They say the suit makes the man and this couldn’t me more true when it comes to everyone’s favorite Caped Crusader, Batman. Throughout Batman’s onscreen history, we have seen suits ranging from the silly to the gothic, the bulky to the tactical, and in a couple cases downright insane (don’t worry the Nipple Suits don’t make the list).
What made each suit special is not only did it represent the mood and tone of the movie or show it was set in; it also reflected the times we lived in when the projects came out. Whether they were based in reality or the uber fantastic, each suit had a special place in your heart.
Here are the top on screen used Batsuits in Batman film history.
Ranking the Best Batmobiles of All Time
10.Adam West Suit ('Batman 1966')
Despite the film (and show) itself being a lot of people’s first foray into the adventures of Batman, the suit Adam West would don does not age well with time. Basically a very expensive Halloween costume, the suit was anything but intimidating.
Brightly colored, very short Bat Ears, drawn on eyebrows for whatever reason, and blue underwear on the outside of his pants to boot. Despite its silliness, it was perhaps fitting for the tone of the Batman 1966 series and film, and you have to give credit for Adam West staying in toned shape without the aid of a muscle suit.
9.George Clooney Suit ('Batman and Robin')
After thankfully ditching the nipple suit at the end of Batman and Robin, the three heroes, Batman, Robin and Batgirl get upgraded suits that were honestly pretty cool and suited their final confrontation with Mr. Freeze.
This suit may not be best suited for other acts of crime fighting as its main purpose is to withstand subzero temperatures, but it was really cool to see Batman in a sleek new costume we hadn’t seen before.
8.Robert Pattinson Suit ('The Batman')
An offshoot of the Christian Bale suit, this was another Batsuit for a world based in reality. The cape and cowl have a really dark brooding design which is perfect for Matt Reeves take on the character, but what this suit has in tactical prowess and sleek design, it doesn’t have as much of an intimidation factor as other suits which is necessary to instill fear in the hearts of criminals. A very solid suit to be sure, but there are better ones on this list.
7.Ben Affleck Suit ('Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice')
When it was Ben Affleck’s turn to become the Dark Knight, he would suit up in what this writer calls the “Chonky Batman” suit. This suit was clearly influenced from such works as Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns, and showcases a more grizzled vet of a Batman who has been running on rooftops for years.
This is a very imposing suit and gives of an aura of power and unstoppable strength. The shorter ears and the more stockier build makes this a very unique suit that was picture perfect for this iteration of Batman.
6.Val Kilmer Suit ('Batman Forever')
After The Riddler destroys the Batcave in Batman Forever, Batman and Robin get brand new suits and while the previous suit was an homage to the Keaton Batman look, this suit was a visually appealing evolution from Burton to Schumacher.
The nipples were gone (thank god) and the Bat symbol on the chest was more nuanced and not as prominent as other suits would have. This sleek new design was the first time Batman would take on a more modern look and it still looks great today when one revisits the film.
5.Ben Affleck Armored Suit ('Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn Of Justice')
It’s always a great bit of fan service when something is ripped right out of the comics and this suit is a perfect example of such a feat. When it came time for Ben Affleck’s Batman to take on Henry Cavill’s Superman, he suits up in a walking tank of a Batsuit.
This suit, along with some Kryptonite perks, really made Batman a formidable opponent against The Man of Steel. Taking huge inspiration from Frank Miller’s designs this was fan service done right, plus the white glowing eyes were a great addition.
4.Michael Keaton Suit V.1 ('Batman')
This was the first time Batman was seen as a legit threat on the live action stage. After years of less than appealing suits in the early serials or the Batman ’66 series, Tim Burton and crew designed a suit that would launch Michael Keaton’s Batman into the stratosphere. Trading the blue and grey, to an all-Black with yellow Bat Symbol design, this suit showed that Batman meant business. Dark, brooding, and a perfect reflection of the time this movie took place in, this suit set the bar for how Batsuits would be designed going forward.
3.Christian Bale Suit V.2 ('Dark Knight/Dark Knight Rises')
Props for this being the first Batsuit where Batman could actually turn his head. For Christian Bale’s second turn as the World’s Greatest Detective, he needed some upgrades to his more brooding but more bulkier suit. Lucious Fox would design a more streamlined tactical suit, which allowed more agility and speed. Some of the armor had to be sacrificed when making this suit but the look and functionality of Bale’s second suit was a perfect fit for a hype realistic Nolan-Verse.
2.Michael Keaton Suit V2. ('Batman Returns')
Another instance where some simple upgrades go a long way. When Michael Keaton returned to the cowl for Batman Returns, the original suit was passed due for an overhaul. Keaton himself has said that the suit felt like he was being sealed in a walking coffin and didn’t allow much movement when it came to hand to hand combat. This suit goes hand in hand with the design of the Batmobile as armor is more prominent in this iteration and was more practical. This definitely wasn’t as gothic as the original suit but it served its purpose.
1.Christian Bale Suit V.1 ('Batman Begins')
The best version of the Batsuit took years to come to fruition and when Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan teamed up to bring us Batman Begins, they knew they had to do the hero justice after the silly aftertaste that Batman and Robin left for years. Tactical, but gothic, stocky but streamlined, this suit was what a real world functioning Batman needed. Batman never looked cooler brooding on the rooftops than in this suit and when we saw this Batman first appeared on screen, we were happy to know that the franchise was in safe hands once again for years to come.