Batmen and Robins

Michael Keaton wasn't the first Batman on the big screen. Nor was Adam West. There have been many actors who have played Batman, starting when the character was relatively new.

Lewis Wilson "Batman" (1943)

Lewis Wilson is the first actor to play Batman on the big screen. Just 4 years after Batman debuted in "Detective Comics #27," and then quickly starred in his own self-titled book, Batman was seen in movie theatres everywhere, not in a movie, but in a movie serial.

Briefly, movies were different back then. Rather than going in and paying for a ticket to see one movie, you bought one ticket and saw many things. There was essentially no tv, so this was for most people, their primary source of entertainment and information. Particularly on weekends, when there were matinees for kids, the norm was to see a newsreel, which was a few minutes of the big news of the day, then cartoon or two, then a movie serial or other short film, then the main film.

Movie serials and shorts were films of about 15-30 minutes. That's where the Three Stooges had their careers, doing shorts that played before the main feature. Serials were different in that they were weekly chapters of an overall story, starring Flash Gordon, Tarzan, Buck Rogers, or this new kind of character, Batman. Each chapter had its own title, and would usually end in a "cliffhanger" (named because they often had a character left hanging off a cliff) which would leave you wondering what would happen next, so you would make sure to come in the next week.

The first Batman serial, called "Batman" was 15 chapters, and it co-starred Douglas Croft as Robin (seen below). As was typical of serials at the time involving comic book heroes, there were tweaks to the character, and there were no comic book villains involved. Instead, Batman is an actual sanctioned government agent, working against spies for the Japanese government (remember this was during World War II).

The serial was so successful, elements of it carried over into the comics, such as the Batcave (or, as it's called in the serial, "The Bat's Cave"), and the entry to the Batcave being a grandfather clock in Wayne Manor, The appearance of Alfred also changed in the comics to fit the serial. Alfred had been a short, stout kind of fellow, but in the serial he was tall and thin with a mustache. From this point on, Alfred has always been tall and thin.

Robert Lowery and Johnny Duncan "Batman and Robin" (1949)

The 1943 serial was so successful a new serial was released in 1949, with new actors in the roles, and more supporting characters from the comics, namely Batman's love interest Vicki Vale and Commissioner Gordon.

Since the war was over, an actual villain was brought in for Batman to fight rather than spies. But, probably due to budget concerns, even though Batman had and continues to have a colorful gallery of outstanding villains to choose from, none of them were used. Instead they fight the Wizard, a run-of-the-mill mad scientist type who has an electric device he uses to control cars.

Budget was a concern throughout the serial, resulting in Batman's poorly-fitting cowl, a lack of utility belts, a lack of a Batmobile (they just drive around in a regular car) and other cheesy problems.

Adam West and Burt Ward "Batman" (1966)

Yes indeed. For many of us, this was our introduction to Batman. Actually, the tv show was, and this film, the first full-length movie to star Batman, came out after the first season of the show ended.

Featuring several of the key villains working from the tv series, now working together, we had Cesar Romero as the Joker, Frank Gorshin as the Riddler, Burgess Meredith as the Penguin, and Lee Merriwether (not Julie Newmar, who was injured at the time) as the Catwoman. Largely true to the comics, the film had Batman in color for the first time, and featured for the first time the Batmobile, as well as other things never seen before on the show, such as the Bat Copter, Bat Cycle, and Bat Boat.

The movie, like the tv show, was a huge success, and it affected the tone of the comics at the time, making them campier for years to come. Until...

Michael Keaton "Batman" (1989) and

"Batman Returns" (1992)

Here the legend was recreated, discarding the goofiness that became a worldwide sensation, Tim Burton's film followed what writers Frank Miller and Denny O'Neil did in the 1980s comics, returning Batman to his roots as a creature of the night, avenging the death of his parents by spending his life fighting crime. Despite having great success in comedic roles, such as Burton's previous film, "Beetlejuice," Keaton embraced Batman's dark side and made the character his own.

Val Kilmer "Batman Forever" (1995)

Tim Burton opted out of a third film and Joel Schumacher took over. With Burton out and the tone of the film changing, Michael Keaton declined to play Batman again, though he loved the character. So, new sensation Val Kilmer took over the role, and for the first time since the 60s, Batman was joined by Robin (Chris O'Donnell). Personally I thought Kilmer made the perfect Bruce Wayne and a good Batman. Bruce Wayne is your classic handsome playboy. Michael Keaton, while very good in the role, never looked anything like Bruce Wayne in the comics, or like you'd imagine a person who trained himself to physical perfection would look.

However, of course, this is when the films started to get silly. And the further change in costume, to what clearly what bat-armor, was also a step in the wrong direction.

George Clooney "Batman and Robin" (1997)

Bat-nipples. They're harder to see on George Clooney's bat-costume there, but returning Robin Chris O'Donnell's nipples are distinct. New addition Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl, seen for the first time anywhere since the 1960s tv show, also has some very noteworthy nipple on her costume, which, combined with the black and silver costumes, ridiculous villain combination, and excessive number of villains, made for what most consider the worst Batman movie to date.

However, George Clooney, who was a relatively new star at the time, was a brilliant casting choice as Batman and Bruce Wayne. He looked right, he can act, he has presence, and he could make the most of even the worst lines. But, the film killed the franchise until...

Christian Bale "Batman Begins" (2005)

"The Dark Knight" (2008) and

"The Dark Knight Rises" (2012)

Just as Tim Burton reset the tone with his Batman, director Christopher Nolan brought the character back to realistic, dark and gritty roots with his trilogy of films starring Christian Bale. Villains, but not wacky ones. Gadgets and vehicles, but nothing too stylized. Nolan's world featured military grade technology, physical skill, and mental acuity as Batman fought criminals and mad men such as the Scarecrow, Two-Face, Ra's al Ghul, and Bane. To this date, starring in three full-length films, no one has played Batman more on the big screen than Christian Bale.

Ben Affleck "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" (2016)

and "Justice League" (2017)

Yes, he also had a cameo in "Suicide Squad" as Bruce Wayne. And there was Zack Snyder's cut of "Justice League." However a cameo is not a starring role, and while greatly expanded, Snyder's "Justice League" is still just a longer and re-edited version of the same film, not a new film. So Ben Affleck has to date played Batman twice.

That said, a lot of shade has been thrown at Ben Affleck as Batman, and on the films in which he played Batman. You have to consider a few things.

Fans have been asking for a film version of "The Dark Knight Returns" for decades. "Batman v Superman" was an attempt to do that, by having an older Batman who has returned to his outlaw roots combat Superman, who may be a bigger threat to humanity than any villain. The problem is, a Justice League film was in the works, and a segue was needed. Thus a hybrid was formed, leading to "Justice League," which had a change of directors mid-shoot.

When you look at the quality of his performance and not of the script or films, Ben Affleck is a fine Batman. His costume looks good. Essentially he seems to be a continuation of the Batman from the Christopher Nolan trilogy, who has gotten older and more bitter.

Robert Pattinson "The Batman" (2022)

When this bit of casting was announced, some joked, "Oh, will we get a glittery Batman now?" I've mocked the "Twilight" films as much as the next guy, maybe more. I like my vampires scary and undead, not glittery and romantic. But Pattinson can act, and he's come a long way since then. The new take on Batman, focusing more on his detective skills than gadgets or camp, is also something that has never been done and long overdue.

Next: Part 2: TV