8
Credit: DC / Warner Bros.Batman is the gift that keeps on giving, and ever since Tim Burton’s 1989 film, the only notable hiatus for the Caped Crusader was the eight-year gap between the franchise-killer Batman & Robin (1997) and Christopher Nolan’s reboot Batman Begins (2005).
Since Adam West’s 1966 theatrical outing, we’ve had 14 live-action movies featuring the character, which have collectively seen Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson portray Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Although you might be surprised to learn that there were two live-action actors who donned the cape and cowl even before the late Adam West did in the ’60s: Lewis Wilson and Robert Lowery. However, we’re only including every Batman from the Adam West-era onwards.
So, here are all seven live-action Batman actors ranked from worst to best.
7. Robert Pattinson — The Batman
Matt Reeves delivers his long-awaited take on the Dark Knight in The Batman (2022), a rain-drenched film noir that’s easily the most bleak entry so far. But how does Twilight (2008) star Robert Pattinson fare in his first time answering the iconic Bat-Signal?
Well, Pattinson is essentially a mirror image of the tone of the film — both in and out of the costume. He’s more than competent here, but sadly, there’s little distinction between his dual identities, while the playboy billionaire façade is oddly absent. On a more positive note, he’s a lot more realistic than Christian Bale’s version. But is that necessarily a good thing?
A sequel is now underway, with Pattinson slipping back in the cape and cowl and director Matt Reeves back at the helm. The film is set for release on October 1, 2027.
6. George Clooney — Batman & Robin
Batman & Robin is the follow-up to Batman Forever (1995), both of which were directed by the late Joel Schumacher. This time, slipping into the Batsuit is George Clooney, who takes over from Val Kilmer. There’s no denying that George Clooney is one of the greatest actors alive today, but sadly, his turn as the Caped Crusader leaves a lot to be desired.
The insanely charismatic Clooney is charming as billionaire bachelor Bruce Wayne, and his relationship with Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Gough) is surprisingly heart-warming stuff. Unfortunately, like Pattinson, there’s no distinction between his Bruce Wayne and the Dark Knight. Unlike Pattinson, it is, at least, fun to see Clooney in and out of the cowl nonetheless.
Related: 7 Batman Villains You Missed in ‘The Dark Knight’ Trilogy
5. Val Kilmer — Batman Forever
Batman Forever finds both Tim Burton and Michael Keaton long gone, with director Joel Schumacher taking the reins and Val Kilmer responding to the Bat-Signal. Whether or not Schumacher’s two films are connected to Burton’s two remains a mystery (or a riddle, perhaps?), but Batman Forever, along with Kilmer’s portrayal, definitely feels like a reboot.
We happen to think Val Kilmer gets a bit of a bad rep as Batman — for starters, his Gotham Knight definitely leans towards the dark end of the spectrum, even if his one-liners feel like a precursor to the wildly pun-tastic Batman & Robin. His Bruce Wayne, however, despite efforts to flesh out his more tragic side, ultimately comes across as a bit too wooden.
4. Adam West — The ’60s Show and Movie
Despite there having been many dark iterations of Batman in the decades since West’s tenure, it’s impossible to think of the character without remembering the late actor fighting crime alongside Dick Grayson/Robin (Burt Ward) in the Batman TV series (1966 — 1968) and the 1966 movie of the same.
But, while a joy to watch as the Not-So-Dark Knight, West simply doesn’t hold up against the others we’ve yet to mention on this list.
That said, it’s fair to say that Adam West is the one actor who brought the beloved superhero into the mainstream. And though there would be 21 years from the end of his reign to Michael Keaton’s turn as the Gotham vigilante in 1989, the late actor will forever be remembered as the first Batman, even if those credits actually go to Lewis Wilson and Robert Lowery.
3. Michael Keaton — Tim Burton’s Films and The Flash
If we were to rank all these live-action actors by popularity, Michael Keaton would be at the top of that list. The actor even made a comeback as Bruce Wayne/Batman in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) Multiverse film, The Flash (2022), marking his third appearance as the comic book character, following Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992).
Prior to the release of the 1989 film, though, the choice to cast Keaton led to some hot debate, not unlike Heath Ledger’s casting in The Dark Knight (2008) and Ben Affleck in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). But Keaton proved everyone wrong, and delivers a wonderfully eccentric Bruce Wayne and a Batman who strikes a perfect balance between camp and gritty.
2. Christian Bale — The Dark Knight Trilogy
Christian Bale remains the only actor to date who has portrayed Bruce Wayne/Batman in three consecutive films: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). While Ben Affleck has now made five appearances as the character, each of Bale’s outings are strictly Batman-focused films, as opposed to crossovers or cameos.
Bale is terrific as both Bruce Wayne and Batman, and reminds fans that it’s not just two identities he’s trying to master, but three, including the playboy billionaire whose purpose it is to cast doubt in the minds of any suspicious Gothamites. While he’s often outdone by The Dark Knight trilogy’s extensive Rogues Gallery, Bale still shines brighter than the Bat-Signal.
Related: Michael Keaton’s New ‘Batman’ (1989) Series Explained
1. Ben Affleck — The DC Extended Universe (DCEU)
And so we arrive at the very top of our list, at an actor we consider to have portrayed the best Bruce Wayne and Batman. The announcement of Ben Affleck being cast into the role led to plenty of controversy prior to the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016, but after seeing his performance in that film, fans gladly ate their words.
Taking inspiration from the gritty Frank Miller comic book series, “The Dark Knight Returns” (1986), Ben Affleck — or “Batfleck” as he’s affectionately known by fans — is the stuff fans dream of, and the kind of thing the scum of Gotham have nightmares of. Affleck’s hulking, menacing vigilante, a seasoned and sadistic iteration, is an absolute force of nature.
Following Batman v Superman, Affleck was set to write, direct, and star in his very own solo Batman movie, a project the actor unfortunately stepped down from due to personal and professional reasons. Consequently, we now have The Batman, but we can’t help imagine how awesome Affleck’s own series of films would have been.
While Ben Affleck went on to appear in four more DCEU films — Suicide Squad (2016), Justice League (2017), Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021), and The Flash, — his subsequent performances pale in comparison to his outing in Batman v Superman.
How would you rank all the live-action Bruce Wayne/Batman actors? Let us know in the comments down below!