When Does the Film "Batman" (1989) Take Place?
"Batman" is a crime superhero film written by Sam Hamm with Warren Skaaren, Charles McKeown, and Jonathan Gems [adapting the first Batman story in "Batman" #1 v1 (1940) as well as the Batman story in "Detective Comics" #168 v1 (1951), both by Bill Finger] that released June 23rd, 1989. So when is "Batman" set?
It takes place on an alternate timeline of the fictional DC Films Universe in the year:
We know this because two "Gotham Globe" newspaper front pages are visible with headlines describing real-world events that happened in 1947 AD though none of the newspapers are dated with a year. On the second one a headline declares, "UNIVERSAL SERVICE URGED BY TRUMAN IN PRINCETON TALK" referring to an event United States of America President Harry S. Truman attended in the real world on June 17th, 1947 AD while the top headline refers to recent events in the story. So presumably it is June of 1946 AD.
1947 AD
We know this because two "Gotham Globe" newspaper front pages are visible with headlines describing real-world events that happened in 1947 AD though none of the newspapers are dated with a year. On the second one a headline declares, "UNIVERSAL SERVICE URGED BY TRUMAN IN PRINCETON TALK" referring to an event United States of America President Harry S. Truman attended in the real world on June 17th, 1947 AD while the top headline refers to recent events in the story. So presumably it is June of 1946 AD.
Additionally, there are flashbacks to the death of Bruce Wayne's parents. Within the context of the story, they are unplaceable. Another version of their murder is seen on screen in a later film, "Batman Begins" (2005), in a flashback that definitively takes place in 1993 AD. Obviously, this flashback cannot be placed in 1993 AD but the difference between the two years layered on here gives us the year 1933 AD for the death of the Waynes.
2,007 - 1,993 = 14
and
1,947 - 14 = 1,933.
This GothamAlleys article examines its exact setting.
It is a chronologically early film in the DC Films multiverse timeline (an early film to feature Bruce Wayne/Batman and a first appearance of The Joker).
