Batman is the mysterious masked manhunter. He uses the cover of night to infiltrate the criminal underworld and thwart its villains before they have time to think. He has access to, and the prowess to engineer, unfathomable military-grade technology. He is famous for his prep time, armed with the tactics he has learned from masters across the globe. He leaves every situation undetected (much to the chagrin of his closest allies; sorry, Commissioner Gordon), and his enemies in the dark. Gotham City’s superstitious and cowardly lot fear the shadows because Batman is the shadows.

For all the justified fear-mongering, the Caped Crusader does his best work alone and in silence. The only thing more iconic than his brooding aloofness is his chin. Someone has to have used that loophole to identify the man dressed as a bat. But the bat dressed as a man will not allow it. Tacit as a Bat Signal in the sky, the Batman is a man of few words, but words he does not mince. Out of the Batcave, actors have given the Dark Knight his own foreboding presence and his screen time a few good lines. We all know bats use echolocation to find their prey, and Batman’s voice registers differently with each adaption.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

9 Lewis Wilson (Batman)

     Columbia Pictures

There is not much grit from Lewis Wilson in the 1943 first live-action depiction of Batman. The serial introduced the origin of the Batcave and, unfortunately and uncharacteristically, heavy xenophobic and racist subliminal messages and imagery against the Japanese. The first serial came out at the height of World War II, when America thought it was a good idea to displace Japanese-American citizens into internment camps. Wilson’s Batman takes a back seat to justice in a nonchalant performance as well. Despite the sociopolitical trappings, it is remarkable that Batman made it to the big screen and Wilson deserves credit for being the first to voice the character.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

8 Robert Lowery (Batman and Robin)

The second actor to take on the Batman role, Robert Lowery plays a straight-laced vigilante in another group of serials from 1949, this time with Robin the Boy Wonder (Johnny Duncan). He follows Wilson’s lead of the tired playboy trope, but his Bruce Wayne is much more preoccupied with his duties as Batman. The voice is also animated with an urgency befitting of the comics sans Japanese propaganda. Instead, this Batman fights the “hooded Wizard,” an unmistakable stand-in for the KKK. Another sign of the (racist) times, but at least the character is battling actual evil.

7 George Clooney (Batman & Robin)

     Warner Bros.

The revisit to the campy days of the 1960s Bright Knight put George Clooney in a unique space. His persona is mild-mannered, unassuming, sometimes charming, what you expect from an aloof business mogul bachelor. In the Batman role, it can be hard to separate the man from the bat, but in this case, there is no separation. In fact, there is an overdose of playboy Bruce Wayne on Clooney’s part. Where do all those Bat-toys come from? The Bat Credit Card, of course. Who is the cardholder? Bruce Wayne. Clooney has a typical machismo voice that plays it safe at middle-of-the-road mediocre.

6 Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Trilogy)

     Warner Bros. Pictures

Christopher Nolan took Batman out of his comic book mythos and grounded him in reality. He made audiences feel that he was a tangible human being on the big screen. Christian Bale’s Batman did not get the same memo. Apparently this Batman’s voice is a chain-smoking insomniac with maniacal fits of rage. Bale’s disgruntled British accent would have been better, but he argues the voice matches his threatening visage. Apart from the “Swear to me!” line, the rest of his voice was put in a blender. He strikes fear in the hearts of criminals as much as he makes a great purée of hoarse imperatives.

5 Adam West (Batman ‘66)

     20th Television

Suave, sophisticated, and situational, Adam West is the definition of debonair. His whimsical air of daring heroics matches his linguistic enthusiasm for detective work. He serenades friends like a Shakespearean character and leaves foes ringing like onomatopoeic bells. The King of Camp has one of the most distinct dictions of any crime-fighter.

4 Robert Pattinson (The Batman)

The most recluse Bruce Wayne of the group, Robert Pattinson gives an equally looming voice to Batman. A hush that just makes its presence and purpose known with some passionate yawps in the mix. A balanced Batman performance from the poster boy for Sephora.

3 Michael Keaton (Batman ‘89)

Tim Burton made Batman an icon and Michael Keaton kept his perch safe since 1989. His return in The Flash has fans excited, and his subtle, consistent cadence will make up for his not watching superhero movies and the cancellation of Batgirl. Keaton is the Batman you tell all your friends about.

2 Val Kilmer (Batman Forever)

Easily the most underrated voice, Val Kilmer nails both Bruce Wayne and Batman. He converses with Gotham City’s finest, has clever dialogue, and even pours out his childhood trauma to his psychologist, who is also his love interest. He plays the part so convincingly, it should be a crime.

1 Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series)

     Warner Bros. Television

Television, movies, video games, Kevin Conroy has been the longest-running voice of the Batman, and deservedly so. He is gritty, witty, and shares some of the most memorable moments with the World’s Greatest Detective. When fans read a comic, the voice they hear first is Kevin Conroy; quintessential and unequivocal vengeance. He is the night. He is Batman.