What actor was the best Batman?

Michael Keaton was my favorite Batman. He brought both gravitas and a sense of reservedness to the role, both of which I thought were appropriate for the Batman character.

Michael Keaton
Christian Bale
Adam West
Val Kilmer
George Clooney. that mother fucker wasnt batman though. Sure he made a good Bruce, but god damn was he a horrible batman

Kevin Conroy

@ragingloli ohhh shit didnt even think about that. He is and always will be the absolute voice of batman for me. Just like ill always hear mark hamil when I think of the joker

Lewis Wilson.

I think Micheal Keaton was.
Val Kilmer was the prettiest. ;)

Michael Keaton definitely. Christian Bale would prob. be my 2nd. I’m a fan of Val Kilmer, but his batman was just ok

1. Michael Keaton (naaaaaiiiiled it!)
2. Christian Bale (minus points for horrible “Bat-voice”)
3. Adam West (classic campy style: great, just isn’t relevant to today’s Batman)
4. Val Kilmer (he tried)
5. George Clooney (wait, what?)

Christian Bale definitely, although I have such warm happy memories of 1989 and going to see Keaton’s Batman movie (too many times) and I even still have my joker tee shirt lol, and since he was the first Batman I remember while I was growing up, and I still have a soft mushy place in my heart for him, I have to mention Adam West :-) Oh, and yes, even though George spins my wheels no matter what he is in, and he was just GORGEOUS as Bruce, his Batman movie really, really, really sucked.

If we’re talking the movies, Bale without a doubt in my mind. I dunno how Kilmer and Clooney even get consideration to be honest. .... Keaton did a great job too, but overall I like the presentation and everything in the latest batman movies the best. (Not to say Keaton might not have done better had his material and other stuff going into his movies been better).

Christian Bale for me, as long as we’re just talking the live action Batman movies. If you include the animated ones though, then I’m probably with ragingloli—- b/c Kevin Conroy owns it.

Keaton. I think he did the best job of emoting Batman’s inner turmoil.

Adam West…...or it might have been John Travolta.

Definitely Michael Keaton. I’m not exactly sure why, having a hard time putting it into words… I do agree with @Neurotic_David. Keaton just had the quiet power, the reserve, the tortured soul beneath the calm exterior.. he will always be Batman to me.

I’m with @erichw1504‘s rankings for all reasons stated…

…however, I actually like the batvoice. I’m torn about whether that makes it the reverse of the 1 and 2 positions…or if it’s a tie.

I’ll go with tie because Christian Bale was perfect in Christopher Nolan’s environment, and Michael Keaton was perfect in Tim Burton’s.

As a side note, Joel Schumacher should be shot for what he did.

@ucme hehe I just watched that batman movie recently. I love the shark scene :P

I liked Michael Keaton. Christian Bale was pretty good, too, because Bruce Wayne is supposed to be a cocky ass, but that voice has got to go. I can hardly understand that guy. It’s stupid.

Bruce Wayne did a great job acting as Batman. ;-)

@uberbatman Yeah, camp as christmas but extremely watchable….still.

Michael Keaton was my favourite. Clooney – I love George Clooney but as Batman he was awful.

ADAM WEST – Batman is camp, not tough

Kevin Conroy if we’re including animated. Michael Keaton if we’re not. Adam West comes next, because everything he says is hilarious. Kilmer and Clooney were mediocre. Bale worked as Bruce Wayne, but the voice killed his Batman.

Tim Burton was the only one who did Batman well. Nice blend of camp and darkness. Batman isn’t supposed to be a super serious action hero.