The Best Quote From Each Batman Movie

Summary

• Adam West’s campy humor remains iconic with “Some days, you just can’t get rid of a bomb!”
• Michael Keaton’s unhinged delivery with, “You Wanna Get Nuts? C’mon! Let’s Get Nuts!”
• Robert Pattinson’s aggressive debut sets the tone with “I’m Vengeance!”

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Throughout the entirety of the Batman franchise, the Caped Crusader and his villains have provided some of the best quotes in cinema. There have been multiple versions of Batman on the big screen, and all of them have had at least one memorable line (if not more). To that end, it’s fun to look back and pick out one of the best lines from every theatrical Batman release.

While actors and universes may change, Batman and Gotham City have long been a quintessential part of the superhero film genre. After all, The Dark Knight is easily one of the most popular superheroes of all time whether he’s on the page, in live-action, or in animated form. To that end, here are our picks for the best quote from every Batman movie.

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11 “Some days, you just can’t get rid of a bomb!”

Adam West as Batman In Batman: The Movie (1966)

Batman: The Movie starring Adam West was the first major Batman film released in theaters. Connected to the Batman television series, the movie saw several of Batman’s villains joining forces. To that end, one sequence involves the Caped Crusader desperately trying to dispose of a bomb at a crowded boardwalk, only to face baby carriages, nuns, marching bands, and even baby ducks. This prompted one of West’s most famous lines before he finally finds a place for the bomb to safely detonate. It’s a prime example of just how much lighter and campy the original Batman movie and series were compared to future Batman projects.

Batman: The Movie (1966)
PG
Action
Adventure
Comedy

The Caped Crusader’s first theatrical debut arrived in 1966 as Batman: The Movie, directed by Leslie H. Martinson. Connected to the television series Batman: The Movie follows Batman and Robin as they face off with the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler, and Catwoman as they hold the world hostage with a powerful weapon that can dehydrate human beings instantly.

Director Leslie H. Martinson Release Date July 30, 1966 Studio(s) Greenlawn Productions Distributor(s) 20th Century Fox Writers Lorenzo Semple Jr. Cast Adam West , Burt Ward , Lee Meriwether , Cesar Romero , Burgess Meredith , Frank Gorshin Runtime 105 Minutes Budget $1.37 Million

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10 “You Wanna Get Nuts? C’mon! Let’s Get Nuts!”

Michael Keaton As Bruce Wayne in Batman (1989)

While facing the Joker as Bruce Wayne, Michael Keaton’s Batman hides a serving tray under his shirt before pretending to be extremely agitated, betting on the fact that Joker would shoot him and leave. This allowed Wayne to get Vicki Vale to safety and suit up as Batman. However, the “Let’s get nuts” line is one of Keaton’s most iconic Batman quotes by far.

Not only is this line one of Keaton’s best from the first Batman movie, but it’s also been quoted in other DC films, and by other versions of The Dark Knight. Not only was it repeated in 2017’s LEGO Batman movie when the Caped Crusader faces his version of the Joker, but it was also quoted by an older version of Keaton’s Batman as seen in 2023’s The Flash. As such, it’s clearly a quote that begs for callbacks.

Batman (1989)
PG-13
Action
Adventure
Superhero

Batman is a 1989 superhero movie directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne. The film features Jack Nicholson’s chilling portrayal as Jack Napier, who turns into the Joker and reigns terror on Gotham. Kim Basinger also stars in the film as Vicki Vale, along with Michael Gough as Bruce’s trusty butler named Alfred.

Director Tim Burton Release Date June 23, 1989 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Cast Michael Keaton , Jack Nicholson , Kim Basinger , Billy Dee Williams , Robert Wuhl , Pat Hingle , Michael Gough Runtime 126 Minutes Budget $48 Million

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9 “Mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it” “But a kiss can be even deadlier if you mean it.”

Michael Keaton as Batman and Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns (1992)

With a twisted romance only Tim Burton could have brought to life on the big-screen, Batman and Catwoman’s back-and-forth banter about mistletoe is certainly one of the best quotes from Batman Returns. Initially, the lines were used during the first encounter between Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman and Keaton’s Caped Crusader. However, the same exchange later ends up revealing their alter egos to each other at the masquerade ball which they had both attended as Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne. As such, mistletoe and its traditions became a key symbol of their relationship, one that increasingly became quite complex throughout the iconic DC film.

Batman Returns
PG-13
Action
Crime
Fantasy
Superhero

Batman Returns sees the return of Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne after his victory over the Joker. This time, the Dark Knight faces a new threat in the form of The Penguin, an outcast who wants revenge on Gotham City. Featuring Danny DeVito as Oswald Cobblepot, Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle a.k.a. Catwoman, and Christopher Walken as Max Schreck, Batman Returns is Tim Burton’s second and final movie based on the iconic DC comics character.

Director Tim Burton Release Date June 19, 1992 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Bob Kane , Daniel Waters , Sam Hamm Cast Michael Keaton , Danny DeVito , Michelle Pfeiffer , Christopher Walken , Michael Gough , Michael Murphy Runtime 126minutes prequel(s) The Batman Budget 80 million

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8 “Your entrance was good. His was better. The difference: Showmanship!”

Jim Carrey as The Riddler in Batman Forever (1995)

Jim Carrey played the Riddler in 1995’s Batman Forever from director Joel Schumacher. Having joined forces with Tommy Lee Jones’s Two-Face to take over Gotham and kill Batman, Edward Nygma finances his own company using funds from a series of robberies committed with Harvey Dent. Gaining power and influence, Nygma also becomes smarter from his brainwave devices sold to the public. However, Two-Face ends up crashing a gala thrown by Nygma himself, one that Batman also crashes moments later. However, Riddler appreciates Batman’s entrance more than Dent’s for the sake of pure showmanship and drama.

Batman Forever
PG-13
Action
Adventure
Crime
Fantasy
Superhero

After Tim Burton’s plans for a third Batman film fell through, director Joel Schumacher took over the franchise with 1995’s Batman Forever. Replacing Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer stars as Bruce Wayne opposite to Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones, who play The Riddler and Two-Face, respectively. Batman Forever also marks the first time Robin appears on the big screen since Burt Ward reprised his Boy Wonder role in 1966’s Batman: The Movie.

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Director Joel Schumacher Release Date June 16, 1995 Studio(s) PolyGram Pictures , Tim Burton Productions Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Bob Kane , Lee Batchler , Janet Scott Batchler , Akiva Goldsman Cast Jim Carrey , Nicole Kidman , Tommy Lee Jones , Drew Barrymore , Chris O’Donnell , Val Kilmer , Pat Hingle , Michael Gough , Debi Mazar Runtime 117 Minutes prequel(s) Batman (1989) , Batman Returns Budget $100 Million

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7 “She knows who we are.” “Guess we’ll just have to kill her” “Yep, we’ll kill her later. We’ve got work to do.”

Chris O’Donnell as Robin and George Clooney as Batman in Batman and Robin (1997)

While there are so many ice puns from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mister Freeze that could be chosen, one of the best lines from 1997’s Batman and Robin actually comes near the end from Batman and Robin themselves. Having received her own mask and suit from her uncle Alfred, Barbara Wilson became Batgirl and joined forces with the Dynamic Duo. As such, their humorous line about having to kill her later due to learning their secret identities is a campy yet humorous way of welcoming the new Gotham hero to their ranks.

Batman and Robin
pg-13
Action
Thriller
Sci-Fi

Following the events of Batman Forever, Batman & Robin is the fourth entry into Warner Bros.’s original Batman film franchise. Batman (George Clooney) and his sidekick Robin (Chris O’Donnell) team up with Barbara Wilson (Alicia Silverstone) to thwart the evil plans of Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman). With Barbara assuming the mantle of Batgirl, the three heroes fight to save Gotham from two of Batman’s greatest enemies. 

Director Joel Schumacher Release Date June 20, 1997 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers George Clooney , Akiva Goldsman Cast George Clooney , Arnold Schwarzenegger , Chris O’Donnell , Uma Thurman Runtime 2h 5m Franchise(s) Batman Sequel(s) Batman Begins , The Dark Knight , The Dark Knight Rises prequel(s) Batman (1989) , Batman Returns Budget 125 million

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6 “Why bats, Master Wayne? Bats frighten me. It’s time my enemies shared my dread.”

Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth and Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins (2005)

Questioning his decision to center his crusade around the symbol of a bat, Bruce tells Alfred that he wants criminals to share his dread and childhood fear of the nocturnal creatures. While Batman Begins has a plethora of iconic quotes including the one about falling from Bruce Wayne’s father, there’s something inherently epic about Bruce’s explanation, especially as he’s literally forging his symbol as Batman by making one of his first batarangs. As origin quotes go, it’s certainly one of the most impressive and powerful considering the legend that Batman becomes.

Batman Begins
PG-13
Action
Adventure
Crime
Documentary
Drama

Christopher Nolan’s take on Batman’s origin story sees Christian Bale take up the mantle of the Caped Crusader. Batman Begins follows young Bruce Wayne who, reeling from the murder of his wealthy parents, decides to become a vigilante in order to save Gotham City. This pits him against the mysterious League of Shadows, an organization intent on destroying Gotham with the help of the villainous Scarecrow and his powerful fear toxin.  

Director Christopher Nolan Release Date June 15, 2005 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Bob Kane , David S. Goyer , Christopher Nolan Cast Ken Watanabe , Liam Neeson , Gary Oldman , Tom Wilkinson , Linus Roache , Christian Bale , Katie Holmes , Mark Boone Junior , Michael Caine , Rutger Hauer , Cillian Murphy , Morgan Freeman Runtime 140 Minutes Budget 150 million

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5 “You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight (2008)

Perhaps one of the most famous Batman movie quotes of all time, Harvey Dent is the first to give voice to Gotham’s shifting perspectives on Batman and the growing criticisms in The Dark Knight. Likewise, the line becomes even more powerful when not only the shining Gotham hero that was Dent has become Two-Face, but Batman himself chooses to take the blame for his crimes to keep Gotham’s hope and all the good Dent did from being undone. Batman becomes the villain at the end of The Dark Knight, a heroic act in and of itself.

The Dark Knight
PG-13
Action
Thriller
Drama
Crime

Christian Bale once again embodies the man behind the mask in The Dark Knight, reuniting Bale with Batman Begins director Christopher Nolan. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman has been making headway against local crime—until a rising criminal mastermind known as The Joker unleashes a fresh reign of chaos across Gotham City. To stop this devious new menace—Batman’s most personal and vicious enemy yet—he will have to use every high-tech weapon in his arsenal and confront his beliefs if he hopes to stand a chance against the Clown Prince of Crime.

Director Christopher Nolan Release Date July 18, 2008 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Christopher Nolan , Jonathan Nolan , David S. Goyer Cast Nestor Carbonell , Morgan Freeman , Ritchie Coster , Cillian Murphy , Chin Han , Gary Oldman , Eric Roberts , William Fichtner , Aaron Eckhart , Maggie Gyllenhaal , Christian Bale , David Dastmalchian , Michael Caine , Anthony Michael Hall , Heath Ledger Runtime 152 Minutes Franchise(s) Batman Sequel(s) The Dark Knight Rises prequel(s) Batman Begins Budget 185 Million

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4 “A hero can be anyone. Even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat around a young boy’s shoulders to let him know that the world hadn’t ended.”

Christian Bale as Batman in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Proving that he always has been a hero dedicated to protecting Gotham, Batman prepares to seemingly sacrifice himself and take the nuclear bomb out of the city at the end of The Dark KnightRises. However, he tells Gordon that his true identity shouldn’t become public, while also revealing to Gordon alone who he really is. It’s a powerful moment, one that acknowledges the impact of the good Gordon did when Bruce was a child after losing his parents, as well as the importance of the Batman legend itself and its ability to inspire Gotham to be better (regardless of who’s under the mask).

The Dark Knight Rises
13+
Action
Superhero
Drama
Thriller
Crime
Sci-Fi

The Dark Knight Rises is the final chapter in the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, with Christian Bale donning the cape and cowl once more to save Gotham City from certain destruction. Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, Batman has left the public eye after taking the fall for the crimes committed by a twisted Harvey Dent. However, he is called back into action when a mysterious villain named Bane arrives to bring disorder to Gotham, forcing him to confront deeper, darker recesses of his past to be able to face a challenge he may not be ready for.

Director Christopher Nolan Release Date August 16, 2012 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Christopher Nolan , Jonathan Nolan Cast Christian Bale , Anne Hathaway , Michael Caine , Gary Oldman Runtime 2h 45m Franchise(s) Batman Sequel(s) Batman Begins prequel(s) The Dark Knight Budget 250 million USD

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3 “Tell me something…do you bleed? You will.”

Ben Affleck As Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

The iconic first live-action encounter between Batman and Superman, a vengeful Dark Knight played by Ben Affleck gives one of the most epic Batman lines after facing Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel for the first time in 2016’s Dawn of Justice. Asking the Kryptonian if he bleeds, Batman promises that he will even as he flies off, determined to make Kal-El pay for the destruction of Metropolis as seen in 2013’s Man of Steel. It’s an incredibly foreboding and powerful line, one that sets up all of Batman’s work to prepare both himself and his arsenal to face an all-powerful alien before eventually finding the humanity within that is Clark Kent.

Batman v Superman
PG-13
Fantasy
Adventure
Action

Director Zack Snyder Release Date March 25, 2016 Writers Chris Terrio , David S. Goyer Cast Jesse Eisenberg , Laurence Fishburne , Jason Momoa , Diane Lane , Ben Affleck , Holly Hunter , Amy Adams , Ray Fisher , Jeremy Irons , Henry Cavill , Gal Gadot

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2 “‘If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change. Hooo.’ No. I said that. Batman is very wise.”

Will Arnett as LEGO Batman in The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)

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Taking credit for Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”, LEGO Batman’s “quote” at the beginning of his 2017 movie is as hilarious as it is surprisingly poignant. Not only do the lyrics get referenced multiple times throughout the movie, but it essentially becomes the through-line representing the brick-built Dark Knight’s entire character arc. Eventually, LEGO Batman does indeed take a look in the mirror to change not only himself but also Gotham for the better, recognizing that he needs to open himself up and allow himself to build a family again.

The Lego Batman Movie
PG
Comedy
Action
Animation

The LEGO Batman Movie is a spin-off of 2014’s The LEGO Movie, which centers around the titular hero; where after another day in Gotham City goes wrong thanks to the Joker and other fellow DC villains, Batman tells the Joker he’s a pitiful villain, not worth his time and hurts his feelings. Wanting to prove himself to Batman and get his ultimate revenge, Joker concocts an idea that will require the Caped Crusader to learn how to give up the lone vigilante act and recruit the help of allies Robin and Batgirl. 

Director Chris McKay Release Date February 10, 2017 Studio(s) Warner Animation Group , DC Entertainment , RatPac-Dune Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers John Whittington , Jared Stem , Erik Sommers , Seth Grahame-Smith , Chris McKenna Cast Will Arnett , Ralph Fiennes , Mariah Carey , Rosario Dawson , Michael Cera , Zach Galifianakis Runtime 104 minutes Franchise(s) LEGO Batman , LEGO Budget $80 million

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1 “I’m Vengeance!”

Robert Pattinson as Batman in The Batman (2022)

The most recent live-action Batman feature, Matt Reeves’ The Batman starring Robert Pattinson perhaps has one of the most iconic opening lines of all time. When asked by a group of thugs what he’s supposed to be, Batman brutally beats the lead thug down before responding that he’s Vengeance (before beating him down some more). It’s an extremely aggressive debut, and his line immediately sets the tone for the entire movie and what kind of Batman viewers are going to get; a Dark Knight early in his crusade who’s still unrefined in places, particularly when it comes to his anger and rage as a new vigilante.

The Batman
PG-13
Crime
Action
Drama

The Batman is a part of the DC Elseworlds series of films and centers around a younger Bruce Wayne, who has taken up the mantle of Batman only two years prior. Batman finds himself stuck in a game concocted by a dangerous new foe known as the Riddler, a serial killer who targets elite members of Gotham’s society. Working together with Lieutenant James Gordon, Batman will attempt to uncover the mystery surrounding the Riddler’s killing spree.

Director Matt Reeves Release Date March 4, 2022 Studio(s) DC Writers Matt Reeves , Peter Craig Cast Colin Farrell , Jeffrey Wright , Paul Dano , Andy Serkis , Robert Pattinson , Zoe Kravitz Runtime 176 minutes Franchise(s) DC Universe , DC Comics Sequel(s) The Batman Part II Budget $200 million

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Upcoming DC Movies	Release Date
Joker: Folie à Deux	October 4, 2024
Superman	July 11, 2025
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow	June 26, 2026
The Batman – Part II	October 2, 2026

Source: https://www.kidsland.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment