Batman's evolution: History of the dark knight

It took film director Matt Reeves five years to make the new Batman film, starring "Twilight" actor Robert Pattinson. In "The Batman," the superhero is much younger and wilder than in previous movies — he's only in his second year of fighting crime. While on the hunt for his parents' murderer, he has to deal with a serial killer.

Created in 1939 by comic book authors Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the masked hero first appeared in theaters as a 15-chapter serial in 1943. Made during the Second World War, the series contains references to the evils of Hitler. For censorship reasons, Batman (portrayed by Lewis Wilson) was not depicted as a self-proclaimed avenger, but rather as an undercover FBI agent.

The second 15-part Batman series, "Batman and Robin," also had little to do with the tech-savvy Batman we know today. Instead of a sleek Batmobile, Robert Lowery as Batman roared through Gotham City in a Mercury convertible. The costumes are also simpler, keeping in line with how the hero was drawn in the comics.

In the first full-length "Batman" film, our hero, played by actor Adam West, is better equipped. In addition to the Batmobile and his ability to be summoned by a Bat-Signal, Batman also has a speedboat. In it, Batman and Robin must defeat four arch enemies: the Joker, Catwoman, the Riddler and the Penguin. It wouldn't be the last time in cinema history these characters would appear.

After more than 20 Batman-free years, director Tim Burton brought the masked hero back to the big screen. In this version, the dark knight, played by Michael Keaton, has to do without his faithful friend Robin for the first time as he takes on the Joker, a role in which Jack Nicholson shines. Burton's setting seems much darker than in the previous films — the budget is also much higher.

What would Batman be without a female antagonist? In "Batman Returns," the masked hero meets the seductive Catwoman, played by Michelle Pfeiffer. The character first appeared in a 1940 comic book, and it's not entirely clear whether she's good or evil; she has her own morals, so to speak. Catwoman sometimes appears as Batman's opponent, and fights at his side at others.

Director Joel Schumacher's Batman flick boasts a host of stars: Val Kilmer as Batman, Jim Carrey as the Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face. Unlike the shadowy universe that Tim Burton created, viewers are immersed in a world of color. The film was commercially successful, but in retrospect is not considered one of the best Batman film adaptations.

The dark knight's next adventure in 1997 also features a star-studded cast. George Clooney portrays Batman, who is up against two fierce villains: Poison Ivy, played by Uma Thurman, and Mr. Freeze, depicted by Arnold Schwarzenegger (both in picture above). Yet even the star power can't hide the fact that the story limps along and is peppered with bad puns.

Batman films became once again popular with critics, thanks to director Christopher Nolan's trilogy. The adventures score points for suspense and action, while also giving the story room to unfold. Actor Christian Bale, popular from the movie "American Psycho," embodied a gloomy, emotionally-battered Batman who must confront real-life demons, as well as his own.

In "The Dark Knight," Batman meets the psychopathic Joker, brilliantly embodied by Heath Ledger (pictured), who passed away in 2008 and received a posthumous Oscar for his portrayal. In the film, the Joker aims to plunge Gotham City into chaos, yet Batman keeps his nerve and saves the city. In this realistic scenario, Nolan managed to elevate comic book adaptations to a higher level of complexity.

In the third and final film of the trilogy, Batman confronts the muscular villain Bane, played by actor Tom Hardy. The movie is action-packed, and the story is exciting and emotional. Yet due to some illogical elements in the plot, it's typically considered the weakest film in Christopher Nolan's trilogy.

In this 2016 film, the two greatest superheroes from the DC Comics world meet: Superman (Henry Cavill) confronts an aging Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck). In this movie, a weary Bruce Wayne slips back into his Bat costume and tries to stand up to Superman, who has a rather ambivalent role in the movie. In the end, the two finally fight together for the good of the world.

"Justice League" picks up where the previous film left off. Alongside Superman and Batman, other characters from the DC Comics universe join forces to fight evil together. The Justice League appeared in the comics as early as 1960. The film version is, as expected, action-packed — but the story is quite predictable.

Robert Pattinson is the next actor to put on the bat mask in the 2022 film "The Batman." In it, he collaborates with Catwoman, played by actress Zoë Kravitz. The film opens in the US on March 4, and in many international theaters March 3. Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, production company Warner Bros. has decided not to show the film in Russia for the time being.