10 Best Batmobile Scenes In Batman Movies (Including The Batman)

Certain elements are essential when crafting a Batman movie. The costume, the gadgets, the symbol, and of course, the Batmobile. The Batmobile has become synonymous with the character ever since its introduction in the comics and continues to be a companion piece to Batman in movies and shows alike.

With Matt Reeves giving fans his new take on Gotham City and its hero with The Batman, it presents a new scene featuring the beloved vehicle. This leads to a question: where does this Batmobile scene sit among the plethora of iconic Batmobile scenes?

Two-Face’s Trap (Batman Forever)

For as campy and over-the-top as Batman Forever can be, it at least has one good Batmobile sequence with Two-Face and his men laying a trap for him. It leads to a chase that shows off that this Batmobile is actually more maneuverable than the previous incarnation.

Of course, the stand-out sequence is when Batman is forced down an alleyway but a dead end doesn’t stop him. With a grapple winch, Batman is able to drive up the side of a skyscraper which is definitely a bit much, but thanks to the visuals and Elliot Goldenthal’s score, there is something appealing about it.

Museum Escape (Batman ’89)

Where does Batman get his wonderful toys? That’s never really explained in Tim Burton’s Batman, but at least he has them, and the best toy for the Batman played by Michael Keaton is the classic Batmobile that many future shows, movies, games, and comics would take inspiration from.

It’s fast and durable, able to outrun Joker’s men with ease. As a bonus, he has all sorts of gadgets built into the Batmobile to help him fend off enemies and make the sharpest of turns. Batman controls the Batmobile remotely and with his voice alone, it forms an extra layer of armor and more, establishing the basis for all future Batmobile scenes.

Batman’s Introduction (Batman Returns)

Every Batman movie needs a solid introduction for the Dark Knight, and Batman Returns has quite the action-packed intro. When the Red Triangle Circus gang attacks Gotham, Batman rushes in to face off against them using even more gadgets to knock out several of them as well as mercilessly kill others.

The wintery setting helps in showing off the details of the Batmobile and gives more variety to the visuals in comparison to the more grimy look in Batman ’89. It’s also the one time where Batman uses his exhaust as a weapon against criminals in these films.

Oswald Cobblepott’s School Of Driving (Batman Returns)

The Penguin proves to be a lot smarter than he seems when he remotely takes control of the Batmobile from his own trailer. Cobblepott tries to turn the people against Batman by turning the Batmobile into a weapon of mass destruction that destroys cars and rams innocent people of Gotham.

There is genuine tension since Batman Returns was rather unafraid to push the limits of a PG-13 superhero film. Innocents could die unless Batman stops the hacking device. It further pushes the rivalry between Batman and Penguin, features a chase with the police, and the Batmobile transforms into a smaller vehicle.

Death Of The Tumbler (The Dark Knight)

The Tumbler makes an epic return in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. The sequence in which Batman protects Harvey Dent from the Joker’s onslaught is tense due to it all taking place in tight tunnels, making it harder for the Tumbler to navigate.

It all culminates with Batman sacrificing his beloved vehicle to protect the APC carrying Harvey Dent. However, the Tumbler features a surprising function: it can transform into an emergency escape motorcycle known as the Bat-Pod.

Batman VS KGBeast (Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice)

Ben Affleck’s Batmobile gets quite the entrance in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice when he goes after KGBeast, one of many villains in Affleck’s Batman’s mythos, in order to obtain the Kryptonite. This is when his Batman was being extremely reckless, so he utilizes the full lethality of the Batmobile without hesitation.

This Batmobile is eerily similar to the one from Batman: Arkham Knight with the turrets and cannons along with its massive tank-like design. It even has a power winch which he uses for more destructive reasons.

Jim Saves Gotham (Batman Begins)

In a surprising twist, Jim Gordon drives the Tumbler in the final battle of Batman Begins. It further shows the blooming partnership between him and Batman while allowing Jim Gordon to be as much of a hero as the Caped Crusader.

There’s something appealing about seeing Jim Gordon race against time to destroy the train rails, stopping Ra’s Al Ghul’s plot. In a way, it’s not Batman who saves Gotham City, it’s the always honorable Jim Gordon.

Against Apokolips Forces (Zack Snyder’s Justice League)

Going even further with Batman: Arkham Knight as inspiration, not only does Batman have a Gatling gun aboard his Batmobile, but a massive cannon too in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. This allows him to not only fight criminals, but interdimensional alien insects from the planet Apokolips known as Parademons as well.

On his own, Batman is able to lay waste to the invaders showing just how powerful this Batmobile is. However, the Batmobile ends up being part of a beautiful group shot of the Justice League charging into battle and becomes an essential part of penetrating Steppenwolf’s fortress.

Police Chase (Batman Begins)

This is one of many examples of how dangerous Batman could be if he didn’t have a moral code. The Gotham City Police Department proves to be no match for Christian Bale’s Batman in his Tumbler version of the Batmobile.

He’s able to outrun the cops, slip into shadows undetected, leap across rooftops, and plow through walls. The Tumbler proves to be one of the most battle-ready Batmobiles of the franchise with this sequence.

Chasing The Penguin (The Batman)

In what is essentially an upgraded muscle car, Batman pursues Penguin in his own vehicle across Gotham City in The Batman. The introduction to the Batmobile alone is heart-pounding with the engine’s roars causing the whole theater to shake but the chase is a thrilling one.

The Batmobile is unstoppable, tearing through obstacles as if they were made of tissue paper. What makes it so well-done is that it was done practically, which is shown by the cameras mounted on both vehicles.

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