The DC Comics character Batman has been adapted into various media including film, radio, television, and video games, as well as numerous merchandising items. The Batman franchise has become one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.
A number of Batman theatrical films have been made. There have also been several attempted projects during the hiatus between Batman & Robin and Batman Begins.
2017: Batman vs. Two-Face, an animated film based on the 1960s Batman television series; starring Adam West as Batman, Burt Ward as Robin, and Julie Newmar as Catwoman.
2018: Batman Ninja, a Japanese CG-animated film by Kamikaze Douga,[3] with Kōichi Yamadera and Roger Craig Smith voicing Batman in Japanese and English respectively.
2019: Batman: Hush, an animated film based on the Batman: Hush comic book story arc, with Jason O'Mara voicing Batman.
Following the success of the Fleischer Superman cartoons, Fleischer Studios communicated with DC Comics over the possibility of adapting Batman. The communication got to the point of budget discussions as illustrated in a letter dated January 25, 1942, and reproduced in longtime Batman executive producer, Michael E. Uslan's 2011 memoir, The Boy Who Loved Batman. It is, however, unknown how far the production of this project went before being abandoned.[8]
A second Batman Beyond film was planned for release, but was finally scrapped due to the dark tones and controversies of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker in 2001.[9] Another mention of Batman Beyond film was in 2017 by Bruce Timm[10] and James Tucker, the latter saying that discussions about a possible Batman Beyond film occurred several times at the studio.[11]
After the success of Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero, Warner Bros. greenlighted the production of a third installment, entitled Batman: Arkham. Boyd Kirkland, the director of this film, was attached to write and direct. The film would have Batman and Robin facing off against a collection of Arkham Asylum escapees, in addition to Batman finding himself falling in love with a new love interest, planned to be voiced by Angie Harmon. The main cast of Batman: The Animated Series was attached to reprise their roles. Steven E. Gordon also drew some art concept for the film. The film was ultimately cancelled in favor of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (which also featured Harmon),[12] while Batman: Arkham eventually became a successful video game series by Rocksteady.
A second film of The Batman titled The Batman vs. Hush that featured Hush as the main villain along with the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler, Catwoman and Clayface was planned for a long time. The film ended up being scrapped.[13] Before its cancellation, producer Alan Burnett had hopes of making one or two more DTV films based on The Batman.[14]A similar film based on Batman: Hush ultimately came out in 2019 as part of the DC Animated Movie Universe.
In 2015, Bruce Timm expressed interest in an animated adaptation of the Batman R.I.P. storyline.[15]
Pennyworth, marketed as Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler for its third season,[2] is an American television series that premiered on July 28, 2019, on Epix, based on DC Comics' Batman character of the same name. The series was developed for television and is executive produced by Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon, and stars Jack Bannon as Alfred Pennyworth, a younger version of the iteration of the character previously portrayed by Sean Pertwee in Heller's and Cannon's Fox series Gotham (2014–2019), with the series serving as a prequel to both Gotham, and V for Vendetta, by Alan Moore, David Lloyd, and Tony Weare. Ben Aldridge, Hainsley Lloyd Bennett, Ryan Fletcher, Dorothy Atkinson, Emma Paetz, Paloma Faith, Polly Walker, James Purefoy, and Jason Flemyng also star.
The series premiered September 22, 2014, on FOX and ended April 25, 2019, starring David Mazouz as a young Bruce Wayne. The series depicts young Bruce Wayne following the death of his parents. Also Bruce is 12 years old when his parents die, unlike his traditional age being 7 or 8 years old. When the series reached its finale, stunt performer Mikhail Mudrik served as the physical actor for Wayne as Mazouz still wasn't 6 foot 4, the showrunners height preference for their Batman[21] Mazouz was able wear the Batsuit in the final shot with the help of forced perspective. He also lent his voice to all Batman speaking scenes in the last episode.
Batman is mentioned several times in the series. He was shown from behind in the episode "Origins" and was voiced by an uncredited actor. Batman appears in the first season finale in a dream sequence created by Trigon where he started killing his enemies causing Dick Grayson to end Batman's life. Stunt doubles Alain Moussi and Maxim Savarias portray Batman in that appearance.
Batman's alter ego Bruce makes his full appearance in the second season, portrayed by Iain Glen. Bruce is visited by Dick after the defeat of Trigon, allowing Dick to restart the Titans on the condition that Jason Todd be a member. In his self-titled episode, Bruce appears in Dick's hallucinations about the guilt he felt following a disastrous fight with Deathstroke. In the episode "E.L._.O.", Bruce lures Koriand'r / Starfire, Rachel Roth / Raven, Donna Troy, and Dawn Granger / Dove are lured to the Elko Diner in an effort to reunite the team after Dick was incarcerated at Kane County Correctional Facility. In the episode "Nightwing", Bruce attends Donna's funeral at Titans Tower. When Kory thanks Bruce for bringing them together, Bruce had no knowledge of going to Elko and claimed that they confused him with someone else.
In the third season, Bruce becomes distraught after the Joker kills Jason, prompting him to murder the latter in Arkham Asylum. He then tasks Dick with the duty of protecting Gotham, while he retreats elsewhere. At a secluded mansion, Bruce writes his will, then attempts to commit suicide by having the mansion burn down with him inside. He is however saved by a resurrected Donna. At the end of the season, Bruce returns to Gotham and reconciles with Jason, who has since been resurrected and gone on rampage as Red Hood, but converted by the Titans to stop Jonathan Crane. While he does not appear in the fourth season, Bruce is mentioned as having provided the team with new equipment to help them continue their crime fighting activities.
Bruce Wayne appears briefly on a magazine cover in The CW's Batwoman season one finale, portrayed by Warren Christie. The character Thomas Elliot masquerades as Wayne in the opening episode of season two before being discovered and forcibly unmasked by Ryan Wilder. In the episode "Armed and Dangerous", a subconscious manifestation of Bruce Wayne appeared before Luke Fox after he was shot by Russell Tavaroff in the previous episode which landed Luke in a coma. Bruce gave Luke the choice of living or dying. After being purged of "Circe" in the season two finale, Kate leaves Gotham City with plans to find Bruce.
1973–86: Various Super Friends series produced by Hanna-Barbera; Olan Soule again reprises his role as Batman in all but the last two Super Friends series, where he is replaced by Adam West.
1977–78: The New Adventures of Batman, produced by Filmation; while the H-B-produced Super Friends ran on ABC, Adam West and Burt Ward (Robin) voiced their previously live-action roles for this CBS cartoon series; later rerun as part of The Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour (the Tarzan segments had also been previously seen as their own series)
1992–95: Batman: The Animated Series; the first series of the DCAU. Batman is approximately in the ninth year of his crime-fighting career; he spends much of his time fighting crime solo, as Dick Grayson/Robin by then is in college and therefore works with him semi-regularly, but unlike other iterations of the character who portray themselves as a not-too bright playboy in public, he portrays himself as intelligent and actively involved in managing Wayne Enterprises, to such an extent where in "Eternal Youth" he threatens an employee with termination unless he cancels an unauthorized deal and in the final episode produced "Batgirl Returns" he is away on a business trip and thus takes time away from crime-fighting. He is also shown to be close friends with Harvey Dent prior to his transformation into Two-Face as well as regularly dating Selina Kyle as Bruce Wayne in addition to them dealing with each other in their costumed identities. He is shown to also have a close relationship with Commissioner James Gordon, viewing him like a father figure, and as seen in "I Am the Night" becomes guilty after being unable to stop him from being shot by the criminal Jazzman, though he comes to his senses later on.
1996–99: Superman: The Animated Series; Batman first guest stars in "World's Finest", he comes to Metropolis to stop Joker, who allies with Lex Luthor to kill Superman in exchange for a million dollars, while also forming a brief business partnership with Luthor. He also dates Lois Lane as Wayne briefly much to the chagrin and jealousy of Clark Kent/Superman, though they put aside their differences and work to stop both Luthor and Joker. He next appears in "Knight Time", where he is revealed to have gone missing leading to Superman and Robin working together to stop crime in Gotham (with Superman disguised as him for a while) and find him, and when they do find him, they learn he is under Brainiac's control, who managed to infiltrate Wayne Enterprises computer systems, the latter wanting a secret shuttle to escape the planet though he is eventually stopped. He then appears in the penultimate episode "The Demon Reborn" where he rescues Superman from Ra's al Ghul who wanted the former's strength for immortality after the Lazarus Pits began failing due to his continuous usage. The duo then team up to stop him and the Society of Shadows and at the end both acknowledge how well they work together, hinting at the eventual formation of the Justice League.
1997–99: The New Batman Adventures; a continuation of Batman: The Animated Series, Bruce now works with Barbara Gordon/Batgirl and Tim Drake/Robin, the former of whose secret identity he figured out in the interim between the two shows. Dick Grayson abandoned his Robin identity and left Gotham after an argument with Batman over knowing but not telling him Barbara's secret and his increased ruthlessness and manipulative behavior as revealed in "Old Wounds", though he eventually returns and occasionally works with him as Nightwing and despite forgiving him, does not fully reconcile with his former mentor.
1999–2001: Batman Beyond; a middle-aged Batman retired after suffering a mild heart attack during a rescue mission which forced him to break his paramount rule by almost using a gun in self defense. Twenty years later, though initially reluctant, Bruce passes the mantle of Batman onto teenager Terry McGinnis (voiced by Will Friedle) after he experiences a similar tragedy to his own, the loss of a parent, thus becoming his mentor from that point onwards and guiding him from the Batcave.
2001: The Zeta Project; both Bruce Wayne and the future Batman (Terry McGinnis) guest star in the episode "Shadows". They come into conflict with Zeta after believing that he had reverted to killing, mistaking him for the separate Infiltration Unit IU7, but help him later after learning the truth.
2001–04: Justice League; Batman becomes one of the founding members of the League, even financing the construction and improvement of both Watchtowers though does not officially join them, claiming not to be a "people" person and being only a part-time member (a fact established in the Batman Beyond episode "The Call"). He is also shown having a mutual attraction to Wonder Woman as they flirt frequently evidenced in the episodes, "The Brave and the Bold", "Maid of Honor" and the finale where they share a kiss while hiding from Thanagarian troops. Additionally, an alternate universe coutnerpart of Batman who is a member of the Justice Lords appears in the episode "A Batter World".
2002–04: Static Shock; Batman guest stars in the episodes "The Big Leagues" where he and Robin help Static stop Joker and his new gang of bang-baby metahumans from going on a crime spree; "Hard as Nails" where he helps Static thwart Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn's plans to use new bang baby Nails and rescue her while he and Static also learn each other's secret identity; the two-parter "A League of Their Own" where he, the Justice League, Static and Gear fight Brainiac and "Future Shock" where both he and his older self from Batman Beyond appear with the former playing a minor role alongside Robin in stopping a villain Timecode and the latter a bigger one as he helps Static and his successor Terry rescue Static's future self from Kobra.
2004–06: Justice League Unlimited; a continuation of Justice League, he again plays instrumental roles in helping his allies, such as recruiting Green Arrow to the Justice League in "Initiation", saves Superman from Black Mercy's thrall in "For the Man Who Has Everything" and Wonder Woman with help from Zatanna after she is transformed into a pig by Circe in "This Little Piggy", in that episode he reveals that though he may have feelings for Diana, does not want to enter a relationship with her as he fears that it could cause problems in the team and that she could become a target for his enemies, despite her capabilities of perfectly fending for herself. He demonstrates to Amanda Waller, that she and Project Cadmus are only tools in Lex Luthor's plot to discredit the League, eventually succeeding. He also meets an alternate version of his older self and his successor Terry, in the episode "The Once and Future Thing Part Two: Time Warped" and along with Green Lantern are the only two leaguers to remember the events of the mission and here his feelings for Diana are briefly stressed here again. The episode "Epilogue" reveals that he is Terry's biological father, due to Waller's machinations to create a successor to Batman, which he figured out sometime prior to the episode but chose not to tell Terry out of respect for his legal father Warren and also wanting Terry to choose his own path in life.
1970: Batman appears in three animated educational shorts as part of Sesame Street's first season. Olan Soule reprises his role of Batman
1972: The New Scooby-Doo Movies, produced by Hanna-Barbera; Batman and Robin appeared in episodes "The Dynamic Scooby-Doo Affair" (9/16/72) and "The Caped Crusader Caper" (12/16/72), where Olan Soule again portrays the Caped Crusader
2013–present: Teen Titans Go!; Batman makes non-speaking cameo appearances in several episodes, including "La Larva de Amor", "Girl's Night Out", "Books", "Sidekick", "Slumber Party", "Thanksgiving" and "Real Boy Adventures". He is the protagonist of the "TV Knight" episodes, in which he and Commissioner Gordon (and sometimes other characters) hang out and watch TV, while a different frame story takes place each time. Batman's only speaking role was in the season five episode "Real Orangins", in a flashback animated in the style of Batman: The Animated Series where Robin explains in a comedic fashion how he and Batman parted ways; Kevin Conroy reprised his role. Additionally, the Batman: The Brave and the Bold incarnation of the character appears in the episode "The Academy" via archival footage.[26]
2016–18: Justice League Action; Batman appears as one of the three lead characters in the show, with Kevin Conroy reprising his role.[28] His child-self in the episode "Trick or Threat" is voiced by Tara Strong.
2019: Unikitty!; the Lego Movie incarnation of Batman appears in the episode "BatKitty" with Will Arnett reprising his role.
2019–present: Harley Quinn; Batman is a supporting character in DC Universe's animated series based on Harley Quinn, with Diedrich Bader reprising his role.
2019: Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?; in the episode "What a Night, For a Dark Knight!" Batman teams up once again with Mystery Inc. to investigate Alfred's kidnapping by the Man-Bat. Kevin Conroy once again provided Batman's voice.
2022–present: Batwheels; a series focusing on Batman and his allies and sentient vehicles fighting crime. Batman is voiced here by Ethan Hawke.
An animated series titled Batman: Caped Crusader is developed by Bruce Timm, J. J. Abrams, and Matt Reeves. It was said to be a reimagining of the Caped Crusader that returns to the character's film noir roots and focus on the character's earlier years of fighting crime and also before he formed an alliance with Commissioner James Gordon and the GCPD. Originally planned to premiere on Cartoon Network and also on HBO Max,[29][30][31] the series is scheduled for release on Amazon Prime Video with a two-season order.[32]Ed Brubaker was head writer for the first season of the series, with Greg Rucka and Marc Bernardin both writing episodes.[33]
Another animated series titled Bat-Family is scheduled for release on Amazon.[4] The series will be preceded by the upcoming Christmas film Merry Little Batman.
Canceled Batman animated series
An animated series that reimagines Batman characters as high school students, Gotham High, was in development in the late 2000s and early 2010s.[12][34] A similar idea was used for the DC Super Hero Girls 2015 shorts and the 2019 animated series.
Both in the mid and late 2000s, an animated TV show based on the "No Man's Land" storyline was put in development by producer James Tucker. Character designer Coran Stone worked on the project and made designs for the first version, but the project was ultimately scrapped for being "too dark", which led to Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network focusing on Batman: The Brave and the Bold instead. Another attempt was made and some artwork was made as well, but the project was also cancelled like the first attempt.[35][36]
There were plans to make an animated series featuring Batman and Superman. It would have been an origin story.[37]
Efforts were later made to launch a Batman radio series in 1943 and again in 1950, but neither came to fruition. The 1943 pilot "The Case of the Drowning Seal" was scripted with Scott Douglas as Batman; if the script was recorded, no copy survives. The September 1950 pilot for The Batman Mystery Club was recorded with Richard Devon as Batman and Ronald Liss as Robin.[38]
A second Maggs production aired on BBC Radio 1 in 1994, this time adapting the comic book storyline Batman: Knightfall. It was adapted, produced and directed by Maggs—with music composed by Mark Russell—who had also made Superman: Doomsday & Beyond on BBC Radio 5. This show, however was not commissioned of its own, but rather to be three-minute episodes on the Mark Goodier Show. This meant it was written with a sense of immediacy; having to make an instant effect and each three-minute segment contains a major plot development or sound effect stunt and ends on a cliffhanger. DC acknowledged the effort in an issue Shadow of The Bat by having villains jump past a sign reading "Dirk Maggs Radio". Michael Gough reprised the role of Alfred Pennyworth from the Burton/Schumacher film series.
From 1943 to 1946, Batman and Robin appeared in a syndicated daily newspaper comic strip produced by the McClure Syndicate. Other versions appeared in 1953, 1966, and 1989. The original run is collected in the book Batman: The Dailies. One more comic strip series ran briefly after the success of the 1989 film.
Books
Batman appears in a novel by cyberpunk/horror novelist John Shirley, titled Batman: Dead White from Del Rey. Many other novels and short story collections featuring Batman have been published over the years, including novelizations of each of the recent movies (such as Batman and The Dark Knight Rises) and many of the comic book arcs.
There are also several more scholarly works, aimed at either Batman's history or art, such as Les Daniels' Batman: The Complete History, Will Brooker'sBatman Unmasked: Analysing a Cultural Icon and compilations such as Batman: Cover to Cover: The Greatest Comic Book Covers of the Dark Knight. In 2004, The Batman Handbook: The Ultimate Training Manual, written by Scott Beatty was published by Quirk Books (ISBN1-59474-023-2). Written in the same style as The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook series, the book explained the basics on how to be Batman. Amongst the skills included in the book are "How to Train a Sidekick", "How to Execute a Backflip", "How to Throw a Grappling Hook", and "How to Survive a Poison Gas Attack". Finally, there are of course countless sticker, coloring, activity, and other children's books featuring the Dark Knight.[39]
Batman trong Hőtữ Thần by Nguyễn Th—Vietnamese comics
Batman and the Justice League by Shiori Teshirogi-manga
Novelty singles
Several musical singles featuring cast members of the television show singing in-character were released in 1966: Burgess Meredith as the Penguin in "The Capture" and "The Escape", Frank Gorshin as the Riddler in "The Riddler", and Adam West as Batman in "Miranda". In 1976 West performed a pair of novelty songs, "The Story of Batman" and "Batman and Robin", for Target Records. All six of these recordings (sans the b-sides to Gorshin and West's singles) were later included on the 1997 compilation, Batmania: Songs Inspired by Batman TV Series.
In 1966, Burt Ward also recorded a limited "disc jokey only" release with Frank Zappa called "Boy Wonder, I Love You".
Also in 1966, British novelty group The Scaffold produced a single called "Goodbat Nightman" (lyrics by Roger McGough, who "has written several poems" about Batman and Robin).[40]
Audio drama
Following the popularity of the Adam West television series, a pair of LPs were released in 1966 on MGM's "Leo the Lion" label. The recordings proved popular due to their combination of dramatization and the Batman television theme music. More than 100,000 copies were shipped soon after the first LP was released.[41] Each album contained three dramatizations, including stories adapted from Batman comic books:
Batman: Gorilla City & Mystery of the Scarecrow Corpse
Batman (Collects Stacked Cards, The Scarecrow's Mirage, Challenge of the Catwoman, If Music Be the Food of Death)
Batman (Collects Robin Meets Man Bat, Gorilla City, Mystery of the Scarecrow Corpse, The Catwoman's Revenge)
A Super Hero Christmas (segment Batman: Christmas Carol Caper)
The 1980 mini-series, The Untold Legend of the Batman was available in a special "MPI Audio Edition." Each of the three issues were accompanied by an audio cassette containing a performance of the text of the issue, with musical cues.
As part of its DC Superheroes collection, in 1982 Fisher-Price released Batman: The Case of the Laughing Sphinx, an audio cassette accompanied by a hard back illustrated book.
In 2007, the audiobook publisher GraphicAudio licensed DC Comics properties to adapt as audiodramas. They have produced three adaptations of Batman novels: Batman: Dead White by John Shirley, Batman: Inferno by Alex Irvine, and Alan Grant'sBatman: The Stone King. Batman also appears as a supporting cast member in the GraphicAudio's adaptations of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Infinite Crisis and JLA: Exterminators.
Harley Quinn and The Joker: Sound Mind is the second podcast released under the partnership between Spotify and Warner Bros. Released in early 2023, it features Christina Ricci as Harley Quinn and Billy Magnussen as The Joker. Justin Hartley also appears voicing Bruce Wayne.[50][51] In late 2023, the third Spotify–Warner Batman podcast, The Riddler: Secrets in the Dark, is scheduled for release. The podcast features an odd-couple team-up between Batman and The Riddler and stars Hasan Minhaj reprising his role from Batman Unburied,[52] and Colman Domingo replacing Winston Duke as Batman.[53]
Batman: The Enemy Within (2017) for Windows, MacOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch: The sequel to Batman: The Telltale Series (voiced by Troy Baker)
Lego Dimensions (2015): Troy Baker reprises Batman in this multi-franchise game. The Lego Movie version also appears in this version voiced by Will Arnett. Batman is one of the three main heroes alongside The Lego Movie'sWyldstyle and Gandalf of The Lord of the Rings as he works with them to rescue Robin from Lord Vortech. Additional content also includes an adaptation of The Lego Batman Movie.
DC Universe Online for PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One: A MMORPG where Batman, among others, trains new player-controlled heroes (voiced again by Kevin Conroy)
Injustice: Gods Among Us (2013) for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, and Windows: A fighting game featuring several DC characters, including Batman (voiced again by Kevin Conroy)
Injustice 2 (2017) for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One: the sequel to Injustice: Gods Among Us (voiced again by Kevin Conroy)
Justice League VR: The Complete Experience (2017) features a driving, shooting level with the player taking control of Batman and the Batmobile to destroy simulated tanks in Gotham[59]
DC Unchained (2018) for Android: A fighting game featuring several DC characters, including Batman.
Justice League: Cosmic Chaos (2023) for Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC and Nintendo Switch: A videogame based on the superhero team of the same name, with Diedrich Bader reprising his role from various DC media.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2023) for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and PC: A videogame based on the anti-hero team of the same name. Batman appears in the trailer for the game, voiced by Kevin Conroy in his final performance due to his death from cancer in November 2022.
The 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System game Final Fantasy features "Badman", a character with strong resemblances to Batman, as one of the enemies of the final area.
The 2017 game Fortnite has Batman-themed cosmetics such as Catwoman and Batman outfits and a Gotham City location in the map. This was added in honor of the 80th anniversary of Batman.
Batman appears as a playable character in SINoALICE, voiced by Kōichi Yamadera.[60]
Batman appears as a playable character in MultiVersus,[61] with Kevin Conroy reprising his role from various DC media.
Live performance
Batman Live!
During the summer/fall of 1966 Adam West and Frank Gorshin went on a tour as Batman and the Riddler to promote the new Batman movie and the series. They were usually accompanied by several bands before the featured event that saw Batman and the Riddler exchange corny jokes as well as a song performed by West. The tour most famously stopped at Shea Stadium in New York on June 25, 1966[62] and City Park in New Orleans on November 26, 1966.[63]
Musical theatre
While a parody of a Batmanmusical was featured in one of the most recent series' comics, in 2002, Jim Steinman, David Ives, and Tim Burton had worked on a theatre production called Batman: The Musical although it was ultimately cancelled. Steinman has revealed five songs from the musical. The first is the opening theme for "Gotham City" and the entry of Batman with his tortured solo "The Graveyard Shift"; followed by "The Joker's Song (Where Does He Get All Those Wonderful Toys?)", "The Catwoman's Song (I Need All The Love I Can Get)", "We're Still The Children We Once Were" (the climactic sequence) and "In The Land Of The Pig The Butcher Is King", sung by the corrupt blood-suckers ruling Gotham, covered on the Meat Loaf album Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose. These songs can be heard at the Batman: The Musical memorial site, Dark Knight of the Soul.
A Batman musical is also parodied in the animated series Batman Beyond. The episode "Out of the Past" (first aired October 21, 2000) opens with Bruce Wayne and Terry McGinnis attending a performance of (a fictional) Batman: The Musical, featuring caricatures of prominent members of the Rogues Gallery (the Joker, the Penguin, Two-Face, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn). Series creator Paul Dini, who wrote the episode in question, also wrote a song for the fictitious musical entitled Superstitious and Cowardly Lot.
An episode of the sketch comedy show MADtv also featured a Batman: The Musical parody called Batman V: Out of the Cave which starred Tommy Tune as Batman, and Ben Vereen as Robin.
A live stage show was also created, called Batman Live: World Tour. The show is a unique fusion of live-action theatre, magic, stunts, digital projection and music from an 85-piece orchestra and choir. The tour began at Manchester, England, in Summer 2011 and visited arenas throughout the UK and Europe before arriving in North America in Summer 2012.
In 2012, the Internet theatre troupe StarKid Productions created a musical titled Holy Musical B@man!, which went on YouTube on April 13. It was performed in Chicago from March 16–25, and because of copyright laws, tickets were free. Batman is portrayed by Joseph (Joe) Walker.
Music
The album Knightfall by multinational Swedish band Silent Images, is based on the Batman: Knightfall story arc, with Batman serving as a central character, the "Nightly Priest". The album explores the underlying sociopolitical themes in the Batman universe, and his struggle against "The Venomous One", which is the album's interpretation of Bane.[64][65][66]
Hundreds of Batman action figures, die-cast models, and other items have been released. Many companies have acquired the rights to make Batman merchandise, including:
In 2015, Looney Labs in partnership with Cryptozoic Entertainment released a Batman-themed version of its card game Fluxx with art by Derek Ring based on The New Batman Adventures.[74]
Postage stamps
In 2006, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a DC Comics Superheroes pane of 20 stamps which included a stamp of Batman.[75]
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Batman, USPS released a limited edition stamp series on October 9, 2014.[76] Four versions of the superhero were depicted from the four eras of comic book history: Golden, Silver, Bronze and Modern. In addition, it included four versions of the Bat-Signal.
Several Six Flags theme parks, formerly owned by Warner Bros., opened live-action "Batman Stunt Shows" as the movies increased in popularity. The now closed Six Flags Astroworld in Houston, Texas was home to a standing roller coaster known as Batman: The Escape. Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas is home to two roller coasters called Mr. Freeze, and Batman: The Ride. Six Flags México in Mexico City, Mexico has also a looping, suspended roller coaster named Batman: The Ride (Six Flags St. Louis has the same ride, as does Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois) as well as twin roller coasters named Batman and Robin: The Chiller. On the latter attraction, riders may ride on either the Batman or Robin versions of the coaster. But unfortunately in the 2007 off-season, the ride was removed after a long history of technical difficulties and occasionally breaking down. Six Flags Over Georgia contains a Gotham City area that contains the same Batman: The Ride and also features a looping coaster called The Mindbender that was adapted to fit the color tone of the Riddler after Batman Forever came out to fit the Gotham City section of the park it shares with Batman: The Ride. Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California has two Batman-themed coasters, the suspended coaster Batman: The Ride, and The Riddler's Revenge, a stand-up type roller coaster. This Six Flags park also features an entire themed area called "Gotham City" complete with architecture to match that of the fictional Gotham City. Warner Bros. Movie World in the Gold Coast, Australia, also has two Batman-themed rides. Batman Adventure – The Ride, revamped in 2001, is a motion simulator style simulator ride while Batwing Spaceshot is a vertical free-fall ride.
This article is missing information about actors and their portrayal years. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page. (February 2023)
List indicator(s)
This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in portrayals by actors in Batman media. Characters are listed chronologically by first portrayal.
An empty, dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character's official presence has not yet been confirmed.
A indicates an appearance through archival footage or audio.
^"Backstage - Rejected/Unproduced Series & Movie Pitches". Worldsfinestonline.com. n.d. Archived from the original on October 21, 2016. An animated series based on the acclaimed Batman comic storyline "No Man's Land" has been a popular premise, with multiple attempted made. The piece of artwork above, by character designer Coran Stone, is one of the more notable attempts. Stone said he was selected by producer James Tucker to do the character designs for a "No Man's Land"-based cartoon, but the project was ultimate scrapped since it was considered "too dark".
^"Backstage - Rejected/Unproduced Series & Movie Pitches". Worldsfinestonline.com. n.d. Archived from the original on October 21, 2016. A second attempt to create an animated series based on the "No Man's Land" comics was attempted, this time with a CG-animation bent to it. Also stalled for the dark premise, James Tucker would have been producer for this mid/late 2000s series. The design artwork above does not have an artist listed.
^Knight, Gareth (June 17, 2002). "A500 Batman Bundle". Amigahistory.co.uk. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
^Game Informer features a two-page gallery of the many heroes and villains who appear in the game with a picture for each character and a descriptive paragraph. See "LEGO Batman: Character Gallery", Game Informer 186 (October 2008): 92.
