The Batman, one of 2022’s most critically acclaimed hits, is available now on TV and digital streaming in the UK, somewhat earlier than expected – just 46 days after its initial release in cinemas.
The Batman reboot, which stars Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz and Paul Dano, launched on digital VOD stores in the UK, as a Premium Rental, on April 19. Update: It’s now available to purchase digitally.
The film was originally scheduled to be released in June 2021, but was delayed due to the pandemic. It was eventually released in UK cinemas on March 4, 2022.
In the US, viewers are able to stream it on HBO Max (at no extra cost for subscribers), starting April 18.
But since HBO Max isn’t available in the UK yet (unless you use a VPN), home viewers in the UK will have to pay extra (see pricing details below).
The physical editions of The Batman – DVD and Bluray – are already available for pre-order on Amazon, though an exact release date hasn’t been announced yet.
Judging by past releases, these will probably ship out sometime in May (in the US, the official release date is May 24, 2022).
The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves started its life when Ben Affleck was still set to play the superhero – but when he dropped out, Robert Pattinson was cast in his place.
Two years of stalking the streets as the Batman, striking fear into the hearts of criminals, has led Bruce Wayne deep into the shadows of Gotham City.
With only a few trusted allies – Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) – amongst the city’s corrupt network of officials and high-profile figures, the lone vigilante has established himself as the sole embodiment of vengeance amongst his fellow citizens.
When a killer targets Gotham’s elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends the World’s Greatest Detective on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters such characters as Selina Kyle/aka Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), Oswald Cobblepot/aka the Penguin (Colin Farrell), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and Edward Nashton/aka the Riddler (Paul Dano).
As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator’s plans becomes clear, Batman must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit, and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued Gotham City.
How To Watch The Batman On TV In The UK
The Batman is now available to purchase and stream digitally in the UK (since April 19, 2022). It was first a ‘Home Premiere’ (also known as a Premium Rental), but is not available for a regular purchase.
The original cost was £15.99, for either the 4K (UHD), Full HD or SD edition.
This is similar to the cost of past premium rentals, such as No Time To Die and Dune earlier this year (but cheaper than premier rentals on Disney+, which normally cost £19.99).
As with all video rentals, once you start playing it, you will only have 48 hours to complete your watching.
The film is available on the leading Video On Demand services, such as Amazon’s Prime Video store, Rakuten TV, Google Play Store, and others.
While still more than a month after the film’s theatrical release (in the UK), this is still much earlier than films of the past, where it used to take several months before films transferred from movie theatres to home entertainment.
At a later date (usually a few months after the Digital Rental release), The Batman will reach subscription-based streaming, most likely on Sky and its streaming service NOW.
(This article was originally published on April 12, 2022, and later updated with additional information).