Fans Rank All Batman Actors From Worst to Best

Batman is one of the most adapted characters in the history of the comics. From various live-action movies to animated projects, there are quite a few names that have been attached to the role.

Some actors showed up only briefly, while some have been embodying the character for years, and DC fans, finally got around to ranking them all. Forget about box office and critical success, this list was made by fans for fans on Ranker.

24. Anthony Ruivivar

Anthony Ruivivar never played the Dark Knight in live-action but he did voice him in ‘Beware the Batman’ for 26 episodes.

23. Jimmy Kimmel

Jimmy Kimmel voiced Batman in ‘Teen Titans GO!,’ he apparently took roles in movies only because his children were fans of the source material.

22. Robert Lowery

Robert Lowery portrayed Batman/Bruce Wayne in the 1949 film serial ‘Batman and Robin.’ This is why his costume and fighting skills are a lot more humble than what we are used to today.

21. Jeremy Sisto

Jeremy Sisto voiced Batman in the direct-to-video feature ‘Justice League: The New Frontier.’ Interestingly, he also voiced Talon in ‘Batman vs. Robin.’

20. Roger Craig Smith

Roger has voiced the Caped Crusader plenty of times, most notably in the series ‘Batman Unlimited.’ He also voiced Batman in ‘Batman Ninja,’ ‘Merry Little Batman,’ and in several videogames, notably ‘Batman: Arkham Origins,’ ‘Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham.’

19. Lewis Wilson

Lewis has the honor of being the first live-action Batman. In 1943, Columbia Pictures produced the first live-action Batman series, titled simply ‘Batman,’ following the United States’ entry into World War II. Wilson made his screen debut at 23, starring as Batman in the 15-episode serial, facing off against J. Carrol Naish’s portrayal of the Japanese spy Dr. Daka. A sequel was made in 1949, with Robert Lowery taking over the role of Batman.

18. William Baldwin

William Baldwin graced us with his voice in ‘Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths.’ In 1995, among a variety of roles in his career, Baldwin was on Joel Schumacher’s shortlist for ‘Batman Forever’ to play the title character. Schumacher’s four diverse choices were Daniel Day-Lewis, Ralph Fiennes, Val Kilmer, and Baldwin. The role ultimately went to Val Kilmer.

17. Olan Soule

Soule is well-known for voicing Batman in various animated series. He first portrayed the Caped Crusader in the 1968 Filmation-produced ‘The Batman/Superman Hour.’ Soule continued to voice Batman in shows like ‘The New Scooby-Doo Movies,’ ‘Sesame Street’ (1970), ‘Super Friends,’ and its various iterations, including ‘Challenge of the Superfriends’ and ‘The World’s Greatest Super Friends.’ Additionally, he made a cameo appearance as a newscaster on the live-action ‘Batman’ television series. Despite eventually passing on the Batman mantle to Adam West, Soule remained involved in animated superhero series, voicing Professor Martin Stein in ‘Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show.’

16. Rino Romano

Rino Romano voiced Dark Knight in ‘The Batman’ animated series for four seasons. He also voiced Spider-Man in ‘Spider-Man Unlimited’ and various superhero-oriented video games.

15. George Clooney

Clooney was chosen to play Batman in Joel Schumacher’s ‘Batman & Robin,’ a film that, while achieving moderate box office success, faced harsh criticism, with Clooney himself labeling it “a waste of money.” His Batman wasn’t all that loved among the fans which explains such a relatively low position. Clooney most recently appeared as Bruce Wayne in 2023 ‘The Flash’ in a brief cameo.

14. Ethan Hawke

Hawke voiced Batman in the children’s animated television series, ‘Batwheels.’ Due to his charming portrayal, he landed himself so high on this list.

13. Luke Wilson

Wilson provided his voice for Batman in ‘Merry Little Batman’ in 2023. He aimed to make his role funny and more engrossing to children.

12. Bruce Greenwood

Bruce Greenwood voiced Batsy in some of the best-adapted stories, like ‘Batman: Under the Red Hood,’ ‘Batman: Gotham By Gaslight,’ and ‘Batman: Death in the Family.’ He also provided his voice in ‘Young Justice’ which ran for 9 years.

11. Troy Baker

Troy is among the select actors to have voiced Batman, the Joker, and the three main iterations of Robin in various video games. This includes roles in “Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes,” “Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham,” “Lego Dimensions,” “Batman: The Telltale Series,” and “Batman: The Enemy Within.” Additionally, he portrayed the Joker in “Batman: Arkham Origins” and depicted Tim Drake, Dick Grayson (as Nightwing), and Jason Todd (as Red Hood) in different titles such as “Batman: Arkham City,” “Injustice: Gods Among Us,” and “Batman: Arkham Knight.” Most recently, Baker voiced Batman in ‘Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Two,’ in 2024.

10. Diedrich Bader

Bader has voiced various characters in Batman cartoons, including heroes and villains in “Batman Beyond,” “The Zeta Project,” and “The Batman.” He notably starred as Bruce Wayne/Batman in “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” and “Harley Quinn.” Additionally, Bader voices Guy Gardner in “Green Lantern: The Animated Series.”

9. Val Kilmer

Ah, my personal favorite Batman. There was debate surrounding Val Kilmer’s performance as Batman, with some critics criticizing him as a poor successor to Michael Keaton, while others praised his portrayal. Co-creator Bob Kane considered Kilmer’s interpretation the best among all actors who had portrayed Batman up to that point. Leonard Maltin complimented Kilmer’s portrayal, contrasting it with the darker tone of ‘Batman Returns.’ Defenders of ‘Batman Forever’ appreciated its portrayal of Batman as a more heroic and human character, aligning him closer to his comic book counterpart.

8. Jason O’Mara

O’Mara was selected to portray Bruce Wayne/Batman in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies, a series of animated films based on The New 52 comics. He debuted as Batman in “Justice League: War” and “Son of Batman,” subsequently reprising the role in several more films within the franchise, including “Justice League: Throne of Atlantis,” “Batman: Bad Blood,” and “Batman: Hush.”

7. Will Arnett

Arnett provided his voice for Batman in ‘The Lego Movie.’ He returned to voice Batman in “The Lego Batman Movie,” a spin-off of “The Lego Movie” released in 2017, as well as in “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part,” released in 2019. Additionally, he reprised the role in an episode of the spinoff animated series “Unikitty!” titled “BatKitty,” which aired shortly before the film’s release.

6. Ben Affleck

Despite facing significant fan backlash upon the casting announcement, Affleck’s performance as Batman garnered positive reviews. Critics praised his portrayal as “winningly cranky” and “charismatic,” with a “strong” and “surprisingly emotional” take on the character. Affleck later made a brief cameo appearance as Batman in “Suicide Squad” (2016) and reprised his role in ‘Justice League,’ (both versions.)

Affleck eventually gave up on the role and refused to direct a Batman-oriented solo project after the mess that was ‘Justice League’ production.

5. Robert Pattinson

Pattinson portrayed Bruce Wayne/Batman in Matt Reeves’s 2022 superhero film “The Batman.” Reeves, inspired by Pattinson’s performance in “Good Time,” wrote the character of Bruce Wayne specifically with him in mind. While Pattinson’s casting initially faced backlash from some Batman fans, his portrayal of the superhero received acclaim from critics upon the film’s release.

4. Adam West

Adam West portrayed Batman/Bruce Wayne in the 1960s television series “Batman.” This iconic portrayal of the Caped Crusader featured a campy and comedic tone, with West’s Batman known for his deadpan delivery and exaggerated mannerisms. The show aired from 1966 to 1968 and became a cultural phenomenon, leaving a lasting impact on popular culture. Adam West’s portrayal of Batman remains beloved by fans and is often celebrated for its nostalgic charm and lighthearted approach to the character.

3. Kevin Conroy

Kevin Conroy is widely renowned for his portrayal of Batman/Bruce Wayne in various animated series, films, and video games. He first voiced the character in the critically acclaimed animated television series “Batman: The Animated Series,” which aired from 1992 to 1995. Conroy’s deep, gravelly voice became synonymous with Batman, and his performance is considered by many fans to be the definitive portrayal of the Dark Knight. Conroy will lend his voice to the Dark Knight for the last time in the posthumously released ‘Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Part Three.’

2. Christian Bale

In Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins,” Christian Bale Batman. Despite being relatively unknown at the time, Bale was chosen for the role due to his ability to embody the “balance of darkness and light” that Nolan desired. To prepare for the part, Bale regained the weight he had previously lost and underwent intense physical training in martial arts and combat techniques. He approached the character with a focus on realism, drawing on Wayne’s tragic past to inform his portrayal. Bale differentiated between Wayne and Batman through distinct vocal performances, using a gravelly tone for Batman to complement the character’s visual presence. He is widely known to be among the best actors to portray the character.

1. Michael Keaton

Tim Burton cast Michael Keaton as the title character in the 1989 film “Batman,” marking another significant milestone in Keaton’s career. Despite initial backlash from fans, Keaton’s portrayal of Batman received widespread acclaim from both critics and audiences. The film was a major success in 1989, solidifying Keaton’s place as a versatile and talented actor. Keaton recently returned to the role in 2023 ‘The Flash,’ once again praised by fans.

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