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Batman Returns

Batman Returns

The Bat. The Cat. The Penguin.

1992126 minPG-13Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Director
Tim Burton
Starring
Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken

The monstrous Penguin, who dwells in the sewers beneath Gotham, joins up with corrupt mayoral candidate Max Shreck to topple the Batman once and for all. But when Shreck's timid assistant Selina Kyle finds out, and Shreck tries to kill her, she's transformed into the sexy Catwoman. She teams up with the Penguin and Shreck to destroy Batman, but sparks fly unexpectedly when she confronts the caped crusader.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Batman Returns?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Batman Returns streaming on Cinemax via Prime Video and HBO Max and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Batman Returns?

Batman Returns earns 13 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Top 10% in Action.

Show 5 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Batman Returns worth watching?

Batman Returns' Midcredits score is the 83rd percentile of all films, from 915K ratings across 6 sources. 72% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

83rd percentile

Better received than 83% of films

91st percentile among Action85th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)83rd
Approval (how many liked it)81st

71 /100

83rd percentile of all films

92nd percentile among Action87th percentile among 1990s

Critics 68 · Audience 72

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

72% liked it

81st percentile of all films

87th percentile among Action82nd percentile among 1990s
72% rated it 7–1028% rated it 1–6

Critics 81% · Audience 73%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 2 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 29 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Effects, Visual Effects
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Makeup

99th percentile

915K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Action98th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 28% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$80M
Opening weekend$46M
Domestic gross$163M
Worldwide gross$267M

Returned 3.3× its budget — 93rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • Gothic Christmas atmosphere and production design
  • Michelle Pfeiffer's iconic, sexy, and psychologically layered Catwoman
  • Danny DeVito's grotesque yet pitiable Penguin performance

Detractors panned

  • Style over substance, with story and character sacrificed for visual excess
  • Elfman's score is bombastic and overbearing, overwhelming scenes
  • Action scenes lack excitement, invention, and coherent editing

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive90

Dark, gloomy, and immersive Gothic Christmas world; Burton's vision fully realized. Detractors call it oppressive and claustrophobic.

ActingDivisive85

Pfeiffer's Catwoman praised as scene-stealing, sexy, and layered; DeVito grotesque yet pitiable; Keaton brooding but understated; Walken effective as slimy tycoon. Detractors find zero charisma in villains and Keaton dull.

CinematographyDivisive85

Gothic art-deco sets, beautifully lit Christmas Gotham, striking visual identity. Detractors find the style dirty, gritty, and unpleasantly alienating.

OriginalityDivisive80

Bold, dark, and eccentric tone distinct from both predecessor and later Nolan films. Detractors see self-indulgent deviation from source material.

CharactersDivisive75

Villains given tragic backstories and ambiguous psychology; Batman lacks development and feels peripheral. Detractors see shallow, unengaging characters.

Sound and musicDivisive70

Elfman's score praised by fans as powerful and thematically rich; detractors find it bombastic, non-stop, and ear-fatiguing.

Effects and spectacleDivisive65

Memorable practical effects and set pieces like the circus gang and bat-missiles. Detractors call them unexciting and dated even for 1992.

Plot and storyDivisive45

Thin, disjointed story driven by bizarre set-pieces; Penguin's evil plan feels random. Detractors call it shapeless and illogical.

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 17 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 4 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 8 points apart

Watch experience

What is Batman Returns like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense, has a few laughs and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Bleak · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its grotesque, gothic material straight, maintaining a darkly sincere and brooding atmosphere without undercutting its own tragedy.
The rideA persistent undercurrent of threat and sadness pervades, punctuated by bursts of violent action and black comedy.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional three-act structure, following Batman's confrontation with multiple villains.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: BittersweetHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a lingering sense of tragedy and unresolved romantic tension, with its villains meeting dark ends and Batman alone.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeBatman must stop the Penguin, a deformed outcast who seeks power and revenge against Gotham, aided by a corrupt businessman.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% (this title) · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsRevenge · 4% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeEvery major character wrestles with a fractured or hidden identity—Batman's dual life, Catwoman's rebirth, and Penguin's monstrous rejection.
StanceThe film warns against the monstrous consequences of rejection and the consuming nature of revenge, embodied by Penguin and Catwoman.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalFantasy
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score · Danny Elfman
SettingGotham City at a snowy, gothic Christmas
MusicA grand, gothic-pulsing score that underscores both the menace and melancholy of Gotham.

Content guide

Is Batman Returns okay for kids?

PG-13

Batman Returns is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for brooding, dark violence” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (69/100), sexual content at moderate (46/100), language at moderate (39/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (31/100) and frightening material at intense (77/100). Overall it is heavier than 94% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 20 other countries
  • UK12
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • New ZealandPG
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-12
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary12
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoA
  • Netherlands12
  • PortugalM/12
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 63% of all filmsHeavier than 94% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 91%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 85%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 43%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 47%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 95%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material and violence.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Batman Returns have?

MovieCove's classifier found 8 depicted content warnings in Batman Returns: Gore or body horror (severe), Animal cruelty (moderate), Animal death (moderate), Gun violence (moderate), Sexual harassment or grooming (moderate), Sexual violence (moderate), plus 2 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

SevereGore or body horror
ModerateAnimal crueltyAnimal deathGun violenceSexual harassment or groomingSexual violence

Cast and crew

Who is in Batman Returns?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Michael Keaton
as Batman
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Danny DeVito
as Penguin
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michelle Pfeiffer
as Catwoman
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Christopher Walken
as Max Shreck
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Michael Gough
as Alfred
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Pat Hingle
as Commissioner Gordon
Michael Murphy
as Mayor
Cristi Conaway
as Ice Princess
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Andrew Bryniarski
as Chip
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Vincent Schiavelli
as Organ Grinder

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Batman Returns?

Movies like Batman Returns include Batman (1989), Batman & Robin (1997) and Hulk (2003). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Tim Burton, and most are superhero films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

4 of these 12 share its subject: revenge. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Batman Returns?

605 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: superhero. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.