If all Bat-movies were in one universe

[Jim Kelly]

If all the Batman movies happened in one universe, in what chronological order should they be? Here's my best guess, subject to change--


early days
JOKER (2019)
BATMAN BEGINS (2005)
THE BATMAN (2022)
BATMAN (1989)
THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)
BATMAN RETURNS (1992)

dynamic duo days
THE BATMAN (1943)
BATMAN AND ROBIN (1949)
BATMAN (1966)
BATMAN FOREVER (1995)
BATMAN AND ROBIN (1997)

later days
BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE (2016)
SUICIDE SQUAD (2016)
JUSTICE LEAGUE (2017/2021)
BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN) (2020)
THE SUICIDE SQUAD (2021)
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2012)
THE FLASH (2023) [no spoilers]


JOKER has to come first because, Bruce is only a little boy in that one. Arthur Fleck doesn't have to be THE Joker--he's just a Joker. I think BATMAN (1989) should come before THE DARK KNIGHT, because the Joker is already active at the beginning of THE DARK KNIGHT, whereas the Tim Burton movie provides one of his origin stories (Joker's origins are multiple choice).

BATMAN BEGINS gives the most comprehensive origin story and THE BATMAN (2022) is supposed to be relatively early. The 1943 BATMAN serial is the first released where Dick Grayson is Robin. And it naturally follows that each subsequent Robin is a little older than the one before. DAWN OF JUSTICE establishes that this is after all that other suff happened. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is the odd man out here--it could go before or after other movies.

[Jim Kelly]

Who played who--

JOKER (2019)--Bruce Wayne (child): Dante Pereira-Olson, Alfred: Douglas Hodge, Thomas Wayne: Brett Cullen, Martha Wayne: Carrie Louise Putrello, Arthur Fleck (Joker): Joaquin Phoenix

BATMAN BEGINS (2005)--Bruce Wayne (child): Gus Lewis, Bruce Wayne (Batman): Christian Bale, Alfred: Michael Caine, Gordon: Gary Oldman, Thomas Wayne: Linus Roache, Martha Wayne: Sara Stewart

THE BATMAN (2022)--Bruce Wayne (Batman): Robert Pattinson, Alfred: Andy Serkis, Gordon: Jeffrey Wright, Selina Kyle (Catwoman): Zoë Kravitz, Cobblepot (Penguin): Colin Farrell

BATMAN (1989)--Bruce Wayne (child): Charles Roskilly, Bruce Wayne (Batman): Michael Keaton, Alfred: Michael Gough, Gordon: Pat Hingle, Thomas Wayne: David Baxt, Martha Wayne: Sharon Holm, Jack Napier (Joker): Jack Nicholson, Harvey Dent: Billy Dee Williams

THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)--Bruce Wayne (Batman): Christian Bale, Alfred: Michael Caine, Gordon: Gary Oldman, Joker: Heath Ledger, Harvey Dent (Two-Face): Aaron Eckhart

BATMAN RETURNS (1992)--Bruce Wayne (Batman): Michael Keaton, Alfred: Michael Gough, Gordon: Pat Hingle, Selina Kyle (Catwoman): Michelle Pfeiffer, Cobblepot (Penguin): Danny DeVito

THE BATMAN (1943)--Bruce Wayne (Batman): Lewis Wilson, Dick Grayson (Robin): Douglas Croft, Alfred: Willian Austin
BATMAN AND ROBIN (1949)--Bruce Wayne (Batman): Rober Lowery, Dick Grayson (Robin): Johnny Duncan, Alfred: Eric Wilton, Gordon: Lyle Talbot

BATMAN (1966)--Bruce Wayne (Batman): Adam West, Dick Grayson (Robin): Burt Ward, Alfred: Alan Napier, Gordon: Neil Hamilton, Joker: Cesar Romero, Miss Kitt Kat (Catwoman): Lee Meriwether, Cobblepot (Penguin): Burgess Meredith

BATMAN FOREVER (1995)--Bruce Wayne (Batman): Val Kilmer, Dick Grayson (Robin): Chris O'Donnell, Alfred: Michael Gough, Gordon: Pat Hingle, Harvey Dent (Two-Face): Tommy Lee Jones

BATMAN AND ROBIN (1997)--Bruce Wayne (child): Eric Lloyd, Bruce Wayne (Batman): George Clooney, Dick Grayson (Robin): Chris O'Donnell, Alfred (young): Jon Simmons, Alfred: Michael Gough, Gordon: Pat Hingle

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE (2016)--Bruce Wayne (child): Brandon Spink, Bruce Wayne (Batman): Ben Affleck, Alfred: Jeremy Irons,Thomas Wayne: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Martha Wayne: Lauren Cohan

SUICIDE SQUAD (2016)--Bruce Wayne (Batman), Joker: Jared Leto, Harley Quinn: Margot Robbie

JUSTICE LEAGUE (2017/2021)--Bruce Wayne (Batman), Alfred: Jeremy Irons, Gordon: J.K. Simmons, Joker: Jared Leto

BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN (2020)--Harley Quinn: Margot Robbie

THE SUICIDE SQUAD (2021)--Harley Quinn: Margot Robbie, Montoya: Rosie Perez

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2012)--Bruce Wayne (Batman): Christian Bale, Alfred: Michael Caine, Gordon: Gary Oldman, Selina Kyle (Catwoman): Anne Hathaway

THE FLASH (2023)--Bruce Wayne (Batman): Ben Affleck & Michael Keaton, Alfred: Jeremy Irons [any others could be spoilers]