Over the last 30+ years Batman has been one of the most familiar faces among comic book characters on the big screen. With Robert Pattinson's recent debut as the caped crusader, six different men have played Batman on the big screen in that time, and George Clooney is ready to declare himself the "best Batman." Yes, he's kidding... probably.
George Clooney was among several big names who spoke at the opening of the Roybal Film and Television Production Magnet, a new academy designed to teach high school students from diverse backgrounds the skills they need to move into a variety of "below the line" trades in Hollywood. Speaking at the opening celebration, captured by THR, Clooney joked that he was clearly a better Batman than Ben Affleck. Check it out.
George Clooney jokes that he's the best #Batman: "Ben Affleck, really? He's got nothing on me!" via - @chrissgardner pic.twitter.com/ttN3qpSnXuSeptember 14, 2022
I don't want to make assumptions here, but I think George Clooney is probably kidding. George Clooney's one time playing Batman, in the now infamous Batman & Robin, is generally regarded as not that great a movie. And it did end that particular era of the Batman franchise due to its less than stellar performance.
The reason that Ben Affleck probably got specifically called out, rather than any of the other actors who have played Batman, is probably because the two know each other well. Ben Affleck recently starred in The Tender Bar, a movie directed by Clooney, and so the two have a relationship, clearly one where Clooney knows Affleck can take the joke.
And to be fair to George Clooney, I'm not sure he's actually that bad a Batman. Clearly, people did not want to see that sort of a Batman movie at that time, but the actor absolutely understood the assignment, and I would say he did a great job playing the role he was expected to play. If you didn't want a lighter, sillier Batman that's fine, but if you like that version of the character, which is as canonical as any other, Clooney is actually great.
For those that think Ben Affleck is actually the better Batman, or those who simply want to see him try to prove it, he will have at least a couple more chances. Affleck is expected to appear in The Flash as his version of the caped crusader. And it's also believed he will be appearing in a post-credits scene of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, replacing a previously planned scene that would have included Michael Keaton's version of the character.
The question of who is really the best Batman is likely impossible to answer. Everybody is going to have their own criteria for such a question, and some, like Robert Pattinson, have only just begun to try and make their mark as the character. It's probably not George Clooney though.
