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DC Comics superhero Batman originated in 1939 when artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger created the caped crusader. With multiple iterations of the character through movies, audiences are well aware that Batman is Bruce Wayne, a billionaire who witnessed the murder of his parents and trained himself to become the guardian of justice. The character made a debut on the television screen in 1966 with Adam West starring in Batman. Michael Keaton was the actor to debut the character on the movie screen with Tim Burton’s Batman. Over the last few decades, several well-established actors have donned the cape and transformed the idea of a witty superhero into the dark, conflicted anti-hero. Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and now Robert Pattinson have done justice to the DC superhero and brought a different version of Batman to the screen with every series.
Movies starring Batman as the lead have collectively grossed over $6 billion at the box office and earned hefty salaries to the actors who have portrayed the dark character. Each actor is more iconic than the other; let’s take a glimpse at who is the richest Batman actor.
Adam West ($8 million)
A Batman remembered by the kids of the 80s and 90s, Adam West starred in the television series that originally aired in the 1960s and made reruns on the television screen years later. West garnered an $8 million fortune and reprised the role of the witty superhero until his retirement. Along with working in the television show, he has voiced the character for multiple animated shows, including Batman: The Brave And The Bold and The New Adventures Of Batman. According to The Richest, the actor starred in the 1966 film Batman: The Movie and garnered $100,000.
Val Kilmer ($25 million)
Val Kilmer was the second actor to become the dark knight on the big screen after Michael Keaton. Kilmer starred in Batman Forever with Jim Carrey as the Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face. Kilmer has amassed a $25 million net worth in multiple critically acclaimed movies. For his role as Batman, Kilmer received a whopping $7 million, which is equivalent to $12 million today. Batman Forever grossed a humongous amount of $184 million at the box office in 1995.
Michael Keaton ($40 million)
The Batman for the ages, Michael Keaton, was a significant superhero in the late 80s with his starring role in the Tim Burton movies that made a combined $413 million worldwide. The actor has worked in critically acclaimed projects such as Beetlejuice and Birdman; however, he's best known to play Batman. The actor was paid $5 million for Batman, and a raise for the 1992 sequel Batman Returns, earning $10 million, equivalent to $10 million and $20 million, respectively, as noted by The Things.
Robert Pattinson ($100 million)
The newest actor to take on the iconic role, Robert Pattison, is best known for starring in The Twilight Saga and his work in independent movies such as Good Time, The Lighthouse, and High Life. The actor has earned a $100 million net worth from his career and reportedly paid $3 million to star in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. A fresh take on the comic book character, the film is set to discover the detective side of the caped crusader as never seen before. The movie is estimated to gross $100 million during its opening weekend in March.
Christian Bale ($120 million)
The only actor to star in a Batman trilogy, Christian Bale, perfected the lead role in The Dark Knight series. One of Hollywood’s wealthiest actors, he has garnered a $120 million net worth through his work over the years. The sequel directed by Christopher Nolan grossed $1.18 billion worldwide, with Bale getting paid $10 million for Batman Begins, $20 million for The Dark Knight, and $15 million for The Dark Knight Rises, as reported by Cheat Sheet.
Ben Affleck ($150 million)
Actor, director, producer, screenwriter, and businessman Ben Affleck became Bruce Wayne for an exciting series with the DC Extended Universe. Affleck, who already had several accolades under his belt, became Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The movie that brought the two strongest DC superheroes head-to-head grossed a whopping $330 million in theaters. Affleck has a sprawling net worth of $150 million, and he garnered between $10-$20 million for the role.
George Clooney ($500 million)
While Clooney may not be the best remembered for playing Batman, the actor still received the extraordinary feat of wearing the suit for the 1997 movie Batman & Robin, for which he made $1 million, as stated by Screen Rant. The movie also starred Chris O’Donnell, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Uma Thurman, and Alicia Silverstone. George has been a part of several critically and commercially successful movies and earned a $500 million net worth through his movie salaries, production company, and profitable business ventures.
These actors have managed to bring different interpretations of the same character to the screen with great stories and even greater villains. Starring as Batman remains a dream role for actors, and there will be more interpretations of the caped crusader soon on the screen. 2022 is a big year for Batman fans as Robert Pattinson graces the theaters in The Batman from March 4, and Michael Keaton has reprised his role in The Flash to be released in November.
Sources: The Richest, The Things, Cheat Sheet, Screen Rant.