Many actors over the years have taken the Caped Crusader’s cowl upon themselves to portray him in film and TV, each providing their own take on the Dark Knight.
Having so many actors naturally spurns the debate of which one did it best. Surely we can argue the merits of that point, but there’s no way to come to that conclusion objectively.
Sure, some have played Batman better than others while others have a firm grasp on Bruce Wayne. I firmly believe the argument about who is the best gets into semantics when we arrive at the top.
That is why we should take a different approach. Which Batman actor is your favorite?
Often, the top choices seem to center on either Michael Keaton from Batman and Batman Returns, or Christian Bale from The Dark Knight Trilogy.
Each one definitely brings a good role to their portrayal and both speak well to the tone of their respective movies.
While both Bale and Keaton do the Dark Knight justice on the silver screen, there’s a lot to be said about the original Batman: Adam West.
Sure, that portrayal is a lot more goofy, but look at the time it came out. The ’60s saw a lot more lighthearted take on Batman and that is because the comic books didn’t have the darker tones just yet.
For his part, West was magnificent in his portrayal so much so that he is still quoted to this day for his performance. West left a powerful impact on pop culture by playing Batman for just three years in the show.
The newcomers also get discussed a lot with Ben Affleck and Robert Pattinson being the most recent to wear the cowl. Both have taken a unique approach to their performances and both definitely have their merits. Time will tell if their performances have lasting power.
Animation is another avenue to explore Batman actors. Many revere Kevin Conroy for his voice acting during Batman: The Animated Series and various other animated movies and video games.
Another popular performance is Will Arnett from The LEGO Movie and The LEGO Batman Movie. Arnett definitely nails the parody aspect of the performance and that works so well because of how believable he is as Batman.
Other actors, both voice and live-action actors, include Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Iain Glen, Lewis G. Wilson, Robert Lowery, Olan Soule, David Mazouz, and many other voice performers have done a performance.
Some of these performances — like Mazouz and Glen — come in brief appearances in Gotham and Titans, respectively. There are also plenty of voice actors who have performed in the host of animated movies out there.
My favorite is Bale, but I think that’s largely because of my love for The Dark Knight trilogy. These movies were huge during my middle and high school years as well as into college. I loved the darker portrayal and, goofy voice aside, Bale captured who I always though Batman/Bruce Wayne was in my mind.
Your favorite could depend on a host of factors. Maybe it was someone you liked growing up or maybe you can better analyze the performance. Regardless of how you pick one, we all have a favorite.
So which one is your favorite? Are there other underrated performances you think should be better recognized? Let us know in the comments below or head over to our Discord channel to join the conversation.
Featured Image: Warner Bros. (via Den of Geek)
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The Boss Rush Podcast – The Boss Rush Podcast is the flagship podcast of Boss Rush Media and the Boss Rush Network. Each week, Corey, Stephanie, LeRon, and their friends from around the internet come together with other creators, developers, and industry veterans to talk about games they’ve been playing, discuss video game and entertainment based topics, and answer questions solicited on social media and the community Discord.
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