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Batman: Gotham by Gaslight

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight

As the Ripper stalks Gotham City, the Dark Knight reveals the face of terror.

Video201878 minRMidcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Director
Sam Liu
Starring
Bruce Greenwood, Jennifer Carpenter, Anthony Head, Scott Patterson

In an alternative Victorian Age Gotham City, Batman begins his war on crime while he investigates a new series of murders by Jack the Ripper.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Batman: Gotham by Gaslight?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Batman: Gotham by Gaslight to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Batman: Gotham by Gaslight?

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight earns 5 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Box Office Hit.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Batman: Gotham by Gaslight worth watching?

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight's Midcredits score is the 71st percentile of all films, from 61K ratings across 4 sources. 63% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

71st percentile

Better received than 71% of films

58th percentile among Animation71st percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)69th
Approval (how many liked it)70th

67 /100

69th percentile of all films

55th percentile among Animation69th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

63% liked it

70th percentile of all films

59th percentile among Animation70th percentile among 2010s
63% rated it 7–1037% rated it 1–6

Critics 75% · Audience 68%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

95th percentile

61K ratings across platforms

89th percentile among Animation95th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 30% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A Victorian-era elseworlds story that reimagines Batman facing Jack the Ripper with a Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery.

Fans praised

  • Victorian/steampunk atmosphere and gothic noir tone
  • clever reimagining of Batman rogues in period roles
  • engaging murder mystery with Sherlock Holmes flavor

Detractors panned

  • lacks detective work; Batman solves case by luck
  • faithless adaptation with unnecessary plot changes
  • derivative of Sherlock Holmes, barely feels like Batman

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive80

gothic Victorian setting praised for creepiness and immersion

Effects and spectacleDivisive60

fight choreography exciting; action solid but not superheroic

CharactersDivisive55

reimagined roles lauded by fans; detractors call them shoehorned

OriginalityDivisive55

creative concept but too derivative of Sherlock Holmes

Cinematography55

animation clean but lacks grit; flat in places

Plot and storyDivisive50

mediocre mystery; detective work minimal, resolution feels lucky

EndingDivisive40

twist unsatisfying; some fans forgive but critics hate it

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 15 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 8 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Batman: Gotham by Gaslight like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you satisfied.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadThrilling
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its Victorian mystery with earnest darkness and gothic seriousness, playing its material straight.
The rideThe investigation and Ripper's presence sustain tension and dread from beginning to end.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly: setup of the murders, investigation, false accusation, and final confrontation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Satisfied.

Cathartic · 6% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe violent climax and the ambiguous hope for a better Gotham leave a mix of release and melancholy.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeBatman pursues a serial killer in Victorian Gotham, with the killer's identity as the central mystery, though the film prioritizes action over deductive detective work.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsIdentity · 14% of filmsDeception · 9% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores Batman's pursuit of justice in a corrupt, alternate Victorian Gotham while the Ripper's murders force questions of identity and hidden truth.
StanceThe film questions the nature of justice as Batman hunts a serial killer in a city where law and order are compromised.

The world

19th centuryUrbanStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Frederik Wiedmann
SettingAlternate Victorian Era Gotham City
MusicWiedmann's score blends Victorian-era classical motifs with modern orchestral tension.

Content guide

Is Batman: Gotham by Gaslight okay for kids?

R

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight is rated R: “Rated R for some violence” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (61/100), sexual content at moderate (44/100), language at moderate (47/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (31/100) and frightening material at intense (62/100). Overall it is heavier than 22% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • France10
  • Ireland15
  • Brazil16
  • Denmark15
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands6
  • Spain12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 49% of all filmsHeavier than 22% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 37%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 42%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 20%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 20%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 49%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material and violence. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Batman: Gotham by Gaslight have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Batman: Gotham by Gaslight?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Bruce Greenwood
as Batman
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jennifer Carpenter
as Selina Kyle
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Anthony Head
as Alfred Pennyworth
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Scott Patterson
as James Gordon
John DiMaggio
as Chief Bullock
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Yuri Lowenthal
as Harvey Dent
Grey DeLisle
as Sister Leslie
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
William Salyers
as Hugo Strange
Bob Joles
as Mayor Tolliver
Tara Strong
as Marlene Mahone
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Batman: Gotham by Gaslight?

Movies like Batman: Gotham by Gaslight include Batman: Year One (2011), Justice League: Gods and Monsters (2015) and The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in a fictional world, and several are whodunits.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Sam Liu directed 6 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Batman: Gotham by Gaslight?

1.6K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: vigilante. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.