Who doesn’t love the Batmobile? It’s the ultimate badass machine that has gone through many evolutions since its creation. Nothing like a jet-black, lightning-fast tank forBatmanto cruise the streets at night. Sure, Batman has his Batwing, Batcopter, Batjet, and Bat-Segway, but none come close to the Bat-ness of the Batmobile. It’s so iconic that it has been brought to life in real, (mostly) driveable models of the fictional car, but which Batmobile is the best?
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The Batmobile has gone through many changes and tweaks in everything comic books, film, TV, toys, and video games. Certain Batmobiles have particular uses that others wouldn’t be able to do.As we’re waiting for 2022’sThe Batman, let’s go through some of the very best film Batmobiles out there and rank them accordingly.
8.Batman ForeverBatmobile
First Appearance:Batman Forever
Designed by:Barbara Ling
Base Car:Modified Chevy 350
Years used:1995
The Batmobile used byVal Kilmeris flashy and colorful, much likeJoel Schumacher’stake on the Batman franchise. The first departure ofBurton’swell-known Batmobile from‘89andBatman Returnsdefinitely has some style, but it is simultaneously overdesigned and bulky.
It looks like a plastic toy car, which is probably accurate because they wanted to sell plastic toy Batmobiles first and foremost. Schumacher effectively made some of the most visually-pleasing Gothams, but this Batmobile is slight in an otherwise eye-candy world.
7. The Tumbler
First Appearance:Batman Begins
Designed by:Christopher Nolan and Nathan Crowley
Base Car:Tank, motorcycle, and sportscar
Years used:2005-2008
The most obvious drawback this Batmobile has is the fact it’s just plain ugly. It is way too pointy and sharp to the point that it’s scary to even think about touching it. What it may lack in beauty, it more than makes up for in usefulness. In fact, it’s perhaps the most active and reliable Batmobile to date.
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A tank with fast mobility, The Tumbler can jump and leap across rooftops and rivers. When the Joker seemingly destroys it inThe Dark Knight, Batman ejects himself from it via Batpod, which is connected to the front wheels of the car and becomes his prominent transportation inDark Knight Rises. This is an incredible Batmobile, but if it only it wasn’t painful to look at.
6.Batman & RobinBatmobile
First Appearance:Batman & Robin
While it’s still bulky and overdesigned, this round granted us an otherwise massive improvement from theBatman ForeverBatmobile. The wings in the back pop out, giving this Batmobile some flair.
The color choices are still odd when seen out of context, but match the intentionally over-the-top set design in the film that this vehicle is from.Batman & Forevermay be considered by many to be the worst Batman film, but its Batmobile wasn’t too shabby.
5.Batman V SupermanBatmobile
First Appearance:Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Designed by:Patrick Tatopoulos
Base Car:Chevy Hybrid
Years used:2016-2021
If any Batmobile screams “futuristic,” it’s the one fromZack Snyder’sBatman V Superman. A massive step-up from the Tumbler that preceded it, this car has a variety of uses. From impossible speed to missiles, to a machine gun laid out front and center, it’s clear that this Batmobile means business.
We may not have seen much of this one, but its moments on-screen left an impact and solidified it as one of the best – and coolest – Batmobiles out there.
4. Animated Batmobile (Mask of the Phantasm)
First Appearance:Batman: The Animated Series
Designed by:Shayne Poindexter
Base Car:Inspired by the Tim Burton Batmobile
Years used:1992-1995
It may be a plain and simple design, but perfectly fits the moody tone and atmosphere ofBatman: The Animated SeriesandMask of the Phantasm.Lacking any flair and color benefits the style of this car immensely, showing off its sleek stylism rather than leaning into flash or sheer functionality.
This entry gives the appearance of a car that does what it needs to do without losing itself in utility. It may not be the most interesting Batmobile on this list, but there’s still some fantastic and intentional art design on display.
3.The Batman(2022) Batmobile
First Appearance:The Batman
Designed by:Matt Reeves
Base Car:Muscle car
Years used:2022
It’s hard to definitively rank and discuss this Batmobile, given we haven’t had a chance to see the film. But based on set photos and trailers, this looks to be a promising Batmobile that can get the job done.
Gone are the advanced weaponry and mechanics of the Batmobiles before it, as the much more groundedThe Batmanis creating a horror-inspired muscle car for Batman. Hopefully, there’ll be more to the car than what we’ve seen so far because at first glance it looks fantastic.
2.Batman ‘66Batmobile
First Appearance:1966Batman
Designed by: William M. Schmidt
Base Car:1955 Lincoln Futura
Years used:1966-1968
Nothing feels quite as iconic as the 1966Adam Westera Batmobile. It may be pretty simple, but for such an iconic period for Batman, its legacy is like none other. The eye-catching red lines give it the personality it needed and are just a thing of beauty all-around.
Plus, it has equally useful and hilarious Bat-related, pun-tastic tools, such as the “Bat-tering Ram” and “Emergency Tire Inflator”. It’s perfect for the silly and wacky world it came from but doesn’t quite reach the iconic heights of number one.
1.Batman ‘89Batmobile
First Appearance:Batman(1989)
Designed by:Anton Furst
Base Car:All custom, built from two spliced Impala chassis, powered by a Chevy V8 on Mickey Thompson racing tires.
Years used:1989-1992
In terms of what a Batmobile can be, the one driven byMichael Keatonin the duo ofTim Burtonfilms is hands-down the best. Due to the time in which it was released and the definitive aesthetics of the Burton era in general, it’s likely the Batmobile that most people would point to when asked to remember their favorite. As one of theBatman takes that defined the 1990salongsideThe Animated Series, this remains one of the most visually memorable icons of an important era.
Though it may not be a practical ride (good luck driving that around the city) it’s still a thing of beauty, perfectly matching Burton’s gothic aesthetic. It’s a sublime cinematic automobile fixed with grappling hooks, afterburners, a voice-activated shield, and more. This is THE Batmobile.
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