Lewis Wilson - The star of a 15-part movie serial in 1943, Wilson played the first ever Batman on film. The series also introduced us to two key Batman elements - the Bat Cave, and the Grandfather clock entrance.

Robert Lowery - Star of Batman's second 15-part series, from 1949.

Adam West - Batman goes colour, and extremely camp. It's 1966, and the movie image of Batman is forever imprinted in our collective minds. Bam! Pow! Sok!

Michael Keaton - In 1989, Tim Burton brought Batman to the cinema, with Keaton in the role of Bruce Wayne. He would reprise the role in the 1992, Batman Returns.

Val Kilmer - Batman starts the slide. Replacing Keaton in 1995's Batman Forever, neither Kilmer nor the film were considered classics; this was to be Val Kilmer's only appearance behind the mask.

George Clooney - If Batman Forever knocked the franchise into a coma, then 1997's Batman and Robin pulled the plug. With camp returned to the franchise (including Bat nipples on Clooney's suit), this turkey would go down in history as one of the very worst super-hero films of all time.

Bruce Thomas - In between Batman's Hollywood death and resurrection came a 2001 advertising campaign for in-car electronics firm OnStar. Using the same filmic style as the recently deceased movies, actor Bruce Thomas played Batman. Interestingly, Thomas would play Batman one last time in a one-off appearance on 2002 television show Birds of Prey.

Christian Bale - Our current Dark Knight, recruited when Christopher Nolan re-booted the franchise with Batman Begins in 2005. Bale played the role again in 2008's The Dark Knight, and will see the trilogy out when The Dark Knight Rises hits cinemas in 2012.