OMAR AZIMI

Batman made his first appearance in comic books on March 30, 1939, in the 27th issue of Detective Comics. Since then, Batman has gone on to be featured in numerous television shows and movies, from the 1960s television show through The Batman in 2022. The caped crusader was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane to capitalize on the success of Superman.

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Bruce Wayne, whose alter ego is Batman, is a wealthy philanthropist and playboy who lives in Gotham City and dons the Batman costume. When Bruce was a boy, he witnessed the murder of his parents Thomas and Martha, and swore vengeance against criminals. Unlike other superheroes, Batman has no superpowers and relies on his vast resources, his intellect and wits, and special tools, including the Batmobile, which has been updated in each on-screen adaptation of Batman.

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1989

Batman, which was released in theaters in June 1989, was the first installment of the series of films produced by Warner Bros. Michael Keaton starred as Batman and Jack Nicholson as The Joker, Batman's greatest foe and the Clown Prince of Crime. The movie, which was directed by Tim Burton, began with the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents and chronicled his early fight against crime as well as The Joker.

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The Batmobile featured throughout the movie was based on the Chevrolet Impala chassis, and powered by a Chevrolet V-8 engine. The vehicle was also fitted with the intake from a Rolls-Royce jet. A replica was created years later, which was built utilizing a 1965 Ford Mustang.

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1992

Burton returned to direct Batman Returns in 1992. Keaton was joined by Michelle Pfeiffer and Danny DeVito as Catwoman and Penguin, respectively, in addition to Christopher Walken. In Batman Returns, Batman faces off with the Penguin who is plotting to kill all of Gotham City’s firstborn sons. Additionally, Batman is introduced to Catwoman, who is seeking vengeance against her boss and corrupt businessman Max Schreck (Walken) who also teams up with the Penguin.

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The Batmobile used in the 1989 Batman movie was used again in the 1992 sequel. The vehicle was based on a Chevrolet Impala chassis.

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1966-1968

Adam West and Burt Ward famously starred in the 1960s Batman TV series as Batman and Robin, respectively, fighting off various villains. The show was most known for its campy style and upbeat theme music, as well as its morality themes. The show aired for two seasons and 120 episodes, and a movie was released in-between seasons.

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The Batmobile which was featured throughout the show was a 1955 Ford Lincoln Futura, which was designed by George Barris. The car was modified specially for the show. The Batmobile was an actual working car, and in an interview with Moviefone in 2017, West explained that the car wasn’t easy to drive, due to its issues with balance, tracking, and the brakes, which would leave Ward terrified.

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1995

Although Burton didn’t direct the next sequel, he stayed on as a producer. Joel Schumacher took the reins as director and Batman Forever was released in June 1995. Val Kilmer replaces Keaton as Batman as the superhero tries to stop Two-Face, played by Tommy Lee Jones, and the Riddler, played by Jim Carrey. The villains have unleashed their plot to steal confidential information from the minds of the citizens of Gotham City to learn Batman’s real identity.

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The Batmobile in the 1995 movie contained a Chevy 350 ZZ3 motor, which allowed it to move at approximately 345 horsepower. The body of the vehicle was made from a type of fiberglass laminate. The Batmobile was designed by Barbara Ling, who sought to make the design of the vehicle more organic, which is why the Batmobile appears to have gills and wings. Additionally, the wheels were adjusted so that the bat logo remained upright, regardless of the wheels were in motion.

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2008

Bale returned as Batman in the 2008 movie The Dark Knight. In this movie, Batman, Lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman), and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) form an alliance to rid Gotham City of organized crime. However, their plans go awry when the city is menaced by the Joker (Heath Ledger), a criminal mastermind.

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The Batmobile used in the 2008 movie was the same as used in Batman Begins, however, it received several upgrades. The vehicle was given a remote-control system which allowed it to work separate from Batman. With the use of the remote-control system, the vehicle could navigate routes, fire weapons, and draw attention away from Batman when needed. The vehicle was given upgraded armor plating. However, the rear half of the Batmobile was destroyed by a bazooka, fired by the Joker. This gave birth to the Bat-Pod, an open motorcycle-type vehicle.

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2005

The Batman franchise was rebooted in 2005 with the release of Batman Begins. Producers sought to capture a darker, more realistic tone, and to have audiences be emotionally invested with both Bruce Wayne and Batman, who was played by Christian Bale. The movie serves as an origin story, capturing the moment when Bruce Wayne’s parents are murdered to when Bruce becomes Batman and his fight against villains such as the Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) and Ra’s al Ghul (Liam Neeson).

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The Batmobile used in the 2005 movie originated from a Chevy 350 V8, capable of driving at 500 horsepower. The vehicle was loaded with 44” tires with titanium axles. Additional components made it capable of going from 0-60 mph in under six seconds.

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2016

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice was released in March 2016 and was a sequel to Man of Steel (2013). Bruce Wayne/Batman was played by Ben Affleck in the film, with Henry Cavill returning to the role of Clark Kent/Superman. Batman embarks on a mission to neutralize Superman, who he believes to be an alien threat, while Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenburg) pits the two heroes against each other.

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The Batmobile used in the movie was designed to be like a tank and to reflect Batman’s many years of fighting crime. The vehicle is equipped with an electrified skin deterrent, which shocks anyone that gets too close to it. It is also equipped with a ballistic missile defense system, capable of firing a dozen rockets at the touch of a button.

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2012

The Dark Knight Rises was the final movie in director Christopher Nolan’sBatman trilogy. The movie was released in July 2012, and Bale reprised his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman once again. In the film, Batman has disappeared after it was falsely believed that he was responsible for the murder of Harvey Dent. Organized crime is no more in the city due to expanded powers given to the police. The movie also saw the rise of Bane (Tom Hardy) as he took hold of Gotham, and Batman is forced to come out of hiding.

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Three tumbler model vehicles were stolen from underneath Wayne Enterprises and were used by Bane and his henchmen in The Dark Knight Rises. The tumblers had 5.7-liter GM engines which were capable of 500 horsepower. The vehicles were fitted with super swamper tires which stood at 44 inches tall with the use of titanium axles. Similar to the Batmobile in The Dark Knight, when the tumblers got damaged, the front wheels could eject and form the Bat-Pod.

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1997

Schumacher returned as director for the 1997 Batman & Robin, which was released in June 1997. George Clooney was cast as Batman and was joined by Chris O’Donnell, who reprised his role as Dick Grayson/Robin from the 1995 movie. In this film, Batman and Robin try to stop Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman) and Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) from taking over the world. At the same time. Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson struggle to keep their partnership from disintegrating. Batman and Robin is the final installment of the Warner Bros.-produced Batman franchise.

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The Batmobile in the 1997 movie took its inspiration from roadsters such as the Jaguar D Type and the Delahaye 165 and was constructed to be more of an open-air car. The displays in this version of the Batmobile featured more prominent displays, using red, orange, yellow, and blue lights.