Thoughts behind each Batman and their evolution. PHOTO CREDIT: Fortress of Solitude
Out of all fictional masked characters that run around dressed as a mammal, Batman is among my favorites. Being portrayed in numerous media since the 1930s, the Dark Knight has been shown on screen in many ways, from the campy to the bleak. After the most recent Batman film, here is my ranking of all of the men to portray Bruce Wayne since the 1940s.
9. Lewis Wilson (1943)
Here he is, the first man to ever play the Dark Knight on the silver screen in “Batman”, Lewis Wilson. This World War II era film series sees Wilson’s Batman team with Robin to take Dr. Tito Taka, a Japanese villain played by a white man, J. Carrol Nash. It portrays the tandem as a patriotic team fighting for its country, as the censors of the time did not allow vigilantism. Outside of the problematic nature of the villain, this is just insane. Batman drives around in Bruce Wayne’s regular car and no one notices, which is fantastically dumb. The full movie is on YouTube and I definitely recommend checking this out.
8. Robert Lowry (1948)
I was surprised at how entertaining Lowry was in “Batman and Robin.” Lowry and his Robin, played by Johnnie Connor, were a huge step up. Here, the dynamic duo takes on the faceless Wizard and fights his goons along the way. It wraps up way too quickly with the fight scene and confession all happening in like one minute at the very end which is a shame because the fight actually did not look that bad. It is not great, but it feels like these people cared about making a Batman that was more loyal to the comics.
7. Val Kilmer (1995)
Trying to emulate the style of the 60s TV show, Joel Schumacher left behind Tim Burton’s interpretation of Gotham for a more family-friendly and goofy take. Val Kilmer played Bruce in the first film and while it is a much better film than Batman and Robin, Kilmer just is not a very good Batman. “Batman Forever” is controlled by its supporting characters, with Jim Carey, Tommy Lee Jones and Nicole Kidman all having supporting roles. Kilmer just is not an interesting enough actor to play Bruce Wayne and although his voice suits the role, he just comes off as forgettable. Obviously, due to things like budgets, he has to be ranked above the men who played Batman in the 40s but not by much.
6. George Clooney (1998)
“I always apologize for ‘Batman and Robin,’” Clooney said on “The Graham Norton Show” in 2015 and he has every reason to. This film is not good at all. They go way too deep into the cheesiness and come out with a film that was too far removed from what people wanted from Batman in the 90s. However, Clooney SHOULD have been a good Batman. Clooney’s persona has always been like Bruce Wayne and it shows in this film you can see that he should have been a good Batman. However, with this script, his acting was far from his best and there’s no defending a Bat Credit Card.
5. Ben Affleck (2016-2023)
Speaking of people that should have been a great Batman, Affleck shows promise in all of his released Batman films. His take on a tortured Bruce Wayne haunted by his past works as it feels right with Affleck, who has had his share of public controversy in his career. Over all of his films, he was never given the chance to really be the star. While it would have been nice to see him expand upon one of the most complex versions of the character to date, it does not look like that will be happening.
4. Adam West (1966-1968)
I love the Adam West/ Burt Ward series and film. They are so colorful and full of deadpan humor mixed with slapstick and a huge foray of villains that most other live-action Batman movies have not even come close to touching. West was great since he said every line so seriously, no matter how ridiculous it was, and all of his villains stole the show in every episode they were in. West’s show saved Batman. Regardless of your view on a goofy Batman who runs around in daylight, talks to himself on the phone and can’t get rid of a bomb, he is the reason your favorite Batman got a shot at the role.
3. Michael Keaton (1989-1992, 2022-2023)
I like Keaton’s take on the character. His movies include some of the most memorable moments with any Batman. Whether it be with Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman or Jack Nicholson’s Joker, Keaton always stood his ground. He was not the most traditional Bruce Wayne, and he was met with backlash at his casting, but do not be mistaken, Keaton did a lot with the character and should be remembered fondly. It is a shame that he did not get to build off “Batman Returns,” one of the greatest Batman movies ever made, but it will be cool to see what he does in the upcoming DC movies where he will replace Affleck’s Batman. I’m excited to see what he does in the future with his new films.
2. Robert Pattinson (2022)
Pattinson blew me away. His gritty dark take on Batman was as interesting and intriguing as any character I have ever seen in a film. Watching him felt like you were watching a great detective movie, and had the feeling I presume the producers of the 40s serials were trying to go for. Pattinson plays the role to perfection, showing a young Bruce Wayne still finding things out while in his early years as Batman. I do feel like he will be number one someday, it’s just that this Bruce Wayne is not a finished product yet. The next movies will surely give Pattinson more time to grow and create the Bruce Wayne persona.
1. Christian Bale (2005-2012)
Bale’s portrayal is legendary for a reason, he was both a great Batman and Bruce Wayne. In his films, he portrays the rich playboy of Wayne with ease showing the charm of a rich man used to high society. As Batman, he is violent, fighting every villain Gotham has to offer while restraining from killing and also having a sort of charm that helps keep the character from getting too dark. The character arc with Rachel and his sacrifice for the city of Gotham, taking the fall for Two-Face’s crimes so he can be considered the hero is pure cinematic gold. The Dark Knight Trilogy is considered by some to be one of the greatest film trilogies ever, and in the center is Bale’s performance in the cape and mask.