Na na na na na na na na… the aloof superhero is never too far away. From the worst to the all-time best here’s every Batman actor ranked.
A bit like James Bond or Doctor Who, the Batman baton has been handed down to many famous faces from generation to generation.
With 13 films in his own name and countless other cameo appearances, fans have watched Batman progress from a kitschy persona to the dark and pessimistic figure that viewers know and love.
With Batman Day fast approaching, we’re doing the hard work for you – check out every Batman actor ranked from worst to best below.
12. George Clooney: Batman & Robin (1997)
Propping up last place in the Batman actor ranked list is George Clooney, which probably isn’t news to anyone.
His film Batman & Robin was a well-known flop back in the late 90s, which particularly didn’t land well with comic readers. Clooney’s Batman didn’t follow the original material at all, leaving many to question if he was right for the role.
It’s thanks to his rising profile in E.R. that Clooney secured the role, with things taking a nosedive once he put on the Bat-suit. Thankfully, he’s taken things on the chin in hindsight, telling Howard Stern that it “physically hurts” to watch it back during a radio show interview.
11. Lewis G. Wilson: The Batman TV show (1943)
As the first person ever to play Batman, Lewis G. Wilson had a lot to play with. Sadly, that playing didn’t go very far.
Wilson’s version in The Batman TV show was unlike any Batman iteration seen before. The performance isn’t there and neither is the physical stamina needed for the role.
10. Robert Lowery: Batman and Robin TV show (1949)
Robert Lowery was the first person to get the physical side of Batman more in line with what fans know now, with the fight scenes in the Batman and Robin TV show some of the first of the superhero’s kind.
Other than that, there’s not much to write home about here. The character is still clearly discovering who he is – and who he can be – which Lowery deals with in the best possible way.
9. Keanu Reeves: DC’s League of Super-Pets (2022)
The most recent take on Batman that makes him both serious and light-hearted, Keanu Reeves’ voice role fits in well with the rest of the DCU.
It’s not a groundbreaking performance by a long chalk, but Reeves clearly is having fun with what he’s doing. When this superhero needs to be entertaining, he delivers.
8. Ben Affleck: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Suicide Squad (2016), Justice League (2017, 2021), The Flash (2023)
Poor Ben Affleck. By the time he got his Bat-suit handed to him, both the character and DC were in quite a lot of disarray.
Nevertheless, he has persevered with the role over multiple films, though arguably things haven’t got much better. Affleck’s version is past his prime, which is something he continues to play well. For a man who had the odds stacked against him as soon as it was announced that he would star in Batman v Superman, it’s not a bad effort.
7. Will Arnett: The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
When everything is Lego, nothing can go too wrong, meaning Will Arnett’s version was arguably winning to begin with.
First seen in The Lego Movie, Arnett combined both a sense of fun and the serious side of the superhero into the animation well enough for him to get his own feature film. It’s a little more surface-level than other Batman performances, but arguably that’s all it needs to be. Think of the children!
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6. Kevin Conroy: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
When Mask of the Phantasm first came out, it was largely overlooked by viewers. However, it’s possibly thanks to Kevin Conroy’s performance that the movie has stood the test of time.
Though he was originally involved in the 1992 animated Batman series, it wasn’t until a year later that Conroy fully embodied the role. The show was such a hit that it inspired the Phantasm film – and by voice alone, Conroy manages to make both Bruce Wayne and Batman well-rounded and convincing. It’s a must-watch for fans who have yet to add Conry to their list of Batmans.
5. Val Kilmer: Batman Forever (1995)
After he was Top Gun’s Iceman, Val Kilmer went on to don the Bat-suit.
Even without doing anything, Kilmer had big shoes to fill after coming in as a replacement for Michael Keaton. Despite the ruffled feathers, Kilmer slid into the role with ease, making his first (and only) superhero film a straightforward transition.
The main con is not getting enough mileage out of the role, with Kilmer being well-suited to more than one movie.
4. Adam West: Batman (1966)
As the first Batman on the big screen, Adam West is a core Bat-memory for many.
West’s version of the superhero was incredibly PG, creating a character that was both lighthearted and kid-friendly. Though his physical skills weren’t up to scratch, his more laid-back personality made him incredibly easy to fall in love with. He’s even former star Christian Bale’s favorite iteration.
3. Michael Keaton: Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), The Flash (2023)
When many people think of Batman, they think of Michael Keaton.
Before Keaton’s edgier take on the Bat, fans were used to seeing the DC superhero as more of a campy comedy character. The redirection was welcomed, turning both Batman and Bruce Wayne into intimidating figureheads. Though the switch-up seemed radical at the time, Keaton undoubtedly set a precedent for Batmans to come.
He also set a legacy in place for himself, most recently donning his Bat-suit for a cameo as an older and wiser Batman in The Flash.
2. Robert Pattinson: The Batman (2022)
Though he’s only had one outing as Batman so far, Robert Pattinson has left a lasting impression with his interpretation.
While fans had a decade wait for a solo film to be released, Pattinson made sure it was worth the wait. Taking the superhero to the darkest he’s ever been, Pattinson’s full gusto approach to making Batman even more aloof feels like a fresh and necessary redirection. The best news? He’s just getting started.
1. Christian Bale: Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
With a stunning trilogy under his belt, it’s safe to say that Christian Bale comes out on top in the war of the Batmans.
What makes his turn as the superhero so distinct is that each of his performances is as good as – or even better than – the last. There are no weak points in The Dark Knight trilogy, though the second movie is arguably the most popular among fans.
Though it didn’t make sense for Bale to reprise the role after the trilogy ended, his commitment to the character is nothing short of exceptional. Bale did many of the film’s stunts himself while fully grounding Batman in the gritty, darker personality fans know him to have. If nothing else, Bale’s chemistry and onscreen partnership with Heath Ledger’s Joker is a hero-villain duo for the ages.
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