Every Recurring Batman Movie Main Character (& Their Best Cinematic Version)
Batman has long been a character that has fascinated moviegoing audiences, leading to multiple film franchises revolving around the character, beginning with Tim Burton's 1989 film and continuing on to this year's The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves.
In the over thirty years of Batman's cinematic history, many actors have shared the same roles with one another from film to film, with new blood stepping in every decade or so to reimagine some of the most classic comic book characters of all time. In turn, the age-old debate has always been which actors defined each role best and whether they can ever be topped in a future franchise.
The notorious crime boss Carmine Falcone has only appeared in two incarnations of the cinematic Batman franchises, played first by Tom Wilkinson in Batman Begins and, most recently, by John Turturro in The Batman.
Though both actors turned in a memorable performance in their respective films, Turturro is simply given more development as a character, whereas Wilkinson only appears over a small number of scenes. Additionally, the revelation that Turturro's Falcone has been the pseudo-mayor of Gotham for decades adds to the character's weight within the story, making him a far more interesting addition to the film.
Batman's brilliant but violent enemy the Riddler has been portrayed in two live-action Batman films, played first by comedic actor Jim Carrey in the 1995 Joel Schumacher-directed Batman Forever and later by Paul Dano in The Batman.
Though Carrey certainly turns in a performance reminiscent of the zaniest comic books, Dano puts in a much better representation of a man that would be a genuine threat to the Dark Knight. Pattinson's Batman is unable to stop Dano's brilliant Riddler from flooding Gotham, effectively making the villain the victor. There is much that Batman can learn from his confrontation with Dano's Riddler, whereas Carrey's disappears without impacting the Bat's life in any meaningful way.
Harvey Dent is the former district attorney of Gotham City who, after an accident leaves half of his face horribly scarred, becomes the dangerous villain known as Two-Face. Dent has appeared in three Batman films, first in Batman (1989), played by Billy Dee Williams, who was later replaced by Tommy Lee Jones for Batman Forever. Finally, Aaron Eckhart took on the role, playing the secondary antagonist in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight.
There is truly no contest between these three men as to who played the better Two-Face. Williams, for all his talent, never got the chance to play the villainous counterpart of Harvey Dent, while Tommy Lee Jones proved to be incredibly uncomfortable in a film as campy as Batman Forever. Eckhart, on the other hand, turns in a performance that helps solidify the film's underlying themes regarding the line between heroism and villainy.
Oswald Cobblepot, AKA the Penguin, has made an appearance in two live-action Batman films, first as the main villain in 1992's Batman Returns, played by Danny DeVito, and in the most recent Batman film, portrayed by an unrecognizable Colin Farrell.
Though Danny DeVito is certainly an excellent choice for the comic book supervillain, Farrell brings a much more palatable Penguin to the table, solidifying his supremacy in the role. Farrell certainly redeems himself in the eyes of superhero fans after his turn as Bullseye in 2003's Daredevil, effectively stealing the show in The Batman, even earning himself his very own spinoff series.
Commissioner Jim Gordon is a mainstay of the Batman mythos and has appeared in every franchise so far. Pat Hingle originated the role in the Burton and Schumacher films, later passing the torch on to Gary Oldman for the Dark Knight Trilogy. In recent years, J.K. Simmons has acted at the DCEU's Gordon, while Jeffrey Wright has recently adopted the role for The Batman.
While each actor has brought something new to the table for Jim Gordon, and while Wright has had a promising start to his stint playing the character, none have yet lived up to the precedent set by Oscar-winner Gary Oldman. The British actor nails every single line given to him throughout the Dark Knight Trilogy, becoming in many ways the heart of the franchise. While future actors may one day dethrone him, Oldman remains the best Gordon thus far.
Catwoman has long been a character with whom fans have been fascinated, leading to several live-action depictions. Michelle Pfeiffer became the first actress to play the cat-themed criminal in Batman Returns, followed by Halle Berry in the disastrous Catwoman spinoff, Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises, and Zoe Kravitz in The Batman.
While there have been several live-action portrayals of Catwoman over the years, none have yet been able to live up to the iconic performance of Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns. Hathaway and Kravitz have both turned in admirable performances, but neither has yet outshone the original Catwoman. As for Berry, most fans seem happy to forget the existence of her take on the character.
Alfred Pennyworth is Bruce Wayne's closest confidant and only father figure after the murder of his own father, Thomas. The character has appeared in every Batman movie to date, having been played by a host of different actors, including Michael Gough, Michael Caine, Jeremy Irons, Douglas Hodge, and, most recently, Andy Serkis.
Though there has yet to be a subpar rendition of Alfred, it is difficult for anyone to inhabit the role of the British butler as well as Michael Caine in the Dark Knight trilogy. The actor perfectly embodies the spirit of Alfred, a man who has seen more than his fair share of violence in his life and only wants to protect Bruce from such a path.
The Joker is undeniably the most iconic comic book supervillain of all time and Batman's archnemesis. He has made more appearances throughout various films than any other Batman rogue, having been portrayed by major Hollywood names, including Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Jared Leto, Joaquin Phoenix, and Barry Keoghan.
Though most actors have been relatively well-received in their turn as the Clown Prince of Crime, Heath Ledger has a special place in most fans' hearts when it comes to the character. Ledger's performance in The Dark Knight elevates the story to great heights and is part of what makes The Dark Knight one of the best superhero movies of all time. Ledger's work on the film also led to his posthumously winning an Oscar, becoming the first actor to do so for this role.
In many ways, Bruce Wayne is a completely distinct and separate personality from Batman himself. Many actors have held this coveted position, beginning with Michael Keaton in Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns. Since then, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson have all had their chance at bringing the billionaire playboy to life.
While other actors have accentuated the Batman personality better, Christian Bale remains the best actor in his portrayal of alter-ego Bruce Wayne. Bale's version of the character is clearly a front, put up as a distraction for those who would tie him to the Dark Knight. Drawing on his experience in films like American Psycho, Bale presents a boisterous yet surprisingly cold Bruce Wayne.
While many characters in the Batman mythos are intriguing, none are nearly as important as the Caped Crusader himself. The crime-fighting vigilante is at the center of each Batman film, whose casting can make or break a franchise.
Though many Batman actors have portrayed the vigilante side of Bruce Wayne quite well, none has yet dethroned the original: Michael Keaton. The legendary actor has a certain presence in the Batsuit that simply feels right. Even decades after his last appearance as the character, anticipation remains high for Keaton's return in the upcoming Flash movie, solidifying his place as the best Batman yet.