Batman Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Batman
Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz as Batman and Catwoman in 'The Batman' | DC Comics
Batman
Batman is a fictional character who first appeared in DC Comics in 1939. He is the superhero alter ego of Bruce Wayne, the CEO of Wayne Enterprises. As a boy, Wayne witnessed his parents' murder in a dark alley and vowed revenge on Gotham City's criminals. So he trained physically and mentally and built an arsenal of innovative weapons in a cave under his estate. Also known as the Dark Knight and the Caped Crusader, he typically wears a form-fitting black superhero suit. It includes boots, gloves, a flowing cape, a gadget belt, and a cowl with two points resembling bat ears. By day, he's a billionaire bachelor, but by night, he dons the batsuit and emerges from his cave to vanquish the city's villains. Adam West portrayed the character in the 1966 live-action TV show Batman. Actors who have played the Dark Knight in movies include Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson.
- Name/aliases: Bruce Wayne/Batman/Dark Knight/Caped Crusader
- Comic book universe: DC Comics
- Creators: Bob Kane, Bill Finger
- First appeared: 1939
- Notable actors who have played Batman: Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, Robert Pattinson
- Allies: Alfred Pennyworth, Robin, Batgirl, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter
- Enemies: The Joker, Penguin, Riddler, Bane, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, the Scarecrow, Two-Face
- Affiliations: Batman Incorporated, Justice League, Outsiders, Wayne Enterprises
- Abilities: Detective skills, hand-to-hand combat, technologically advanced weapons, immense wealth
Visit the Batman page on the DC Comics website.
Read our latest articles and updates about all things related to Batman:
Entertainment
9 months ago
Michael Keaton Had This A-List Ex Kicked Out of ‘Batman’ — But She Made It Into the Franchise Later Anyways
Entertainment
9 months ago
Why Christopher Nolan Immediately Shot Down Sequel Ideas When Shooting ‘Batman Begins’
Entertainment
10 months ago
Christopher Nolan Once Called Tim Burton’s ‘Batman’ a ‘Mad Studio Film’
Entertainment
2 years ago
The 1966 Batmobile from ‘Batman’ Was a Pain to Drive
Entertainment
7 months ago
Heath Ledger Refused to Mimic Jack Nicholson’s Version of The Joker — Here’s Why

DC Comics

'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' Ross Butler as Super Hero Eugene, Adam Brody as Super Hero Freddy, Grace Caroline Currey as Super Hero Mary, Zachary Levi as Shazam, Meagan Good as Super Hero Darla, and D.J. Cotrona as Super Hero Pedro standing side-to-side on a bridge.

Movies

Zachary Levi on the Future of Shazam: ‘The Character Needs to Keep Going’

With everything in limbo in the rebooted DC Extended Universe, 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' star Zachary Levi talks about his hopes for his superhero character.

by Produced by Digital Editors

Published on March 17, 2023

3 min read

Movies

‘Shazam 2’ Star Helen Mirren Jokes Her Action Figure Will Be the 1 in the Sales Bin

Acclaimed actor Helen Mirren has been making some out-of-character moves lately -- including her role in 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods.' She explains her choice.

by Mishal Ali Zafar

Movies

Before Kurt Russell Joined the MCU, He Nearly Starred in a Hated DC Film

As an '80s action star, Kurt Russell was a natural fit for the superhero genre. Which DC movie was he up for?

by Christina Nunn

‘The Batman’: 1 Car Crash Scene Caused $1 Million in Damages, Insurance Lawyer Says

Batman would been liable for a particularly costly car chase scene in 'The Batman' if it happened in real life, according to an experienced insurance lawyer.

by Garrett Burke

Published on February 26, 2023

3 min read

Colin Farrell, who is set to star in 'The Batman' spinoff series on HBO Max, wears a light gray suit.

Gaming & Comics

Are ‘The Batman’ Spinoff Series Still a Go at HBO Max?

The fate of HBO Max original series are up in the air after Warner Bros. announced that the streaming service would merge with discovery+, and we have an update on 'The Batman' spinoff series.

by Sarah Little

Movies

‘The Batman’ Stars On What It Was Really Like Watching ‘Goofball’ Robert Pattinson Transform Into a ‘Ferocious’ Super Hero

‘The Batman’ stars Charlie and Max Carver recently opened up about what it was really like working with Robert Pattinson.

by Perry Carpenter

Helen Mirren Didn’t Tell Anyone on Set About Her ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ Injury

Here's what veteran actor Helen Mirren said about her injury on the set of 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods,' in which she plays the devious Hespera.

by Produced by Digital Editors

Published on March 26, 2023

3 min read

Zachary Levi on 'Guardians of the Galaxy'

Movies

Zachary Levi Reveals the Part He Almost Played in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

Here's how 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' star Zachary Levi nearly landed the part of Star-Lord in the beloved 'Guardians of the Galaxy' franchise.

by Christina Nunn

Movies

Zachary Levi on the Future of Shazam: ‘The Character Needs to Keep Going’

With everything in limbo in the rebooted DC Extended Universe, 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' star Zachary Levi talks about his hopes for his superhero character.

by Produced by Digital Editors

Ford’s 1966 ‘Batman’ Batmobile Cost Less Than a Cup of Coffee

The 1966 'Batman' television series featured one of the most iconic Batmobiles ever. But astonishingly, the futuristic car was originally sold for less than a cup of coffee.

by Mishal Ali Zafar

Gaming & Comics

‘Batman’ Star Burt Ward Often Sparred with Bruce Lee

Burt Ward portrayed Dick Grayson, aka Robin in the 1960s series, 'Batman.' And at the time, he says he spent a lot of time fighting with his 'Green Hornet' counterpart Bruce Lee.

by Mishal Ali Zafar

Celebrity

Christian Bale Admitted That He Was Jealous of Ben Affleck When He Was First Cast as Batman

When Christian Bale walked away from his role as Batman, it seemed that he walked away for good. So far, he's kept his promise about never putting back on the cape and cowl. However, there was a point after Ben Affleck was initially cast that he considered going back on his word due to envy.

by Antonio Stallings

Gaming & Comics

‘Batman: Year One’ Featurette Revealed New ‘The Batman’ Details on Commissioner Gordon

The ‘Batman: Year One’ animated film released with a featurette called ‘Reinventing Gordon’ where Jeffrey Wright talked about his take on Commissioner Jim Gordon in ‘The Batman’ and the planned prequel series focusing Gotham City PD and Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight’s first year as a vigilante.

by Andrew Addessi

Gaming & Comics

‘The Batman: The Complete Series’ Is Coming to Blu-Ray

'The Batman: The Complete Series' is coming to Blu-Ray+Digital. The 2004 animated series will be released as a 65-episode, six disc box set in 2022.

by Mishal Ali Zafar

Celebrity

Did Jada Pinkett Smith Really Bring a Man in a Dog Collar to Her ‘Gotham’ Audition’?

How Jada Pinkett-Smith got her critically praised part in 'Gotham' once made headlines. Many claimed that the actor brought a man in a dog collar to the audition to grab her future role as one of 'Gotham's' criminals. However, Smith gave an interview explaining, in detail, whether or not those headlines were true.

by Antonio Stallings

Celebrity

Christian Bale Almost Quit Being Batman Because He Had a Panic Attack in the Batsuit

Many are fans of Christian Bale's portrayal of Batman in Christopher Nolan's highly acclaimed trilogy. But there was a moment where fans wouldn't have gotten to see Bale play the character at all. After putting on the Bat suit, Bale admits he had a panic attack and a breakdown that nearly made him walk away from Nolan's Batman series before it even began.

by Antonio Stallings

Gaming & Comics

‘The Dark Knight Rises’: Why Leonardo DiCaprio Never Played the Batman Villain, The Riddler

‘The Batman’ features a gritty take on the villain, The Riddler planned by Paul Dano, but he almost was not the first dark take on the Batman villain. Warner Bros. wanted Leonardo DiCaprio to play The Riddler in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ before he cast Tom Hardy as Bane.

by Andrew Addessi

Gaming & Comics

Robert Pattinson’s ‘The Batman’ Trailer Allegedly Hides an ‘Arkham Origins’ Easter Egg

In the Robert Pattinson 'The Batman' trailer a 'Batman: Arkham Origins' Easter egg allegedly worked its way into a fight scene where the dark knight fought a gang of villains. He used a gadget that seemed to originate from the ‘Arkham’ series of games tied to a villain from the comics, The Electrocutioner.

by Andrew Addessi

‘The Blacklist’ Star James Spader Channels Batman in Hilarious Bloopers Reel

Jon Bokenkamp revealed ‘The Blacklist’ bloopers including a hilarious moment where James Spader drops his Raymond ‘Red’ Reddington to instead become Batman for a moment, referencing the classic Adam West days of the characters. The rest of ‘The Blacklist’ cast featured their own goofs and line flubs as well.

by Andrew Addessi

Celebrity

‘Catwoman’ Star Halle Berry Said She and Singer Van Hunt Would ‘Never Stop Fighting for Love’

‘Catwoman’ actor Halle Berry and boyfriend Van Hunt have given some fans ‘hope,’ especially thanks to Berry encouraging many of her fans to ‘Never stop fighting for love.’ The couple went public with their relationship in an Instagram post in September 2020 and already gained a reputation of fawning over each other.

by Andrew Addessi

‘The Batman’ Prequel Series Set in the Gotham City Police Department May Feature 2 Key Characters, Both Are Allies to Commissioner Gordon

The Robert Pattinson ‘Batman’ expands into TV series with an untitled HBO ‘Gotham PD’ show, but cast listings for 2 characters allegedly hit the internet. While the Gotham City Police Department has expanded in DC Comics over the years, two particular characters could fit the bill for some exciting plots and twists.

by Andrew Addessi

Movies

Batman Fans Feud Over Which Actor Had the Best Batsuit, From Michael Keaton to Robert Pattinson

Batman fans took to Twitter to debate who has the best Batsuit, arguing between Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson. The debate saw several fans leaning toward Bale and Pattinson most often, but others voted for actors like Adam West and even George Clooney.

by Andrew Addessi

Celebrity

Why ‘The Batman’ Star Robert Pattinson Changed His Hygiene Habits After Never Washing His Hair

Why future Batman Robert Pattinson went from never washing his hair, to using moisturizer on his skin.

by Antonio Stallings

Entertainment

‘Batman’: Can You List All 10 Actors Who Played the Dark Knight in Movies Ahead of Robert Pattinson?

Robert Pattinson marks the 10th actor to play Batman, in a live-action film. While casual fans likely know Adam West and Michael Keaton, even hardcore DC fans might have forgotten a few other versions of Bruce Wayne. Do you think you can remember every actor to portray Bruce Wayne/Batman in film?

by Andrew Addessi

Movies

‘Batgirl’: Leslie Grace ‘Hit a Nerve’ in Her Audition, Directors Say in Exclusive First Look at the Movie

‘Batgirl’ directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah talked about casting Leslie Grace in an exclusive first look at the ‘Batgirl’ movie during the DC FanDome event. They highlighted the moment they saw her audition for the role which saw several other actors vying for the role of Barabara Gordon.

by Andrew Addessi

Movies

Timothée Chalamet’s Willy Wonka Ignited Johnny Depp VS Gene Wilder Debate — But Why is Val Kilmer’s Batman Involved?

As Timothée Chalamet revealed his first look as Willy Wonka, fans launched into a debate of if Johnny Depp or Gene Wilder’s take on the chocolatier was better. However, it took a turn for the strange when Val Kilmer and Michael Keaton’s Batman portrayals were roped into the discussion.

by Andrew Addessi

‘Teen Titans’: This ‘Batman Wayne Family Adventures’ Episode Hid a Secret Villainous Detail

DC’s venture into webcomics, ‘Batman Wayne Family Adventures,’ follows a more light-hearted take on the Dark Knight and the Bat-Family, but with all their dark pasts intact, leading to some awkward moments when the darker parts of their histories come up, like Dick Grayson’s past with Deathstroke in ‘Teen Titans’ media.

by Andrew Addessi