The 11 major Batman movies, ranked from worst to best

Warner Bros.

"The Dark Knight" celebrates its 10th anniversary this week. Christopher Nolan's film transcended superhero movies to become something greater, so there's no better time to rank Batman movies.

The Caped Crusader's screen adventures started in the 1940s with multi-part serial films. The character went on to star in everything from a 1960s television show, to a hit animated series, to multiple film franchises.

For this list, we're counting only full-length theatrical movies, whether they be live-action or animated. The character has starred in dozens of straight-to-home animated releases, and those don't count. We also only counted movies that are obvious Batman movies. So, while we didn't count "Justice League" because that's more of an ensemble team-up movie, we did count "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" because he got top billing.

Below are 11 Batman movies ranked from worst to best:

Bat-nipples and Arnold Schwarzenegger making outrageous puns are the least of this movie's problems ... well, the bat-nipples were pretty bad. But "Batman & Robin" is such worthless schlock that it's hard to fathom that the movie even exists. It rises beyond (or falls below, depending on your perspective) fun camp and is truly cringeworthy. George Clooney is a huge miscast in the role, as is Schwarzenegger, who doesn't even look *cool.* Mr. Freeze, if anything, should at least look cool. 

"Dawn of Justice" is a convoluted mess that is still living in the shadow of "The Dark Knight" while also trying to kick-start a cinematic universe akin to the MCU — but minus the fun. The movie is a long, tedious watch devoid of humor or any hint of a light spirit, not to mention it has one of the most asinine conflict resolutions of any superhero movie ever. Yes, both Batman and Superman's parents are named Martha. But that shouldn't be the solution to everyone's problems. 

Just shy of being the joke that is "Batman & Robin," "Batman Forever" has enough redeeming qualities to at least be a fun watch. Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face is no Aaron Eckhart, and the performance can be nauseatingly over-the-top. But Jim Carrey's Riddler is just the right amount of over-the-top, and he steals every scene he's in. 

Will Arnett voices a LEGO Batman and it's pretty darn fun. I love this movie, and the only reason it's not higher is because it's not as essential as the other ones. But "The LEGO Batman Movie" even rivals the already great "LEGO Movie" that it spins off from. 

This movie is pure camp, but not in a devastatingly awful way like "Batman & Robin." This movie, the first full-length theatrical Batman movie and based on the hit 60s TV show starring the late Adam West, is a product of its time. It's easy to look past the insanity of it and just play along. Batman fighting a shark with shark repellent? It's absurd, but classic. 

See Also:

• 14 superhero movies whose successes and failures have shaped the genre since 2008, from the grit of 'The Dark Knight' to the dominance of the MCU
• Critics love 'Mission: Impossible – Fallout' as much as Tom Cruise loves outrageous stunts
• 11 hidden gem movies currently in theaters you should see, especially if you have MoviePass

SEE ALSO: 14 superhero movies whose successes and failures have shaped the genre since 2008, from the grit of 'The Dark Knight' to the dominance of the MCU