Batman Beyond: The Movie

Looking for sci-fi with real ideas behind it? Batman Beyond: The Movie qualifies. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 204 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Will Friedle sets the tone, and the world-building does the rest. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Batman Beyond: The Movie earns its spot. Batman Beyond: The Movie uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. Fuelled by remorse and vengeance, a high schooler named Terry McGinnis becomes the new Batman as he fights crime in the futuristic Neo-Gotham City. The human element stays intact thanks to Will Friedle and Kevin Conroy, who anchor every scene. It hit screens in 1999. The world-building is meticulous enough to sustain multiple rewatches, with details early on that only make sense later. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Batman Beyond: The Movie a chance. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Will Friedle's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.

Batman Beyond: The Movie was released in 1999, directed by Curt Geda. The full 41-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.