Ranking The Best On-Screen Portrayals of Batman

The Caped Crusader has appeared in numerous films and TV shows over the years. He’s been alternatively portrayed as a bumbling, campy buffoon or a righteous Dark Knight dedicated to stopping injustice. Here are the best portrayals of Batman from across movies and shows since he first appeared back in the 30s.

Val Kilmer in Batman Forever

With no disrespect meant to Val Kilmer, he had a tough job bringing anything to the role of Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever. This Joel Schumacher-directed outing is as 90s as it gets, with garish sets, campy acting, and cringey performances that make everything just drag. Kilmer himself does a great job of playing along, but it’s a tough watch.

George Clooney in Batman and Robin

George Clooney has publicly apologized for his take on Batman, but it’s really not his fault that Batman and Robin is so bad. Again, this is a Joel Schumacher Batman movie through and through. And, yes, that is a bad thing. Schumacher’s body of work is full of great pictures like The Lost Boys and St. Elmo’s Fire, but for whatever reason Batman just eluded him.

Iain Glen in Titans

Titans isn’t the best show, and it only got shakier as it went along. However, its take on an older, wiser Bruce Wayne was interesting because it was novel for a live-action production to spend much time with Batman past his prime. Iain Glen brings an interesting wiry physicality to the role that should have been explored in more depth.

David Mazouz in Gotham

It’s tough to portray a young Bruce Wayne, but David Mazouz was up to the task in Gotham. He got to show us the young man’s transformation from a spoiled rich kid into the troubled survivor who will one day don the cape and cowl to stop crime.

Diedrich Bader in Batman: The Brave and the Bold

The Brave and the Bold is a fun, cartoony animated show that has a lighter tone than many other Batman series. Diedrich Bader’s performance mirrors that, offering a jovial and good-natured take on Batman who can ground a relatively outlandish premise.

Rino Romano in The Batman (2004)

The Batman, a 2004 animated series that rebooted the character after the long-running Animated Series, is a much more lighthearted endeavor than its predecessor. This is reflected in Rino Romano’s performance as the title character. Romano brings a light and easygoing quality to the series that helps define its overall tone.

Adam West in Batman (1966)

Adam West’s take on Batman is iconic, but it set the character back for decades. The comedic, campy, and goofy take on the character was basically the only way he was viewed for over 20 years. That being said, West was amazing in the role of a goofy do-gooder, and, if you’re into this specific mode of comedy, nothing beats the 1966 Batman series.

Keanu Reeves in DC League of Super-Pets

You might have missed this one. Keanu Reeves voice Batman in the 2022 movie DC League of Super-Pets. It’s a kids’ movie, but hearing John Wick himself constantly remind the audience that he’s an orphan (and definitely not Bruce Wayne) is a fun gag for parents to enjoy while their kids watch superhero pets fight crime.

Ben Affleck in Justice League (Snyder Cut)

Ben Affleck got some truly terrible material to work with in Batman V. Superman and the original cut of Justice League. Thankfully, Zack Snyder got to make his first (and so far, only) good movie with his director’s cut of Justice League, offering us a genuinely gripping take on Affleck’s older, grizzled Batman.

Roger Craig Smith in Arkham Origins

Kevin Conroy leaves some big shoes to fill (more on him later), but Roger Craig Smith was up to the challenge in Arkham Origins. He plays the role of a younger, untested Batman in this beat-em-up prequel to Arkham Asylum. While his take on the role might be a bit unknown, it’s noteworthy for how neatly it folds into the wider Arkham series.

Will Arnet in the Lego Movies

Will Arnet provides the best parody Batman imaginable in both The Lego Movie and the Lego Batman Movie. His gravelly tones are perfectly suited to a lighthearted takedown of the overly serious Caped Crusader. Still, Arnet’s take could easily be used in a more serious production if he wanted to go that route.

Christian Bale in the Nolan Trilogy

Bale’s take on the Dark Knight is legendary. He brings an intensity that oscillates between fiery rage and subdued discipline from scene to scene. Of course, he’s often outshined by the villains, particularly Heath Ledger’s take on the Joker, but Bale’s relentless Batman gives the villains a rock-steady presence to bounce off of.

Michael Keaton in the Tim Burton Movies

Michael Keaton helped provide the template for modern interpretations of Batman. His uncompromising Bruce Wayne is a mysterious, enigmatic figure who keeps everyone—even the audience—at arm’s length. Keaton’s portrayal of the playboy Bruce, the avenging vigilante Batman, and the scared kid that grew up into both, is iconic.

Kevin Conroy in The Animated Series (And Many Other Projects)

The late Kevin Conroy first lent his voice to the Dark Knight in Batman: The Animated Series, and he went on to voice the character in nearly innumerable other projects. His distinctive baritone gives the character the appropriate presence, but it’s his subtleties that really sell the performance. Whenever Conroy’s Batman finds a quiet moment to comfort a scared child or encourage a struggling victim, his real superpower shines: his heart.

Robert Pattinson in The Batman (2022)

Robert Pattinson’s casting in the 2022 movie The Batman was initially met by fans as a joke. “The Battinson” wasn’t something the Batman faithful were on-board with. Then Matt Reeves’ crunchy, gritty take on the Batman hit theaters and everyone stopped laughing. This angsty and tortured take on the billionaire vigilante is engrossing and powerful, breathing new life into the long-running character.