Batman's Live-Action Batsuits, Ranked
Image Source: Wallpaper Flare
Over the years, fans of the Caped Crusader love (for the most part) the evolution of the Batsuit. We’ve seen cloth, rubber, vinyl, carbon, you name it. We love seeing the actor bring the character to life and watch the suit aid Bruce in his quest for vengeance. Let’s take a look at the Dark Knight’s live-action Batsuits.
20. Robert Lowery, 1949 Batman Serials
Image Source: 13th Dimension
Let’s kick this off with the worst of the worst. What was supposed to be an upgrade of the original Batman serial suit, ended up looking more like pajamas. The cowl is super pointy, with the nose being pyramid-shaped, not fitting the face of Lowery at all.
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19. Lewis Wilson, 1943 Batman Serials
Image Source: Mezco Toys Blog
While it may be simple, the cloth suit is a solid start to bringing the suit from the pages of the original comic to real life. It’s the quintessential Batman look. The pointed cowl and the bladed gloves complete the suit. Originating in 1943, the suit was featured in the original black-and-white Batman serial.
18. David Mazouz, Gotham
Image Source: Vanity Fair
After 5 seasons of Gotham, we finally got to see David Mazouz put on the suit and become Batman. The suit was ill-fitting, the cape didn’t fall off of Mazouz as we’re used to seeing, and it resembled one of the Halloween costumes where the muscles are attached to the costume. The cape looked like it was made of lycra and didn’t line up with the cowl. It was a giant let-down because, after so much time and anticipation, we were left with nothing but disappointment.
17. 1st Batsuit, Batman Forever
Image Source: Batman Fandom
The beginning of what would become a brightly-colored wacky ride into Gotham thanks to Joel Schumacher came with an incredibly stylish Batsuit, except for one problem: Batnipples. The entire design of the suit was modeled after the human muscular system, down to the 8-pack abs that we all know Bruce is packing. But those dang nipples.
16. 1st Batsuit, Batman & Robin
Image Source: Batman Fandom
When George Clooney replaced Val Kilmer for the second Joel Schumacher film, we were treated to a suit with minimal changes. The suit evolved more to show the outlines of the body, but that’s all we got visually. However, it was the first time where we saw gadgets built into the suit. Batskates, anyone?
15. Antifreeze Batsuit, Batman & Robin
Image Source: Age of the Nerd
To combat Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze, Batman (and Robin and Batgirl) needed a different type of suit that would be able to withstand the bone-chilling temperatures in Freeze’s lair. Enter the Antifreeze suit. Sure, it was created to sell toys, but the navy and silver color combination was a nice break from the multiple shades of black that were used to seeing. This was also the suit that started to have more of a “humanized” look, with curves and lines closer to anatomy. Lastly, it would be the final time we would see batnips.
14. Dark Knight & Dark Knight Rises
Image Source: Time
While the suit is clearly intended to resemble armor, the stacked design leaves it bulky and almost unusable. It did bring back the utility belt in a contrasting gold color so it wouldn’t be lost in the design of the suit. However, the cowl and suit aren’t fully connected, giving it a more moveable look and feel.
13. Sonar Batsuit, Batman Forever
Image Source: Batman Fandom
To defeat The Riddler and Two-Face, the Batsuit needed an upgrade. it was grey instead of black, and this is also the suit where the circular emblem went away, with the Bat symbol stretched across the entire chest. The ears featured vents that gave it a fluid, aerodynamic look.
12. Batman Begins
Image Source: DC Movies Fandom
Since the late 90s traumatized fans with Batnipples, fans honestly wanted anything different in a Batsuit. What they got was the beginning of a long series of tactical-style Batsuits. Christopher Nolan’s Bruce Wayne/Batman focused on the expensive side of crime fighting, giving Batman essentially carte blanche to create a Batsuit that would help him be unstoppable in his quest for vengeance.
11. 1st Batsuit, Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn Of Justice
Image Source: The Hollywood Reporter
When Ben Affleck was announced as the next Batman, there was a bit of hesitation from the fandom, because no one was sure how he would bring Bruce Wayne and his vigilante alter ego to the screen. He had some fairly large shoes to fill after Christian Bale, after all. However, the suit was pretty solid, with a textured body, a cowl that fitted Affleck’s face better than any of his predecessors, and a logo that stretched across the chest that was slightly raised. It also continued the tactical style that we saw with Bale’s Batsuit.
10. 2nd Batsuit, Justice League
Image Source: Screen Rant
While very similar to the main Batsuit from Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, this suit has a few modifications that put it just over the BvS one. The gauntlets get an upgrade to include straps and longer fins. The body itself gets a few more armored plates in the chest and arm area, giving Batman the protection he needs from what’s coming.
9. Ben Affleck’s Batman, The Flash
Image Source: MovieWeb
Enclosed in just a five-minute cameo, Ben Affleck makes a strong impact as his version of Batman. There were some obvious changes this time around, leaving behind the black and dark grey design, and replacing it with the classic navy and greyish-blue similar to the Batman TV series. There are also a few upgrades in the armor department, with a detachable chest armor piece coming into play.
8. The Batman
Image Source: NPR
Continuing with the tactical design, this suit focused on the utility belt and holsters on the suit, which had not been seen in several films. Robert Pattinson’s Batsuit marks the first occurrence of the Bat symbol without a head and ears. Partially embedded in the suit with 3-D elements, it conveys a tactical feel while being respectful to the past suits. It also can be detached from the suit and used as a weapon, which had never been seen on the screen before.
7. Adam West, Batman TV Series
Image Source: Variety
Holy blue eyebrows, Batman! An absolute classic that defined multiple generations of Batman fans, Adam West’s navy and greyish-blue suit gave Batman a new life in color. The rounded cowl and short, stubby ear gave a different but retro feel to the Caped Crusader quite different than its serial predecessors.
6. Batman (1989)
Image Source: The Prop Gallery
After decades of cloth Batsuits, Michael Keaton and Tim Burton teamed up to bring the Caped Crusader to the big screen after decades of not showing in theaters. Fans didn’t know what to expect, except that it would have a dark feel, thanks to Burton’s directorial style. What we got was a solid rubber suit that oozed power and vengeance. The other main change was the prominence of the Bat symbol with a bright yellow background dead center of the chest. It also brought back long and pointy ears, which all but disappeared with Adam West’s Batman.
5. Michael Keaton’s Batman, The Flash
Image Source: USA Today
Coming from a different timeline where he has retired and hung up the cowl, Michael Keaton comes back to help Barry Allen in 2023’s The Flash. The suit almost looks the same, but with a few upgrades that most likely came with experience as he grew as the Caped Crusader. The tire-rubber material is gone and is replaced with a softer, more flexible material. The cowl is connected to the symbol on the chest, which is the same symbol from Batman Returns.
4. Knightmare Batsuit, Justice League: Snyder Cut
Image Source: IGN
When we got to the post-apocalyptic world of the DC Universe, we got to see Batman in his resistance garb. While mostly the same suit but with a trench coat, scarf, and goggles, this marked the first time that we would see the suit be “accessorized” on the screen. It fits the gritty, decimated hellscape that is the Knightmare universe.
3. Tactical Batsuit, Justice League
Image Source: Batman Fandom
In Justice League, the Batsuit needed an upgrade due to Batman now having to fight gods, aliens, cyborgs, monsters, and whatever else the universe decided to throw at him. This Batsuit is the most armored out of all of the tactical Batsuits without being an entire suite of armor like the Armored Batsuit. The upgrades gave Batman the strength that he needed to become the hero of Gotham.
2. Armored Batsuit, Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn Of Justice
Image Source: Cinema Blend
Ripped directly from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, this mechanized suit left fans with something to cheer about as he fought Superman. The squared-off ears and the white light eyes added a different dimension to the suit. Although it was heavily armored, it still looked as though Bruce could move easily in battle.
1. Batman Returns
Image Source: HypeBeast
When Tim Burton and Michael Keaton returned for the second Batman film, Batman Returns, the heavy rubber suit was streamlined to a thinner, more moveable suit. The design of the suit as a whole reflected the art-deco style of the film and gave a smoother, cleaner look. The logo also got an upgrade, losing the curled wings and looking closer to the logo from the comics.
And there you have it. Another subjective list ranking Batman’s live-action Batsuits.
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Sources: Mezco Toyz, Screenrant, IGN, Collider, Nerdist, 13th Dimension, IMDb
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