Have you ever noticed that Batman has two faces much like one of his most famous villains? On the one hand, there is the campy, comedic version of Batman and on the other hand there is the dark and serious Batman. While both have been featured in successful live action portrayals of “the world’s greatest detective,” it seems the latter portrayal has had more staying power in the media; particularly as of late.
Since the first appearance of Batman in Detective Comics #27, the Bat-Man was initially portrayed as a serious detective with a pension for justice; especially for those who murdered his parents in cold blood when his alter ego, Bruce Wayne, was just a child. This lasted for nearly twenty years, at least in movies (serials) and on television, up until the late 60s. At that point, a new unintentionally silly and campy version of Batman had emerged: a version that had also become quite popular in the comics. This new campy portrayal of Batman on television starred Adam West.
The Adam West and Joel Schumacher Versions
Prior to his portrayal of Batman, actor Adam West had a budding film career in Hollywood. Though playing the detective helped him to rise to fame and become a household name, some would also say it forever changed the trajectory of his acting career. It seems as though his campy portrayal of Batman was not only convincing but it also left an indelible imprint on an entire generation of Batman fans. For years, no one could change the mainstream image of Batman; no matter how hard they tried. That is, until Tim Burton came along. However, that too was short lived as Burton was replaced by director Joel Schumacher for the third installment of the 90s live action Batman movies.
After parents expressed their discontent over the apparent dark turn of the Batman movies previously directed Tim Burton (i.e. Batman and Batman Returns) and starring Michael Keaton, Warner Bros. then brought in Joel Schumacher—famous for St. Elmo’s Fire—to revamp the series. Schumacher then came in and restored the campy version of Batman to appease parents and the movie studios, but gradually started to displease moviegoers and Batman fans in the process of doing so. Case in point, Batman Forever was well received, while Batman and Robin was both a box office flop and panned by critics. Batman and Robin was a universal failure; which is probably why Warner Bros. took a break from the franchise.
The Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan Versions
In addition to Tim Burton’s Batman being one of the most memorable Batman movies of all time, it also ushered in a cinematically different version of the “caped crusader.” The 1989 Batman feature film, which starred actor Michael Keaton, depicted a more serious Batman with a darker tone; a portrayal that harkened back to the original Batman characterization before the TV show starring Adam West. However, after two movies, a new director and starring actors were brought in; the result of which eventually lead to the demise of the franchise—mostly because of the inconsistency in the direction of the films. Enter Christopher Nolan.
To date, the most well received live action film depiction of Batman has been the Christopher N
olan directed Batman films. But don’t just take my word for it, the first film Batman Begins, grossed over $300 million while both The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises each grossed over $1 billion; which speaks volumes. Times have indeed changed since Tim Burton attempted to portray a darker more serious version of Batman. By the time Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale—who played Batman—came along audiences were ready to receive a Batman that wasn’t campy. This was likely due to several factors: a change in tone in the Batman comics thanks to Frank Miller, more seemingly physically capable actors portraying the “caped crusader” thanks to Christopher Reeve’s portrayal of Superman and special effects that leaned towards a more convincing cinematic superhero experience that also helped to sell the plot.
Now that yet another depiction of Batman will be portrayed on the big screen, one can only wonder which version the depiction will lean towards. If the rumors and costume design are any indication, the Batman in the upcoming Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice movie may be yet another dark and serious portrayal of “the world’s greatest detective.”