting range as Pfeiffer seamlessly embodies the anti-hero's conflicted nature. This Catwoman is a compelling, sympathetic, and ultimately entertaining character.
The Riddler In Batman Forever
After Tim Burton's darker take on Batman, the franchise pivoted in a different and more colorful direction with Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever. The movie shows Two-Face and the Riddler teaming up to try to steal information from people's minds, with the ultimate goal of learning Batman's secret identity and taking over Gotham City.
Taking advantage of Schumacher's lighter tone, Jim Carrey's Riddler is an over-the-top and cartoonish villain. The character works due in large part to the performance as Carrey demonstrates his full comedic range. This Riddler is far from intimidating, but Carrey brings welcome comedic relief and entertains every time he is on screen.
Poison Ivy In Batman & Robin
Schumacher doubled down on the lighter tone of Batman Forever with his follow-up, Batman & Robin. Considered an artistic low point by many Batman fans, the movie fully leaned into campiness with a plot that revolves around Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze teaming up to take over the world by simultaneously freezing it and populating it with plants.
While Batman & Robin was panned by critics, Uma Thurman appears to be the only actor who realized what type of movie she was in. Her performance is ridiculous and exaggerated in a fun and intentional way that harkens back to the tongue-in-cheek tone of Batman: The Movie. In a film full of dull performances, Poison Ivy easily stands out as the best character.
Ra's Al Ghul In Batman Begins
After the disappointment of Batman & Robin, the franchise was rebooted with a darker and grittier tone in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins. The movie serves as an origin story for Batman, depicting his training with the League of Shadows and his efforts to stop Scarecrow from using a fear toxin to destroy Gotham City.
Ra's al Ghul acts as both a mentor and the main antagonist to Batman in the film, revealing himself as the true villain in the third act. At the time, the character was easily the most grounded and realistic villain Batman had ever faced on the silver screen. He possesses one of the best fighting abilities of any Batman villain that poses a real threat to Christian Bale's neophyte Caped Crusader. A compelling motivation, ingenious plan, and a personal connection to Bruce Wayne all make Ra's al Ghul a great supporting character.
The Joker In The Dark Knight
Often considered to be the best superhero movie of all time, Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight showcases Batman's ongoing struggle to eradicate the mob out of Gotham City, which is complicated by their decision to turn to the Joker for help.
In a movie filled with great moments and memorable characters, the Joker stands above the rest in The Dark Knight. He is a captivating villain, demanding the audience's attention every single second he is on the screen. The Joker's eccentric mannerisms, memorable lines, and chaotic actions make him fascinating to watch.
Alfred Pennyworth In The Dark Knight Rises
Bringing the Dark Knight trilogy to a conclusion, The Dark Knight Rises shows Batman pushed to his limits by Bane and Talia al Ghul as they attempt to finish Ra's al Ghul's work by destroying Gotham City with a nuclear weapon.
One of the ongoing themes of the trilogy is Bruce Wayne's need to be Batman, despite the pleas of everyone around him to hang up the cowl. This need weighs heaviest on Alfred, Batman's lifelong confidant. The loyal butler cares deeply for Bruce Wayne and wishes his surrogate son to find peace. Alfred's speech begging for Bruce Wayne to stop fighting is among the movie's best moments.
Wonder Woman In Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice
Making his DC Extended Universe debut in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Batman becomes increasingly mistrustful of an alarmingly destructive and powerful Superman. Lex Luthor is able to manipulate the two heroes into fighting each other before they eventually team up to defeat Doomsday.
One of Wonder Women's best moments in the DCEU is her introduction in Batman v Superman. Arriving just in time for the battle against Doomsday, she steals the scene with her confidence and fighting ability. Her brief but memorable appearance perfectly sets up the character to star in her own standalone films.
Superman In Justice League
As the culmination of the DCEU, Justice League follows the events of Batman v Superman and Wonder Woman. In the film, Batman and Wonder Woman recruit a team of heroes to resurrect Superman and stop Steppenwolf from uniting the Mother Boxes.
While Superman is not in Justice League as much as some of the other heroes, he plays a crucial role in the story. Many of the movie's best scenes involve Superman, including his fight against his teammates, his journey back to Smallville, and his battle with Steppenwolf. By the end of the film, he has become the classic version of Superman: a bright and optimistic beacon of hope for the world.