When Does the Film "Batman Begins" (2005) Take Place?
"Batman Begins" is a superhero crime film written by David S. Goyer with Christopher Nolan [adapting "Detective Comics" #33 "The Legend of the Batman –Who He is and How He Came To Be!" (1939) by Bill Finger as well as the "Year One" storyline in "Batman" #404-#407 v1 (1986-1987) by Frank Miller, and "Batman" #232 "Daughter of the Demon" (1971) by Dennis O'Neil] and released in a public theater May 31st, 2005. (Wide release was June 15th, 2005.)
It takes place on an alternate timeline of the fictional DC Films Universe in the year:
We know this because in its direct sequel, "The Dark Knight" (2008), court papers are clearly visible on a judge's bench that state "on this 25th day of July, 2008" while she is hearing the case and The Joker says, “Let’s wind the clocks back a year." when referring to first public appearance of Batman occurring in this film.
The first third of the narrative is injected with multiple large and small flashbacks to inform the viewer about the character motivations of Bruce/Batman:
2007 AD
We know this because in its direct sequel, "The Dark Knight" (2008), court papers are clearly visible on a judge's bench that state "on this 25th day of July, 2008" while she is hearing the case and The Joker says, “Let’s wind the clocks back a year." when referring to first public appearance of Batman occurring in this film.
The movie has a prologue depicting the childhoods of Bruce Wayne and Rachel Dawes. This is unplaceable as we only know it takes place before the second flashback in 1993 AD.
The first third of the narrative is injected with multiple large and small flashbacks to inform the viewer about the character motivations of Bruce/Batman:
The second of these (counting the prologue as the first flashback) is a much more tragic part of Bruce's childhood. In the following flashback, a lawyer from Gotham City's district attorney's office speaks publicly of "the 14 years already served", referring to Joe Chill's time in prison. We know Chill was caught during this flashback and, presumably, incarcerated soon after. This tells us it is 1993 AD.
2007 - 14 = 1993.
The third shows us Bruce college-age. This must be in 2000 AD because Alfred Pennyworth says "You've been gone 7 years." when he is reunited with Bruce during the main action in 2007 AD.
2007 - 7 = 2000.
Next and finally, there are two very short flashbacks that are unplaceable other than taking place between the second and third flashbacks. So it must be between 1993 AD and 2000 AD.
This StackExchange user examined the exact setting of the three movies called The Dark Knight trilogy.
It is a chronologically early film in the DC Films timeline (the first chronological film featuring Bruce Wayne/Batman) and can be watched at its timeline point or entirely separately.
