The Worst Batman Movie Turns 10 In 2026

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There have been a lot of excellent Batman movies made, both with real actors and animation. But the weakest one is about to turn ten years old, and many fans actually find it gets more disappointing as time goes on. Batman remains incredibly popular, and his world and characters are constantly being reimagined in different forms of entertainment.

When it comes to live-action Batman films, the Dark Knight trilogy and Matt Reeves’ The Batman are considered among the very best. In animation, The Dark Knight Returns stands out as a top pick. However, not all Batman movies are winners, and the generally agreed-upon worst is the animated The Killing Joke, which will be ten years old in 2026.

The Killing Joke Is The Worst Batman Movie Of All Time

Batman’s comic book history is full of iconic and important stories, many of which have inspired some of the greatest Batman movies. Animated adaptations have also brought beloved comics and graphic novels to life, including the critically acclaimed The Killing Joke.

Published in 1988 and created by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, The Killing Joke is a single, self-contained graphic novel. It presents a new take on the Joker’s origins, revealing him as a struggling comedian who, facing financial hardship and with a pregnant wife, makes a desperate decision to assist two criminals in a break-in at the chemical plant where he once worked.

He received the devastating news that his wife and unborn child had died in an accident at home, but felt trapped and unable to change his plans. After police killed his partners in crime and Batman challenged him, he desperately jumped into a chemical waste pool. The chemicals bleached his skin, turned his hair white, and left his lips permanently scarred. Combined with his immense grief, this horrific experience shattered his sanity, ultimately transforming him into the Joker.

The Joker later suggests his origin story isn’t reliable, as his memories change, but this inconsistent past has inspired several live-action portrayals of the character. “The Killing Joke” also features the story of Barbara Gordon being shot and paralyzed, an event that leads to her transformation into Oracle.

In 2016, an animated version of The Killing Joke was released, directed by Sam Liu. It first premiered at San Diego Comic-Con and then became available in theaters and online. However, the film wasn’t well-received by critics or audiences, earning a 35% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and only $4.4 million at the box office despite costing $3.5 million to make. It ended up being the lowest-rated Batman movie ever.

How Batman: The Killing Joke Failed The Original Comic Book

While the movie The Killing Joke generally followed the original story, some changes and additions proved problematic and ultimately harmed the film. The prologue and the way Barbara Gordon’s character was portrayed received the most criticism. The prologue specifically focused too much on her and included a pointless subplot with a villain no one remembers.

The story’s opening also included a problematic and unexpected sexual relationship between Batman and Batgirl, which felt out of character for them and disregarded their established mentor-mentee connection. Furthermore, the story stripped Barbara Gordon of her independence, using her solely to advance the plot, reducing her to a tired trope, and unnecessarily sexualizing her character.

Beyond that, The Killing Joke didn’t fully capture the heart of the story, resulting in a feeling of being hurried and lacking substance. This is quite different from the original material, which is known for being intricate and emotionally resonant. Many feel The Killing Joke confused shocking violence with genuine maturity, and ultimately, it negatively impacted both the characters and the source graphic novel.

The Killing Joke Is Worth Watching For Kevin Conroy And Mark Hamill

While The Killing Joke doesn’t quite capture the spirit of the original story and relies too much on shocking moments instead of a strong plot and well-developed characters, it’s still worth seeing for the incredible performances of Mark Hamill as the Joker and Kevin Conroy as Batman.

Mark Hamill is famous for playing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films, but he’s also widely recognized as the voice of the Joker. He first began voicing the character in 1992 with Batman: The Animated Series, and his performance has consistently received high praise from both critics and fans. His involvement in The Killing Joke was a major draw for the film.

For many years, Kevin Conroy was the iconic voice of Batman in animated series and films. He first began voicing the character in 1992 with Batman: The Animated Series, and his final performance as Batman was in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three, which was released after his passing.

Even though some viewers and critics found their performances a little flat, the return of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill as Batman and the Joker in The Killing Joke still makes the movie worthwhile, likely because the script didn’t give them much to work with.

In the summer of 2026, The Killing Joke will be a decade old, and sadly, some aspects haven’t held up well over time. Specifically, the storyline involving Barbara and her depiction feel even more problematic now than when the film was first released. Despite this, The Killing Joke remains essential viewing for Batman fans, largely due to the incredible performances by Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill.

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2026-01-13 23:21