With "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" (opening March 25) giving us a new look at the Dark Knight as Ben Affleck takes over the character, it's time to take stock of the best — and the worst — Batmans we've seen in movies and TV.
The Batman of the screen has evolved from a witty crime fighter on TV to a darkly conflicted man in the movies.
Fans of Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, are extremely loyal to the actor they believe portrayed him best. Any objection is liable to lead to rowdy debates. Who can forget Seth Rogen and Zac Efron arguing the better Batman — Michael Keaton or Christian Bale — in "Neighbors"?
So let's add some more fuel to this superhero debate. Here are the actors who played Batman on TV and in movies (we've excluded animation, with a couple of important exceptions), ranked, starting with the worst.
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8. George Clooney ("Batman & Robin," 1997)
Still trying to find his footing post-"ER," Clooney was jumping back and forth between romantic comedies and action movies when he took the Batman role after Val Kilmer was one-and-done in "Batman Forever." It turned out to be a disaster. Fans were exhausted by director Joel Schumacher's colorful aesthetic and the cartoonish villains played by Arnold Schwarzenegger (Mr. Freeze) and Uma Thurman (Poison Ivy). And Clooney’s Batman was too jokey. The gruff Dark Knight had become playful and soft.
"Batman & Robin" is the lowest-grossing movie in the franchise, making $238 million worldwide.
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7. Lewis G. Wilson "The Batman" TV show, 1943)
Wilson has the distinction of being the first actor to play Batman, starring in the 1943 series. Though he had the comics as a reference point, Wilson was still at a disadvantage being the first to put on the tights. He holds his own, but it's certainly not a performance that is memorable, as you can see in the footage here.
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6. Robert Lowery (“Batman and Robin” TV show, 1949)
The second effort at a Batman series led to the casting of a bigger actor to play Batman. Lowery's physique and the show's better fight scenes make for a more enjoyable experience.
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