Batman has been played by several actors over the decades and has existed in media for many years before that.
He debuted in "Detective Comics #27" in 1939 and has evolved several times over.
As such, it is unsurprising that there have been seven iterations of Bruce Wayne in live-action movie adaptations alone. Plus, in the coming years, that number will bump up to eight, thanks to James Gunn and Peter Safran's rebooted DCU.
While each actor brought their own spin to the role, and are comic-accurate in their individual ways, fans may wonder which of the seven has the closest height to comics Batman?
Live-Action Batman Heights vs. Comics
In DC comics, Batman is consistently 6'2". This seems to be the case in the main Earth 1 universe, as well as various alternate universes like that of the DC Animated Universe.
So, how do the different Batman actors compare?
Adam West - 6'2"
Adam West is exactly as tall as Batman in the comics, with both being 6'2". West was the first live-action Bruce Wayne, appearing on the Batman television show from the '60s, and in 1966's Batman: The Movie.
While West's version of the character may seem nothing like the dark and brooding Batman modern fans are familiar with, his campy portrayal matched the colorful shenanigans of Batman and Robin's earliest comics adventures.
Michael Keaton - 5'9"
Michael Keaton stands five inches shorter than comic book Batman, at a height of 5'9". Keaton first played the Caped Crusader in 1989's Batman and then again in 1992's Batman Returns.
In 2023, Keaton returned to the role for The Flash movie. Though his role in the movie was highly anticipated (much like the movie itself), it was arguably overshadowed by The Flash's poor critical and financial performance.
Val Kilmer - 6'0"
Val Kilmer stands at exactly 6'0", making him closer to comics Bruce's 6'2" height than Keaton, but still two inches too short. Kilmer played Batman in 1995's Batman Forever.
While his movie saw a sequel in 1997, Batman & Robin, Kilmer did not play Batman in it. Unlike the Keaton-to-Kilmer transition, though, this did not indicate a full reboot with an entirely new cast and director.
George Clooney - 5'11"
George Clooney is only an inch shorter than Kilmer, and therefore three inches shorter than Batman in the comics. He has played the character twice — in the aforementioned Batman & Robin, and as a cameo in The Flash.
Ironically, both movies were relatively poorly received, with the former seeing a 16% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and the latter getting a B from CinemaScore, making it among the lowest-scored movies in the DCEU.
Christian Bale - 6'0"
Christian Bale is just as tall as Kilmer, coming in at two inches shorter than the comic book Batman's 6'2" height. Bale played Bruce in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, an adaptation of several comics including Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, and its surrounding universe.
Bale was the first Batman actor to play the part in three consecutive movies — Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
Ben Affleck - 6'2"
Like West, Ben Affleck is exactly as tall as Bruce Wayne from the comics — all three being 6'2". Affleck played Batman in the recently-concluded DCEU (SnyderVerse), and as such appeared as the character several times.
Affleck debuted as Batman in 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, as well as appearing uncredited in Suicide Squad that same year. He was featured in both versions of Justice League and made his most recent — and seemingly final — appearance in 2023's The Flash.
Robert Pattinson - 6'1"
Just one inch shorter than comic Batman, Robert Pattinson stands at 6'1". Pattinson debuted as Bruce Wayne in 2022's The Batman and will reprise the role in its 2025 sequel, The Batman — Part II.
Though not a part of the new DCU, the Matt Reeve-directed projects, and the spin-off series The Penguin, exist within their own Elseworlds universe.
What Might Be Next for Batman?
No actor has been announced as Batman in Gunn and Safran's rebooted universe, though Bruce Wayne as a character is confirmed for The Brave and the Bold, along with Damian Wayne and to-be-announced members of the Batfamily.
Fans know that Andy Muschietti, director of The Flash, will reportedly direct the new Batman reboot and that it will adapt Grant Morrison's Batman comics run in some capacity.
However, with Gunn's recent confirmation that the script is not written yet, fans might be waiting a while for more information than that.
In the meantime, the Batman movies discussed in this article can be found on various streaming services like Max and Netflix.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
