It’s no secret that the 33-year-old actor and musician has a thing for comic book characters. But which ones did he choose to represent himself in the movie adaptation of the iconic detective series, Batman? We took a look at the most recent cast members to play the Dark Knight, and how much they’ve earned since.
Rapper Skepta (Robert Pattinson)
Pattinson first played the dark knight in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and now returns as the Caped Crusader in his own standalone Batman movie, set for release on June 25th, 2021. The British actor initially gained attention for his musical talents, with songs such as ‘Skepta’s In Berlin’ and ‘Trust Me’ appearing on the soundtrack of the 2010 romantic comedy, Good Time. Additionally, he provided the voice of John McClane in the English-language version of the Japanese film Tokyo Game Show. When the time came for the actor to assume the role of Bruce Wayne, he was determined to give the character his own unique spin. “I’ve always been a fan of the character, and as an actor, there are so many stories that you can tell with Batman,” said Pattinson in an interview with Variety. “What I wanted to do was to bring something a little more contemporary to it. Instead of having very traditional stories, I wanted to explore the character in a way that hasn’t really been explored before.”
Actor Jason Momoa (Zack Ryder)
Pattinson is not the only celebrity to have a thing for Batman. After being introduced to the Dark Knight by his cousin, actor Jason Momoa, the 49-year-old former professional wrestler has developed a passion for the character as well. Since playing an Indian tribal leader named Kane in 2014’s The Fate of the Furious, Momoa has gone on to appear in several roles embodying the titular superhero. The most well-known of these may be the eponymous superhero himself, who was first introduced to moviegoers in 1989’s Batman. Momoa has also played the Caped Crusader in a Justice League movie, where he is among allies battling Steppenwolf and his army of man-shaped robots.
Actor Joaquin Phoenix (Jack Ryder)
Actors Joaquin Phoenix and Jason Momoa are frequently paired together in projects, due to their shared passion for comic book characters. In 2015’s Joker, the 48-year-old Oscar winner played the iconic Joker, and in 2019’s The Batman, Momoa appeared as the film’s main antagonist, the Penguin. However, Phoenix’s most recognizable role may be that of the eponymous Joker, and the dark humor and sharp wit that defined that character’s personality are now a part of his regular act. With movies like Joker and The Batman on his resume, it is easy to understand why Phoenix has developed a taste for comic books; it shows in his portrayal of the dark knight. “I had to do a lot of research to know what makes Batman tick,” Phoenix said in a 2019 interview with Parade. “It wasn’t just about physicality — how tall should he be, how much should he eat? — but it was really about the psychology of the character. What drives him, what makes him angry, sad, or joyful?”
Actor Scott Adkins (Coleman)
Though he has only appeared in a couple of movies thus far, 21-year-old Scott Adkins has already made a name for himself in the world of comics. The Australian actor plays the role of Boomerang in the Disney+ series Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which aired its second season in May. And in the upcoming Disney+ series The Adventures of Dash and Wyatt, Adkins will play the role of Puckett, a hockey player who gains the power of ice walking. However, it was Adkins’s performance as Boomerang that quickly propelled him into the spotlight. In the comics, the character is considered to be among the greatest weapons in the Marvel Universe. Adkins’s portrayal of Boomerang is not only accurate, but also brings an element of comedy to the character. “I really like playing silly, silly characters — I think it’s great when you can play someone fun and loose,” Adkins said in an interview with Comic Book Resources. “With Boomerang, I got to do a lot of motion capture, and the producers worked with me to make sure that I was doing some of the comedy things that they were writing in the script. So it was really fun to dive into that and have some laughs while shooting.”
Actor Michael Rosenbaum (Kirk)
The Avengers and its affiliated teams of superheroes have been around for longer than many of its fans have been alive, making Captain America a timeless figure of strength and valor. But it was not always so; at the time of his first appearance in 1940’s Captain America Comics #1, the comic’s leading man was a relatively unknown Austrian actor named Michael Rosenbaum. After playing a small role in the 1994 biopic, Rosenbaum went on to play Captain America in several more movies, most recently in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, before passing the role to Chris Evans for the film’s 2020 sequel, Avengers: Far From Home. However, in some comics, Rosenbaum plays a different version of Captain America — one that predates Evans’s incarnation by a decade or more. In fact, in a 2009 interview with IGN, Rosenbaum explained that while playing the role of the Austrian superhero, he tried to channel his inner-teenage gang member, who influenced the character’s costume and attitude of tough-but-tenderness.
Actor Andy Serkis (Ulysses Klaue)
Though he did not originate from the world of acting, Andy Serkis made his name in Hollywood as the motion-capture actor who helped bring the legendary King Kong to life. After playing the giant ape in the Kong: Skull Island trailer, it was only a matter of time before the Hollywood press caught up with the 48-year-old actor and started referring to him as “the new King Kong.” Serkis went on to play several more iconic characters, including Gollum in The Lord of the Rings and King Henry V in A Man for All Seasons, earning him a reputation as one of the best motion-capture actors in the industry. However, it was not until 2019 and the premiere of his directorial debut, Breathe, that Serkis’s love for creatures got the Hollywood spotlight back on him. In the movie, which is based on the French graphic novel, La Nuit, le moi (The Night Heinemann), Serkis plays Frankenstein, a doctor who creates living creatures, including a hunchback and a dwarf, and brings them to life via magic.
Actor Michael Dorman (Frankenstein)
Michael Dorman, like Andy Serkis, is another famous motion-capture actor who has made a name for himself in Hollywood. The 50-year-old Canadian began his career playing video game characters and went on to star in such Hollywood movies as Spiderman, X-Men, and The Dark Knight rises. Like Serkis, Dorman had the opportunity to play several iconic characters that helped put him on the map — including the eponymous hero in 2019’s Dark Knight Rises. When it came time to play the titular villain, Dorman was determined to embody a character who was not only frightening but also approachable. “There’s definitely something compelling about the character that makes people connect with it, even when you’re playing it evil — it’s just such a compelling character,” Dorman said in an interview with Screen Daily. “It was important that I found a way to make that connection with the audience without them feeling like they were watching a character that they shouldn’t like… It’s a really fine line to walk, [but] that’s what made it so much fun.”