Holy Costume, Batman!: A History of the Batsuit in Film

Photos: DC/Warner Bros.

By Shrey Sankalp

It’s no secret that I have a tendency to lean towards the more dramatic side of the argument than the logical one, but even with those occasional lapses into the theatrical, if I was to say Batman is the coolest superhero of all time, there’s no way you wouldn’t agree.

What is it about Batman that makes people go nuts?

Is it the many Batman costumes? The backstory? The richness of the source material? The greatness of the recent film adaptations?

I’m inclined to believe there is more than one correct answer.

Still, for most people (including but not limited to me) it’s the costume, and with recent hype surrounding the introduction of Ben Affleck’s new suit for Justice League, I figured now would be the perfect time to run down Batman’s rich, but not always regal costume history.

To facilitate comparison, this list will be broken down by the Batmen that have been throughout history.

Without further ado, let’s begin.

1. The Adam West Era

Photo: DC

For fans accustomed to today’s gritty Batmen, Adam West might seem like a curious anomaly.

Instead of the grit and torrent dished out in spades these days, this Batman was rather chipper and campy.

And did I say campy?

Believe me, the ‘60s camp was at an all-time high, from the corny dialogue, to the plotlines and even the show’s production design, and most notably, the costume.

Adam West had a portly frame, and the skin-tight costume didn’t help too much.

Additionally, the costume lacked texture of any kind, and combined with the satin cape and the mask with eyebrow lines drawn on, it all seemed rather…homemade.

But this isn’t a bad thing, because Batman’s costume is homemade, and this is what homemade looked like in the ‘60s.

Plus it’s comic book accurate and easily made even today; so plus points for that.

2. The Era of Multiple ‘90s Batmen

Photos: DC/Warner Bros.

1989 saw the rejuvenation of the Bat brand thanks to the glorious Batman, directed by Tim Burton.

Warmly received by both fans and critics, the film was a smash that spawned a sequel, and collectively, the two are regarded as some of the finest superhero movies ever made.  These were films which showed that yes, there is a mainstream market for comic book movies.

However, as great as the two films were, they were directed by a man deeply obsessed with the gothic aesthetic, and were rife with a unique style dubbed the Dark Deco.

This design extended to the costume worn by Michael Keaton as well, where the costume was now made out of rubber, and any traces of the grey in the comic book costumes was replaced by black.

The costume was believable and intimidating, but it did lose points for immobility, a fact not rectified until 2008.

Photos: DC/Warner Bros.

With the departure of Tim Burton and arrival of Joel Schumacher with Batman Forever, the aesthetic changed to a more glitzy and neon one, and while Batman’s (now played by Val Kilmer) costume remained largely the same, there were minor revisions—including a very subtle addition of the soon-to-be-infamous Bat nipples.

But 1997 was the year all hell broke loose.

With Val Kilmer replaced by George Clooney, and Robin added to the mix, Batman & Robin brought something new to the table, none of which was any good.

The film was campy enough to put Adam West to shame, and the costume got it the worst.

Now in a repulsive shade of purple-grey, the costume is worst remembered for the Bat nipples, and the overall attention it paid to certain parts of Batman’s anatomy.

All of this was a recipe for disaster, and the franchise went into hibernation for quite a while.

3. The Nolan Era

Photos: DC/Warner Bros.

When the Batman franchise was revived in 2005 by Christopher Nolan, the emphasis changed from a comic book feel to a real world one. The grit and believability that his cinematic world offered was perfectly complemented by the changes to the costume.

The first costume in Batman Begins offered an overall armor like design, but was plagued with the same immovable neck issue. The revised costume worn in The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises doubled down on the armor design with movable plates that offered more protection and finally, some more mobility.

It’s these qualities of Christian Bale’s costume that makes it a favorite among fans.

4. The Batfleck Era

Photo: DC/Warner Bros.

Ben Affleck has been blessed with having the most screen accurate depiction of the Batman costume yet. Perfectly recapturing the shades of the classic costume, his iteration blends the New 52 costume design with the Frank Miller one, and the result is stunning.

In addition to this, the heavy duty armor Batman wears has been perfectly recreated on screen as well, complete with the battle worn texture and that’s endearing to the fans.

The costume shown in Justice League seems to be of a darker palette and gravitating towards the armor design of the Nolan films, but is still one of the most accurate on screen costumes yet.

Having taken a look at all Batman costumes till date, one thing becomes apparent: with the exception of George Clooney’s, there is no terrible Batman costume.

Just as people have their favorite Batmen and are right, people have their favorite costumes and they’re right.

Still, all things considered, the Adam West and Ben Affleck costumes seem to be the most consumer friendly when it comes to Halloween with their timeless yet sufficiently real world designs.  But for a true cosplayer, the Nolan version has to be it, despite its added complexity thanks to the intricate production design.

But at the end of the day when all is said and done, the costume is just a conduit for a larger idea.

Irrespective of your favorite costume and the one you’ve got, you always will be Batman because as Christian Bale said, it’s what you do that defines you.