Batman Begins

20 Years

It’s funny to look back on Batman Begins from a strictly contemporary perspective. In 2005, it cost $150 million and made $375 million, making it a profitable venture but hardly a super-hit. For additional context, Batman Begins was the 10th highest-grossing film of 2005 worldwide, beaten by Hitch, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, King Kong, Madagascar, War of the Worlds, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Yet, Batman Begins was the moment that Christopher Nolan got his foot into the door of blockbuster-level filmmaking, a moment that has changed the 20 years of mainstream movies since.

(Also, yes, all of the other movies that beat Batman Begins are also turning 20 years old, consider all of those as bonus entries.)