Summary

• Bruce Wayne's suits need to be practical for survival, especially without superpowers like other heroes.
• Adam West's iconic Batman had the least practical suit with no protection or stealth features.
• Pattinson's Batman suit in "The Batman" is the most practical yet, offering mobility, protection, and unique gadgets.

Batman has an impressively long and rich cinematic history, which has been accompanied by a plethora of Bat Suits - however, not all of them make sense for a crime fighter without superpowers. DC's Caped Crusader has gone through massive transformations in the pages of DC Comics, ranging from fairly campy to dark and brooding noir. These interpretations have also been mirrored on the big screen, and different Batmans have meant different Batsuits.

Given that Bruce Wayne is just a regular person under his suit, it makes it all the more important for each of Batman's live-action movie suits, ranked by how practical they are for him to wear.

13 Batman (1966) Isn't Trying To Be Realistic

Bruce Wouldn't Survive Long In A Cloth Suit

There's little doubt that Adam West is an absolutely iconic Batman, and the live-action superhero genre overall owes him immensely. However, West's Batman has by far the least practical suit in any of the Dark Knight's movies. While it mirrors the look of Batman's early comic book appearances, the cloth offers no protection at all, and the simple silky cowl fails at both masking his identity well or offering protection. However, the suit does at least offer ample storage with the oversize belt pouches.

Batman (1966) is in the same continuity and stars the same leading cast as the Batman TV series that aired 120 episodes between 1966-1967.

12 Batman & Robin's Ice Suit Only Exists To Sell Action Figures

A Reasonable Suit With An Unreasonable Design

Batman wore a suit similar to the one in Batman Forever for most of Batman & Robin, but he traded it out for an "Ice Suit" for his final assault on Mister Freeze's stronghold. The suit is similar to other suits from the franchise, but the bright silver accents serve no purpose except to take away any element of stealth that his other suits provide. Moreover, the belt offers no storage at all. If that wasn't enough, his cowl is made of a harder-looking material that would be a huge liability in close-quarters combat if someone got hold of them.

11 The DCEU Knightmare Suit Looks Cool But Makes Little Sense

What Does A Coat Add To The Bat Suit?

There's no doubt that the DCEU's Knightmare Batman suit looks cool, but that doesn't mean it's particularly practical. The look, which sees Bruce wearing his Batman cowl, shirt, and gloves with a duster jacket and cargo pants, is straight from the comics, but it's unclear exactly what advantage the combo offers. It seems to offer the worst of both wearing a Batman suit and sporting normal clothing.

While the long coat offers some storage, it doesn't make sense beyond that. Bruce doesn't need protection from dust or the elements since he's already wearing a Batman suit (at least the top half), and it's not hiding his identity since he's still wearing the cowl. The cowl does look a bit less fitted than the version in Batman v Superman, and the coat would just get in the way during melee combat.

10 Batman Returns/The Flash Suit Makes Small Changes To A Classic

Great With A Minor Cape Problem

Michael Keaton wears basically the same suit in Batman Returns and The Flash, and it's iconic for a reason. The suit provides a striking silhouette and is a nice mix of comic-booky design with some practical upgrades. The suit offers reasonable protection, but it gets marked down quite a bit for not offering any mobility in the neck, which is a flaw present in Batman's movies until The Dark Knight.

The biggest difference between this suit and the one from Batman (1989) is that the cape's natural resting position wraps around the front of the shoulders.

The biggest difference between this suit and the one from Batman (1989) is that the cape's natural position wraps around the front of the shoulders a bit more than its predecessor. It looks cool when at rest, but it does block his arms and would hinder quick movements. Given Batman almost exclusively fights in close quarters, it's a drawback for an otherwise sharp design.

9 The Batman (1989) Is Was Groundbreaking For Its Time

A Darker Take On The Dark Knight

As far as practicality goes, the Batman (1989) suit is almost identical to the Batman Returns version, with cosmetic changes not affecting Bruce's ability to fight or move. The suit has the same problem as the ones that followed in that it stopped Batman from turning his head, but the outfit overall seems reasonably strong and sturdy. While the cape also wraps around Bruce's shoulders here, it spends a bit more time resting back behind his arms and out of the way. Another knock is that the belt has no pouches, limiting what Bruce can carry when on patrol.

8 Batman Forever Offers Improved Flexibility

Similar To What Came Before With One Notable Change

Batman Forever's suit is again very similar to the Batman '89 and Batman Returns suits, but it offers a softer material over the arms that allows for increased upper body mobility while still having harder protective areas away from the ts. The sculpted musculature looks silly, but it doesn't hinder Bruce or the suit's effectiveness. Moreover, the Batman Forever suit adds small but much-needed storage on the belt, giving a home to Batman's many gadgets and gizmos.

7 Batman Begins Bridges The Old And The New

A Modern Redesign With A Classic Problem

Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins reimagines Batman and Gotham City in a much more realistic fashion, and that includes the Bat Suit. The redesign modernizes the look and offers some practical upgrades, but it still falls victim to one classic Batman mistake. Ditching the yellow chest logo makes sense for a version of the character who values stealth, with the dim gold belt offering a bit of visual contrast. The cape is larger, making it more believable that it can a person's weight for limited gliding.

However, Bruce's head is still relatively stuck in position. Despite other upgrades, Batman's cowl is still fully attached to the upper torso/neck, meaning Bruce can't fully turn his head without moving his body. This is a clear disadvantage from someone who often finds himself if fistfights, but it would thankfully be rectified soon.

6 Batman V Superman Standard Suit

A Minimalist Suit Accentuates Affleck's Imposing Physique

Batman V Superman may be one of the DCEU's most divisive movies, but there's little doubt that Batman's standard suit looks incredible. The design eschews the more armored look present in Nolan's trilogy for a simpler design that favors flexibility and an intimidating silhouette over raw stopping power. Accepting the in-universe hand-waving that such thin material can still stop bullets, the suit accentuates a part of Batman not previously focused on in film - his hulking stature.

Affleck is the most bulked-up live-action Batman, and the simpler suit accentuates and adds to his musculature. This Batman is terrifying for criminals, and it's easy to see why. Moreover, the suit fully ditches any yellow, fully committing to Batman's propensity for stealth and offering incredible flexibility.

5 Batman's Lightweight Suit In The Flash

It Looks Bad, But It Makes Sense

Affleck's first Batman suit shown in The Flash looks pretty bad, but it makes sense from a practical standpoint.

Affleck's first Batman suit shown in The Flash looks pretty bad, but it makes sense from a practical standpoint. This suit isn't designed to be a standard work-horse outfit but instead appears to be an oddly specialized suit for high-speed car chases. The suit offers little protection against gunfire or other more traditional forms of harm, but the waffle pattern protective material makes sense for high-friction areas when being pulled behind vehicles is a risk.

Does it make sense to have a suit just for car chases? Not really, but it's lightweight, offers specialized protection, and generally makes sense in its context. Batman in the comics seems to have suits and gadgets for every occasion, and this is an interesting nod to that history. Of course, it would have been better if the suit looked a little more fitted.

4 Batman's Justice League Tactical Suit Offers Improved Protection

Function Over Form

Batman's tactical suit in Justice League doesn't look as good as his standard suit, but it's clearly more practical. While the move from fabric to areas of plated armor may offer a bit less mobility, it also offers Bruce more physical protection. Moreover, the suit does something only one other live-action suit has - it protects Bruce's vulnerable eyes with goggles. The suit isn't in the movie for long, but it seems like the one Bruce should probably be wearing most of the time in the movies of the Snyderverse.