Stars Who Played The BATMAN.

Lewis Wilson and Robert Lowery were the first actors to play Batman on the big screen, in two 15-part serials. Lewis came first, in 1943, in a series that invented what was then called The Bat's Cave. Produced during World War II, its anti-Japanese sentiments make uncomfortable viewing today. 1949's Batman and Robin was a low-budget affair, in which the Batmobile was simply a Mercury convertible.

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After collaborating with Tim Burton on Beetlejuice, Michael Keaton was the director's first choice for his gothic take on the caped crusader. He quit in 1992 over studio interference, saying, "I knew we were in trouble when certain people started the conversation with 'Why does it have to be so dark?'"

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After collaborating with Tim Burton on Beetlejuice, Michael Keaton was the director's first choice for his gothic take on the caped crusader. He quit in 1992 over studio interference, saying, "I knew we were in trouble when certain people started the conversation with 'Why does it have to be so dark?'"

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Val Kilmer squeezed himself into the Batsuit in 1995 for Batman Forever. As Keaton had foreseen, the movie was bigger and brighter than its predecessors, but still featured a menacing turn from Tommy Lee Jones

Val Kilmer squeezed himself into the Batsuit in 1995 for Batman Forever. As Keaton had foreseen, the movie was bigger and brighter than its predecessors, but still featured a menacing turn from Tommy Lee Jones as Two Face. Kilmer's tenure was short-lived, though, after falling out with director Joel Schumacher, who called him "childish and impossible".

Next imageas Two Face. Kilmer's tenure was short-lived, though, after falling out with director Joel Schumacher, who called him "childish and impos

Val Kilmer squeezed himself into the Batsuit in 1995 for Batman Forever. As Keaton had foreseen, the movie was bigger and brighter than its predecessors, but still featured a menacing turn from Tommy Lee Jones as Two Face. Kilmer's tenure was short-live

After Daredevil flopped in 2003, Ben Affleck swore he'd never make another superhero movie. But, like a Batarang, those words came back to haunt him. Fresh from the Oscar-winning success of Argo, the 41-year-old is stepping into the spandex for next year's Man Of Steel sequel.

Next imaged, though, after falling out with director Joel Schumacher, who called him "childish and impossible".

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Val Kilmer squeezed himself into the Batsuit in 1995 for Batman Forever. As Keaton had foreseen, the movie was bigger and brighter than its predecessors, but still featured a menacing turn from Tommy Lee Jones as Two Face. Kilmer's tenure was short-lived, though, after falling out with director Joel Schumacher, who called him "childish and impossible".

Next imageCamp and goofy, Adam West's depiction of Batman is as familiar as his theme tune (der-ner der-ner der-ner der-ner BAT-MAN!). West also played the character on film in 1966, but he never enjoyed driving the Batmobile. "It was out of balance and it was rather dangerous," he recalled. "You never knew when the brakes would fail. I tried to keep it under 35 miles an hour"

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