Bruce Wayne and his masked alter-ego, Batman, have been almost ever-present on theater screens since the wacky and belovedBatman: The Moviewas released in 1966. Including that first outing, seven actors have donned the cape and cowl, all bringing their unique spin to the character.
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WithRobert Pattinsonset to make his debut as the Dark Knight inThe Batman, which is currentlyreceiving overwhelmingly positive reviews. Before we look ahead to potential sequels andthe villains Batman might be forced to square off against next, we should first look back to all those who came before: the good, the bad, and the strange.
7) George Clooney — ‘Batman & Robin’
We should preface this entry by saying thatGeorge Clooneyis a terrific actor who has excelled in almost every role he’s ever had. However, the one exception in his otherwise flawless resume is 1997’sBatman & Robin. The film borders on a parody, including the infamous Bat Credit Card, and a pun spouting, utterly laughable Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger), who is without depth or heart.
In Clooney’s defense,Batman & Robinwas always going to be terrible, no matter which actor found themselves in the bat suit, especially when you take the bat nipples into account. Clooney has everything required to be an excellent Batman, charm, menace, and passion in abundance, and it’s a shame he never got a second chance in Gotham.
6) Val Kilmer — ‘Batman Forever’
InBatman Forever,Val Kilmerfound himself in the unenviable position of stepping into the shoes of a character recently played by the belovedMichael Keaton. Keen to stand apart from the twoTim Burtondirected films that had come before, directorJoel Schumachercreated a brighter, more cartoonish Gotham.
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Kilmer’s performance as Bruce Wayne is solid, but his Batman leaves a little to be desired. This could, however, simply be that he fails to stand out againstJim Carrey’slarger-than-life villainous performance as The Riddler. Kilmer, like Clooney, would have benefited from a stronger script and more grounded character, but still, his performance is largely enjoyable.
5) Ben Affleck — The DCEU
It’s fair to say that people were not convinced when it was first announced thatBen Affleckwould be stalking the streets of Gotham in the sequel toMan of Steel. However, these doubts were mitigated whenBatman Vs. Superman: Dawn Of Justicehit theaters in 2016. Affleck’s Batman was unlike those that had come before him, branding his victims and even willing to use firearms and lethal force, but still, he completely stole the show. He was brutal, unforgiving, and capable of going toe to toe with the man of steel, Superman (Henry Cavill).
Unfortunately for Affleck, he was given significantly less to do in the theatrical cut ofJustice Leagueand thenstepped away from his planned solo movie not so long after. Thankfully for fans, Affleck’s take on the character will be (hopefully) be given the send-off he deserves when he stars inThe Flash, set for release later this year.
4) Adam West — ‘Batman: The Movie’
Would Batman be such an immensely popular character today if it wasn’t forAdam West? The simple answer is no; he would not. West’s portrayal of The Dark Knight is exceptionally loyal to the campy comic books of the era. ThoughBatman: The Moviewas released over fifty years ago and cost roughly $1.5 million to make, it is still utterly enjoyable.
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Featuring a wide range of allies and villains, most notablyBurt Ward’sRobin andCesar Romero’sJoker,Batman: The Moviegave fans everything they wanted. The plot is far-fetched and borderline ridiculous, loyal to the comics of the time, and Batman uses an array of vehicles and gadgets to save the day. What more could you want?
3) Will Arnett — The Lego Movies
Let’s start by going over what we know about Lego Batman? He only works with black bricks or extremely dark grey ones, he has a nice pack, and he’s just about the loneliest person in Gotham.Will Arnett’stake on the character is, obviously, funnier than any other iteration, but there’s also a deep sadness to his caped crusader.The Lego Batman Movieshows that Bruce Wayne is nothing without Batman, living an empty existence without friends or family.
However, all that changes with the introduction of Robin (Michael Cera), an orphan Bruce adopts somewhat accidentally who teaches Bruce the importance of family. This light-hearted yet moving take on Batman pleased critics and fans alike, and many were left disappointed thatthe planned sequelwas never made.
2) Michael Keaton — ‘Batman & Batman Returns’
The films of Tim Burton may fluctuate in quality, but they all have style in abundance. The director worked hard to ensure that the city of Gotham acted as a character in the movie, being portrayed an out-of-control, crime-ridden hellhole. Keaton’s Batman excels within this gothic world, going toe-to-toe with twisted versions of The Joker (Jack Nicholson), Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer), and The Penguin (Danny DeVito). While Keaton had plenty of screentime as The Dark Knight in his first outing, he doesn’t spend nearly enough time beneath the cowl in the sequel.kea
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Thankfully, Keaton is just as at home as billionaire Bruce Wayne, at his best in the incredibly memorable “Let’s get nuts!” scene. What’s perhaps most impressive about Keaton’s time as Batman is how well the films have aged. The Batsuit still ranks amongst the best seen in live-action, and the Batmobile has yet to be topped. Thankfully for fans, the Batsuit, Batmobile, and Keaton himself are all returning alongsideEzra Millerand Ben Affleck inThe Flash. Yes, we can’t wait either.
1) Christian Bale — The Dark Knight Trilogy
Christopher Nolan’sBatman trilogy is arguably the greatest Superhero trilogy in cinema history. The films are gritty, stylistic and all feature exceptional performances fromChristian Bale, the best live-action Batman audiences have ever seen. Bale benefits from a full character arc across all three films, beginning as a young man obsessed with revenge and culminating in a man who learns that he deserves to be happy after years of putting the people of Gotham before himself. All three Nolan films (Batman Begins,The Dark Knight,The Dark Knight Rises) are all cast exceptionally well, pitting Bale againstHeath Ledger,Cillian Murphy, andTom Hardy, to name just a few, all of whom deliver engaging, menacing performances.
When he’s not stringing up mobsters from rooftops or racing his Batmobile across Gotham, Bruce Wayne can usually be found behind the wheel of a sports car or flying the entire Russian ballet to his yacht. His slobbish, spoilt, party-loving billionaire is the perfect cover for his secret vigilante activities. After all, why would a man capable of buying any building he steps foot in be worried about the average person on the street? Benefiting from stellar supporting casts, airtight scripts, and a director who understood every aspect of the character, Bale was able to embody Bruce Wayne completely. Though The Batman is yet to hit screens, Robert Pattinson certainly has some big bat shoes to fill.
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