The Batman character has been around for over 80 years. This longevity has allowed the DC superhero to jump from the pages of the comic books to the silver screen on several occasions, with an array of talented stars taking on the role over the years.
Two of the most notable actors to have played Batman are Adam West and George Clooney. The former starred in the beloved 1960s TV series while the latter lead the late Joel Schumacher's critically panned Batman & Robin. But love them or hate them, both West and Clooney's performances highlighted the goofy nature of the Batman mythos and character.
10 George Clooney: More Charming
While George Clooney’s portrayal of Batman was almost universally criticized, his portrayal of Bruce Wayne was often overlooked. Clooney depicted the billionaire character brilliantly, perfectly capturing the "party boy" playboy billionaire.
Clooney's charming personality could give him an advantage in any fight. Against West’s Batman, it could even allow Clooney to catch West off guard, giving him a head start.
9 Adam West: More Intelligent
Batman is typically known for his mind. After all, he is the World's Greatest Detective and this ought to be reflected in any adaption of the character from the comic books. While there were many issues with Batman and Robin, one of the more subtle ones was how Batman didn't really do much detective work.
In the 1960s show, though, Batman was undoubtedly an intelligent and sharp detective, capable of working out even the most insane riddles laid down by the Riddler.
8 George Clooney: Better Fighter
Naturally, whoever is shown to be the most competent fighter is going to have the best odds for victory in this fight. While George Clooney didn't really have too many incredible fights in the Batman and Robin movie, he certainly showed himself to be more capable than Adam West's Batman.
In the 1960s show and movie, most of the fights were simply Batman and Robin throwing punches at villains and winning. There was very little choreography to show off their fighting skills.
7 Adam West: Agility
Agility will put any fighter in good stead. Having a high level of agility will allow one to dodge hits and potentially land even more.
Clooney’s costume is very restrictive, famously preventing the actor from even turning his head in the suit. So it stands to reason that West's lightweight cloth suit will allow him to be more agile than Clooney.
6 George Clooney: Fitter
Endurance would play a huge part in the fight between Adam West and George Clooney’s Batman. Whichever Batman is fitter would be able to fight for a longer period of time and have more chance of coming out on top.
Any viewer of the '60s version of Batman will know that Adam West wasn’t in peak physical condition. While Clooney wasn’t either, he was certainly in better shape than West.
5 Adam West: Gadgets
The Adam West run on the '60s Batman series is often thought to be a camp, ridiculous mockery of the Batman character. However, looking closely, one can see that it’s actually a fairly good representation of the comics at the time, complete with brilliant gadgets.
These gadgets are often unique and very specific to the situation, so West’s wide variety of weird and wonderful gizmos would give him a leg-up against Clooney’s Batman in any fight.
4 George Clooney: Armored
George Clooney’s Batman bizarre costume has been, quite rightly, the result of mockery since it debuted in 1997’s Batman and Robin, notably for the nipples on either side of the bat symbol.
While the costume is ridiculous, there’s no denying that it would easily allow for more protection than West's thin cloth counterpart.
3 Adam West: Works Better With Robin
One of the main themes of the Schumacher Batman era was the conflict with Dick Grayson’s Robin. In Batman & Robin, Robin takes issue with how Batman treats him.
However, in Adam West’s series, the pair get on exceptionally well. So if either Batman required help, it’s far more likely that West’s Robin would be of greater assistance.
2 George Clooney: Has Killed Before
For many, George Clooney's Batman shouldn’t be considered to be the same as his predecessor Michael Keaton's due to the sharp distinction in both franchise tone and character development.
That being said, it is clear there is some continuity between the Keaton films and Clooney's. Clooney’s Batman has indeed killed before and he could easily do it again.
1 Adam West: Better Prepared
While the Adam West Batman will always be known for being far more camp than any of his successors, there’s no denying that he's arguably the most well-prepared Batman to ever grace the silver (or small) screen.
The best example of this is the infamous bat-shark repellent. This is often mocked, but he still brought it with him and should be applauded for doing so.