Warner Bros. and © DC Comics(LOS ANGELES) — Like most things related to fandom, Warner Bros.’ announcement that Twilight veteran Robert Pattinson would be taking on the role of the Caped Crusader in 2021’s The Batman was met with much online reaction.
Now, a new Hollywood Reporter/Morning Consult survey picked more than 2,200 Bat-fans’ brains to find out which recent cinematic versions of Batman characters are their favorites.
Christian Bale, who starred in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, was declared the fans’ favorite Bat by 39% of those polled; Michael Keaton was a close second, preferred by 38%.
George Clooney — who admitted to “killing” the Batman franchise for a while via 1997’s Batman and Robin — came in third, with 19%. Ben Affleck scored 18%, and Batman Forever‘s Val Kilmer was last at 17%.
While Halle Berry’s Catwoman was panned, her take on the villainess was deemed the favorite of 42% of those polled. Batman Returns‘ Michelle Pfeiffer was a close second with 41%; Anne Hathaway from The Dark Knight Rises ranked last, preferred by just 26%.
Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning portrayal of The Joker was deemed fans’ fave portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime by 60%, though Jack Nicholson’s take from the 1989 movie was a close second at 58%.
Jared Leto’s tattooed, grill-sporting Joker from Suicide Squad was the favorite of just 18% of those polled..
And 68% of those polled expect Joaquin Phoenix to be “excellent” or “good” in his standalone film Joker, which opens October 4.
For his part, Mark Hamill, a fan favorite for voicing The Joker on Batman: The Animated Series, tells ABC Radio that he’s enjoyed every actor’s take on Batman’s greatest enemy.
“It’s like the Hamlet of villains,” he says. “It will be constantly revisited by actors forever and ever.”
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