Now Playing Podcast Presents: The DC Comics Movies Retrospective Series

Batman Series Episode 1

When it comes to box office superheroes, none looms larger than Batman. He dominated theaters in 1989 with Tim Burton’s vision of the caped crusader, and in the 21st century Christopher Nolan’s take on the Batman made him the box office champion, with The Dark Knight becoming the highest grossing superhero film ever. Now, as we ramp up for Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, Now Playing Podcast will be looking back at all of the Batman films, starting with the 1966 theatrical release! When Batman knocked out television audiences everywhere the studio decided to cash in on a feature film version of the show, where four of the dynamic duo’s worst villains, Joker, Catwoman, Penguin, and The Riddler, team up to take over the world. Does this classic series hold up in feature length? Listen to Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie to find out!

Because you demanded it.

Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart take a break from Marvel to shine a green light on DC’s Green Lantern. Starring Ryan Reynolds (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) as Hal Jordan, alongside Blake Lively (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants), Peter Sarsgaard Garden State), Mark Strong (Kick-Ass), and Angela Bassett (How Stella Got Her Groove Back), Green Lantern is Warner Bros.’ attempt to launch its own cosmic superhero franchise to rival Marvel’s Cinematic Universe Does it soar into the upper atmosphere of superhero cinema, or crash back to Earth under the weight of its own ambition? Join the Now Playing Podcast crew as they revisit Reynold’s second attempt to be a superhero and decide whether this ring had any real power behind it.

This was an early Now Playing Podcast review, shorter and spoiler-free. It was not intended to be part of our Batman Retrospective Series.

The superhero summer hits full stride with The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated sequel that shattered box office records and pulled in serious critical praise. Picking up after Batman Begins, the film pushes Gotham into darker territory, trading origin-story groundwork for moral chaos, escalating stakes, and a villain who refuses to play by the rules. At the center of it all is Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain) as the Joker, delivering a performance that has sparked debate, admiration, and no small amount of hype. But does his turn dominate the movie, or does The Dark Knight succeed because of its larger themes, ensemble cast, and grounded approach to superhero storytelling? Arnie and Marjorie compare the film to its Marvel-ous competition, break down Nolan’s ambitions, and ask whether this sequel truly elevates the genre or outclasses its peers through sheer intensity.