Batman Suits Through the Years

The first of the newest incarnation of Batman has been sighted, and it's giving hope to some fans. The director of the as-yet-to-be-titled Batman vs. Superman movie, Zach Snyder, recently tweeted a black-and-white photo taken on set. Although many were hesitant about Ben Affleck taking over the famous role, the tweeted picture conveys the sort of weight and gravitas that Batman needs, especially if he's going to be taking on Superman. He looks pensive, and that kind of seriousness inspires confidence that Affleck could do well in the role.

The picture also gives us the first peek at the new Batsuit. As Batman has gone under many different interpretations over the years, so has his suit. The latest one seems to have have shrunk the bat ears immensely and the suit looks pretty skintight. But whether or not the suit is so ridiculous as to affect the movie is yet to be seen, since the picture is just a black-and-white, foggy glimpse from the side. Still, most Batsuits have been a pretty good reflection of the films that they're in, so these other Batsuits might give us a clue to how much the new suit will affect the film...

Batman (1966)

The Batman: Adam West

This Batman film was an extension of one of the most widely known early interpretations of Batman: the Batman TV show. This was back when both the superheroes and the villains were relatively innocent, as evidenced by West's Batsuit, which is basically just spandex...not enough to stop any real weapons.

Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992)

The Batman: Michael Keaton

Tim Burton's adaptations are probably the most revered of the canon, besides Christopher Nolan's. Burton embraced the darkness of the classic superhero, but instead of gritty realism, he interpreted the otherwordly cartoonishness of the comics. Thus, his dark-eyed Batman, while wearing more armor than leotard, still sports an enormous cape and the bright yellow bat symbol.

Batman Forever (1995)

Batman: Val Kilmer

The beginning of Joel Schumacher's reign over the Batman films, this was the first to introduce us to the unholy invention that is nipples on the Batsuit (and don't forget the codpiece). Similarly, Schumacher's films were just as subtle, with garish costumes and heavy puns.

Batman and Robin (1997)

Batman: George Clooney

Considered to be the worse of Schumacher's two Batman films, this film, of course, introduced even bigger nipples on the Batsuit. Also, there's a closeup shot of George Clooney's Batsuit-ed butt as he gets suited up, so you're welcome.

Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

The Batman: Christian Bale

This Batsuit reflected the tone of the films: gritty, dark, serious. The suit looks more military-grade than costume, the colors are minimal, the bat ears are small, and the bat logo is subtle. As Christopher Nolan brought the fantastical world of superheroes into the real world, so did the Batsuit get a realistic upgrade.

Images: DC Comics