Robert Pattinson will be the latest actor to don the cape and cowl in “The Batman,” which hits theaters on Friday.
The Warner Bros. film is predicted to be one of the biggest box office hits of the year: Batman-based films have grossed over $5 billion at the worldwide box office.
But which actor was more successful at the box office like caped crusader?
The hero has been portrayed by all sorts of stars over the years, so here’s a list of what each live-action Batman has brought to the domestic box office, from lowest to highest, according to Comscore.
5. George Clooney
“Batman and Robin” from 1997
Box office: $107.3 million
Adjusted for inflation: $214.1 million
George Clooney is arguably the biggest name to play the character Batman, but his turn as the hero brought him the lowest grossing.
The actor only starred in one movie, and unfortunately for him that movie was “Batman and Robin”. The feature, which also starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as the villain Mr. Freeze and Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy, is considered the worst Batman movie (and also one of the worst movies ever made).
It holds a score of 12% on review site Rotten Tomatoes. Even Clooney himself joked that he destroyed the franchise.
4. Val Kilmer
“Batman Forever” from 1995
Box office: $184.1 million
Adjusted for inflation: $387.7 million
Val Kilmer also played Batman only once, but his version of the Gotham hero in “Batman Forever” was the #1 movie of 1995. That’s no small achievement considering the film made more than box office hits like “Apollo.” 13”, “Toy Story” and “GoldenEye” that year.
It probably helped the movie totals that Kilmer joined an all-star cast of Jim Carrey, Tommy Lee Jones, and Nicole Kidman.
That said, “Batman Forever” didn’t receive great reviews either. It achieved a score of 39% on Rotten Tomatoes.
3. Ben Affleck
2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and 2017’s “Justice League”
Box office: $559.4 million
Adjusted for inflation: $583.7 million
Unlike his peers, Ben Affleck has never been able to stand alone as the Caped Crusader on the big screen.
The actor starred in two films, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Justice League,” which included a litany of other DC superheroes such as Superman and Wonder Woman.
Affleck also starred as Batman in Zack Snyder’s director’s cut of “Justice League,” which was released on HBO Max in March 2021, and made a cameo as Batman in 2016’s “Suicide Squad” as well.
Affleck will reprise his role as the Dark Knight in 2022’s “The Flash” – an experience he called “a lot of fun”. The film is set for November 4th.
2. Michael Keaton
1989’s “Batman” and 1992’s “Batman Returns”
Box office: $415.3 million
Adjusted for inflation: US$939.1 million
Michael Keaton kicked off the modern era of Batman in cinema with 1989’s Batman. Tim Burton’s film was a sensation, becoming the best film of that year.
Its sequel also took the top spot at the box office in 1992.
Keaton was joined by major stars in both films, with Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer playing two of Batman’s greatest enemies, the Joker and Catwoman.
While Keaton hasn’t played the character in 30 years, he, like Affleck, will return as Batman once more in “The Flash.”
1. Christian Bale
“Batman Begins” 2005, “The Dark Knight” 2008 and “The Dark Knight Rises” 2012
What movies made before inflation: $1.19 billion
What movies made after inflation: $1.49 billion
Christian Bale is the undisputed champion of Batman actors at the box office.
Bale starred in three films, all of which became some of the most popular films in box office history.
The Dark Knight Trilogy, which was directed by Christopher Nolan, also rebooted the Batman saga in new ways and arguably changed comic book cinema forever.
These movies were loved by audiences and critics alike, a rare occurrence with superhero movies. The second film in the trilogy, “The Dark Knight,” won two Oscars, including one for the late Heath Ledger’s iconic performance as the Joker. (The other was for sound editing.)
Source: CNN Brasil
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
