WhoisBatman ? At a pressure conference forBatman v Superman : Dawn of Justice , Ben Afflecksaidthat he considers the character to be three different men . There ’s the hero under the mask , of trend . Then there ’s Bruce Wayne ’s public theatrical role , " a mask that he puts on as much as Batman . " Underneath it all is the pent - up billionaire who never designate his face , still sorrow over his remove parents . As Affleck cast it , Batman is " fucked up . "
Affleck is n’t the first comical book scholar to observe such multitudes in the 80 - class - sure-enough character . From his early detective year through his campiest reaching and into the brooding long time that brought on his Hollywood existence , Bruce Wayne ’s primal conflict has been his own haunted , two - face existence ( okay , and the homicidal villain Two - Face , but do n’t be so genuine ) . Batman ’s psychological profile amaze a challenge for actors who take up his mantle , balancing stunt work and comical book mythology with the common grapheme work . Who did it best ? We assessed the competition , saw not who they are underneath but what they did to define themselves , and ranked the eight big screen Batmen accordingly , from batty to brilliant .
8. George Clooney (Batman & Robin)
His Bruce Wayne : Basically George Clooney , if George Clooney were constantly cock - blocked by his 20 - year - old problematic - guy rope foster child .
His Batman : Basically George Clooney , if George Clooney gave his cheeky red - rug interviews in S&M leather .
Our finding of fact : Director Joel Schumacher channeled the campy 1960sBatmanTV serial withBatman & Robinand found a legitimate hunk to fill up Adam West ’s shoes . ERwas on its third twelvemonth , and George Clooney was at maximum charm – what else does Bruce Wayne need ? On the blockbuster action mechanism scale , much , much more . Impaired by the rigid Batsuit , overshadowed by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Uma Thurman ’s cartoonish villains , and saddled with intolerable one - liners ( [ deplumate out Bat - credit bill of fare ] " Never leave the cave without it " ) , Clooney ’s Batman is another pliant activity figure in a toy box of absurdity .
Warner Bros. Pictures (Edited)
7. Will Arnett (The Lego Movie)
His Bruce Wayne : Blissfully unlearned .
His Batman : A crazed ninja with enough swagger to beguile the ladies . Kind of an A - kettle of fish . A poor boy that the everyman can aspire to work over at his own secret plan .
Our verdict : When Christopher Nolan rebooted the Bat - franchise and ferment the character into the Grimdark Knight , kids ( and nestling - at - heart grownup ) were left without alternatives . The Lego Moviealmost answered the call . Arnett ’s take on Batman is n’t too far off from hisArrested Developmentcharacter , GOB . He ’s hilarious … but awful ? We ’ll see if Arnett can save himself by turning Batman back into a G - rated Italian sandwich in next year’sThe Lego Batman Movie .
Warner Bros. Pictures/YouTube
6. Ben Affleck (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
His Bruce Wayne : A Red Hot Angry Face emoji who once in a while masquerades as a Smirking Face emoji at parties .
His Batman : Even angrier ! opine a tantrumming 8 - year - old incase in two wads of brand armour . Then state him Santa does n’t live .
Our finding of fact : Affleck ’s Batman is older than any other we ’ve see , so I feign he ’s passing a kidney stone through the movie ’s entire two - and - a - half - 60 minutes runtime . dawn with Zack Snyder ’s apocalyptical vision of the DC Comics universe , Batman v Superman ’s Bruce Wayne is one dour Dark Knight . His rest side is " I ’m in a nightmare . " In Bat - mode , the only thing unattackable than his right hook is his jaw ’s clutch . If Affleck brought layered subtlety to Bruce Wayne ’s psyche , it ’s sitting on the cutting - room base .
There is n’t much time for the character to in reality develop inBatman v Superman– there are thug to gun down , superpeople to scowl at , and visions of subsequence to behold – and the rare raillery between Affleck and Alfred ( Jeremy Irons ) teases actual comradeliness . Batman v Supermancan rap retiring movies for running the emotional " my parents died " well dry , but it only has itself to fault for not fertilize Affleck the reefer between those gnash teeth .
5. Adam West (Batman: The Movie)
His Bruce Wayne : A B - team James Bond , with a hyphen of Russ Meyer - brand smut smartness for salutary , groovy metre .
His Batman : Captain Kirk affectedness mate with classic Lone Ranger valiancy .
Our finding of fact : In 1966 , no one took Batman seriously . He was a comic - book character , and West played the Caped Crusader and his alter ego like a pair of survive Roy Lichtensteins . If every punch would down with a " KA - POW , " every " TO THE BATCAVE ! " had to fire with the same gusto . West earn points for understanding that plan of attack and hold it solve . You think Clooney would give a darn about Shark Repellent Bat Spray ?
4. Kevin Conroy (Batman: Mask of the Phantasm)
His Bruce Wayne : A easy stoical , like if your dad were a playboy millionaire who spent his nights agitate the Joker . I apologize if your dada is a playboy millionaire who expend his nights agitate the Joker and I ’m underestimating him .
His Batman : Somewhere between Sherlock Holmes and Kojak .
Our finding of fact : Like Adam West , Kevin Conroy ’s Batman made the leap from tv set to movie theaters . The deductive abstract thought , wry wit , and clue of compassion that madeBatman : The Animated Series ' fighter brook out from the motion-picture show remained integral in 1993’sMask of the Phantasm . We ca n’t give Conroy all the credit – animators turned his disembodied vocalism into an acrobatic fanny - kicker , though there are second when the illustrations ca n’t quite handle the torment of Bruce Wayne ’s troth – butMask of the Phantasmis a tense mystery with Batman ’s investigator roots at its center , and Conroy ’s voice manoeuvre us through it .
Warner Bros. Pictures
3. Michael Keaton (Batman,Batman Returns)
His Bruce Wayne : One part Brat Packer , one partWhisky Advocateeditor - in - foreman .
His Batman : Your college roommate ’s Clint Eastwood impression .
Our verdict : Keaton was the first histrion to treat Batman like an actual human being , and his operation is lovably earnest . What if Batman were just a normal dude ? A chill loner ? Tim Burton ’s franchise - appetizer and its macabre sequel get the answer in Keaton . His " I ’m Batman ! " has an air of " … just to let you know . " His comic acquisition can work up Bruce Wayne ’s wuss human action . And in the suit , his news still do most of the body of work . The technology and filmmaking prowess of 1989 could n’t make this Batman the most dynamic superhero , so Keaton radiated the authority of one . It worked .
2. Christian Bale (Batman Begins,The Dark Knight,The Dark Knight Rises)
His Bruce Wayne : On a never - ending spirit quest to see man ’s purpose in this mankind . Occasionally act like Patrick Bateman to cover his racetrack .
His Batman : Do bats growl ? Bale ’s chiropteran growling .
Our finding of fact : As Bale is the only player to fill in a trilogy , the cracks in his performance start to show ( see : the easily parodied , deepened Bat - interpreter delivery of " RACHEL ! " ) . InBatman Begins , he ’s the comical - book equivalent weight of a wayward millennial whose backpack trip ends with ninja training . Love interests and haunting memory blur the telephone circuit between Bruce and his costumed torpedo – they are the same soul , even if it takes until the closing of Christopher Nolan ’s saga to figure that out . The Dark Knightisn’t his movie , but Bale take a shit do . And inThe Dark Knight Rises , he shatters into a million piece , only to glue himself back together . Bale soak up the " Why do we fall ? " speech like a sponge , wring it in the most fast-growing battles and pipe down character metre . This is the action mechanism - movie Batman we merit .
1. Val Kilmer (Batman Forever)
His Bruce Wayne : Hamlet by room of the Ringling Brothers .
His Batman : If Kilmer’sThe Saintand Kilmer’sDoc Hollidayfrom Tombstone were biologically capable of having a baby .
Our finding of fact : Batman Foreveris a obtuse flick with the best casting in the franchise ’s history ( anda killer soundtrack ) . Even though Batman ’s skirt by glowing neon and exaggerated gothic design , his operation grabs from every part of comics and motion-picture show story . His need to avenge his parents seeps into his dangerous tone . He can derive to life with a laugh , then drop the rambunctious Robin ( Chris O’Donnell ) just as promptly . Behind his masquerade , the churrigueresco shifts to pulp . He ’s a swashbuckler , a romantic , a clever spy . He ’s the literal spate – if only the movie were , too .
Warner Bros. Pictures/YouTube
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Matt Patches is Thrillist ’s Entertainment editor in chief . He antecedently indite forGrantland , Esquire.com , Vulture , The Hollywood Reporter , andThe Guardian . He thinksBatman Beginsis better thanThe Dark Knight . Come at him on Twitter@misterpatches .
Warner Bros. Pictures/YouTube
Warner Bros. Pictures/YouTube
Warner Bros. Pictures/YouTube
Warner Bros. Pictures/YouTube
Warner Bros. Pictures/YouTube
