Heโs the Dark Knight, a charming billionaire, the Jokerโs biggest nemesis, andย Gotham City's biggest hero. Over the pastย decades, Batman has become aย movie icon played by a rangeย of different actors, each bringing their own spin to this beloved DC superhero. Let's take a look at the men behind the batsuit.
The first actor to play Batman on screenย wasย Lewis Wilson, who portrayed him in a 15-chapter theatrical serial inย 1943.ย Thisย was followed by the 13-part serialย Batman and Robin, in 1949, in whichย Robert Lowery played Batman. Then came a live-action TV seriesย in 1966ย withย actor Adam West playingย the superhero, resultingย in the 1966ย movie, Batman: The Movie. The series came to an end in 1968.
Twenty-one years later, Micheal Keaton picked up the batsuit and took on the role of the Dark Knight in the 1989 movieย Batman. Heย reprised theย role in Batman Returns in 1992. Keaton's turns in the batsuitย are still consideredย classics and fans love them to this day, which must be especially gratifying since, initially,ย fans were inย an uproar about his casting.
Val Kilmer confidently wore the bat mask and batsuit whenย he was cast in Batman Forever in 1995.ย In this instalment, our hero had to stop Two-Face and The Riddler. Kilmer gave fans loads of great action while lots of the comedicย moments came fromย Jim Carrey asย The Riddler. Also, who couldย forget Kilmer's luscious lips behind the mask?
George Clooney brought charm, cheesy '90s action, and light-hearted humourย as he took on the role of the superhero in the 1997 film, Batman and Robin alongside Chris OโDonnell. The two made a great duo with their banter.
The film franchiseย was rebooted in 2005 with Batman Begins starring Christian Bale. Bale brought back theย darker sideย of Batman and went on to star in two sequels, The Dark Knight (2008) andย The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Fans loved his signature deep Batman voiceย and he is still considered the best Batman by many avid fans of the franchise.
After Bale hung up the batsuit, Ben Affleck embraced the role in 2016ย and took on another popular superhero in the movie Batman vย Superman: Dawn Of Justice. His iteration eventually became beloved by many bat fans and he went on to appear as the character in Suicide Squad and Justice League.
A new Batman emergedย withย Robert Pattinsonย in The Batman. Watch Pattinsonย in action on Sunday at 20:05 on M-Net 101.
Watch the trailer here:
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