After the critical and financial success ofSuperman, fans should now have complete faith inJames Gunnand the DCU he is building. With upcoming projects such asSupergirl,Lanterns, andClayface, the future is looking bright. But one of the main pillars,Batman, has yet to appear, prompting fans to cast their dream actor for the role. While there are many essential aspects that go into making a Batman movie, Gotham City is one of the most important, as it created and, in some cases, destroyed the Caped Crusader.
The vibe, architecture, history, politics, and crime in Gotham City shape the world and Batman himself, making it a key part of the character. But with so many versions, which is the best?This list will rank eight of the best depictions of Gotham Citybased onfan opinion, aesthetic, architecture, lore, history, design, originality, and importance. From movies to TV shows to video games, Gotham City has many different shapes and sizes, but every version offers its own insight and relevance to the world and story.This list will not feature any comic book depictions.
8The Christopher Nolan Trilogy
Christopher Nolanis one ofthe greatest modern directors of all time, and he reinvented Batman with his trilogy, starting withBatman Begins, peaking withThe Dark Knight, and ending withThe Dark Knight Rises. His take was one of the most grounded versions of Batman, but still played into the goofiness with self-aware dialogue and faithful origins. Still, he depicted a realistic, philosophical, and psychological trilogy, and it started with Gotham City, which was filmed in Chicago. For better or worse,Gotham City looked identical to Chicago, portraying this version as incredibly grounded and realistic.
While it may be dead last on this list, that doesn’t mean Gotham City in Nolan’s movies is bad, justthe worst out of an excellent bunch. This depiction has relevance, importance, history, and a unique crime feel to it that fits into the trilogy perfectly. However, the main downside is that thisdoesn’t feel like Gotham City, but a slightly altered version of Chicago. That disappointing groundedness restricts the Nolanverse from having one of the best Gotham City depictions.The skyrail is a great touch, but it isn’t enough to get higher on this list.
7’Joker' (2019)
Jokerwas one of the greatest DC movies of all time, and while fans would like to forget about its sequel, the world and story are already a part of its legacy. Even though Batman may not be featured, Gotham City persists without him, and fans can feel it, as thiscrime-ridden, junk-filled hole is desolate of hopeand overflowing with depression and crime. The movie was primarily filmed in New York and New Jersey, which is very apparent in the architecture and vibe.
Every DC fan should know that Gotham City was based on New York City, and for a while, it was essentially the same. Only in the future did it shift towards a gothic vibe and aesthetic. ButJokerbrings the city back to its roots, giving off a distinctly New York City vibe. Like Nolan’s trilogy,Joker’sGotham Cityfeels too much like a real city, which makes sense considering the grounded tone, but that means it offers a less original take. Still, Gotham City is the downtrodden city it should be,ripe with crime, chaos, and mayhem, making for a perfectbackdrop that created the Joker(Joaquin Phoenix).
6’Gotham' (2014-2019)
One of the most overlooked and underrated pieces of Batman media isGotham, a TV show that follows the inner workings of the city, some of its most devious inhabitants, and a young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz). The show itself has its fair share of ups and downs, but overall, it is a worthy entry and a solid watch. But with the title being Gotham, they’d better get the city right.
This show does a great job of showing the scale of Gotham City, depicting it asa larger New York City that is a bit darker, making for an authentic version. While it is faithful,there isn’t much special or original about it, which is why this entry ranks lower than most. However, that doesn’t mean thatGothamis a bad depiction of the titular city, far from it; other versions just have a bigger budget and more originality.
5’The Batman' (2022)
It may be a whileuntil fans getThe Batman Part II, but they can still appreciate everything that makesThe Batmanbrilliant, including Gotham City. The most recent live-action Batman film was one of the best, focusing on a grounded and gritty story with Bruce’s (Robert Pattinson) detective skills at the forefront. They primarily filmed in the United Kingdom and parts of Chicago, blending architectural elements to get the perfect vibe.
This may seem a bit low for what many people consider the best version of Gotham City, but it is too new to be higher, as fans have only got one movie’s worth of it. Maybe in the future, with more movies, it will be higher.The Penguindid wonders for this ranking, fleshing out the city and its inhabitants, moving it up a couple of spots. The mix ofGothic architecture from the UK and large-scale cityscapes in Chicagomade Gotham City feel moreauthentic and comic-book-like while still grounded.
4’Batman: The Animated Series' (1992-1995)
Batman: The Animated Seriesis arguablythe greatest cartoon of all time, delivering profound psychological stories with an empathetic tone through its narrative and character handling. This show brings back the classic feel of the comics mixed with theTim Burtonmovies and something a little extra, creating a distinct style. That also goes for Gotham City, one of the largest and most fleshed-out versions fans have got.
For many, this vibe, aesthetic, architecture, history, politics, and crime isthe perfect balance for Gotham City, and it’s hard to argue.Batman: The Animated Seriesis a staple version of Gotham City, but it unfortunately doesn’t rank higher since it focuses more on the individuals that make up the location and not the actual city. Still, that doesn’t take anything away from this near-perfect masterpiece. It is hard to rank the best Gotham City, as this depiction does deserve number one, but other versions are more immersive, original, or stylish. ItsArt Deco style and sprawling skyscrapers build an overarching Gotham City, but the more personal views are also an important part that this series nails.
3’Batman Beyond' (1999-2001)
For the most part, Bruce Wayne has always been Batman, and the story has constantly been set in a modern or past version of Gotham City. ButBatman Beyondswitches things up with a younger Batman ina futuristic cyberpunk Neo Gotham City. Terry McGinnis maneuvers in a large, deadlier, and more advanced Gotham City where corporations and crime still run rampant.
WhileBatman: The Animated Series' version of Gotham City is more fleshed out,the innovation and extravagance behind a cyberpunk Gotham City is too coolnot to be higher. Its style, architecture, vibe, and history are some of the best in any Batman media, making this depictionincredibly original and unique, scoring bonus points. It’s just so different from the rest, and its fresh feeling enhances its likability and fan opinion.
2Arkham Games
Fans mostly think about movies and TV shows when imagining Gotham City, but video games offer the most immersive experience,allowing players to actually explore the iconic location. Out of all the superhero and Batman video games, the Arkhamverse is by far the best, withArkham CityandArkham Knighttaking place in Gotham City. The former takes place in a ward of the slums and abandoned areas of Gotham City, and the latter is set in the central area of Gotham City.
The immersive aspect and freedom in the Arkham games allowmore leeway to be creative with Gotham City, bringing it to life like never before. The walled-off area inArkham Cityis a nice taste of what the worst part of Gotham City looks like,full of grime, crime, and evil. The entire city inArkham Knightis also great, but almost too big to fully get a grasp of. Overall, these games get Gotham City right, offering a personal view that fans can get the best feeling of, making them one of the best depictions.
1Tim Burton’s Batman Movies
While it wasn’t the first Batman movie, Burton’sBatmanstarted a trend and influenced the character immensely, arguably becoming the most essential movie in Batman history. AddingGothic style, spooky undertones, and dark, noir-ish visuals, this movie reinvented the character, story, and world into what they are today. Gotham City used to be New York City at night until Burton and Anton Furstput the goth in Gotham, cementing their legacy.
These movies rank at number one simply because of their importance to the character and city, completely reimagining them and becoming a staple vibe. The eerie atmosphere,art deco and gothic architecture, gloomy streets, crime-filled neighborhoods, and dark exteriorsare picture-perfect, mirroring the character and story. While these movies could have fleshed out the history, lore, worldbuilding, and politics, part of the charm was the mystery and the overbearing Gothic monstrosity having no explanation; it simplycreates terror, crime, fear, and Batman. Burton’s depiction isthe best Gotham City, and fans have yet to see a better version.
