In Tim Burton’s 1989 film Batman, what fictional city does Batman protect?

In Tim Burton’s 1989 film Batman, Batman protects Gotham City. Gotham is the fictional American city traditionally associated with Batman and his allies, enemies, and secret identity, Bruce Wayne.

The film presents Gotham as a crime-ridden metropolis dominated by corruption, organized crime, and theatrical criminals. Its production design combines skyscrapers, gothic architecture, monumental statues, and shadowy streets, giving the city a distinctive visual identity. This dark urban setting is one of the clearest marks of Burton’s interpretation.

Gotham City is not the same place as Metropolis, the fictional city associated with Superman. That distinction can be confusing because both heroes exist in DC Comics and occasionally meet. In Batman, Gotham’s central conflict involves the rise of the Joker and Batman’s attempt to defend the city while investigating his own connection to its criminal past.

The 1989 film was directed by Burton and starred Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne and Jack Nicholson as the Joker. Its version of Gotham helped shape the look of later Batman films.