Credit: DC / Warner Bros.Batman has survived every major reinvention Hollywood could throw at him.
From Tim Burton’s gothic take on Batman (1989) starring Michael Keaton, to the neon chaos of Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997), the Dark Knight has continually evolved to match different eras of blockbuster filmmaking.
Then came Christopher Nolan’s grounded reinvention with Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012) starring Christian Bale, before Zack Snyder introduced a far more brutal version of Gotham through Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017) with Ben Affleck beneath the cowl.
Most recently, Matt Reeves delivered a noir-inspired interpretation with The Batman (2022) starring Robert Pattinson.
Related: ‘Batman’ Reboot Gets ‘No Way Home’ Treatment, Unites Several Characters From Different Timelines
Now, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight (2026) is about to write the perfect love letter to all of those films at once.
The upcoming open-world title from TT Games and Warner Bros. Games pulls inspiration from nearly every major Batman era imaginable, particularly in film, combining Burton’s gothic Gotham, Nolan’s grounded realism, Reeves’ rain-soaked detective aesthetic, and Schumacher’s larger-than-life comic-book energy into one sprawling LEGO recreation of Batman history.
Earlier this year, DC Studios’ co-CEO James Gunn described the game by saying, “One of the many great things about LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is that it manifests all these different elements of Batman that we’ve loved over the years.”
That statement becomes increasingly obvious the more footage Warner Bros. releases. And now, a newly released launch trailer only reinforces that approach.
With the game launching on May 22, Warner Bros. Games has now unveiled the final trailer, and fans have immediately focused on one particular detail: “Kiss From a Rose” by Seal.
An epic rendition of the iconic song from Batman Forever plays throughout the trailer, instantly transforming the footage into something that feels less like a standard video game promotion and more like a celebration of Batman’s entire cinematic legacy.
Following the death of Val Kilmer in 2025, the song’s inclusion has also taken on additional emotional meaning for longtime fans.
The upcoming game features a massive open-world Gotham City complete with Arkham Asylum, Ace Chemicals, Batmobiles, Batcycles, and multiple playable characters including Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, Jim Gordon, Catwoman, and Talia al Ghul.
Its Rogues’ Gallery is equally expansive, featuring interpretations inspired by Heath Ledger’s Joker, Tom Hardy’s Bane, Danny DeVito’s Penguin, Uma Thurman’s Poison Ivy, and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze.
The result looks less like a standard LEGO adaptation and more like the ultimate Batman crossover fans have spent decades imagining. The official synopsis for the game reads:
“Step into the cowl of the Dark Knight and unite Gotham’s greatest heroes in LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. Explore a vast open-world Gotham City, battle iconic villains, and experience a celebration of Batman’s legendary history across film, comics, and animation.”
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight launches May 22, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with a Nintendo Switch 2 version arriving at a later date.
Will you be playing Legacy of the Dark Knight? Who’s your favorite Batman? Let us know in the comments below!
