September 18th is Batman Day, and this year we’re celebrating by shouting out all of the great actors that have played the Dark Knight. Each actor had their own epic performance as Batman, and we want to give credit where credit is due! Here is a timeline of all the actors that have rocked the batsuit:
Lewis Wilson in The Batman (1943)
Just four years after the Batman comic premiered, Lewis Wilson became the first Batman to make it to the big screen. Wilson acted as Batman in a serial film titled The Batman, which consisted of 15 chapters. In this classic film, Batman must take down Dr. Daka, an evil agent that wants to complete his diabolical invention, a ray gun that can blast through anything. At just 23 years old, Lewis landed a role that would change the Super Hero genre forever!
Robert Lowry in Batman and Robin (1949)
Although Batman and Robin is a sequel to 1943’s The Batman, it features a new actor sporting the batsuit. In this 15-chapter serial film, Batman and Robin face off against The Wizard, an evil villain that possesses a stolen device that controls all the vehicles in Gotham City. Lowry was considered a veteran actor at this point in his career and his experience shows in this awesome movie!
Adam West in Batman Classic TV Series (1966-1968)
The Batman Classic TV Series, which starred Adam West as Batman, came almost 20 years after the Batman and Robin serial film. The series was legendary because Batman and Robin fought villains such as The Joker, The Penguin, and The Riddler, who all showed up in the proceeding films. It was also the first time we saw the Batmobile on screen! It’s safe to say Adam West left his mark in Batman history.
Michael Keaton in Batman (1989)
After a long wait, Batman is finally back in theatres, and this time it’s Michael Keaton playing the defender of Gotham City! Keaton’s Batman had to take on The Joker, played by Jack Nicholson. Batman must stop The Joker from destroying Gotham and kidnapping his love interest, Vicki Vale. This is the first time we see The Joker in a film, and the battles between him and Batman are absolutely iconic.
Val Kilmer in Batman Forever (1995)
In this Batman, The Dark Knight struggles with the decision of living a romantic, normal life with his girlfriend or staying Batman forever. Val Kilmer takes the role of Batman and plays the “most charming” version of the Super Hero that we’ve seen yet. The “chicks dig the car” line will forever be one of our favorite Batman memories. The Caped Crusader takes on Two-Face and The Riddler, who both appear in the Batman TV Series from the 1960’s!
George Clooney in Batman & Robin (1997)
George Clooney stars as Batman in the sequel to 1995’s Batman Forever, which is titled Batman & Robin. Clooney is epic in the batsuit, taking on Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman), two exciting villains that hadn’t been in any of the movies yet! Batman and Robin save Gotham City once again.
Christian Bale in Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The Dark Knight Trilogy is the darkest take on Batman to date and is easily one of our favorite additions to the series. Christian Bale is riveting as The Dark Knight, and the films follow a large portion of the Super Hero’s life, starting with his traumatic early childhood. Bale’s Batman fights against some of the most iconic villains in Batman history, including Ra’s Al Ghul, Scarecrow, Two-Face, Bane, The Joker, and many more!
Ben Affleck in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017)
Ben Affleck is the most recent star to play The Caped Crusader, and he did a great job portraying the legendary superhero! His acting in both Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and in Justice League make him stand out as yet another star in the Batman series.
Coming Soon: Robert Pattinson in The Batman (2022)
Robert Pattinson is getting his chance to shine in the batsuit in the upcoming movie The Batman, which is planned to be released in 2022! Although we don’t know much about the film, we’re excited for another great actor to take on the role of The Dark Knight!
Make sure to celebrate Batman Day by watching all of these classic performances and to check out all of the awesome Batman merch on our site!
