We're Not Joking, One Batman Movie Has Aged Better Than The Dark Knight

For years, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight has been treated as the gold standard of Batman movies. With its gritty tone and the late Heath Ledger’s iconic performance as the Joker, the 2008 film raised the bar. Any comparison to it is usually framed as an uphill battle, one that no other feature-length Batman story could win. Yet, there’s one movie in the Batman franchise that is actually aging far better than The Dark Knight.

Of course, Nolan’s film hasn’t lost its impact on Gotham’s cinematic history, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is still viewed the same way, especially when compared to Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Released in 1993, the animated movie about the Caped Crusader is told in two timelines: the past and the present. In the present, Batman investigates a mysterious vigilante known as the Phantasm, who is killing Gotham’s crime bosses, while the flashbacks explore Bruce’s past and his romance with Andrea Beaumont.

With the massive number of Batman films available, both live-action and animated, it's quite difficult to pick one that reigns supreme. However, Mask of the Phantasm has set itself apart, not only as a great Batman movie, but one that does an incredible job of showing the emotional demons that the Caped Crusader has to fight. While not everyone remembers Mask of the Phantasm, the animated film is proof that there’s a Batman story that is as good as The Dark Knight — or better.

The Best Batman Movie Isn't Even Live-Action

When it comes to Batman, everyone has their favorite film, and it's more often than not a live-action movie. However, the title that beats them all is none other than Mask of the Phantasm. The 1993 movie being the superior Batman story shouldn’t really come as a surprise, especially because DC has struggled when it comes to its live-action movies, which are usually hit or miss. On the other hand, the comic book company’s Batman animated films have built a reputation for being consistently stronger than many of their live-action counterparts.

Live-action Batman movies are often constrained by many factors, whereas animated films don’t have those same restrictions, and thus have more creative freedom. In the Batman franchise, the animated DC movies are often willing to go darker and explore mature themes than live-action entries. Of course, Mask of the Phantasm isn’t the only Batman film that features a dark tone or depicts Bruce Wayne’s struggle with his alter ego, but it is the one that shows his humanity exceptionally well.

Why Mask Of The Phantasm Has Aged So Well

When Mask of the Phantasm was released in 1993, it was expected to be a simple extension of Batman: The Animated Series, but it became one of the most respected Batman stories ever created. Decades later, the film has only gotten better, as there are always new things about it to appreciate. Batman is often seen as a symbol of good, but not many understand what it takes for Bruce Wayne to don the cape, which is why Mask of the Phantasm is a masterpiece.

Many adaptations of the Caped Crusader's adventures focus on his detective skills or his fighting prowess, but Mask of the Phantasm zooms in on the person underneath the mask. Through his relationship with Andrea, audiences see a version of Bruce before he completely commits to his mission, as he is not yet the distant character typically depicted in adaptations.

There’s a weight to Mask of the Phantasm because Bruce Wayne considers leaving his vigilante ways in order to have a normal life with Andrea. Since he became Batman to avenge his parents’ death, the movie explores the guilt he carries for being happy instead of leaning into the grief that has defined him since childhood.

The Dark Knight's Shine Has Slightly Dulled Over The Years

The Dark Knight is without a doubt the most revered Batman movie, both by critics and audiences. A film like that is simply generational, and one that is extremely difficult to top. While it is still considered a revolutionary tale, particularly because of Heath Ledger’s Joker, it just doesn’t hit the same way it did when it was initially released. With The Dark Knight, Nolan set a bar for himself that even he couldn’t surpass, given that The Dark Knight Rises, the sequel to the film, is considered inferior.

Batman isn’t meant to be a funny or lighthearted superhero, given his tragic beginnings, but even with that in mind, The Dark Knight can be a little too dark. The movie’s best part is also its downfall: the Joker made the film fantastic, but he also outperformed the hero, which isn’t good given that the film is about Batman and not his greatest nemesis.

Furthermore, at nearly three hours long, The Dark Knight drags on. What once felt like crucial elements to the story are now seen as filler, especially because more time could have been spent fleshing out Batman and Harvey Dent.

The Batman Part II Rumors Suggest It's Remaking Mask Of The Phantasm (Sort Of)

Matt Reeves’ The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as the titular character, easily became a fan favorite, and the director took his time writing the sequel script to get it right. Now that the highly anticipated film is finally in production, rumors about what The Batman II will be about are currently swarming, with some theorizing that it could be a remake of Mask of the Phantasm.

Since Scarlett Johansson is set to appear in The Batman II in an undisclosed role, there are theories that she might be playing Batman’s ex-fiancée, Andrea. But like any rumors, this should be taken with a grain of salt, as there are so many other characters in the Batman universe that Johansson could be portraying, with Gilda Dent being a common theory. There’s also a chance that The Batman II’s main antagonist could be the Court of Owls.

With news about the upcoming Batman film being a closely guarded secret, fans can only hope that it's their favorite storyline that will take center stage. Still, it would be cool if Mask of the Phantasm was the one finally getting a live-action adaptation because it truly is one of the best Batman films ever created.