At a time when Christopher Nolan was shedding the final awkwardness of his teenage years, Tim Burton was busy laying the groundwork for the future of all gritty superhero franchises. While Heath Ledger was navigating the treacherous waters of fifth grade, Jack Nicholson was tapping into the darkest parts of his psyche.
25 years ago, the first Batman film hit theaters and changed the movie quote landscape forever.
As an ode to both Burton's vision of a Gotham City steeped in noir influences and Sam Hamm and Warren Skaaren's screenplay, here are some of the best quotes from 1989's 'Batman' that have fused to our collective pop culture consciousness.
#1 – Batman works pro-bono guys.
Why we can't stop quoting it: The key is here is the incredulous 'And if so…' repetition. You can replace just about any series of events here and watch the absurdity escalate even from the most mundane questions.
#2 – Joker's bro-ship life advice.
Why we can't stop quoting it: Okay sure, he's really saying to back off his girl but honestly the implications are both dirty and hilarious. In fact, I'd bet good money there's an adult film about two men out there entitled “Another Man's Rhubarb.”
Below, see 16 more of the most quotable lines from 'Batman.' And if we missed your favorite, let us know in the comments! After all, this movie is basically just one whip smart one-liner after another and sadly it is still plagiarism to quote it verbatim.
Also be sure to check out the rest of our 25th Anniversary Batman coverage, from a Where Are They Now? cast and crew check-in to how much Batman means to us.