Ed Sheeran's Favorite Star Wars & Batman Movies May Upset You | Sorry Not Sorry

Celebrity movie favorites rarely pass without debate, but Ed Sheeran's picks might lead to more than the usual side-eye. Instead of naming critically approved entries from the Star Wars or Batman canons, the singer pointed to two famously divisive titles, 1997's Batman & Robin and 1999's Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, while speaking to JustWatch.

WATCH: Ed Sheeran's Favorite Star Wars and Batman Movies Are SCANDALOUS

For longtime fans, those choices sit far from the top of any ranked list on the planet. But Sheeran's reasoning has very little to do with reviews or box-office numbers. His love for these films is rooted in discovering them as a child. The singer was just six years old when Batman & Robin arrived in theaters. At that age, the neon-lit Gotham, with its larger-than-life villains, felt like stepping right into a comic book.

His memory of The Phantom Menace is similar since it was the first proper Star Wars movie he'd seen. "And you can't take that feeling that I have from being a kid watching them," he said, defending his picks. That's pretty fair reasoning if you think about it. Critical consensus and retrospective analysis fade into the background when a film becomes part of who you are while growing up.

That kind of attachment is hardly unique to Sheeran. Every generation has a handful of movies critics dismissed, but kids turned into lifelong favorites. These are the kind of stories you rewatch years later and instantly feel transported back to the couch in the living room of your childhood home, the theater, or the exact moment you first fell in love with movies.

For millennials, that might look like fiercely defending Hook (1991) or quoting Hocus Pocus (1993) every Halloween. Nostalgia has a way of smoothing out the rough edges and amplifying wonder, which changes the reputation of films and television shows over time. Seen through that lens, Sheeran's picks feel less like hot takes because the stories that find us at the right age tend to make a bigger impression than the ones critics tend to fawn over.

How Nostalgia Keeps Two Divisive Blockbusters Alive

It's no secret that Batman & Robin fully embraces comic book camp, with its bright colors, elaborate costumes, and exaggerated performances, which feel closer to a live-action cartoon than a serious superhero drama. The film leans hard into oversized action, theatrical villains, and a tone that prioritizes visual excitement over "realism."

The story follows Batman (George Clooney) and Robin (Chris O'Donnell) as they try to stop Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman) from wreaking havoc on Gotham with cool gadgets and even cooler action sequences that lead to ridiculous adventures. While critics questioned the film's tone and writing, the movie became popular with younger audiences, seeing Batman on the big screen for the first time (and Ed Sheeran is proof of that).Two years later, The Phantom Menace carried the enormous task of reopening the Star Wars saga for a new generation. Rather than continuing the familiar story, it expanded the universe into a prequel trilogy with new worlds, new characters, and a political edge. While some creative choices caused extensive debates among Star Wars purists, first-time viewers were drawn into a vast, unexplored galaxy.

The Phantom Menace follows Jedi Knights Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), who stumble upon a Sith plot that puts the safety of Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) at risk and threatens the stability of the entire Republic. Although critics slammed the film for its pacing and the inclusion of poor, unassuming Jar Jar Binks, for a first-time Star Wars viewer like Sheeran, it was nothing short of magical.

Why To Watch 'Batman & Robin' (And What To Watch After)

Despite its detractors, Batman & Robin is a movie built to entertain. The costumes, villains, and action sequences are all deliberately larger than life. Watching it today, it's easy to appreciate the film's colorful energy and commitment to the comic-book aesthetic. Clooney's Batman might be a little stiff, but it's offset by Schwarzenegger's gleefully hammy Mr. Freeze and Thurman's intoxicating Poison Ivy.

Critics may roll their eyes, but if you want a spectacularly over-the-top, first-class dose of nostalgia, this is exactly the movie to watch. After that, it's worth checking out Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) for a darker, animated alternative, or Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins (2005) for a more "realistic" approach to the classic Batman origin story.

Why To Watch 'The Phantom Menace' (And What To Watch After)

Although most people love to hate The Phantom Menace, its visual and worldbuilding accomplishments remain impressive. The lightsaber duel and even the exhaustively long pod-racing scene feel immersive. The characters' individual story arcs also set up the stakes for the entire saga. The story's political edge and Jedi training offer a surprisingly rich backdrop, and the digital effects still hold up all these years later.

After revisiting The Phantom Menace, the next most logical step is Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005), which will complete the entire Star Wars prequel arc. For a classic perspective, the original trilogy, starting with 1977's A New Hope, is always a must. The sequel trilogy follows with The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019).