I've looked into every actor to play Batman on film. Since TDK is coming out soon I decided that I wanted to see who you guys think is the best. Have we even done this before?

The first two were from the original serials (mini-shows before movies way back in the day).

Michael Keaton. I think he pulled the whole persona off perfectly. And I like Christian Bale but I just can't get over how his lips move when he talks. It's like a ****ing duck talking or something.

And I like Adam West as Batman, too. But that was just silly. Silly Willy is what that was.
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Also can I throw in a preliminary stabbing reaction to anyone that says Clooney was the best?

I don't want to see anybody voting for George Clooney. He even wrote an APOLOGY letter to Batman fans apologizing for playing Batman....

No more on that.

I'm going with Christian Bale. I haven't seen a movie as good as Batman Begins in a long time. I've enjoyed the previous Batman movies but they were always just a little too cheesy for me to fully get into them.

Christian Bale brought a level of "human" to Batman that I think is easier to relate to than the previous Batman actors. Maybe it's due to the series starting him off as Bruce Wayne and letting the audience see him become Batman but whatever it was I really think he is my favorite so far.

That's not saying the other actors wouldn't have done well in a "Batman Begins" type of plot either. I like Christian Bale as an actor though and think that he definitely WAS Batman for me in Batman Begins.

Christian Bale, young as he is, did a banging job of playing Batman. Curiously Batman Begins is on right now on FX.

Christian Bale was beautiful. definitely liked him alot.

and George Clooney did Batman?! *runs to youtube*

George Clooney proved he was a stand-up guy when he took the bullet for BATMAN & ROBIN. He didn't blame the studio. He didn't blame the director. He didn't blame the editor, the script girl or the caterer.

But in his defense, he was shooting episodes of ER in the daytime and shooting BATMAN & ROBIN at night and I think it plainly shows in his performance. There are several scenes where Clooney looks downright exhausted.

And if anybody is interested, the latest episode of the movie themed podcast I do with my partner Thomas Deja is all about Batman in the movies and on TV. Check out BETTER IN THE DARK at Better In The Dark

Steve I think we have done this but your list has some extra's. Christian Bale gets my vote but I also think he's fortunate to have the best directer / script / co cast in any Batman films to date.

If you seen TDK there really is no question in mind. Christian Bale is the most human batman so far. Granted I don't think he was the best actor in TDK, he did not dissapoint as Batman at all.

Poor Clooney lol.

Val Kilmer hands down. I think he did an excellent job of being that dark character as well as trying to put up a decent front for the world. Shame he doesn't play in anything anymore.

Val Kilmer's still acting. He was in a CBS miniseries adaptation of the Larry McMurtry western novel COMANCHE MOON that aired earlier this year.

I rate Kilmer between Keaton/Bale and Clooney. The best thing he brought to the role was a physicality and agility the Keaton Batman didn't have.