Arranging all live-action Batman media in chronological order

[bat39]

With tons of live-action Batman media in the past, and more on the way, I thought it'd be a fun exercise to put them together into a kind of chronological framework.

Now I'm not trying to fit them all into the same continuity. Just trying to see where each work fits into the broad story of Batman's life and career, and how much each part of his history is represented in other media.

I'm including all Batman-related media - so that includes spin-offs as well as works where Batman isn't the protagonist but makes an appearance.

I've tried to arrange them chronologically as far as possible, but obviously, the continuities being very different, some things will overlap and/or not fully fit in.

Note: TV shows will be in italics while movies and/or movie serials will be in normal text.

So here goes:

Before Batman

Pennyworth
Joker
Gotham

Early Career

Batman Begins
Batman (1989)
The Dark Knight
The Batman (2022)
Batman Returns

The Dynamic Duo Era

Batman Forever
Batman (1943)
Batman and Robin (1949)
Batman (1966)
Batman and Robin (1997)

Later Career

Titans
Suicide Squad
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Justice League
The Dark Knight Rises

After Batman

Birds of Prey (2020)
Batwoman
Birds of Prey (2002)

Looking at this, we see some interesting trends. In the last nearly quarter century since Schumacher's Batman and Robin, there has not been a single live-action work set in the days of the classic Dynamic Duo, while we've had works exploring every other era! Conversely, prior to 1997, almost every live-action Batman work was set in the Dynamic Duo era, with the exception of Burton's two films set in the pre-Robin days.

It seems that for the last nearly 25 years, we've got Gotham before Batman and Gotham after Batman. We've seen Batman's early years and his later career. But the days of Bruce and Dick suiting up to fight crime together are a distant dream...

[Restingvoice]

Hollywood execs need to stop blaming everything but themselves. Batman and Robin was ruined because they wanted to sell toys instead of story.

[bat39]

Hollywood execs need to stop blaming everything but themselves. Batman and Robin was ruined because they wanted to sell toys instead of story.

True.

I recently rewatched it, and actually found the shreds of what could have been a decent movie under it. The conflict between Bruce and Dick, Alfred dying and Bruce dealing with that...hell, Mr. Freeze's whole story. All could have made for a compelling film, even with the trappings of Silver Age campiness and neon lights. But alas!

I really think we're due a Batman and Robin story on the big screen again. At this point, it'd actually be something fresh! We've explored Batman's origins and early years to hell and back. And we've seen an older Batman, and Gotham after Batman, between the DCEU and the Batwoman show. With Titans (which I haven't seen much of, admittedly, beyond the first few episodes), we got to see a live-action Robin done right, just after the classic 'Dynamic Duo' era. I think they've skirted around the days of the Dynamic Duo long enough!

I wonder if Matt Reeves is planning to introduce Robin in one of his sequels...right now, he's best placed to bring Robin to the big screen.

[TheBatman]

Looking at this, we see some interesting trends. In the last nearly quarter century since Schumacher's Batman and Robin, there has not been a single live-action work set in the days of the classic Dynamic Duo, while we've had works exploring every other era! Conversely, prior to 1997, almost every live-action Batman work was set in the Dynamic Duo era, with the exception of Burton's two films set in the pre-Robin days.

I think a big reason why Rookie Batman and Older Batman get so many adaptions is due to "Year One" and "The Dark Knight Returns" being seminal, universally acclaimed stories. If there was a "Dynamic Duo" era story with similar acclaim, modern filmmakers and execs would be more eager to focus on that time period.

[Vakanai]

Eh, I approve of this trend and hope it continues for another quarter of a century.

What, the Dynamic Duo stuff doesn't interest me as much as solo Batman stuff.

[Vakanai]

I think a big reason why Rookie Batman and Older Batman get so many adaptions is due to "Year One" and "The Dark Knight Returns" being seminal, universally acclaimed stories. If there was a "Dynamic Duo" era story with similar acclaim, modern filmmakers and execs would be more eager to focus on that time period.

A Death in the Family is technically kind of that, assuming "Dynamic Duo" era isn't just about Dick Grayson being Robin. I'd be up for a DitF live action adaptation...

[bat39]

I think a big reason why Rookie Batman and Older Batman get so many adaptions is due to "Year One" and "The Dark Knight Returns" being seminal, universally acclaimed stories. If there was a "Dynamic Duo" era story with similar acclaim, modern filmmakers and execs would be more eager to focus on that time period.

That's true.

I guess it doesn't help that the "Dynamic Duo" era is today largely remembered in pop-culture by the Adam West show and the Schumacher films - both interpretations that most modern adaptations want to stay the hell away from.

Year One, and the Burton movies, paved the way for Batman to be a more solo character again in pop-culture, and not the senior partner of the "Batman and Robin" duo. But through the 90's, Robin was still considered essential part of the Batman mythos to general audiences. BTAS notably had Robin as a prominent guest star, and a major character later on. You had the Tim Drake Robin being pushed in the comics. Schumacher's films had Robin (and Burton was planning to head in that direction too, had he stayed).

But after the failure of the B & R film, it seems we had the death-knell of the "Batman and Robin" concept in pop-culture. The movies have stayed away from it. Even the comics have significantly toned down the importance of Robin to the mythos - with the exception of Damian Wayne, who's a character concept of his own IMO distinct from the classic Robin.

Now I'm not expecting a return to the days when Batman without Robin was unthinkable (which was basically 1940 to 1969 at its peak, and then in the 70's and 80's to a more limited extent). But I do feel that since the solo 'Year One' Batman and the DKR inspired 'older Batman' has been done to death at this point, there might be room for a fresh look at this bygone era of the Dynamic Duo.

[batnbreakfast]

I'm not saying Tim Drake is my favorite Robin but his solo for me was the best way to look at Robin.
Between Robin Year One, Batgirl Year One and BTAS there's certainly a blueprint to be found but its not an easy task.