Batman and the big screen are a proven dynamic duo (nice, right?) However, of all the Dark Knight’s box office adventures, which among them have been nominated for the ultimate prize in the world of cinema? The Academy Awards haven't been very kind to DC films in the past. However, Batman has, for the most part, been the exception.
From the campy, colorful adventures ripped right from the pages of the 60s comic book to the dark and serious Nolan verse, Hollywood has had quite a while to mold the dark vigilante to be award worthy. This list wishes to take a gander at just how worthy the Caped Crusader’s films have become.
7 ‘Batman (89)’ Was Nominated For Best Production Design
Back in 1989, Tim Burton brought Batman to the big screen. Complete with a dark and gritty Tim Burton visual aesthetic, Batman became both a box office smash and a critical success. Recognized by the 1990 Academy Awards, Batman was not only nominated for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, but ended up winning the award, with credit going to Anton Furst and Peter Young. With the filming process not always going according to plan (such as Vicki Vale being recast when the original actor was fired due to an unfortunate injury), bringing home the most prestigious honor in film likely made any low points experienced all worth it.
6 ‘Batman Returns’ Was Nominated For Best Visual Effects And Best Makeup/Hairstyle
Nominated at the 1993 Academy Awards for both Best Visual Effects and Best Makeup/Hairstyle, Batman Returns continued to cement its place within Hollywood as a film series to be taken seriously. Though the much-anticipated sequel to the 1989 blockbuster experienced some backlash from parents due to its less than child-friendly content, the film was nonetheless a bona fide success. Unfortunately, this would be the last time both Tim Burton and Michael Keaton would be attached to the series.
5 ‘Batman Forever’ Was Nominated For 3 Academy Awards
Batman Forever was the proud recipient of Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing nominations at the 1996 Oscars. Coming up short, the second sequel of the series failed to bring home the gold. Batman Forever attempted to resolve the issues brought about by its predecessor by introducing a family-friendly take on the Dark Knight; however, the film series (a.k.a. the Shumacher Verse), from here on out developed a bad reputation (especially Batman and Robin which was possibly responsible for the end of Alicia Silverstone’s acting career.) Alas, the Caped Crusader and his films wouldn't see another Oscar nomination for almost 10 years.
4 ‘Batman Begins’ Was Nominated For Best Cinematography
The reboot of the Batman franchise brought new life and an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography at the 2006 Academy Awards. Christopher Nolan’s more grounded take on the vigilante saw the franchise reach unprecedented levels of praise as well as success. Of course, the film was not without a few issues, the most glaring being that of Christian Bale’s infamous Batman Voice (unlike Robert Pattinson’s Batman voice, which left fans losing their minds upon hearing it for the first time.) Regardless, the Batman franchise made a triumphant comeback and set the bar for future comic book movies.
3 ‘The Dark Knight’ Was Nominated For 8 Academy Awards
Nominated at the 2009 Oscars for an incredible 8 Academy Awards, this film won one award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (posthumously going to the late Heath Ledger). The Dark Knight was a critical and commercial success. Making over a billion dollars at the box office, The Dark Knight eclipsed the success of its predecessor by leaps and bounds. Nolan’s rebooted franchise would finish the trilogy in 2012, ending this version of Batman's journey.
2 ‘Suicide Squad’ Was Nominated For Best Makeup And Hairstyling (Though Not Really A Batman Movie)
Nominated at the 2017 Academy Awards for Best Makeup And Hairstyling, Suicide Squad was the first film of the DCEU to receive an Oscar nomination. Though not really a Batman film, It features not only Batfleck himself, but also many of the Caped Crusader’s famed villains. David Ayer’s contribution to comic book cinema introduced viewers to the first live action onscreen portrayal of Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie, and a Captain Boomerang brought to hilarious life by Jai Courney, but also would give audiences the gift of Jared Leto’s rather polarizing take on The Joker.
1 ‘Joker’ Was Nominated For 11 Academy Awards (Again, Not A Batman Movie Per Se)
Nominated for an unprecedented 11 Academy Awards at the 2020 Oscars, including Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Joaquin Phoenix, Joker pleased both critics and fans alike. Not quite a Batman film, Phoenix portrays a grounded version of the titular character. With a sequel on the horizon, Arthur’s adventures are far from over.