DC’s Batman is one of the few superheroes who has had numerous renditions and versions on the silver screen. While some gathered a cult following, others were a huge letdown.
Robert Pattinson is the latest one on the long list whose performance has stirred conversations and debates about how well the character was portrayed.
In fact, it would be a tough competition considering actors such as Michael Keaton and Christian Bale are on the list too.
So here’s the complete list of all actors who’ve played Batman over the years, in chronological order.
Batman’s stories were first adapted into a live-action film in 1943, and Lewis G Wilson played the caped crusader. Since then, 10 actors have portrayed the caped crusader, including Robert Pattinson, in the latest film, The Batman by Matt Reeves.
1Lewis G Wilson | Batman (1943)
Lewis Wilson was the first actor to play Batman and the first superhero in the DC comics.
This obviously was a disadvantage for him because everyone was still new to the process of filmmaking itself. So, to make a superhero film and stir the same emotions as comics was going to be impossible.
If you look at Lewis’ portrayal today, you’d mostly mistake it for a parody version. The action scenes are messy, too, since the concept of action choreography was still taking shape. Overall it made up for an impressionable performance.
2Robert Lowery | Batman & Robin (1949)
Robert Lowery was undoubtedly a more experienced actor than Lewis and more physically apt for playing the role. However, the makers were still figuring out how to portray the character and the stories.
As a result, you don’t see a distinct persona that Batman should ideally have. In fact, you’d find the same problem with other characters, such as the villain as well.
3Adam West | Batman TV Series (1966-1968)
Adam West wasn’t the best actor, but he defined Batman’s gruff voice at the time. While you might not be a fan of it now, he sure did set a trend that is being followed even today.
He is also one of the actors who made the role more comical, even though that wasn’t the case in the original material.
At the time, superhero films were looked down upon, and some people even considered them a joke. So, Adam West making the role funny became instantly relatable to the audience.
4Michael Keaton | Tim Burton’s Batman Duology (1989-1992)
Michael Keaton is a legendary actor whose acting chops continue to amaze us. He is considered one of the best actors to have portrayed Batman, and some people think his performance even surpassed Christian Bale’s.
Tim Burton is known for his dark and gothic films such as Sweeney Todd and Dark Shadows. Batman fit his style perfectly, considering the caped crusader’s world is pretty dark and borderline dystopian.
So everything in the duology worked well for every actor involved. In fact, Jack Nicholson’s joker became the most iconic and talked about portrayal until Heath Ledger reprised the role.
5Val Kilmer | Batman Forever (1995)
Michael Keaton’s shoes were tough to fill, and unsurprisingly Val Kilmer wasn’t able to. Batman Forever was a commercial movie that was pretty cringeworthy and yet enjoyable.
Val Kilmer did a few things right and a few things wrong. But overall, it was a character and film that people had fun watching.
6George Clooney | Batman & Robin (1997)
George Clooney is a phenomenal actor, and there are no questions about it. However, he didn’t portray the character well, and in general, the film wasn’t made well. People consider him the worst Batman ever and sadly, that might be true.
7Bruce Thomas | Birds of Prey (2002)
Birds of Prey wasn’t a famous TV show, although it gave the network a significant viewership. However, it was forgotten, and so was the actor who played Batman. While there wasn’t anything gravely wrong with the portrayal, it was not memorable.
8Christian Bale | Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005-2010)
Christian Bale’s Batman is perhaps the most popular portrayal for the millennials and Gen Z. He brought so much depth to the character, thanks to Nolan. Through the trilogy, we saw the character’s complete journey from darkness to light.
Being the immaculate performer he is, Bale brought all this in a way we had never seen before. Even now, when I think of Batman and his philosophies, Bale’s portrayal and snippets of the film come to my mind first.
9Ben Affleck | DCEU (2016-2019)
Ben Affleck’s depiction of this character to me seemed a little dull. Even as Bruce Wayne, he could only bring the billionaire aspect the most and not the darkness.
This could be because he’s not in that phase anymore, but that lack of doubt and cynicism makes his portrayal less profound when compared to Christian Bale.
10Kevin Conroy | Arrowverse (2019)
Kevin Conroy has been the voice of Batman across numerous animated films and series. In the Arrowverse, he made an appearance as the character, and fans of the voice got literal chills.
While his role was short, it was evident how much he knew of the character. His work with the character enabled him to play the role just right.
11Robert Pattinson | The Batman (2022)
Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of Batman is closest to the comics. The events depicted occur two years after Bruce Wayne has taken the mantle.
This was also when Batman was more of a detective than a hero, and Gordon wasn’t commissioner yet. But what really sets this depiction apart is how intricately woven the character is with politics; it’s unlike ever before.
About The Batman
The Batman is an upcoming American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman. Produced by DC Films and distributed by Warner Bros. Directed by Matt Reeves and written by Peter Craig, the film will feature Twilight star Robert Pattinson in the titular role.
Other cast members include Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Barry Keoghan, Jayme Lawson, Andy Serkis, and Colin Farrell.
The brand-new Batman solo will see Bruce Wayne/ Batman in his second year of fighting crime as he explores the corruption that plagues Gotham City and how it may tie to his own family, in addition to coming into conflict with a serial killer known as the Riddler. Set in the parallel universe Earth-2, the movie will be separate from the rest of the DCEU canon.
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