Updated: June 09, 2024

There had been live-action incarnations of Batman before Adam West donned the cape and cowl for the 1966 series on ABC. Lewis Wilson and Robert Lowery both played the Caped Crusader in separate movie serials during the 40s. But for many Bat-fans of a certain age, West Bruce Wayne is their first exposure to seeing the Dark Knight in live-action.

Nowadays, West Batman is viewed as sort of the odd man out of the franchise the campy, goofy alternative to the brooding heroes of modern DC movies. Even West himself famously described his Batman as The Bright Knight. But for all that the TV series and its feature film tie-in capture Batman and his rogues at their silliest, there a lot more to West's Batman than just 60s pop art camp.

Were kicking off a weeklong retrospective on all the actors to play Batman in a live-action film. None have emerged as the truly definitive Batman actor, but each has brought something unique and vital to this iconic role.