If you loved
Batman: The Killing Joke
Sam Liu · Film · 2016
What hooked you in Batman: The Killing Joke was the unsettling way it forces you to confront the fragile boundary between sanity and madness.
Start with the source
The source
Batman
William Dozier · Series · 1966
Adaptation
Batman
Tim Burton · Film · 1989
Adaptation
Batman: The Animated Series
Bruce Timm · Series · 1992
Books on the same thread
Batman Arkham Asylum 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Grant Morrison · Book · 2014
Shares 2 threads with Batman: The Killing Joke: Madness, Dark Superhero.
If the descent into psychological chaos in Batman: The Killing Joke gripped you, this comic perfectly mirrors that intensity by trapping Batman within the literal walls of his own trauma.
Series on the same thread
Batman: The Animated Series
Bruce Timm · Series · 1992
Shares a thread with Batman: The Killing Joke: Superhero Animation.
This series captures the same moral ambiguity seen in Batman: The Killing Joke, grounding the vigilante's crusade in a somber, noir-drenched Gotham that mirrors the source's dark, atmospheric tone.
Harley Quinn
Patrick Schumacker · Series · 2019
Explores: Female Empowerment, Breaking Free From Abuse, Anti-Hero.
While Batman: The Killing Joke explores the cycle of abuse and madness, this series offers a sharp, subversive look at breaking free from that same toxic influence with dark humor.
The Batman
Duane Capizzi · Series · 2004
Shares a thread with Batman: The Killing Joke: Superhero Animation.
Much like the origin-focused tension in Batman: The Killing Joke, this show highlights the dual identity and relentless drive of a younger Bruce Wayne navigating a corrupt, dangerous urban landscape.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Existentialism, Individual Responsibility, Cultural Critique.
The philosophical inquiry into the nature of good and evil found in Batman: The Killing Joke continues here, offering deep intellectual analysis on the themes of trauma and individual responsibility.
The Joe Rogan Experience
Joe Rogan · Podcast · 2026
Explores: intellectual curiosity, unfiltered dialogue, lifestyle exploration.
If you were drawn to the unfiltered, confrontational nature of the dialogue in Batman: The Killing Joke, these long-form conversations provide a similar focus on raw, provocative, and challenging ideas.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Batman: The Killing Joke a sequel to the 1989 Batman movie?
No, Batman: The Killing Joke is a standalone 2016 animated film directed by Sam Liu. It is not narratively connected to the 1989 Batman movie or the 1966 television series, as it focuses on the Joker attempting to prove a point through his attack on the Gordon family.
Does Batman: The Killing Joke share the same animation style as Batman: The Animated Series?
Batman: The Killing Joke features a distinct visual style produced for its 2016 release. While it shares the same core characters as Batman: The Animated Series, the 2016 film was produced independently by Sam Liu and does not utilize the specific art direction found in the 1992 television series.
What is the primary conflict in Batman: The Killing Joke?
The primary conflict in Batman: The Killing Joke involves Batman hunting for the escaped Joker. The Joker attacks the Gordon family to prove a diabolical point, intending to demonstrate that anyone can fall into madness just as he did, which serves as the central theme of the film.
Should I watch Batman: The Killing Joke before the 1966 Batman television series?
The viewing order between Batman: The Killing Joke and the 1966 Batman television series is a matter of personal preference. Because the 2016 film and the 1966 series are separate productions with different tones and creative teams, they do not require a specific sequence to understand the plot.