Summary
- Different live-action Batman versions show unique ways of inflicting fear, aiding directors in defining the character's scariness.
- Batman portrayals like Val Kilmer's showcase psychological horror and unique traits like a literal bat-like monster as his inner demon.
- Ben Affleck's controversial Batman in the DCEU evolves into a killer vowing to kill Superman, contrasting typical heroic portrayals.
Since his debut in Detective Comics #27, Batman has always been a darker comic book hero. This is also the case with his blockbuster adaptations. In Matt Reeves' The Batman, he is a dark and imposing figure who uses the night and fear as weapons in his war against crime and injustice in his precious city of Gotham.
DC: Most Powerful Evil Versions Of Batman
Batman may be a beloved superhero in the main universe of DC Comics, but the Multiverse often holds sinister antics for the Caped Crusader.
Whether it's through his tactics and intimidation, or simply how he speaks, different live-action versions of Batman have different ways of inflicting fear onto enemies and even the audience. It has allowed directors to put their own unique stamp on Batman by portraying just how scary Batman can be.
6 Val Kilmer
A Psychologically Dark Take Reduced By A Cheesy Movie
- Movie: Batman Forever
- Director: Joel Schumacher
Batman Forever was initially intended to be darker than the Tim Burton films, and this version of Batman reflects that, creating a memorable live-action version of the character. Val Kilmer's Batman has more one-liners and acts more like a superhero, but he is given the chance to shine as The Dark Knight in the right scenes. He still has an imposing figure with a nice and raspy voice that Kilmer makes his own.
All Live-Action Batman Suits, Ranked
Batman has quite an extensive wardrobe, and over the years, his style has adapted to better help him fight crime in Gotham as its watchful guardian.
The Val Kilmer version of Batman showcases the psychological horror of the character, displaying his dark persona represented by a literal bat-like monster in his dreams. Scenes like when Batman emerges from the flames without a scratch on him, or his final confrontation with the Riddler, showcase the potential this Batman had if the studio had not continued to embrace the corny side of the character.
5 Alain Moussi/Maxime Savaria
The Caped Crusader Who Became A Serial Killer
- TV Series: Titans
- Showrunner: Greg Walker
Fans never saw Iain Glen don the cape and cowl as Batman in the Titans series. However, in the first season, Dick Grayson suffers from a Trigon-induced nightmare where he has to fight an evil Batman. This version of Batman has gone rogue and begun a murder spree across Gotham City, using his famous array of gadgets like the weapons of a slasher villain.
While his face is never shown, Batman is portrayed by stuntmen Alain Moussi and Maxime Savaria, and they prove to be effectively intimidating as the character, killing criminals and police alike in brutal ways. He's always shown from behind or as a silhouette, and he never speaks, making the nightmare much more terrifying for Grayson as well as the viewer.
4 Christian Bale
Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Returned The Franchise To Darkness
- Movies: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises
- Director: Christopher Nolan
When it comes to T he Dark Knight trilogy, Christian Bale's Batman is depicted as an inspirational beacon of justice for Gotham City. However, when he battles or interrogates criminals, he is a menace, relying on stealth and shadows to pick off his opponents one-by-one.
In Batman Begins, Christian Bale also changes his voice between speaking with his closest allies and speaking to the criminals he despises. When he screams at Arnold Flass or The Joker for information, Bale uses a much rougher voice that makes him sound more intense and monstrous, to the point that even Jim Gordon is sometimes intimidated by him.
3 Michael Keaton Douglas
A Comedic Actor Who Made Batman Menacing For The Big Screen
- Movies: Batman, Batman Returns, The Flash
- Directors: Tim Burton, Andy Muschietti
Even though his name is the title of his movies, Michael Keaton Douglas' Batman is not really the star, with the many iconic villains and other characters often carrying the story. This results in Michael Keaton Douglas' version of Batman being a more mysterious figure who the audience only gets bits and pieces of information about. Instead, his movies focus on his exploits as a vigilante, especially in Tim Burton's Batman.
Where future Batman portrayals focus on how intense Batman can be, Keaton Douglas is a bit more reserved. He speaks very quietly and keeps to the shadows, which makes his Batman feel more eerie, and not just to the criminals. This allows him to instill fear just by standing and staring at thugs, much to his amusement, which makes him even creepier.
2 Ben Affleck
The Terrifying Veteran Vigilante Who Could Beat Superman
- Movies: Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, Suicide Squad, Zack Snyder's Justice League, The Flash
- Directors: Zack Snyder, David Ayer, Andy Muschietti
Zack Snyder created a controversial Batman played by Ben Affleck that accurately showed what would happen if Batman lost his way after years of heartbreak and trauma. In Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, Batman is a killer who has no qualms about sentencing criminals to their deaths in order to complete his mission.
Best DC Extended Universe Movies, Ranked
The DCEU has had a rough time with impressive audiences and critics alike, but now that it's over, it's time to look for the diamonds in the rough.
The first time Batman is shown, it is like something straight out of a horror movie, and that is meant to show that this Batman is not the story's hero. Ben Affleck's Batman even tries to kill Superman, and he gets very close to doing so before redeeming himself. Combined with a modded voice and some of the best Batman combat straight out of the Batman: Arkham games, the DCEU featured a Batman not to be reckoned with.
1 Robert Pattinson
A Modern Hero Who Feels Like A Horror Movie Villain For Criminals
- Movies: The Batman, The Batman Part 2
- Director: Matt Reeves
Robert Pattinson's younger take on Batman is still considered a boogeyman of Gotham City. This is perfectly demonstrated in the first fifteen minutes of the film, in which the audience sees what a normal night for the Caped Crusader looks like, where just his signal shining in the sky sends criminals running in fear, or at the very least, avoiding dark alleys.
When he does appear, Robert Pattinson's Batman shows why he should be feared when he can take on a legion of Riddler's zealots on his own, or when his terror-inducing Batmobile fires up. Even when he's simply observing a crime scene as a detective, Pattinson moves with slow, ominous energy, using his glares to make others fear him, almost like a reverse horror villain.
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There have been plenty of Batman movies through the ages, but these are the ones that stand out for their narrative strength.