Batman is known among fans for his very strict no-killing rule. In the comics, the rule has kept him from using lethal force against some of the worst villains that Gotham City has to offer. This has created some issues with his allies and created problems for Batman as he has been forced to break his own rule over the years.
The various cinematic versions of Batman have also struggled with this rule, as each new take on the character has taken liberties with the Dark Knight's depiction. It's interesting for Batman fans to take a look at every modern live-action version of Batman and see which Caped Crusader has earned the highest kill count on the big screen.
7 George Clooney's Batman Didn't Kill Anybody Except For The Live-Action Franchise
1997's Batman & Robin was the fourth film in the Dark Knight's original cinematic franchise, and it featured a new face as George Clooney took on the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. Director Joel Schumacher returned after taking over the reins of Batman Forever and continued to bring the camp, which toned down the movie's violence somewhat.
Clooney's Batman didn't kill any of the themed henchmen and even managed to make peace with Mr. Freeze before he safely delivered everyone to Arkham. Batman & Robin focused more on bad jokes about Bat-themed gadgets like pop-out ice skates and credit cards than on deadly fight scenes that could result in any deaths. The Batman franchise never fully recovered from Clooney's time in the Batsuit, and the series was given a grounded reboot years later.
6 Robert Pattinson's Batman Stayed True To The Comics And Refrained From Lethal Force
The Batman is the most recent live-action version of the Dark Knight, which hit theaters in 2022 and starred Robert Pattinson. The Batman is already being hailed as the most comics-accurate portrayal of Batman on the big screen yet. Batman fought for the future of Gotham City against a powerful underworld as well as a serial killer version of The Riddler.
The Batman focused on a younger Batman who was still trying to find his path as a vigilante, but Pattinson's take on the character stayed very true to the comics' version. He maintained a strict no-guns policy that he even tried to enforce when working alongside GCPD Lieutenant James Gordon. He also kept the no-killing rule and refrained from lethal force, though he did almost lose control in a few situations. There were a few potential casualties in his final battle with Riddler's army, though Batman wasn't directly responsible for any deaths.
5 Adam West's Batman Accidentally Killed One Of Penguin's Rehydrated Pirate Henchman
Batman first appeared in live-action in the '40s through film serials, where he debuted as a secret agent operating during the war. The campy nature of Batman serials inspired the Batman TV show in the '60s, which starred Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin respectively.
The popularity of the series led to a theatrical movie in 1966 called Batman: The Movie starring TV's Dynamic Duo as they faced off against his greatest villains like the Joker, Penguin, Catwoman, and the Riddler. The Penguin used an experimental dehydrator on five of his henchmen, which allowed him to secretly carry them as he infiltrated the Batcave in disguise. He rehydrated them to fight the Dynamic Duo, though they soon discovered that the Bat-Nuclear Reactor's heavy water caused instability. Batman and Robin each killed a single henchman accidentally.
4 Val Kilmer's Batman Killed Six Henchman And Caused Two-Face To Fall To His Death
1995 saw the release of Batman Forever, the third entry in the original cinematic franchise. Batman Forever was the first film to feature a new actor in the cowl as Val Kilmer became Batman for Joel Schumacher's new take on Gotham City. While Kilmer's Batman wasn't exactly using lethal force in Batman Forever, he was still responsible for a few deaths.
Two-Face served as one of the main villains of Batman Forever, and he was aided by several henchmen in themed vehicles who wore black and red bisected facemasks. They were involved in a car chase scene with Kilmer's Batman and his Batmobile, which ultimately resulted in the fiery deaths of at least six henchmen. During their final battle, Batman caused Two-Face to fall to his death. Kilmer's Batman may not have physically ended their lives with his own hands, but his actions led to their deaths.
3 Christian Bale Killed Over 12 Members Of The League Of Shadows As Well As Two-Face
Director Christopher Nolan rebooted the franchise in 2005 with Batman Begins, which grounded the character after the previous franchise's outrageous installments. The movie franchise began by exploring the steps he took to train himself and then followed his early years as Batman in 2008's The Dark Knight and the end of his mission in 2012's The Dark Knight Rises.
Christian Bale starred as Bruce Wayne/Batman and largely followed the no-killing rule. However, Batman still caused a few fatalities throughout the franchise that elevated his kill count. After training with the League of Shadows in Batman Begins, Bruce Wayne was forced to create an explosive distraction that led to the death of multiple members of the League. He also chose not to save Ra's al Ghul, tackled Two-Face off a roof in The Dark Knight, and shot a driver in The Dark Knight Rises, causing the death of Talia al Ghul as well.
2 Michael Keaton's Batman Killed At Least 15 Henchmen As Well As The Joker And The Penguin
1989 saw the release of Tim Burton's Batman, which abandoned the established campiness for a dark new take on the character that wowed the audience. Keaton's Batman was a dark and violent version of the hero who didn't hesitate to use lethal force when the Joker and his henchmen made a play for Gotham City.
Batman used the Batmobile to take out a few of Joker's goons and took out an entire chemical factory with explosives. He also used front-mounted artillery on the Batwing to kill a few goons during the parade. He wasn't any less severe in 1992's Batman Returns, where he lit up a member of Penguin's Red Triangle Gang with the Batmobile's exhaust before he attached a bomb to a fire-breathing enemy and left him to die in a subway entrance. He also killed both Joker and the Penguin in their respective movies for over 15 confirmed kills.
1 Ben Affleck's Batman Killed Over 25 Criminals With Lethal Weaponry And Brutal Tactics
The most brutal live-action Batman appeared in the DCEU when Ben Affleck took on the role of a hardened and weary Dark Knight in Zack Snyder's Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. This take on the character was inspired by Batman in The Dark Knight Returns who had returned to crimefighting after spending years in retirement.
While it's hard to count how many criminals were killed in prison due to the bat-shaped brand Affleck's Batman placed on them, there were plenty of other potential kills as he tore his way through Gotham's criminals. His reckless car chase with the Batmobile sent cars flying into each other. He fired shots and took out multiple criminals from the Batwing and used lethal force during the warehouse fight. The casualties began to multiply during the "Knightmare" sequence when a future Batman unloaded on Superman's armies with guns and other weapons.