From the classic bat logo to the rise of The Dark Knight movies, the Batman franchise has always let graphic designers, illustrators, and comic book artists go far beyond the typical bright tones and hero or leading-cast moody mug shots that dominate cinema foyers and the walls of collectors.
Christopher Nolan’s, Dark Knight film series starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, and Aaron Eckhart has inspired many artists to develop some of the best batman posters after its massive box office success.
From standard posters, wall art, to oversized artwork and some fan-made efforts, this is a look at some of the best work that the films and their designers have come up with.
Batman and the Dark Knight play to our base instincts, fear of the dark, psychosis, and insanity, drawing more on the horror and metal crowd, with their gothic tones and black-on-black palette, all of which look great as bedroom wall decor or as adverts in dark, dingy bus stations and outside cinemas around the world.
Enjoy these cool high-quality posters and see which one you’d like over your bed at night as the heroes fight it out on your TV or you imagine new battles raging out across the ramparts of Gotham City.
13 of the best The Dark Knight Posters
Here are the best dark knight posters you should check out…
1. Batman wall poster
A classic Batman pose, with the Dark Knight looming over the gritty city of Gotham, answering the call of the Bat-Signal. What’s not to like about The Dark Knight ready for action, to leap in fists swinging into a trademark brawl?
This mono/sepia-tinged poster uses what little light there is to hint at Batman’s armor and his solid jawline, with no hint of a smile whatsoever. It says, whenever Gotham needs a hero, he is always ready to defend it. This can be part of your home decor, especially for an area like the living room.
2. The Joker why so serious poster
To counter the darkness and moodiness of Batman, The Dark Knight’s Joker poster goes totally the opposite way. In the same city, but foggy and faded, The Joker is out of focus and hunched over, while the red blood or lipstick screams off the poster in a blotchy smile. Just behind them, are the dark made-up eyes of a mad man teasing us into his batcrap crazy world.
3. The Joker framed poster
Less of a teaser than the previous Joker “Why So Serious?” poster, this is more of a mainstream effort with the Joker unkempt, armed, and very dangerous. Around him, sparks and debris fly as the battle rages down among the city streets.
The Joker’s purple coat shows off his signature look, and this time we can see deep into those crazed eyes, as Heath Ledger delivers a stellar turn as Batman’s nemesis. Note, they had to put that bright effect behind the logo to make it stand out – does that diminish the impact? I’d rather it was more ominous, among the dark. Your choice and still a great look for any wall.
4. The Dark Knight Rises Art Print
Talking of the Bat-signal, here’s a poster that focuses purely on the iconic and angular image, but with a unique take on words and quotes from The Dark Knight.
This poster will really draw people in as they look for their favorite lines or to learn a little more about the plot. That’s pretty cool on its own, with different font sizes leaping off the poster, but the mono lightning in the background gives it a strong visual impact too.
5. The Dark Knight movie poster
Here’s the bat signal again, doing the heavy lifting in this poster, highlighting the destruction raining down on Gotham, even as Batman tries to save it. It helps light up the poster, compared to most other Batman-focused art. In the lower half, we have Batman himself. Again, ready to do battle, fists clenched, looking mean and moody, while the brooding clouds add a hint of the turmoil to come.
6. The Dark Knight Batman and Joker – comic poster print
And now for something completely different. This poster takes a throwback look at Batman with an almost 70’s-style vintage movie hand drawn expose of the main characters and Maggie Gyllenhaal (Rachel) giving the female side of the cast some representation.
Note that Batman stands between the city and Joker’s inferno, Batarang at the ready to counter the Joker’s playing cards, with Harvey Dent’s disfigured face as part of the supporting cast of villainy.
7. Trends International DC Comics Joker poster
There’s always a little something hand-drawn about the Joker’s look and makeup, so this pencil sketch is a great way to get the ultimate villain looking his sketchy best on your wall. Look deep into The Joker’s eyes for the fury inside. Enjoy all the rough detail in the unkempt hair and the suit, with this interpretation giving his angular jaw and snarling lips a very “Do I look like a guy with a plan?” question on them.
8. The Dark Knight Trilogy canvas print posters (3 piece set)
If you’re a real Batman fan, why not go with a trilogy set of cool posters on your wall as we approach the 15th anniversary of the first movie? This includes a Batman Begins poster, The Dark Knight Poster, and The Dark Knight Rises poster. Two of these are variations already discussed, so we’ll focus on the Bat-theme poster for the prequel Batman Begins.
The towers of Gotham rise up into the sky, with a silhouette of Batman dominating the frame. But it’s the hundreds of whirling, diving actual bats that get our eyes skipping around this image.
9. Bane poster
Bane represents the modern era of Batman villains, first turning up to battle the Dark Knight in 1993. His poster from The Dark Knight Rises shows him, as played by Tom Hardy, out in the Rain waiting for time to attack.
An uncompromising image, there is plenty of power emanating from Bane, from his closed firsts to his long hard stare, all without the need for gimmicks apart from the scary mask that hides his mouth and delivers pain killers to keep his traumatic suffering under control.
10. Gotham city poster
Gotham, while it appears as the backdrop for most of the other characters in these posters, does deserve its own. It has a character of its very own and is the setting for all the pivotal scenes. In this ominous image, it hints at the destruction of the city and its salvation from the ruins in the form of the bat signal.
But the shattered buildings and the speed of the falling debris do indicate a lot of pain for someone and a huge bill for the aftermath, that never really gets talked about in the series.
11. Fan-made Alfred poster
Not all of the stars of the films merit their own posters, but there are plenty of Batman fans out there willing to take a serious effort to create their own that fit in with the official ones. This great look at Bruce Wayne’s loyal Alfred (Michael Caine) sheltering under an umbrella – makes more common sense than Bane.
Alfred has been keeping things at Wayne Manor ticking along and keeping the Batcave supplied throughout the movies, and this image of an implacable, organized yet tough man in his own right is a great piece of poster art.
12. Why so serious wall painting poster
For the ultimate Batman fans, regular just won’t cut it. So, how about this giant 27 x 40-inch poster that does away with the characters and focuses on The Joker’s message from The Dark Knight.
With the Bat-signal as a mouth and two simple whirls for eyes, it makes a great impression, even better if you have white bricks for your wall. Yes, it is nearly $200, but for real fans of the caped crusader or The Joker, there can be no bigger demonstration of your love for the characters.
13. View of the City poster
Finally, for people who like to use posters as a view into other worlds, this gorgeous view of Batman looking out over Gotham City is an excellent piece of art. You can use it as a window view into the world of Batman.
With the city-as-a-jungle almost behind bars thanks to the tall panes of glass, dividing the scenery, Batman looks like an ominous overlord, watching out for trouble. It is a classy effort that shows a brief moment of peace before the chaos begins, and makes a great thoughtful poster.
Conclusion – What’s your favorite The Dark Knight poster?
Batman has a global audience of fans, cheering on both the heroes and the villains, and this range of posters has something for anyone on both sides of the fence. Personally, I like the one of Alfred as an unofficial entry that brings one of the series’ unsung heroes to the fore.
You can buy these posters to decorate your own walls or gift them to a friend. There are many options depending on your budget. And if you are a graphic designer, you can use these as inspiration to create your own from scratch.
As we wait to see what Robert Pattinson can do with the role in The Batman, expect these posters to become iconic in their own right as the new generation of Batman artwork takes a different angle, with a sea of red rain and red-hued characters dominating the early artwork for this years’ revamp.
Which is your favorite Batman movie? Is it part of the Dark Knight Series or is it one of the movies that came before or after it? Please let us know by sending us an email. If you have any friends or followers who will appreciate this list of Batman posters, please share it with them by using the share buttons.
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