(Photo by Fox Searchlight/courtesy Everett Collection)
There were certainly objections a-plenty when Michael Keaton was tapped to play Bruce Wayne in 1989’s Batman, since he was primarily known up that point as a comedic actor for Night Shift, Mr. Mom, and, of course, Beetlejuice. But Tim Burton knew what he had in Keaton, having directed him in Beetlejuice and seen his dramatic side in Clean and Sober. This duality would serve Keaton well in Batman as he brought a layered intensity to the playboy millionaire moonlighting as masked vigilante, opposite a legendary Joker performance from Jack Nicholson, with Burton staging a hyper-stylized Art Deco Gotham around them. Batman was a cultural phenomenon that would influence the look and feel of the property for decades, and, along with Superman, established Warner Bros. as studio king of the comic book movie.
Keaton’s post-Batman highlights include sequel Returns, and ensemble pieces like Jackie Brown and The Paper. 2010’s one-two punch of The Other Guys and Toy Story 3 set the stage for a strong career resurgence, leading to Best Picture winners Spotlight and Birdman, the latter for which Keaton was nominated for Best Actor. His role as Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming completed his triumvirate of airborne superhero roles. And into 2024, he was in Barry Levinson’s drug crisis miniseries Dopesick, and reprised his role as Batman in time-bending The Flash.
Now, we’re ranking all Michael Keaton movies by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo
#1
Adjusted Score: 110890%
Critics Consensus: Deftly blending comedy, adventure, and honest emotion, Toy Story 3 is a rare second sequel that really works.
#2
Adjusted Score: 115869%
Critics Consensus: Spotlight gracefully handles the lurid details of its fact-based story while resisting the temptation to lionize its heroes, resulting in a drama that honors the audience as well as its real-life subjects.
#3
Adjusted Score: 114213%
Critics Consensus: Spider-Man: Homecoming does whatever a second reboot can, delivering a colorful, fun adventure that fits snugly in the sprawling MCU without getting bogged down in franchise-building.
#4
Adjusted Score: 108491%
Critics Consensus: A thrilling leap forward for director Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman is an ambitious technical showcase powered by a layered story and outstanding performances from Michael Keaton and Edward Norton.
#5
Adjusted Score: 94251%
Critics Consensus: Kenneth Branagh’s love for the material is contagious in this exuberant adaptation.
#6
Adjusted Score: 108736%
Critics Consensus: An actors’ showcase enlivened by its topical fact-based story, The Trial of the Chicago 7 plays squarely — and compellingly — to Aaron Sorkin’s strengths.
#7
Adjusted Score: 94400%
Critics Consensus: Although somewhat lackadaisical in pace, Jackie Brown proves to be an effective star-vehicle for Pam Grier while offering the usual Tarantino wit and charm.
#8
Adjusted Score: 91367%
Critics Consensus: Brilliantly bizarre and overflowing with ideas, Beetlejuice offers some of Michael Keaton’s most deliciously manic work – and creepy, funny fun for the whole family.
#9
Adjusted Score: 87009%
Critics Consensus: It isn’t as hard-hitting as one might expect, but Worth remains a powerfully performed and rewardingly complex dramatization of real-life events.
#10
Adjusted Score: 92621%
Critics Consensus: The Founder puts Michael Keaton’s magnetic performance at the center of a smart, satisfying biopic that traces the rise of one of America’s most influential businessmen — and the birth of one of its most far-reaching industries.
#11
Adjusted Score: 89205%
Critics Consensus: Director Tim Burton’s dark, brooding atmosphere, Michael Keaton’s work as the tormented hero, and the flawless casting of Danny DeVito as The Penguin and Christopher Walken as, well, Christopher Walken make the sequel better than the first.
#12
Adjusted Score: 87363%
Critics Consensus: A clever parody of cop-buddy action-comedies, The Other Guys delivers several impressive action set pieces and lots of big laughs, thanks to the assured comic chemistry between Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.
#13
Adjusted Score: 89181%
Critics Consensus: An eerie, haunting spectacle, Batman succeeds as dark entertainment, even if Jack Nicholson’s Joker too often overshadows the title character.
#14
Adjusted Score: 83244%
Critics Consensus: Cars offers visual treats that more than compensate for its somewhat thinly written story, adding up to a satisfying diversion for younger viewers.
#15
Adjusted Score: 92106%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#16
Adjusted Score: 95214%
Critics Consensus: Night Shift bristles with pitch-perfect laughs thanks to Ron Howard’s snappy direction and a side-splitting turn from Michael Keaton.
#17
Adjusted Score: 91028%
Critics Consensus: Fast and frenetic, The Paper captures the energy of the newsroom thanks to its cast and director on first-rate form.
#18
Adjusted Score: 25684%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#19
Adjusted Score: 77881%
Critics Consensus: Mr. Mom makes up for its stereotype-driven premise with a sweet script and charming work from a well-matched cast led by Michael Keaton and Teri Garr.
#20
Adjusted Score: 51481%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#21
Adjusted Score: 67384%
Critics Consensus: Michael Keaton’s directorial debut, The Merry Gentleman, is a slow character study aided greatly by the performances of Keaton and Kelly MacDonald.
#22
Adjusted Score: 86264%
Critics Consensus: The Flash is funny, fittingly fast-paced, and overall ranks as one of the best DC movies in recent years.
#23
Adjusted Score: 67000%
Critics Consensus: Maggie Q’s still waiting for the action movie that really deserves her — but until then, The Protégé hits just hard enough to satisfy.
#24
Adjusted Score: 62745%
Critics Consensus: Though packed with Don DeLillo’s witty dialogue and bolstered by strong performances, particularly by lead Michael Keaton, Game 6 also suffers from uneven direction and overwrought symbolism.
#25
Adjusted Score: 61396%
Critics Consensus: Its semi-improvised structure finds Larry David squarely in his wheelhouse, but with few laughs and a muddled message, it doesn’t live up to his usual standards.
#26
Adjusted Score: 66673%
Critics Consensus: The Minions’ brightly colored brand of gibberish-fueled insanity stretches to feature length in their self-titled Despicable Me spinoff, with uneven but often hilarious results.
#27
Adjusted Score: 53170%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#28
Adjusted Score: 53574%
Critics Consensus: Michael Keaton certainly proves himself as an effective villain, but Pacific Heights sticks too closely to well-worn thriller conventions.
#29
Adjusted Score: 50644%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#30
Adjusted Score: 59391%
Critics Consensus: While it’s far better than it could have been, José Padilha’s RoboCop remake fails to offer a significant improvement over the original.
#31
Adjusted Score: 65656%
Critics Consensus: Dumbo is held partly aloft by Tim Burton’s visual flair, but a crowded canvas and overstretched story leave this live-action remake more workmanlike than wondrous.
#32
Adjusted Score: 45998%
Critics Consensus: This high-concept experiment only proves that a comedy actually can have too much Michael Keaton.
#33
Adjusted Score: 45679%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#34
Adjusted Score: 44667%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#35
Adjusted Score: 45942%
Critics Consensus: Herbie: Fully Loaded is a decent kids movie that is pretty undemanding for adult viewers.
#36
Adjusted Score: 43620%
Critics Consensus: American Assassin hits a few easy targets, but without enough style or wit to truly bring its characters to life — or stand out in a crowded field of more compelling spy thrillers.
#37
Adjusted Score: 34402%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#38
Adjusted Score: 31501%
Critics Consensus: With stock characters and a preposterous plot, this noisily diverting video game adaptation fulfills a Need for Speed and little else.
#39
Adjusted Score: 22026%
Critics Consensus: Sentimental schmaltz and uninspired storytelling sink this film.
#40
Adjusted Score: 20390%
Critics Consensus: Times aren’t desperate enough for this lame thriller to be called for.
#41
Adjusted Score: 14073%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#42
Adjusted Score: 10307%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#43
Adjusted Score: 11582%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#44
Adjusted Score: 11528%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#45
Adjusted Score: 11393%
Critics Consensus: A lightweight, unambitious comedy, Post Grad features fine actors that can do little with its middling, uninspiring script.
#46
Adjusted Score: 10172%
Critics Consensus: First Daughter is a bland and charmless fairy tale that fails to rise above the formula.
#47
Adjusted Score: 12191%
Critics Consensus: While there are some built-in scares, the movie is muddled and unsatisfying.