For me bc of their eminently rewatchability, Christian Bale imo played him best.

Kevin Conroy and because.

I liked Ben Affleck’s take a lot though he wasn’t given nearly enough to work with.

Should I be in the minority and say Robert Pattinson? I liked his take a lot. The “Emo Batman” wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be based on the ads.

It’s crazy to think that Michael Keaton gave us his Batman just a year after his zany performance in Beetlejuice. No wonder people were worried about Burton picking him for Bruce Wayne/Batman.

Adam West because you never get over your first love

It’s hard for me to pick just one if I’m honest. Michael Keaton was iconic in the role and who I pictured as Batman in live action for a long time.

At the same time the 66 series was appointment viewing for me as a kid for a long time. I watched reruns on The Family Channel a bunch and even would record episodes on tape. Sure it’s campy but it’s a fun rendition and Adam West was a good Batman for the era and what the show was going for.

Kevin Conroy as the voice of Batman in various forms, but mainly Batman: The Animated Series just brought the character to life. Even if it was only using his voice. Often when I think of Batman’s voice in my head reading a comic or whatever that’s the voice I imagine.

Listen my favorite will always be Adam West but...

The best Batman? Robert Pattinson
The best Bruce Wayne? Christian Bale

And while we're at it

Best Joker - Heath Ledger
Best Penguin - Colin Ferrell
Best Two-Face - Aaron Eckhart
Best Riddler - Paul Dano
Best Catwoman - Zoe Kravitaz

Best Commissioner Gordon - Gary Oldman
Best Alfred - Michael Caine
Best Robin/Nightwing - Brenton Thwaites
Best Batgirl/Oracle - Dina Meyer

Best Batmobile - Batman (1989)
Best Batcave - Batman (1966)
Best Batplane - Batman (1989)
Best Batcycle - The Dark Knight

Best Pulsating Buttocks - Val Kilmer

Adam West or Christian Bale. I think Bale came the closest to being a pretend playboy/Dark Knight by night which the modern Batman has become.

The 66 show doesn't work without West. It would not have been a cultural sensation without him.

Bale was a good Bruce Wayne I agree. Probably had the duality of Bruce and Batman down the best and faking it as the billionaire playboy. I really like Batman Begins but over time I’ve come to be a bit meh on the other two Nolan films. Not that they’re bad but I don’t love them the same way I once did.

Thread can be safely closed now. .

The "why" is just what he brought to the character and Nolan’s excellent direction.

Christian Bale for me as the Dark Knight trilogy films are my favorite. I usually get sucked in when I'm channel surfing. Followed closely by Michael Keaton. Batman and Batman Returns are great.

I wonder if this thread is because OldBoy saw the news of Batman becoming the first superhero to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame or just coincidental.

https://www.billboard.com/music/musi...me-1235777081/

I think Bale had the best balance between Bruce and Batman. Bruce is the mask and I think we saw that in his portrayal.

Bale, as a person capable of becoming someone like Batman would need to be truly broken inside, and he effectively conveyed that damage.

Though his movies are trash, Affleck is my favorite Batman to watch onscreen. He truly feels like he can kick the shit out of everyone in the room. I don't get that from the others (even Bale, who is the best Bruce Wayne).

Will Arnett.

Bale, if not for his stupid Batman voice. I agree that Affleck was actually damn good as the character, even though the movies he was in were not great.

Overall, I'd say Keaton was the best mix of Wayne and Batman.

I think they're all the best. Each actor brings something to the role, be it Keaton's unhinged-ness, Kilmer's discipline, West's inherent good-ness, Bale's earnestness, Affleck's doggedness, or Pattinson's vulnerability.

Clooney channels West and weaponizes his movie stardom and of course Conroy has that ultimate voice and blend of characteristics (aided greatly by the writing).

Good Burger...wait, what, we are not doing that anymore, and what is that you say, it does not make sense, understood.

I have not put a lot of thought into this, but I just keep going back to Adam West as he was Batman for me growing up as a kid in the 70s and I have seen enough of West's Batman TV series that all the other names listed in this thread are to me actors who happened to get a chance to play Batman, but West is The Batman to me and I suspect a rather large group of fans who grew up in the 70s and 80s.

Adam West because it was what I saw in childhood and I liked the campy show.

Batman has never been a character that I have really cared about and never really read the comic either.

had no idea. I was watching The Batman in anticipation of The Penguin series and thought to myself, there were a lot of people to play the iconic hero, so...

Overall, I still think Keaton did it best.

That being said, I think Affleck's Batman has the single most awesome fight in all of Batman filmography with the warehouse fight. I wish we would have gotten a proper Batman movie with him, he's great as an older jaded Batman. Pattinson was also fantastic and the only true detective Batman, but we only got a glimpse of him as Bruce Wayne.

I never cared for Bale's Batman portrayal, the voice, the over reliance on technology and his supporting cast to do most of the heavy lifting for him. His Wayne was spot on for who he would be in that world.

No way I can do just 1. They all have great aspects so here's my list and reasons:

1. Ben Affleck...I loved his gruff angry "Beast" older Batman. He was the buffed up scary Batman I always wanted in Live action.

2; Pete Weller (Voice)...He kicked ass as the Older Batman in "The Dark Night Returns" animated films.
3. Christian Bale/ Robert Pattinson...They tie for best "real world" Batmen. Not cartoony, fighting styles based in real world fighting and not comic book flips etc. But still menacing and not to be messed with. Actual Detectives.
4. Michael Keaton...He was my 1st live action "Serious Dark Knight" so he holds a special place. For me, that was mind blowing having come from Adam West's '66 Batman. To be honest, I loved him MORE as the older Batman/Bruce in "The Flash" film.
5. George Clooney...Yes, George fuckin' Clooney. He gets waaaay too shit for his Batman. I really liked him. Hell,he shits on himself for the role which sucks.
6. Adam West...He was my first Batman. I never cared for the goofball nature of Batman '66 even as a child. But I respect it was a product of its time.


Honorable Mentions
Val Kilmner...He was ok as Batman. Didn't hate him and enjoyed the films he did.
Jeremy Sisto...Loved his 1950s Batman in Justice League: A New Frontier
Diedrich Bader...Was great in Batman: Brave and the Bold. He was fun with the goofball part but also sounded cool.



Just for Fun. It's 10 year old so some newer voices may be missing:

Best Batman action sequence: Batman v Superman Martha's rescue

Best Batman detective sequence: The Batman - take your pic. The only Batman movie that emphasized his investigative skills.

Best Batman origin sequence: Batman Begins - pretty much a third of the movie, take your pic. I particularly loved his League of Shadows induction ceremony.

Best Batman introductory sequence: Batman Begins - Batman's first appearance at the warehouse

Scariest Batman moment: Batman Begins - when The Scarecrow gets a taste of his own medicine and sees this



Best Batsuit - Batman v Superman. Affleck. Nailed it.

Best Batman voice - The Batman. Pattinson's quiet but assured command won me over.

Agreed with all of this.

Batman Begins really did a lot right in my opinion. Maybe the best origin film ever in my opinion. Love all the parts with Bruce training, then putting the gear together. First appearance is great. The overall tone is good and a blend of grounded but also a bit on the more comic side. I truly feel it’s often overlooked by people who are so enamored with Heath Ledger and the Dark Knight.

The warehouse scene and Martha’s rescue in Batman V Superman is tough to beat in terms of Batman action. Just too bad the rest of the movie and really most of Affleck’s run as Batman in general isn’t as good as that one scene.

The Batman is also damn good just in terms of making Batman a detective for once. Some aspects of that have been sprinkled throughout the other movies but it was really finally on display. Pattinson is very good too, though I can’t say I’m sold on his Bruce Wayne yet.

Perhaps you forgot about the world’s greatest detective figuring out that “Enigma” stands for “E. Nygma”. Edward Nygma! in Batman Forever. Surely no one else could put those pieces together!

Adam West:
1) My first Batman
2) Only Batman I've met in person
3) My first autograph at my first SDCC. Only $5!

Michael Keaton close second.