The Batman: Each Actor’s Best Movie Or TV Show, According To IMDb

The Batman is celebrating another week in theaters and is the highest-grossing film domestically of 2022. Already it has set up the future in this new shared universe – the Bat-verse or Reeves-verse as it is being called by some – with upcoming sequels and spin-off tv shows for HBO Max.

Along with praise for its direction, design, and Michael Giacchino’s epic score, The Batman is such a powerhouse due to the incredible performances by the cast. By uniting prominent and talented actors, each with extensive and distinct careers, this film will remain in the cultural zeitgeist for a long time.

Robert Pattinson

The Batman – 8.4

At the helm for The Batman performance-wise and wearing the iconic cowl is British actor, Robert Pattinson. He has been a mainstay in pop culture ever since his first film as the heroic Hufflepuff, Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – which is still his second-highest rated film on IMDb.

Though his past with historical films is storied, garnering him further international renown, The Batman is his highest-rated movie. This should come as no surprise – Pattinson’s exemplary performance showcasing a still inexperienced Batman is what makes the film so popular and unique among DC comics films.

Paul Dano

The Batman – 8.4

Opposite Pattinson at The Batman’s antagonist, The Riddler is Paul Dano. Drawing inspiration from the Zodiac Killer, director Matt Reeves and Dano expose the audience to a unique interpretation of the enigmatic Riddler. Interestingly, his origins are set to be explained and explored further by Dano in the upcoming Riddler: Year One comic series he is writing.

Like Pattinson, The Batman is rated as Dano’s best movie on IMDb, but he has many other projects close to that title, including 2007’s There Will Be Blood and Showtime miniseries Escape at Dannemora. For his roles in these, Dano was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor, respectively.

Zoë Kravitz

Big Little Lies – 8.5

Zoë Kravitz stars as The Batman’s deuteragonist Selina Kyle aka Catwoman. This film draws on Jeph Loeb’s comic series The Long Halloween and its sequel Dark Victory for her backstory and motivations, making her more than the typical cat burglar. She begins to become the hero, or rather anti-hero, that fans love – and thankfully, this should be complemented by the proposed Catwoman HBO Max series too.

Kravitz began her rise to stardom in another comic book movie X-Men: First Class as Angel Salvadore. She has received further praise and accolades for her role as Bonnie in HBO’s Big Little Lies. Although it started as a miniseries, it gained a second season and ended up being her top-rated performance.

John Turturro

The Night Of – 8.5

Joining Dano in an antagonistic role is John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, a Gotham mobster who viewers also happen to learn is Selina Kyle’s father. Interestingly, Falcone is discovered to be the true target to the Riddler’s plans – planning on revealing and enforcing his version of justice on Falcone for being at the head of the cancer plaguing Gotham.

Turturro has been seen in other popular franchises, such as Transformers, but he is more widely known for his career in independent films and collaborations with the Coen Brothers and Adam Sandler. In addition to this, and taking his top spot on IMDb, is the HBO miniseries The Night Of, in which he was nominated for the Emmy Award for Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie.

Jeffrey Wright

Westworld – 8.6

As intended, The Batman is not an origin story – it finds Bruce in his second year as the caped crusader, and though he still has much to learn, he can do so with Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon at his side. Despite previous popular portrayals by Gary Oldman and J.K. Simmons, Wright gave a unique interpretation to the character that helps the movie shine.

Jeffrey Wright has a vast resume including in the James Bond franchise, Boardwalk Empire, and currently in the Marvel’s What If?… as the voice of the Watcher. However, he is likely best recognized for his role as Bernard Lowe in the HBO series, Westworld, for which he has received consistent Emmy Award nominations.

Peter Sarsgaard

Dopesick – 8.7

In a brief, but impactful role in The Batman, Peter Sarsgaard plays Gotham District Attorney Gil Colson. He, unfortunately, doesn’t survive the film, instead, he becomes a pawn and victim to the Riddler – perhaps opening the door for a different DA, Harvey Dent, to appear in future films or TV shows. Nevertheless, Sarsgaard gives a nuanced performance as a person of authority and power who inadvertently makes themselves a servant to the corrupt system.

Sarsgaard has appeared in many movies and shows, recently including The Lost Daughter – which was directed by his wife, Maggie Gyllenhaal – and the Hulu miniseries Dopesick. The latter currently takes the top spot on Sarsgaard’s IMDb as he plays another attorney, this time on the federal level, Rick Mountcastle, based on the real man.

Colin Farrell

True Detective – 8.9

The Batman really sets itself up well for the future by bringing in another iconic member of Batman’s rogues gallery with Collin Farrell as Oswold Cobblepot aka the Penguin. His rise to power is an unintended consequence of the Riddler’s machinations, filling the void of influence over Gotham’s seedy underbelly left after Falcone’s death. This is just one of the reasons fans are eager for his HBO Max series.

Farrell of course is a popular actor and heartthrob who is entirely unrecognizable in The Batman. The same is not said for his best performance as Detective Velcoro in season 2 of HBO’s True Detective. While the season received some mixed reviews, in comparison to the previous season, his performance was praised.

Andy Serkis

The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King – 9.0

Also giving a new depiction on the Wayne family legacy, The Batman reinterprets Alfred, his position, and most importantly, his relationship with Bruce. Although he is outright dismissive and cruel to Alfred at the start, Alfred never gives up on Bruce – and eventually, they reconcile once Bruce comes to learn the truth about his parents.

Andy Serkis was an unexpected choice to play Alfred but it worked. As arguably one of the greatest physical actors out there currently, his history in other major franchises is vast, with the final film in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King. His performances as Gollum still haunt viewers to this day, but this films’ inclusion of him as Sméagol helps it claim the top spot

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