Other actors considered for Batman: Batman 1989 - Michael Keaton Mel Gibson Kevin Costner Charlie Sheen Patrick Swayze Pierce Brosnan Tom Selleck Bill Murray Willem Dafoe Dennis Quaid Daniel Day-Lewis Alec Baldwin Jeff Bridges Kevin Kline Liam Neeson Harrison Ford Chevy Chase Richard Gere Steve Martin Alec Baldwin was offered the role originally and turned it down. Bill Murray came very close to playing Batman before they decided on Keaton Batman Forever 1995 - Val Kilmer Johnny Depp Ethan Hawke William Baldwin Dean Cain Tom Hanks Tom Cruise Dennis Quaid Kurt Russell John Travolta Ralph Fiennes Kevin Bacon 1995 Batman and Robin 1997 - George Clooney David Duchovny Matt LeBlanc Batman Triumphant - Abandoned Thank God this movie never saw the light of day. It would have been a sequel to Batman and Robin with George Clooney and Chris O'Donnell returning. Nicolas Cage, Coolio, and Jeff Goldblum were all considered for the scarecrow. Courtney Love and Madonna were considered for Harley Quinn. The story would have had Quinn turn out to be the Jokers daughter. She with the help of Scarecrow seeks revenge. Jack Nicholson, Danny Devito, Tommy Lee Jones, and Jim Carey would have returned as their villain characters via hallucination due to the scarecrow. Batman Year One - Abandoned Clint Eastwood Batman Begins - Trilogy 2005 - Christian Bale Jake Gyllenhaal Joshua Jackson Armie Hammer Cillian Murphy - Who was cast as Scarecorw Heath Ledger Eion Bailey David Boreanaz Batman VS Superman/Justice League - Ben Affleck Josh Brolin Collin Farrell Jake Gyllenhaal Luke Evans Richard Armitage Armie Hammer Wes Bentley Marlon Wayans was offered the role of Robin in Batman Returns, but the role was cut Leonardo Dicaprio was considered for the role of Robin in Batman Forever, but he turned it down, he was also considered for Batman, Joker, and Riddler (who was the original villain of The Dark Knight Rises, before the script was rewritten and Bane was used instead) in Christopher Nolan's trilogy.
Michael Keaton doesn't get the credit he deserves for solidifying the ability to sell the modern action hero. If you look at the first Superman movies, they are like one action set piece after one action set piece... you have a little exposition at the beginning, maybe some scenes for comedic value and then a big finale with "this country owes you a debt of gratitude, Superman." Keaton totally made the brooding hero with actual realistic dialog in an original big budget film....well, believable. It wasn't his physicality selling the role, it wasn't his dead pan humor and it wasn't the way the special effects. It was his acting, In many ways, I think this accomplishment been forgotten since he's dwarfed by so many other big name actors. But he's much better than they are. The man has as broad a range as any working in film today. He did it Clean And Sober. He did it in Pacific Heights. He did it in The Founder and Beetlejuice. A total all arounder, by any stretch of the imagination.
Funny tidbit, Micheal Keaton was born Michael Douglas, but changed it because you know...that other guy
Adam West by far the best! I sit next to him on a Horizon flight from Boise to Portland. He lived in Boise. This was after he had retired form his Role as Batman.
