The best Batman quotes of all time

Batman has had an interesting history throughout cinema, and the journey through this DC Comics icon is far from over. From Michael Keaton to Robert Pattinson, Batman has been given some incredible costumes, villains and dialogue over the decades he's graced the screen.

Some of the best Batman quotes that come from Batman's time on screen showcase the brilliance of the character. Through excellent acting and great dialogue, audiences can truly understand what makes Batman so special, with some of the best quotes ever spoken by the iconic Caped Crusader on film.

10 “I'm both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Not because I have to be. Now… Because I choose to be.”

Bruce Wayne is not the mask, Batman is

• Appears in: Batman Forever (1995)

The concept of Bruce Wayne being the true mask of Batman is something that has always been divisive among fans of the character. However, Val Kilmer's time in the cape and cowl is best summed up in his hero's speech to a defeated Riddler, where he tells poor Edward that he's both Bruce Wayne and Batman and doesn't have to be one or the other.

Bruce learns that being Batman is not his forced burden, and while the trauma of losing his parents still weighs him down and influences his heroism over Gotham, it is not what defines him. Bruce chooses to be Batman because he wants to be, proving that he can grow beyond the scars of his trauma.

9 “I'm real when it's useful.”

Batman's vigilantism is still viewed as a myth by some people

• Featured in: Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)

Batman is no stranger to cold lines and his introduction to Cyborg is cold and thoroughly Batman. Cyborg says he's heard of Batman but didn't think he was real, and Batman's quick response shows how he's a hardened veteran of the justice game, and his skill at stealth and hiding in the shadows has made him an urban legend . in and out of Gotham.

The idea that Batman is a myth to some and a man to be feared to others instills the fear in criminals that Batman has always set out to do. It's great to see how Batman is a mystery to the audience and only reveals himself when it's useful for the greater good.

8 “Not All. Not yet.”

Batman will give the people of Gotham City everything, including his life

• Featured in: The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

When Bane takes over Gotham City and unleashes carnage in his final days, Batman returns to bring justice back to his city. With 45 minutes to save Gotham, Batman enlists the help of Catwoman, who tells him “You don't owe these people anymore. You gave them everything.“To which Batman calmly replies:”Not everything. Not yet.“

Batman knows what's coming, and the fact that he doesn't fear death shows that he'll do what it takes to save the people of Gotham City. Batman's words to Catwoman are profound, knowing that the only thing he has left to give is the life of the city he loves.

7 “What were you trying to prove? Deep down, is everyone as ugly as you? You are alone!”

Batman proves to the Joker that civilization will not eat each other

• Featured in: The Dark Knight (2008)

One of the main lessons the Joker tries to show people is that all it takes is one bad day and then people can become as crazy as him. However, this is an ideal that Batman as a hero is completely against, and in what should have been the Joker's proudest hour, where the two Gotham City boats blow up, they prove their strengths morals and thus Batman gets the last one. laugh.

Batman shows his optimism in Gotham City and while he may be a Dark Knight and a figure for vigilantism, he is also a symbol of the forces of good and how the Joker's twisted nature as an agent of chaos will forever have him in a lonely crusade.

6 “Anyone can be a hero.”

Batman shares his identity with his hero, James Gordon

• Featured in: The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

“Anyone can be a hero. Even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat on a boy's shoulders to tell him the world hasn't ended.”

In Batman's final moments, he sacrifices himself to get the nuclear bomb out of Gotham City so it can be detonated at a safe distance. His last words are to James Gordon, where he tells Jim in his own way that he is Batman's hero and that an act as simple as comforting him after the loss of his parents proves that he is a good man.

Batman instills James Gordon with confidence in his identity and thanks him for what he has done at the same time. The fact that Batman gives up life so selflessly, knowing that anyone can be a hero, proves that despite the dark layers of his character, he will always believe in hope.

5 “Bats scare me. It is time for my enemies to share my fear.”

Bruce Wayne turns his fear of bats into a fear of all criminals

• Featured in: Batman Begins (2005)

When Bruce Wayne decided he had to become a symbol for Gotham City, he knew he had to become the one thing he feared the most: bats. By becoming Batman, Bruce shares his fear of those who would seek to harm the innocents of Gotham City and thus becomes a bat, sharing his fear with a superstitious and cowardly crowd.

Bruce's understanding that Batman must become a tool to be feared for the criminals of Gotham City is one that evokes a powerful power, as Batman learns that his symbol alone is enough to become a weapon against the forces of crime.

4 “Men are still good.”

An inspired Batman honors the hope Superman gave the world

• Featured in: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

“Men are still good. We fight, we kill, we betray each other. But we can rebuild, we can do better. We will, we must.”

When the public meets Batman Batman v Supermanthey see a flawed and broken hero on the slippery slope to becoming a villain. However, it isn't until he sees the heroic humanity in Superman that he realizes he has to do better, that he can do better. In Superman's sacrifice, Batman regains his lost hope, and his speech to Diana following Superman's death is inspiring and heartfelt.

Batman's speech shows his character development and how despite man's flaws, they will always be better in the end, because they have to be. That's the way of life, to be flawed, to make mistakes, and to be wronged, but to always go out and fight for a brighter tomorrow.

Gotham City is a big place, but fear can be used, so criminals think Batman is everywhere

• Featured in: The Batman (2022)

The opening monologue in the batman it's one of the most iconic pieces of dialogue in all of comic book movie history, and the entire speech is worth an entry alone. However, there's one part in particular that stands out, and that's how Batman talks about the Bat-Signal and how he uses fear as a tool, like he would with a gadget in his utility belt.

The fact that the criminals of Gotham City fear every alley, every shadow, knowing there's a small chance Batman lurks there, shows his impact on those who seek to wreak havoc. Batman knows that he is the shadows themselves, providing a sense of dread to every criminal who dares to go out at night.

2 “You don't have to pay with it.”

Batman saves Selina Kyle from committing a crime from which there is no turning back

• Featured in: The Batman (2022)

“You don't have to pay with it. You paid enough.”

While many Batman movies have looked at the fact that Batman has a strict no-kill rule, the batman goes above and beyond, showing the lengths to which Batman will go to ensure that this rule is followed and that those he cares about do not fall into the abyss from which there is no return.

Batman fights Catwoman in an effort to wrestle the gun from her grasp so she doesn't make the mistake of committing murder. He removes the gun from her hands and tells her that while Carmine Falcone has to pay for what he did, she doesn't have to: she can be better and she doesn't have to be a murderer.

1 “I'm Batman”

An unbeatable One-Liner that works in any situation

• Appears in: Batman (1989)

It's impossible to get more iconic than this. Everyone who knows Batman, or has even seen the Caped Crusader, knows those two words that strike fear into every criminal and evoke a strong sense of excitement from fans. “I'm Batman.” It's simple, confident, and showcases everything audiences love about this Dark Knight.

Whether spoken by Michael Keaton or other actors, it's a line that will always be iconic and one that could be repeated by every Batman past, present and future. What is Batman's answer to everything he does? Well, because he's Batman.