Today is the day fans the word over show their appreciation for DC's Dark Knight, and with yet another live-action take on the character set to grace the big screen next year when Ben Affleck inhabits the cape 'n cowl, we though it would be a good opportunity to look back over the previous 7 actors who've brought life to the Caped Crusader over the years and see if we can decide who did the best job.
The first actor to suit up as Batman was Lewis G. Wilson, who donned the cowl in the 15-part 1943 Columbia serial before being replaced by the much better received Robert Lowrey in 1949. Then we had Adam West's famously campy, but fondly remembered portrayal in the '60s Batman TV show. Things got a lot more serious when the Dark Knight finally made it to the big screen in Tim Burton's 1989 blockbuster, with Michael Keaton brooding his way through two movies. Six years later things took a step back towards camp when Val Kilmer took over in Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever, before the director went on to put the final nail in the franchise's coffin in Batman And Robin, which featured George Clooney as Bats... nipples and all. Then of course Christopher Nolan resurrected the iconic hero in spectacular fashion with Batman Begins in 2005, with Christian Bale's notoriously gravelly Bat-voice dominating three movies.
You might think this is a two-bat race, but there are those that think Clooney and Kilmer did very well with what they had to work with, and there are also completists who are huge fans of the first couple of incarnations. Seven live-action Batmen, all bringing very different pros and cons to the table - but who do you guys think was the best?
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.