There are some actors whose entire careers are defined by their most iconic role or by their best performance (which are not always one and the same). There are also some actors who really only have one well-known role or acclaimed performance to their name, while the majority of their career continues to live in obscurity or even ridicule. The following are some notable examples of actors who never really got to shine beyond that movie or TV show that clicked.

Sam Worthington (The Avatar Movies)

Sam Worthington's performance as Jake Sully in 2009's Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water from 2022 is not exactly "acclaimed." However, James Cameron's blockbuster sci-fi franchise is the only thing on the actor's resume that has managed to make a substantial connection with audiences and can be called a rousing success.

Hayden Christensen (Shattered Glass)

Playing Anakin Skywalker in the two latter installments of George Lucas' Star Wars prequel trilogy has earned Hayden Christensen equal amounts of fame and ridicule that has haunted him most of his career. That is because not enough people know about 2003's intense journalism drama Shattered Glass, in which he gives his best performance as real-life fraudulent reporter Stephen Glass.

Tom Arnold (True Lies)

For years, Tom Arnold's claim to fame was his marriage to Roseanne Barr and, when reviewing his filmography, it remains what he is best known for to this day. Yet, he does have the honor of playing Arnold Schwarzenegger's right-hand man in True Lies, a role he almost did not get, if not for the insistence of writer and director James Cameron.

Brandon Routh (Superman Returns)

Brandon Routh was relatively unknown when he was cast as Clark Kent in 2006’s Superman Returns — a role that should have earned immediate entry to the A-list. While he does have an amusing reputation for playing multiple comic book characters — including Todd Ingram in the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World cast — his one-time donning the old red and blues remains the peak of his fame.

Linda Blair (The Exorcist)

One of the top horror movie Scream Queens of all time is undeniably Linda Blair for her Academy Award-nominated role as Regan MacNeil in 1973’s The Exorcist. However, the demonically possessed 12-year-old is still the only character most mainstream audiences associate with the actor.

Stephen Baldwin (The Usual Suspects)

Stephen Baldwin has a scene-stealing turn as Michael McManus in the classic 1995 crime thriller, The Usual Suspects. However, because his remaining credits have never quite lived up to that performance — or the film itself — most would call him an unusual suspect for mainstream success these days.

Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense)

Haley Joel Osment is still a steadily working actor, appearing in notable films like Kevin Smith’s Tusk and hit TV shows like The Boys. Yet, any time he does show up onscreen, we would not be surprised if he still regularly identified as “the kid who saw dead people in 1999’s The Sixth Sense.”

Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls)

You could argue that Lacey Chabert really did come close to making “fetch” happen with her standout role in 2004’s Mean Girls as Gretchen Wieners. While she has made a name for herself elsewhere with voice acting and leading several Hallmark Channel originals, the gossipy plastic is still the singular defining moment of her career.

Steven Seagal (Under Siege)

Even most of the fans who consider Steven Seagal to be one of the top action movie stars of the ‘90s might agree that he really only has one true quality film to his name: Under Siege. Both a critical and commercial success, director Andrew Davis’ Oscar-nominated 1992 thriller stars Seagal as a former Navy SEAL serving as a cook on a battleship taken over by terrorists.

Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee)

Can you name another character played by Paul Hogan who is not the title character from the 1986 fish-out-of-water movie classic, Crocodile Dundee? The eponymous Outback hunter was also the brainchild of the Australian actor, whose career has been almost completely overshadowed by the role.

Roddy Piper (They Live)

To be fair, the late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper’s main claim to fame was professional wrestling, but his subsequent film career was nowhere near close to on par with, say, Dwayne Johnson or John Cena. At least he can say that he was the star of one of John Carpenter’s best movies, They Live, in the memorable role of an impromptu alien hunter, John Nada.

Alicia Silverstone (Clueless)

Had 1997’s Batman & Robin been a hit, Alicia Silverstone could have been one of the best Batgirl actors ever and her career could have flourished from it. Instead, her breakthrough film role as Cher Horowitz in 1995’s Clueless is the single performance she is most acclaimed and recognized for.

Macaulay Culkin (Home Alone)

Macaulay Culkin’s career beyond child stardom has certainly had its highlights, such as his role in Party Monster, his appearance on American Horror Story Season 10, and his podcast, The Bunny Ears Podcast. However, after all these years, it is still difficult to see him as anyone other than the young, mischievous Kevin McCallister from the Home Alone movies.

Rupert Grint (The Harry Potter Movies)

We do not mean to discredit Rupert Grint’s performances in the Snatch TV show, M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant, or anything else he has done outside of the Harry Potter movies. However, the British actor will always be Ron Weasley in our hearts.

Jessica Alba (Sin City)

Anyone who does not love actor and entrepreneur Jessica Alba probably has not seen her performance as exotic dancer Nancy Callahan in 2005’s Sin City, which is the single most acclaimed title in her filmography. She did earn a Golden Globe nomination for a breakthrough role in Dark Angel, but that short-lived sci-fi series is largely forgotten these days.

Robert Englund (A Nightmare On Elm Street)

Playing Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise made Robert Englund a horror movie icon and earned him a long career of countless other spooky roles. Yet, have any of his subsequent credits — horror or otherwise — been nearly as popular as the grotesque, razor-glove-wielding boogeyman? Maybe in his dreams.

Edward Furlong (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

Edward Furlong made a stunning acting debut in the pivotal role of a teenage John Connor in one of the greatest action movies of all time, 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Unfortunately, his career never reached the same level of prowess or popularity again, which can be partially attributed to his history of substance abuse.

Rachael Leigh Cook (She's All That)

Actor and model Rachael Leigh Cook has had a steady career all her life. However, none of her credits have quite stood the test of time like the 1999 teen movie favorite, She’s All That, which spawned a Netflix original gender-swapped remake, He’s All That, in which she appeared in a new role.

Anthony Perkins (Psycho)

Anthony Perkins is considered one the biggest Hollywood stars of his time, but only for one role in particular: Norman Bates in one of the greatest horror movies of all time — Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 classic, Psycho. He would actually reprise the murderous momma’s boy and motel manager twice more in 1983’s Psycho II and Psycho III, the latter of which he also directed three years later.

David Schwimmer (Friends)

Much of the Friends cast managed to outlive their roles on the hit sitcom with versatile projects that helped them avoid being typecast. We cannot quite say the same about David Schwimmer, whose distinct portrayal of Ross Gellar seems to follow him everywhere he goes.

Jaden Smith (The Pursuit Of Happyness)

Seven-year-old Jaden Smith made a promising debut as the onscreen son of his real-life father, Will Smith, in 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness, but very few of his roles since have made a genuine impression on critics and audiences. That being said, the older he got, his acting roles became less frequent as he focused more on his music career.

Carrie Henn (Aliens)

If you ever wondered what happened to Newt from Aliens, she became one of the many child stars who walked away from Hollywood, but did so quicker than most, as the 1986 sci-fi classic is her only acting credit. So, in this case, we can call Carrie Henn — who went on to become a teacher — an acting “one-hit-wonder” by choice.

Alex Winter (The Bill & Ted Movies)

Alex Winter had such astonishing chemistry with Keanu Reeves as the dim-witted, titular heroes of the Bill & Ted movies. Yet, while Reeves climbed up the A-list, Winter never really found a role as popular as Bill S. Preston, Esq. He would find some success working as director in film and TV, however.

Fran Drescher (The Nanny)

Actor and comedian Fran Drescher earned rousing success when she co-created the hit sitcom The Nanny, in which she also starred as Fran Fine. The boisterous character remains her most famous role to date, as Drescher is better known today for being elected President of SAG-AFTRA in 2021.

Adam West (Batman)

The late Adam West is, undeniably, one of the most legendary live-action Batman actors, having played Bruce Wayne in the classic 1960s TV show, its feature-length spin-off, and two animated films decades later. However, he is really the only one in that club so far who can say that playing Batman is the singular defining role of his career.

Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite)

As the title hero of 2004’s Napoleon Dynamite, Jon Heder gave one of the most legendarily bizarre and uniquely funny performances in a comedy movie for its time, if not all time. The success of the indie sleeper hit would garner more roles for the actor, but none that earned nearly the same acclaim or notoriety.

Frankie Muniz (Malcolm In The Middle)

Playing the fourth-wall-breaking title role of Malcolm in the Middle in the early 2000s made Frankie Muniz one of the top child stars of his time, but his subsequent success later in life was decidedly hit or miss. He still acts to this day but has also taken up a career in NASCAR racing.

Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous)

Whatever happened to Patrick Fugit — the actor who launched his career in 2000 by leading the Almost Famous cast as young, aspiring music reporter William Miller? There’s a good chance you have seen him in one of his many credits over the years — such as Gone Girl or 2022’s Babylon — but just failed to recognize him. 

Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy)

Katherine Heigl had a relatively successful run in movies, especially as the female lead of 2007’s Knocked Up, which she famously spoke negatively of. Said comments would actually have a negative impact on her career and, thus, her Emmy-winning role on in the Grey’s Anatomy cast as Dr. Izzie Stevens in the mid-2000s is still her most famous and commendable role.

Peter Ostrum (Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory)

At the end of 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, poor Charlie Bucket becomes wealthy after the titular chocolatier (Gene Wilder) gives his factory to him. As for the actor who plays the lucky boy, Peter Ostrum, he immediately abandoned his acting career in favor of becoming a veterinarian.

Bo Derek (10)

Bo Derek is an undisputed legend in the modeling industry, but we cannot quite say the same about her acting career. She did have one acclaimed hit to her name, however, in the form of Blake Edwards’ Oscar-nominated, 1979 rom-com, 10, opposite Dudley Moore.

Justin Chatwin (War Of The Worlds)

If you are not sure who Justin Chatwin is, there are two movies we could name that could help you identify him. There is Steven Spielberg’s 2005 adaptation of War of the Worlds, in which he plays Tom Cruise’s onscreen son, and there is also 2009’s universally reviled live-action anime adaptation, Dragonball: Evolution, in which he was grossly miscast as Goku.

For the actors above who are still with us and are still interested in the craft, we hope to see them in another surefire hit soon enough.

As a show that takes place almost entirely in the next millennium, Futurama doesn’t automatically seem like the kind of show that would boast tons of cameos from modern day celebrities, athletes, politicians and scientific geniuses. Yet that’s exactly what the animated sci-fi comedy has delivered with each season that’s aired, even when occasional cancellations kept those seasons airing years apart from each other. And what’s more, quite a few of those guest stars have also popped up in co-creator legend Matt Groening’s other beloved toon series, The Simpsons.

While there are certainly far more celebrities who have only appeared on one show or the other — for instance, relatively frequent Futurama guest star Al Gore was previously tapped to host a “Treehouse of Horror” ep, but it never happened — the number of shared famous faces may be surprising to longtime fans. So let’s pop open a six-pack of Slurm and dive in, while noting right away that the aforementioned Groening isn’t on this list, despite appearing in both shows. Note that we also left out Simpsons regulars Hank Azaria and Dan Castellaneta. (Also note that The Simpsons can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription, while all eps of Futurama are available with a Hulu subscription.)

Dick Clark

• Futurama: Season 1 “Space Pilot 3000”
• The Simpsons: Season 11 "Treehouse of Horror X"

True to his real-world persona, the animated Dick Clark was also known in both animated series for hosting New Year's Eve countdowns, though he only did so as a head for Futurama. He suffered a weirder phenomenon on The Simpsons when Y2K hit and turned him into a Terminator-esque cyborg.

Leonard Nimoy

• Futurama: Season 1 “Space Pilot 3000,” Season 4 "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" 
• The Simpsons: Season 4 "Marge vs. the Monorail," Season 8 "The Springfield Files"

An icon in the world of science fiction and beyond, Leonardy Nimoy was a welcomed figure on both animated comedies. where he played himself for two episodes of each series. Arguably the best would be Futurama's "Where No Fan..." since it brought in other Star Trek vets as well.

John Goodman

• Futurama: Season 2 “XMas Story”
• The Simpsons: Season 11 "Take My Wife, Sleaze"

Longtime Futurama fans might not remember that Roseanne and The Conners lead John Goodman was the first to voice Robot Santa, with John DiMaggio taking over the role in later seasons. The Big Lebowski vet had a slightly different vibe going when portraying biker gang leader Meathook on The Simpsons.

Conan O'Brien

• Futurama: Season 2 “XMas Story”
• The Simpsons: Season 5 "Bart Gets Famous"

Having served as a writer on The Simpsons ahead of landing NBC's Late Night — he's spoken about his favorite character to write for — talk show maestro Conan O'Brien appeared as himself on both shows, interviewing Bart for his former employer, and appearing in jarheaded form for Futurama. Note that he is one of the only celebs whose head pokes out of the top, which is a joke about the comedian's larger than average dome.

Nichelle Nichols

• Futurama: Season 2 “Anthology Of Interest 1,” Season 4 "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" 
• The Simpsons: Season 15 "Simple Simpson"

A beloved member of Star Trek royalty, Nichelle Nichols portrayed herself three times across both shows, always with shows references to fall back on. (Unlike Nichols and other Trek elite, William Shatner turned down the opportunities to appear.)

Stephen Hawking

• Futurama: Season 2 “Anthology Of Interest 1,” “The Beast With A Billion Backs,” Season 6 “Reincarnation”
• The Simpsons: Season 10 "They Saved Lisa's Brain,” Season 16 "Don't Fear the Roofer," Season 18 "Stop or My Dog Will Shoot," Season 22 "Elementary School Musical"

Perhaps it's no surprise that one of TV's brainiest animated shows would repeatedly bring in one of the smartest people who ever lived. Physicist and author Stephen Hawking appeared as himself, perhaps obviously, thrice on Futurama, and is part of the four-timers club on The Simpsons.

Parker Posey

• Futurama: Season 2 “The Deep South”
• The Simpsons: Season 11 "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge"

For Futurama's mermaid-focused Season 2 episode, Parker Posey lent her voice to Umbriel, not to be confused with any other size-specific mermaids out there. Over in Springfield, Posey portrayed Otto's girlfriend Becky in a role that was initially pitched to Drew Barrymore.

Sarah Silverman

• Futurama: Season 2 “The Cryonic Woman,” “Bender’s Big Score,” Season 7 “Game of Tones”
• The Simpsons: Season 21 "Stealing First Base," Season 24 "Moonshine River," Season 26 "Clown in the Dumps," Season 28 "Treehouse of Horror XXVII"

Comedian Sarah Silverman joined the world of Futurama as the recast voice of Fry's not-so-wonderful girlfriend Michelle from the '90s, with three appearances to date. (Kath Soucie voiced her in the pilot.) She was also a romantic interest on The Simpsons for Bart in a pair of eps as Nikki McKenna, while also voicing herself and others in later seasons.

Jan Hooks

• Futurama: Season 3 “Bendless Love”
• The Simpsons: Season 9 "The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons," Season 10 "I'm With Cupid," Season 11 "Eight Misbehavin'," "Take My Wife, Sleaze," Season 12 "Bye Bye Nerdie," Season 14 "Large Marge"

Saturday Night Live vet Jan Hooks brought her comedic skills to Futurama as the criminal-loving fembot Angleyne, and while she may have wooed Bender, Hooks technically has had a larger impact on The Simpsons, where she played Apu's wife Manjula across a half-dozen appearances.

Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu was part of a Futurama cameo like few others, in that she voiced various bot-cloned versions of herself, with Fry dating one of them, as well as the "real" Lucy Liu's head in a jar. (Her second episode utilized excess dialogue she'd recorded the previous season.) Over on The Simpsons, she played the adoption agent tasked with deciding whether or not Selma is worthy of parenting a Chinese baby.

Bob Odenkirk

Bob Odenkirk tapped into both Saul Goodman and some of his Mr. Show characters to bring the ego-driven Chaz to Futurama as Leela's temporary romantic interest. And in an episode penned by his brother Bill Odenkirk, the Breaking Bad vet portrayed Fat Tony's lawyer (whose character went by that very moniker) for a Simpsons ep.

George Takei

One of the most seasoned guest stars of any Matt Groening series is Star Trek vet George Takei, who portrayed himself mostly in jar-head form for Futurama. While he did play himself for one Simpsons episode, he also voiced Happy Sumo waiter Akira, an unnamed Chinese restaurant waiter, and game show host Wink.

Mark Hamill

Having played one of cinema's most beloved heroes, Star Wars vet Mark Hamill took on voicing a somewhat equally important character for Futurama, at least to a certain segment of the population: holiday mascot Chanukah Zombie. For his single Simpsons ep, Hamill voiced himself at as sci-fi con and the bodyguard-training specialist Leavelle.

Penn & Teller

The most celebrated magical duo in history, Penn Jillette and his largely silent partner Teller appeared on Futurama in their entertainment hub of Las Vegas, or rather New Mars Vegas. (I guess it's up for debate whether Teller actually appeared, considering the state of his head.) On The Simpsons, Homer attempted to create a viral moment by interrupting one of their specials, and returned for a later episode centered on Lisa diving into the world of magic, with fellow illusionists David Copperfield and Ricky Jay also appearing.

Snoop Dogg

Rapper, actor and pop culture mainstay Snoop Dogg achieved his highest ranking yet within Futurama, with his head serving as a Chief Justice alongside the heads of Paula Abdul and Ruth Bader Ginsberg. He also played himself on The Simpsons as part of an all-star rap group Hate Squad alongside Common and Rza.

Patton Oswalt

Comedian Patton Oswalt is no stranger to self-deprecating humor, so perhaps it's fitting that his guest spot on Futurama was as Giant Unattractive Monster, who did not take kindly to Fry's insinuation that his mother's looks were to blame. He was the offspring of Portlandia vets Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein's characters' on The Simpsons, voicing their son T-Rex. He returned in a later episode to voice the slime-covered entitye that served as Bart Simpson's Guilt.

Buzz Aldrin

The second person to ever set foot on the moon, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin can also boast a guest spot as a science fair judge on Futurama, in which he delivered an unexpectedly funny joke for someone of such real-life stature. Aldrin also appeared, perhaps unsurprisingly, in the Simpsons episode in which Homer goes to space, and the family's patriarch is actually dubbed a "hero" by Aldrin.

Wanda Sykes

Comedian extraordinaire Wanda Sykes delivered the robotic goods as the soda-dispensing vending machine Bev, who has a love-hate relationship with Bender while also heping to get Fry hooked on Slurm Loco. Sykes' SImpsons spot had her portraying a nameless Springfield Elementary counselor who loses her job in the middle of dispensing advice, and then calls out Milhouse for being boring. Mic drop.

Patrick Stewart

For all his years portraying Jean Luc Picard across the Star Trek universe, Patrick Stewart opted for something slightly less sci-fi for his Futurama appearance as the master of a fox-hunting club that Bender joins, complete with fancy mustache. For The Simpsons, he also went old school as the Stonecutters leader Number One, and later appeared as a bald-but-virile power plant worker whose confidence inspires Homer. (An amusing story for an actor who was initially advised to wear a wig for his Next Generation audition.)

Robert Wagner

Two and a Half Men and NCIS recurrer Robert Wagner's fame is definitely still intact in the 3000s, at least per his guest spot on Futurama, where Calculon's Walk of Fame star is replaced by a second star for Wagner, who shares a few words as an appreciative head in a jar. His Simpsons appearance seemed tailor-made for Troy McClure, as he introduced himself as an "actor, smooth customer and women's health advocate" during an instructional video teaching aging women about menopause. (Barely.)

Adam West & Burt Ward

'60s Batman stars Adam West and Burt Ward paid tribute to their respective roles during a Futurama scene parodying the comic book show's wall-climing cameo sequences, for which West voiced an actual bat-man-thing. He also appeared on The Simpsons as a car show celeb, and later teamed up with Ward for an installment featuring a faux Batman episode with Krusty as the guest star.

Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane and Family Guy are often jokingly portrayed as rivals of Matt Groening and The Simpsons universe, but he's appeared twice on Futurama - once to lay his dulcet tones down for Vegas-esque theme, and once as the dream sequence voice of Fry's dog Seymour, whose martini in hand was a tip of the wet nose to FG's Brian. He also appeared on The Simpsons as a man Marge secretly befriended during a temporary marital rut.

Kathy Griffin

As a celeb who'd previously been "canceled" over controversial photos in 2017, Kathy Griffin was an understandable choice to guest star as one of several ship captains who were sidelined for their behavior, including the titular Zapp Brannigan. She also played something of a problematic character on The Simpsons as the bully Francine, who inspired Lisa to pinpoint the phereomon that causes bullies to antagonize nerds.

With more episodes of The Simpsons and Futurama still to come in the future, the possibility for more shared guest stars is a big one.

Very few series have been on the air anywhere near as long as The Simpsons has, which means very few TV shows come close to being on the same level when it comes to guest stars. Beloved characters like Sideshow Bob and Fat Tony wouldn’t exist without recurring guest actors like Kelsey Grammer and Joe Mantegna, but we’re here to appreciate a smaller sub-section of Springfield visitors: celebrities who have played themselves.

Though The Simpsons has relied far more on famous folks playing fictional characters, the series has also boasted a wide variety of celebs from the worlds of art, entertainment, sports and literature across the past 30+ years. (Speaking of Mantegna, he actually voiced himself during Fat Tony’s first episode “Bart the Murderer.”) Now let’s look at a bunch of famous faces who popped up in 2D alongside the Simpson family and other characters. All but one episode noted below is available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.

Tony Bennett

With a career that spanned 70 years, Tony Bennett earned innumerable accolades including a whopping 20 Grammy wins. One of his more noteworthy feats, at least for animation fans, is that he was the very first Simpsons guest star to play themself. Even if it wasn’t the meatiest of Bennett's many film and TV cameos, it still opened the door for others to follow in his crooning footsteps.

Appears As Himself In: Season 2’s “Dancin’ Homer” Also can be heard singing “Capital City” in Season 14’s “Bart Vs. Lisa Vs. the 3rd Grade” and Season 24’s “Whiskey Business”

Betty White

National treasure Betty White first made her way into The Simpsons’ universe in Season 11 as a pledge drive host, though the role was initially offered to her former co-star Mary Tyler Moore. She was presumably the first choice for her second appearance seven seasons later, however, in which she plays up the fact that she and Homer had met before. 

Appears As Herself In: Season 11’s “Missionary: Impossible” and Season 18’s “Homerazzi”

Anthony Bourdain

Celebrity chef and “food bad boy” Anthony Bourdain was no stranger to hosting his own TV shows, which played into his Simpsons cameo in one of Marge’s food-centric dreams. The award-winning chef and author wasn’t the only foodie guest star in that ep, as it also featured Gordon Ramsey and Mario Batali. 

Appears As Himself In: Season 23’s “The Food Wife”

Halle Berry

Academy Award winner Halle Berry graced the animated Oscars stage for her big Simpsons guest spot as the presenter announcing “Angry Dad” as the Best Animated Short winner. Though not before she introduced the show’s cracking Wallace & Gromit parody, nor before she confessed to dreaming about her teeth flying out of her mouth.

Appears As Herself In: Season 22’s “Angry Dad: The Movie”

Paul And Linda McCartney

Paul McCartney is one of three founding Beatles members to guest star on The Simpsons, and the only one to be accompanied by his wife, Linda McCartney. Their appearance came out under the specific condition that Lisa Simpson remain a vegetarian throughout the rest of the show’s run, and she’s stuck to her sustenance-minded guns since.

Appear As Themselves In: Season 7’s “Lisa the Vegetarian,” which also uses the song “Maybe I’m Amazed” over the end credits

Drew Barrymore

Multi-hyphenate celeb Drew Barrymore first popped up on The Simpsons back in 2000 as Krusty the Clown's daughter from a one-night stand, and it took another 24 years for her to return, this time as herself from the set of her daytime talk show.

Appears As Herself In: Season 34’s “The King of Nice,” and as Sophie Krustopfsky in Season 12’s “Insane Clown Poppy”

Stephen King

The King of Horror appeared on The Simpsons in 2000, which was the rare year in which Stephen King didn’t publish any finalized fictional works. (He did release the nonfiction memoir On Writing and the incomplete serialized e-book The Plant.) King turned down the offer to reprise himself for 2022’s Halloween parody special “Not It.”

Appears As Himself In: Season 12’s “Insane Clown Poppy”

• RELATED: Building The Ultimate Stephen King Collection: Every Book, Movie And TV Series A True King Fan Should Own

Britney Spears

In the months before the release of her second mega-popular album Oops!...I Did It Again, as well as her first Grammy nomination, the fictional version of pop star Britney Spears took on some low-hanging job fruit by co-hosting the annual Springfield Pride Awards opposite Kent Brockman. She also aided in the death of 108-year-old Cornelius Chapman, as her kiss sent him to the Circus in the sky.

Appears As Herself In: Season 11’s “The Mansion Family” 

Gal Gadot

A year after her blockbuster leading role in Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot attempted to land an acting gig playing Lisa Simpson for a faith-based movie sourced to Bart’s fabricated story about seeing heaven after a serious injury. The episode also featured a jokey reference to her handing out hamburgers at the 2018 Oscars.

Appears As Herself In: Season 30’s “Bart’s Not Dead”

Cheech And Chong

The comedic duo of Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong teamed up once more in animated form for a Simpsons episode dating back to 2011, and one that didn’t hinge upon the leafy plant that fueled their early careers. Also noteworthy: even though Cheech and Chong technically first appeared on South Park, those cameos were recorded separately years before they formally reunited.

Appear As Themselves In: Season 22’s “A Midsummer’s Nice Dream”

Carmen Electra

Baywatch and Scary Movie fave Carmen Electra popped up in one of The Simpsons’ more bizarro celebrity cameos. After Marge and Homer were blamed and jailed for the death of an elderly woman (voiced by Frances Sternhagen), it was all revealed to be part of a new Fox prank show, and not only was the woman still alive, but she was actually Electra in disguise. 

Appears As Herself In: Season 13’s “The Frying Game”

Daniel Radcliffe

Harry Potter vet Daniel Radcliffe poked fun at his own massive fame when he appeared as himself following two previous Simpsons guest spots, running into Homer at a video game convention while in costume, though he immediately gave himself away, only to be consumed by a group of nearby fans. 

Appears As Himself In: Season 29’s “No Good Read Goes Unpunished,” as vampire Edmund in Season 22’s “Treehouse of Horror XXI,” and as Bart’s new friend Diggs in Season 25’s “Diggs”

50 Cent

Grammy winner 50 Cent appeared in one of The Simpsons’ music-centric episodes paying homage to hip-hop, though he didn’t contribute to the musical side of things, and instead tried to make inspiring Bart count as community service. The episode is also notable for inspiring the “Thursday the 20th” necklace meme.

Appears As Himself In: Season 16's "Pranksta Rap"

Suzanne Somers

While still in the midst of her run as a TGIF fan-favorite character in Step By Step, Suzanne Somers appeared as herself opposite an animated David Brinkley as the commentator hosts for the Itchy & Scratchy Show-themed parade. But while the Three’s Company vet did indeed provide her voice for the gags, Brinkley was voiced by Simpsons vet Harry Shearer. 

Appears As Herself In: Season 7’s “The Day the Violence Died”

Matt Groening

The Simpsons’ co-creator Matt Groening is one of the few guest stars whose celebrity status was directly influenced by the existence and success of the show itself. He first appeared as a featured celeb in the show’s Bi-Mon-Sci-Fi-Con, and could be seen gloating about his wealth while loading comics into a truck in the Season 21 premiere, with both eps revolving around Comic Book Guy plots.

Appears As Himself In: Season 15’s “My Big Fat Geek Wedding” Season 21’s “Homer the Whopper” as an announcer in Season 23’s “Holidays of Future Passed”

Lady Gaga

The Season 23 finale stands out as a special one, in that Lady Gaga’s appearance as herself was a core part of the main narrative, as opposed to just a limited cameo. The episode’s focus on unhappiness wasn’t so well-received, but it’s still a great send-up of the singer-songwriter and American Horror Story vet.

Appears As Herself In: Season 23’s “Lisa Goes Gaga”

"Weird" Al Yankovic

Parody mastermind “Weird” Al Yankovic is always dependable for a great cameo, and his first Simpsons appearance featured the faux parody “Homer and Marge,” spoofing the John Mellencamp hit “Jack & Diane.” He next showed up in flashback form (with glasses and curly hair galore) for the layered parody “Brain Freeze,” sending up Homer’s Nirvana-spoofing grunge song “Shave Me.” He then showed up as himself to sing and play the opening theme for a Season 34 couch gag.

Appears As Himself In: Season 14’s “Three Gays of the Condo” Season 19’s “That 90s Show” Season 34’s “Hostile Kirk Place”

• RELATED: Weird Al Yankovic's Greatest Parodies And Other Songs About Movies

Bette Midler

A winner of multiple Grammys and Emmys, Bette Midler showed up in one of The Simpsons’ most eclectic batch of guest stars, many of whom were portrayed to be quasi-friends of Krusty the Clown. (Including Johnny Carson, Elizabeth Taylor, Hugh Hefner, and more.) In a callback to a similar performance devoted to Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, Midler sings “Wind Beneath My Wings” to Krusty, which is quite the surreal (and unearned) sight.

Appears As Herself In: Season 4’s “Krusty Gets Kancelled”

Jim Parsons

Less than a year after bidding adieu to The Big Bang Theory, Jim Parsons achieved further geek cred by appearing as himself on The Simpsons for a fun educational-esque video about cryptocurrency.

Appears As Himself In: Season 31's "Frinkcoin"

Dolly Parton

Country music legend Dolly Parton was one of seven different guest stars who voiced themselves for the 1999 episode that aired following Super Bowl XXXIII, including NFL vets Dan Marino and John Madden. (And Rupert Murdoch, because why not?) But as the animated halftime entertainment, Parton is the only one who helped break Homer & Co. out of their stadium cell, so she gets the glory. 

Appears As Herself In: Season 10’s  “Sunday, Cruddy Sunday”

Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen

Before they turned down reprising the role of Michelle Tanner for Fuller House, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen appeared as themselves for a 2004 ep in quite a savvy way: as the voices beyond the audiobook for Marge’s torrid romance novel The Harpooned Heart.  

Appear As Themselves In: Season 15’s “Diatribe of a Mad Housewife”

Yo-Yo Ma

One of the most accomplished cellists in existence, Yo-Yo Ma made his official vocal and musical debut on The Simpsons in 2015, decades after he and co-creator Matt Groening lived in the same Harvard dorm. Yo-Yo Ma had the unenviable task of helping woo Marge's mom for Mr. Burns. The accolade-laden Grammy winner also performed the Simpsons theme song for the closing credits.

Appeared As Himself In: Season 27's "Puffless"

Eartha Kitt

William Daniels provided the voice of Knight Rider's KITT twice on The Simpsons, but here we're talking about the wildly talented singer, actress, and Broadway luminary Eartha Kitt. She appeared in Season 21 as one of Krusty's former wives, who notably didn't make it beyond six hours before getting divorced. 

Appeared As Herself In: Season 21's "Once Upon a Time in Springfield"

Paul Rudd

Paul Rudd is the rare celeb who seems to age better than his animated self, and there are multiple versions to look back on. The MCU vet first brought his Rudd-ity to The Simpsons in the faux biographical film Streaming Valor alongside occasional cohorts Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow. He next appeared as a version of himself who wanted little to do with a judgmental Comic Book Guy in an airport. 

Appeared As Himself In: Season 25's “Steal This Episode,” Season 32's “Three Dreams Denied,” and as therapist Dr. Zander in Season 22's "Love Is a Many Strangled Thing"

Martha Stewart

Homemaker extraordinaire Martha Stewart showed up as herself, or at least a fantasized version of herself, during Marge's dream sequence in Season 22's segmented Christmas episode. She didn't exactly save the holidays, but then nothing can with this family.

Appears As Herself In: Season 22's "The Fight Before Christmas"

Ringo Starr

One of The Simpsons’ earliest guest stars was also one of its most noteworthy. Ringo Starr was the first of the Beatles to appear as a guest star, as well as the subject of several paintings from Marge’s youth. He specifically chose for his Simpson-ized look to resemble his animated look in the 1968 film Yellow Submarine.

Appeared As Himself In: Season 2’s “Brush with Greatness”

Kylie Jenner

The first member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan to make it into the world of The Simpsons in an official capacity, Kylie Jenner lent her voice for the tech-based segment "Wild Barts Can't Be Token" in the 2023 "Treehouse" installment. Though she appeared alongside Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Fallon, she was the only guest star to provide her own voicework.

Appears As Herself In: Season 35's "Treehouse of Horror XXXIV"

Bob The Drag Queen

Bob the Drag Queen became a household name after he took the grand prize in Season 8 of RuPaul's Drag Race, and then reached a whole other kind of icon status by getting Simpson-ized alongside drag sister Monét X Change in Season 34 for a fabulous final "viral vid" scene depicting a Waffle House faceoff between the pair, which George R.R. Martin watches instead of working on his next book.

Appears As Himself In: Season 34's "My Life as a Vlog"

Alan Moore

Comic book master Alan Moore has built up a reputation as one of the industry’s more prickly creatives, which makes it all the more incredible that The Simpsons not only landed him, but used him for an amusing Watchmen Babies gag two years before Zack Snyder’s Watchman film was released. The ep also featured cameos from another pair of brilliant comic creators in Art Spiegelman and Daniel Clowes.

Appears As Himself In: Season 19’s “Husbands and Knives”

The ever-energetic pianist Little Richard showed up on The Simpsons in all his gloriousness to present Edna with the Teacher of the Year Award. Though not before having to tell Homer to shut up for getting him confused with Prince (and Michael Jackson). 

Appears As Himself In: Season 14's "Special Edna"

Judy Blume

Four years before her famed book was adapted into the acclaimed film Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, bestselling author Judy Blume appeared as herself in a vision Lisa has that reignites her appreciation for America. If anyone has the power to inspire one of animation's smartest schoolgirls, it's Blume.

Appears As Herself In: Season 30's "D'Oh Canada"

Adam West

Years before he started voicing himself as the Mayor of Quahog in Family Guy, Adam West appeared as himself at the Springfield car show where Homer buys the snowplow that lends itself to the episode's title. The cameo is a fun one for Batman fans, with the camera angle slowly skewing diagonal in reference to the live-action series' villain shots. 

Appears As Himself In: Season 4's "Mr. Plow," and as Batman in Season 14's "Large Marge"

Needless to say that SPOILERS for The Flash are ahead!

Nearly a decade after it was officially announced as part of the DC Extended Universe slate, The Flash finally arrived in theaters earlier this year. While this marked the first opportunity for Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen to be spotlighted as a main protagonist following his appearances in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad and Justice League (both versions), it nonetheless saw various superheroes popping into in the Scarlet Speedster’s movie. Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton’s versions of Batman, as well as Sasha Calle’s Supergirl, were the most prominent of the bunch, but then came the climax, where familiar faces from DC’s past were brought back to the forefront.

With The Flash now being available for Max subscribers to stream, this is a good time to go all the  superheroes who appear in the movie’s momentous Speed Force sequence and ending, and how they fit into the DC multiverse (unfortunately, Grant Gustin’s Flash was not among them). Before going further though, it’s important to mention that this list will not go over characters who were established in the DCEU prior to The Flash, i.e. Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman and Jason Momoa’s Aquaman. While there were a lot of fans pleased to see them back (and the Aquaman cameo in particular could be especially important), we’ve been spending plenty of time with them in recent years.

George Reeves’ Superman

In 1951, 13 years after Superman debuted in the pages of Action Comics #1, George Reeve starred as the Man of Steel in Superman and the Mole Men, the first feature-length movie based on a DC Comics character. The following year, Reeve was brought back to lead Adventures of Superman, the popular TV series that lasted for six seasons, though the actor sadly died a year after it ended. However, his Superman brought back in The Flash to witness the multiverse slowly come apart thanks to Dark Flash’s actions, with the classic line “It’s a bird… it’s a plane… it’s Superman!” Playing as the camera zoomed in on him.

Amusingly, while only the first two seasons of Adventures of Superman were broadcast in black and white, this Superman’s world is depicted in the same monochromatic way. This cameo is especially notable because while Clark Kent/Kal-El was the only powered hero shown in the TV show, The Flash shows that this Earth is also home to a version of Jay Garrick, the first Flash from the comics. The character’s likeness was modeled after editor Jason Ballantine, and I’d like to think that Jay and Clark frequently team up and have perhaps even formed that Earth’s Justice Society of America.

Christopher Reeve’s Superman And Helen Slater’s Supergirl

George Reeves may have been the first actor to be widely recognized for playing Superman on screen, but for a generation of moviegoers, the definitive Man of Steel was Christopher Reeve, who passed away in 2004. Debuting in 1978’s Superman: The Movie, Reeve earned critical acclaim for his performance as the Kryptonian superhero, and reprised him in three more sequels. In 1984, between the release of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Supergirl was released, with Helen Slater playing Kara Zor-El, but never sharing screen time with her Kryptonian cousin.

That finally changed in The Flash, with Supergirl flying over to join Superman in seeing the multiverse come undone and being powerless to stop it. Weirdly, this Superman and Supergirl are depicted as living on separate Earths than the one Michael Keaton’s Batman hails from, despite the fact that last year’s Dark Crisis: The Big Bang stated that they live on the same Earth, Earth-789. However, I don’t fault the filmmakers for not sticking to this piece of continuity, and one could also argue that the Batman Michael Keaton is playing in The Flash isn’t the exact same version he previously played in Batman and Batman Returns since he’s living in an altered version of the DCEU timeline rather than a completely separate reality.

Adam West’s Batman

The Silver Age of Comics was a goofy time for superhero comics, and Batman’s appearances was no exception. So it’s no surprise that the Batman TV series that ran from 1966 to 1968, plus one theatrical movie, depicted Adam West’s title character in a campy light, earning him the nickname “The Bright Knight.” This Batman and Burt Ward’s Robin fought all kinds of wacky villains, and nearly five decades after the show’s conclusion, the two lead actors vocally reprised their roles alongside Julie Newmar as Catwoman for the animated movies Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman vs. Two-Face, the latter of which was released just a few months after West’s death in June 2017.

Unlike the previously mentioned characters, Adam West’s Batman isn’t shown in The Flash witnessing the multiverse’s destruction, but merely frozen in time. Presumably we’re safe to classify this as Earth-66, the same Earth from the Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover where Burt Ward’s Dick Grayson was shown exclaiming “Holy crimson skies of death!”We’re also treated to audio from Eartha Kitt’s version of Catwoman and Cesar Romero’s Joker as the camera passes by Batman.

Nicolas Cage’s Superman

However you may feel about the characters discussed on this list so far, as least they all had the opportunity to shine on screen before The Flash’s release. That wasn’t the case with Nicolas Cage’s Superman; had things gone according to plan, Cage and director Tim Burton would have teamed up in the ‘90s for Superman Lives, which was originally written by Kevin Smith. There are even pictures of Cage trying on an early version of the Superman suit, but by 1998, following Burton leaving to helm Sleepy Hollow, the project was put on hold and ultimately abandoned. The 2015 documentary The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened? explored the events surrounding its development and cancellation.

Although Cage later voiced Superman in Teen Titans Go! to the Movies, The Flash brought the actor in to cameo onscreen as the Man of Steel, shooting his scene through volumetric capture and de-aging him with CGI. This Superman was shown fighting a giant spider (a threat producer Jon Peters wanted him to face in Superman Lives), before seeing what was happening to the multiverse. It was a fun callback to what could have been, and maybe there will come a time when Cage’s Superman can be revisited in either an animated movie or a comic book series adapting the Lives script.

George Clooney’s Batman

By the end of The Flash, the DCEU timeline reverted back to its original state… with one major exception. Although the movie’s main Barry Allen accepted his mother Nora had to die, he still tweaked the past by moving the soup cans at the grocery store that were obscuring his father Henry’s face on the day Nora was murdered. As a result, Henry was exonerated and finally released from prison. But even rearranging some soup cans had consequences, because when Barry met up with Bruce after his father’s hearing, he was shocked to see his Justice League teammate looked different yet again, with George Clooney reprising his version of Bruce Wayne more than two and a half decades after Batman & Robin.

Considering how poorly Batman & Robin was received and how many times Clooney has apologized for his performance, it’s somewhat surprising that he agreed to cameo in The Flash. To be clear, while Clooney’s Batman in this DC movie isn’t necessarily the same one who fought Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy and Bane in the mid ‘90s, he has taken over as the DCEU’s resident Caped Crusader, with Ben Affleck’s iteration of the character being wiped away. But don’t think this means we’ll be seeing a lot more of Clooney’s Batman going forward, as it’s already been clarified that a different actor will be hired to put on the cape and cowl for the upcoming DC Universe continuity, with that Batman already primed to lead The Brave and the Bold, directed by The Flash’s own Andy Muschietti.

Given the retirement of the DCEU and the DC Universe’s Chapter One slate launching in the next few years, it’s unclear whether we’ll see more of Ezra Miller’s Flash going forward or if another actor will be tapped to play the Scarlet Speedster. However, given how integral the multiverse is to DC Comics lore, it’s doubtful this movie will be the last time it’s explored in a live-action cinematic setting. Regardless, if you’re in the market for news on upcoming DC movies and upcoming DC TV shows, CinemaBlend will continue to keep you apprised on that front. Those of you wanting to stick around The Flash’s streaming home would also be wise to look over the best movies on Max.

Along with delivering a wild cameo of Nicolas Cage as Superman, the big multiverse sequence in The Flash’s climax also featured several deceased DC actors through the use of AI and deepfaking, including Adam West, star of the 1960s Batman TV series. While West passed away back in 2017, the latest of the theatrically-released DC movies gave fans a quick reunion with the affectionately-nicknamed Bright Knight, who fought crime in Gotham City alongside Burt Ward’s Robin. However, it doesn’t end with the Scarlet Speedster-led feature, as West has another posthumous appearance in a DC project lined up, albeit not as the Caped Crusader.

One of the currently-running DC TV shows is Batwheels, a preschool-geared animated series focusing on the various vehicles driven by members of the Bat-Family. The show, which both airs on Cartoon Network and can be viewed with a Max subscription, will kick off a new batch of episodes on September 11, and per Comicbook.com, West will be heard as the voice of the classic 1966 Batmobile in “To the Batmobile,” which airs on September 15, the day before this year’s Batman Day.

Given that Batwheels entered development in 2020, naturally the show will be recycling audio from Adam West rather than the actor having recorded dialogue beforehand. This will be the actor’s third posthumous Batman-related appearance, as along with The Flash, he voiced Batman for the final time in the animated movie Batman vs. Two-Face, which came out four months after West’s death and followed 2016’s Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. Both movies were set in the same continuity as the original Batman TV series, which aired on ABC from 1966 to 1968 and was accompanied by one live-action theatrical movie released during its first year on the air.

While it’s unclear what the West-voiced Batmobile will specifically be doing in “To the Batmobile,” he will undoubtedly be helping out the cast of younger vehicular protagonists, including Jacob Bertrand’s main Batmobile, Jordan Reed’s Redbird, Madigan Kacmar’s Batgirl cycle, Noah Bentley’s Bat Truck and Lilimar’s Batwing, among others. Batwheels also features vocal talent like Ethan Hawke as Batman, A.J. Hudson as Duke Thomas/Robin, Leah Lewis as Cassandra Cain/Batgirl and MacLeod Lewis as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, and along with plenty of familiar villains antagonizing the superheroes, their vehicles and gadgets have their own group of rogues designated the Legion of Zoom.

 As for what else is coming up on the Batman movies and TV front, Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe is set to expand with The Penguin miniseries that will air on Max, followed by The Batman: Part II’s release in theaters in October 2025. Meanwhile, the new DC Universe’s Chapter One slate includes the movie The Brave and the Bold, which will see its version of the Dark Knight teaming up with his son, Damian. Additionally, Amazon Prime Video subscribers have some exclusive Batman-related content to look forward to, including the animated shows Batman: Caped Crusader and Bat-Family, the latter of which will be preceded by the movie Merry Little Batman.

For some, the first image that comes to mind when they picture the Dark Knight is one of the many great live-action Batman actors from over the years. However, in the eyes of other Batfans like myself, the definitive onscreen iterations of one of DC Comics’ most iconic heroes really exist in some of the best animated Batman movies and TV shows and is voiced by the likes of Will Arnett and the late Kevin Conroy.

The question is, which of the best Batman voice actors deserves to be recognized as the finest of them all for managing to represent the greatest strengths and complexities of Gotham City’s Caped Crusader with only their voice? Well, to be honest, we may have already revealed our answer, but we should still begin with our last (but not necessarily least) choice in the following ranked list of the many voices of Batman.

10. Jason O’Mara (Various Titles)

With DC Comics’ New 52 reboot came the DC Animated Universe’s reboot, featuring a Dark Knight voiced by Jason O’Mara in 11 features that include a reimagining of the Justice League’s origin story with Justice League: War in 2014 and a subsequent series of new Batman adventures — many of which would make for a great live-action remake one day. 

I personally do not believe the Irish actor (who is also, technically, part of the MCU after playing Jeffrey Mace on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) brought anything unique or memorable to the role, but his take is undeniably brooding and badass, especially in the way he tells the Court of Owls to “get the hell out of [his] cave” in 2015’s Batman vs. Robin. 

9. Troy Baker (Various Titles)

One of the few actors who can say he has played both Batman and the Joker (even in the same movie once — namely 2019’s Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) is accomplished voice actor Troy Baker, who also has an innumerable amount of other DC characters under his belt. However, while his Clown Prince of Crime tends to get the most love, he makes for a great Caped Crusader, particularly in the way he captures Bruce Wayne’s inner turmoil in both movies and video games, like Batman: The Telltale Series.

8. Jensen Ackles (Batman: The Long Halloween)

Years after playing a grown-up Jason Todd in 2010’s Batman: Under the Red Hood (more on that one later), former Supernatural cast member Jensen Ackles got to play the big guy himself in 2021’s two-part adaptation of Jeph Loeb’s Batman: The Long Halloween. With his winning performance as both a diligent Caped Crusader and a Bruce Wayne burdened by his double life that made Troy Baker a fan, it is easy to see why he is returning to play Batman in the upcoming movie, Legion of Super-Heroes, in 2023.

7. Rino Romano (The Batman)

While it may share a title with Matt Reeves’ more recent take on the Dark Knight, The Batman, essentially, served as an animated counterpart to 2005’s Batman Begins as it premiered just a year before Christopher Nolan’s reboot and followed a younger Bruce Wayne taking on new, more bizarre variations of his rogues gallery. 

However, Rino Romano’s portrayal of the title hero — who also go his own underrated movie with 2005’s The Batman vs. Dracula — bears very little similarity to (and, arguably, comes close to surpassing) Christian Bale’s with a voice that never overdoes it with the gravel and a demeanor that effectively balances broodiness with levity when the moment calls for it.

6. Peter Weller (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns)

My personal, all-time favorite depiction of Batman in any medium comes from Frank Miller’s seminal, revolutionary 1986 graphic novel, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, which follows a Bruce Wayne coming out of retirement in his mid-50s as a bolder, more brutal and unyielding warrior than ever before. 

No choice could have been better to play this version of the brooding hero in a two-part adaptation released in 2012 and 2013 than RoboCop star Peter Weller, who — at 65 — makes the concept of this senior superhero, not only believable, but fearsome, especially in the way he delivers classic, badass Batman quotes like, “This isn’t a mud hole. It’s an operating table, and I’m the surgeon.”

5. Adam West (Various Titles)

While better known as one of the earliest and most beloved portrayals of Bruce Wayne’s alter ego, the late, great Adam West also used just his unmistakable voice to play Batman in a few animated series, including The New Adventures of Batman in the late 1970s and SuperFriends the following decade. Among his final performances was a reprisal of his “Bright Knight” in two animated films that paid tribute to the 1960s Batman TV show — 2016’s Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman vs. Two-Face the following year — that, even decades later, was just as lively and enigmatic as ever.

4. Diedrich Bader (Batman: The Brave And The Bold, Harley Quinn)

No Batman actor has ever managed to both pay a winning homage to Adam West’s uniquely lighthearted portrayal while incorporating many of the character’s more earnest, modern characteristics in such a smooth blend like Diedrich Bader. As the lead of Batman: The Brave and the Bold and with his recurring spot on HBO Max’s Harley Quinn, the former Drew Carey Show star’s Batman is one that demands serious attention without shying away from the chance of making you laugh.

3. Will Arnett (The LEGO Movie, The LEGO Batman Movie)

When it comes to humor, however, Will Arnett’s LEGO Batman — who was first introduced in 2014’s The LEGO Movie before getting his own brilliant spin-off in 2017 — is on a whole different level entirely. In addition to the former Arrested Development cast member’s hilarious, Christian Bale-inspired voice and snarky, absurdist tone, this depiction — especially in The LEGO Batman Movie — succeeds in both honoring and parodying many of the Dark Knight’s defining characteristics in a way that elevates it above even some of the more truly earnest iterations at the time.

2. Bruce Greenwood (Various Titles)

That being said, my allegiance is still with the more earnest animated iterations of Batman and one of the strongest in recent memory has been played by Bruce Greenwood in movies like 2018’s Elseworlds tale, Gotham by Gaslight, or the hit TV show Young Justice. However, his finest hour comes from one of the best animated DC movies ever, Batman: Under the Red Hood, in which he brilliantly captures his guilt following the tragic death of Jason Todd. His nuanced, impassioned performance makes me hope we see of more of this portrayal, which may come closest to the power of our Number One choice.

1. Kevin Conroy (Various Titles)

As far as I am concerned, most of the live-action Batman movies so far have not even held a candle to how perfectly the character was represented in Batman: The Animated Series and the other TV shows and movies it is connected to. The key to its universal acclaim is Kevin Conroy, whose vigorous, commanding, and (most importantly) human performance has become the benchmark for how most Batfans tend to judge subsequent portrayals and the voice they hear when they read a Batman comic. 

Having lost Conroy to cancer at the age of 66, we may never see another depiction of Batman as definitively brooding and passionate as his, but he will thankfully live on in countless titles like the Arkham video games, the Justice League animated series, and more. 

While we certainly have our own answer for who deserves to be called the best of the Batman voice actors so far, keep in mind that he truly speaks with many different voices, is seen with many different faces, and acts with many different characteristics. There is not one defining Dark Knight, but many, so that whichever you choose to complete your admiration is part of what keeps his enduring legacy alive.

Bruce Wayne is one of the most popular comic book heroes of all time, so there have been a number of Batman movies arriving over the years. The latest of these is Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which is set outside of the main DCEU. A funny Batman deepfake has replaced Robert Pattinson with Adam West, and I can’t look away.

While a number of notable actors have played Bruce Wayne/Batman in live-action, Adam West was the first actor to have that honor in the beloved TV series and accompanying 1966 movie. With The Batman offering a new take on Gotham City and its denizens, a video has been going around Reddit with West replacing Robert Pattison in the title role. Check it out for yourself below, and try not to laugh:

the_batman_starring_adam_west_by_corridor_digital from r/DC_Cinematic

I mean, how funny is that? The jokes in the video start immediately, with the logo from Adam West’s Batman show serving as Jeffrey Wright’s Bat-signal. That’s only the tip of the iceberg, as things get out of hand and cartoonish from there– especially where The Batman’s brutal action is concerned.

After Adam West’s Batman appears in this clip, things really go bonkers. The late actor’s voice can be heard instead of Robert Pattinson, where he threatens various Gotham City thugs with violence. Although said violence is accompanied with campy effects like “Pap!”  and “Zoc!” just like both the comics and West’s tenure as the Caped Crusader. Batman’s use of a taser was particularly funny, as the otherwise brutal sequence was made funny and cartoonish.

Fans of the original 1966 Batman show and movies will be pleased to see a number of references included in this remixed trailer for The Batman. We see Adam West’s character trying to get rid of a bomb, in what was perhaps the movie’s most iocnic sequences. What’s more, Penguin actor Burgess Meredith was edited over Colin Farrell’s to delightful results. Classic Riddler actor Frank Gorshin also replaces Paul Dano in the deepfake.

Overall the deepfake work in this The Batman clip is pretty impressive, especially close ups from scenes that were formerly shared between Zoë Kravitz and Robert Pattinson. She even touches Adam West’s cowled face, and it looks rather convincing. No wonder there’s some concerns about the negative effects of this type of technology.

The Batman had a strong run at the box office, and critics responded well to Matt Reeves’ vision for Gotham City. And the filmmaker clearly has plenty more ideas for his burgeoning franchise, starting with a spinoff on HBO Max. Fans are hoping that a movie sequel is greenlit sooner rather than later, especially given the inclusion of Barry Keoghan’s Joker.

The Batman is still in theaters now, and is also available to stream on HBO Max. Be sure to check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Actors have their own inspirations for what helps them get into character. Academy Award-winner Nicolas Cage had his own idea of who to model for inspiration when he was in Kick-Ass. He played the character of Big Daddy who helped train his daughter, Hit-Girl, and made himself into a real-life superhero. So to better prepare for one of his best movies, what hero did Nicolas Cage draw from for inspiration to play a real-life Batman? Batman himself, of course! Nicolas Cage shared what Adam West told him when he revealed to him that his Batman was the inspiration for his Kick-Ass character.

Adam West was known for playing Batman in the 1960s Batman series over the course of two years. In an Ask Me Anything board on Reddit, a fan asked Cage if Adam West was his only inspiration for his role of Big Daddy or if there were any other sources he drew from. Here is what Nicolas Cage had to say to that:

Well, it proves that no matter how many Batman movies there are out there, nothing will ever surpass the original portrayal of the infamous superhero character. Nicolas Cage is not the only actor who used Adam West as inspiration to play a superhero. Adam West also inspired Amazon’s The Tick about an unassuming account who doubles as a superhero in a blue tick suit fighting crime. Like Batman, the character of The Tick also has no superpowers. Peter Serafinowicz, who played The Tick, felt like his show was like a modern take of Batman and found it “flattering” when fans compared his performance to West.

Nicolas Cage did an amazing job in Kick-Ass playing the role of a dedicated yet whimsical father who had an unconventional relationship with his daughter. He taught this teenage daughter how to use deadly weapons and just kick ass in general. Did you know that Brad Pitt was originally going to be Big Daddy in Kick-Ass? Because Quentin Tarantino snagged him for Inglourious Basterds, Pitt was not going to be able to don a Batman-like suit as Big Daddy does. When Brad Pitt was no longer an option, it was easy for director Matthew Vaughn to think of Nicolas Cage since he knew the Raising Arizona actor loved comic books and superheroes. With Vaughn describing his script as “a love letter to superheroes,” this project was perfect for Cage.

If you want to see Nicolas Cage kick ass in his role as Big Daddy, you can watch it now using your HBO Max subscription. 

Before he was cast as The Joker in The Dark Knight, the late Oscar winner Heath Ledger actually screen-tested for the title role of Batman Begins when it was still in development - which is a bit odd to imagine, I will admit. However, an actor playing both the Caped Crusader and the Clown Prince of Crime is not so far fetched, and has happened before, believe it or not. 

In fact, there are quite a few Batman actors who have also filled the shoes of other Gotham City residents in additional (or even the same) DC movies, TV shows, and other forms of media. Just as Batman would, let’s further investigate this surprisingly common phenomenon one actor at a time, starting with the beloved “Bright Knight.” 

Adam West (Batman on Batman, The Gray Ghost on Batman: The Animated Series, And More)

The campy and cartoonish 1960s Batman TV show bares very little resemblance to how the character was originally visualized for DC Comics, but the late Adam West’s rich and lively performance continues to be idolized to this day and would earn him several cameos in subsequent DC TV shows. For instance, he voiced Gotham City’s mayor on the mid-2000s animated series The Batman, and Bruce Wayne’s father, Thomas, on the 2008-2011 animated hit Batman: The Brave and the Bold. 

However, my favorite is his memorably meta guest spot on Batman: The Animated Series as an out-of-work actor whose TV persona “The Gray Ghost” served as a huge inspiration to young Bruce (Kevin Conroy).

Kevin Conroy (Batman In Various Titles, John Grayson On The Batman, Thomas Wayne In Batman Vs. Robin)

Speaking of, after voicing the Dark Knight in countless DC animated movies, TV shows, and video games since 1992 (when he was cast in Batman: The Animated Series), Kevin Conroy has become just as iconic as Adam West, and also has a couple of exciting cameos as other Gothamites to prove it. In addition to also appearing on The Batman as Dick Grayson’s late father, he also filled the role of Bruce Wayne’s late father in the 2015 movie Batman vs. Robin, which was inspired by Scott Snyder’s “The Court of Owls” story line.

Ben McKenzie (Batman In Batman: Year One, James Gordon on Gotham)

Despite spending most of his life without a father, Bruce Wayne was at least blessed with a number of people who acted as father figures in life, such as his crimefighting ally James Gordon. Years after leaving The O.C. cast, Ben McKenzie would lead the Gotham cast as a younger version of the future Gotham City police commissioner from 2014 to 2019. Coincidentally, the actor previously voiced a younger version of the Dark Knight in 2011’s Batman: Year One - an animated adaptation of an acclaimed reinvention of Batman’s origin story by Frank Miller.

Jeffrey Wright (Batman On Batman: The Audio Adventures, James Gordon In The Batman)

Ben McKenzie is actually not the only actor play to both Jim Gordon and Batman, either. In 2019, Emmy winner Jeffrey Wright joined the cast of Matt Reeves’ DC reboot, The Batman, as the legendary Gotham cop, followed by news that he would also reprise the character in an upcoming HBO Max exclusive spin-off series. In 2021, the streaming platform debuted an original, comedic podcast called Batman: The Audio Adventures featuring the voice of Wright in the title role.

Troy Baker (Batman And Joker In Various Titles)

Troy Baker is the kind of voice actor who is so prolific, especially in superhero movies and other related media, that I could do an entire article on all of the Gothamites he has played in Batman movies, shows, and video games, including heroes like Dick Grayson and Tim Drake, or villains like Two-Face and the Mad Hatter. 

So, for this section, I decided to focus just on his two most famous roles: Batman (usually in video games like Batman: The Telltale Series or ones of the LEGO variety) and The Joker (also in various games, TV shows, and plenty of movies, as recently as Batman: The Long Halloween). He even tackled both characters at once in the crossover film Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from 2019.

Jensen Ackles (Batman in Batman: The Long Halloween, The Red Hood In Batman: Under the Red Hood)

In both halves of 2021’s Batman: The Long Halloween adaptation, the Batman to Troy Baker’s Joker is voiced by Jensen Ackles, who is otherwise best known for playing Dean Winchester in the Supernatural cast for 15 seasons. However, I personally remember him best from 2010's Batman: Under the Red Hood (widely considered to be one of the best animated Batman movies of all time) in which he played the latest generation of title villain who carries a shocking secret related to Bruce Wayne's past.

Diedrich Bader (Batman, Solomon Grundy, And More On Batman: The Brave And The Bold) 

In addition to a some other notable DC characters, fellow prolific voice actor Diedrich Bader has played the Dark Knight on a few different DC TV shows - namely HBO’s Harley Quinn series more recently, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold as a less-brooding, Adam West-style Batman. During the series’ run, the former The Drew Carey Show cast member also voices a few other Gotham City staples, including anti-heroic zombie Solomon Grundy, Matches Malone (actually a persona Bruce Wayne crafts to infiltrate the criminal underworld), and a grown-up version of Wayne’s son, Damian, in a futuristic episode.

Will Arnett (Batman In The LEGO Batman Movie, Slade In Teen Titans GO! To The Movies)

Of the lighter and funnier iterations of the Dark Knight, my favorite as of late would have to be Will Arnett’s spot-on performance as LEGO Batman, whom he has played in three movies (and even a couple of video games) so far - including his own solo spin-off, The LEGO Batman Movie, in 2017. The former Arrested Development and Bojack Horseman star has also voiced a lighter and funnier iteration of the Batman villain Deathstroke, who is referred to as the more kid-friendly “Slade” (his real first name) for his appearance in Teen Titans GO! To The Movies in 2018. 

Will Friedle (Batman On Batman Beyond, Nightwing In Various Titles, And More)

Some know him as Eric Matthews from the Boy Meets World cast, but others recognize Will Friedle from Batman Beyond as an aging Bruce Wayne’s young successor, Terry McGinnis. 

The role would see the beginning of a remarkable voice acting career spanning countless iconic characters from the DC Universe (and elsewhere), including villain Gearhead on a 2005 The Batman episode, a Japanese-anime style Tim "Red Robin" Drake in 2018’s Batman: Ninja, and the animated anthology movie Batman: Gotham Knight as various characters. I would not be surprised if he holds a record for the number of times playing Nightwing, such as on the Batman Unlimited series and in a few straight-to-video LEGO movies.

If you look at the cast lists for all of the Batman movies in order (and TV shows, too), it is pretty astounding to see how many actors are given dual roles. For instance, before Mark Hamill even debuted as The Joker on Batman: The Animated Series, he played Ferris Boyle - a slimy businessman indirectly responsible for creating Mister Freeze in the seminal “Heart of Ice” episode, and later played Tony Zucco on The Batman. 

The different shades of all the different characters, as distinguished by their performers, is one of the most fascinating things about the DC Multiverse, if you ask me.

Quentin Tarantino’s latest Once Upon a Time in Hollywood plays with a mix of grounded reality and fantasy in 1969 Los Angeles. Leonardo DiCaprio’s hot-shot actor character Rick Dalton may be one of the more fictional elements of the film, but Batman actor Adam West’s daughter found quite a few things she could compare with her late father’s early career. In her words:

In 1969, Adam West had just finished off his three season run on the classic Batman series with Burt Ward as the Dark Knight. Leonardo DiCaprio’s character is dealing with a similar situation in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, as a faded television star trying to navigate the changes in the industry with his stuntman Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth.

Adam West’s daughter, Nina Tooley, talked to The Hollywood Reporter about the many comparisons she found in the Quentin Tarantino film. For example, she said Al Pacino’s agent character Marvin Schwartz felt like it was “straight out of some of my dad’s stories” right down to the wardrobe, smoking and drinking.

In the beginning of the film, Pacino tells Rick Dalton he could do a Batman-type project in the future, referencing the television series’ famous use of “POW!” and “BANG!” When Timothy Olyphant’s James Stacy rides off the television set on a motorcycle, Tooley said she has a picture of her dad “in almost the same exact outfit on that exact motorcycle”. What a great testament to Tarantino’s recreation of 1969’s Hollywood.

Also, Adam West and Burt Reynolds played an actor/stuntman duo in 1978’s Hooper and the Batman legend starred in spaghetti western The Relentless Four in 1965, just as Rick Dalton dabbles in the movie.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood even features a radio commercial Adam West and Burt Ward did together back then for Batman which Quentin Tarantino reached out to the family for before adding to the end credits. Tooley continued with:

Sharon Tate’s sister also had a positive reaction to Margot Robbie’s performance in the drama. Debra Tate said she cried when Tarantino invited her to view the film because Robbie’s performance sounded so much like her. She felt like she “actually got to see her sister again”. On the flip side, Bruce Lee’s daughter was unhappy with the portrayal of the action legend because he came off as an “arrogant asshole” in the film.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is in theaters now. Check out our ReelBlend podcast’s exclusive interview with writer/director Quentin Tarantino.

One thing you can always count on in the world, besides death and taxes, is that whomever is announced to play the title role in a live-action upcoming Batman movie will get shredded online and in the media. Going back to the '80s, Michael Keaton's casting as Batman was even highly lambasted long before the Christian Bale decision was criticized, Ben Affleck got crushed when he was the pick, and Robert Pattinson’s casting was met with the same kind of criticism, until the world finally got to see them each in action.

So far, seven men have played Bruce Wayne in live-action Batman movies, but only a smaller few have managed to satisfy the biggest DC fans with their visceral appeal, in-depth understanding of the character, badass persona, and the overall nature of the performance. The question is, which is the best to play the Dark Knight in the best superhero movies yet? While there are no right or wrong answers as far as I am concerned, I do have a definitive ranking of my personal choices for the best Batman actors in descending order, which I will now present to you below. 

7. Val Kilmer

Val Kilmer has as much talent as any actor in Hollywood and when he is using his powers for good, he can be amazing – such as in Tombstone as Doc Holliday or as Iceman, whom he would reprise in Top Gun: Maverick. Too often though, for one reason or another, he doesn’t use those powers the way he should and, as a result, the parts he plays suffer. His performance in the title role of 1995's Batman Forever – the first of two DC movies directed by the late Joel Schumacher – sadly, falls under the latter situation.

Despite portraying a Batman who knows how to make a great entrance, Kilmer plays the part very blandly. In fact, there is hardly any real emotion from him. He’s not campy like Adam West or serious like Christian Bale. Kilmer is somehow… just boring and he makes most of the movie boring, leaving Jim Carrey as one of the best depictions of The Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones hamming it up as Two-Face to save the picture.

6. George Clooney

George Clooney’s biggest problem with his Batman isn’t the character or even his acting. It’s the movie: 1997’s Batman & Robin, which – despite having some fans these days – is thought to be a sequel that never should have happened by many. Schumacher did not like it and Clooney has been open about his distaste of the film and his mown performance, which is not actually THAT bad and would inspire gleeful reactions with a cameo at the end of The Flash in 2023.

It starts with his version of Bruce Wayne, which Clooney plays exactly how you would expect him to play the role, as a charming rich guy with a million-watt smile – just like the former ER cast member himself. If there is any complaint there, it’s that he is TOO much like Clooney and lacks the social anxiety and brooding inner darkness Wayne should have. In the end, it comes down to the material, which is laughable, but not in the charming way that the '60s TV show is known for.

5. Adam West

Speaking of the ‘60s Batman TV series, it and its feature-length spin-off (released months after the show premiered) are so different from what modern audiences expect from Batman, that it’s hard to fit the late Adam West into this list. Of course, we have to, because he is simply brilliant in the way he fits the role into the funky, campy, psychedelic production that isn’t so much dated as it is set like stone in a very specific time in pop culture.

His show and movie relied on Batman’s rogues gallery – which included multiple, equally iconic on-screen iterations of Catwoman – to bring the action and drive the plot, so West, as Batman – along with Burt Ward as Robin at his side – needed to be a Jack Webb-like foil. A by-the-book lawman of sorts who didn’t take the bait dangled in front of him by his enemies. What some people may see as stiff is really just stoic, just like Batman should be. West probably influenced every actor since him to play the Caped Crusader in a certain way, whether they admit it or not.

4. Christian Bale

Now, here is where things are about to take a controversial turn. To preface, I think there is no denying that Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy entries are among the best live-action Batman movies ever and are single-handedly responsible for reviving the franchise and superhero movies as a whole after Batman & Robin’s bomb. However, I cannot say that Christian Bale’s portrayal is particularly the reason why I enjoy them or revisit them on a regular basis, as I have a few issues with this take on the character whom I hold dear, and his extremely grating, unnecessarily gravelly voice is just one of them. 

I have never been a fan of the way these films underplay Batman’s reputation as a detective, depict his combat skills as awkwardly robotic and severely lacking in imposing brutality, and give him strange character motivations – such as when Rachel’s death drives him to become a recluse in The Dark Knight Rises, which is something the Batman I know would never do. Nonetheless, while his iteration is not my favorite, Academy Award winner Bale’s performance – a wonderful blend of intimidating stoicism, unwavering darkness, and a dash of anti-social apathy that he seems to borrow from playing American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman – works brilliantly in the world Nolan crafts here. That alone deserves him a spot among the top Batman actors.

3. Ben Affleck

The decision to cast Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice may have been the most controversial of them all – nearly breaking the Internet with comic book fans going nuts criticizing the decision. Here’s the thing, though: he was actually pretty good! In fact, when I compared Batfleck to Christian Bale’s portrayal, I ended up picking the former as my favorite between the two. Why?

Well – even though Bale is probably the better detective and Affleck is pretty loose with Batman’s no-killing rule – he is easily the most physically imposing take on the character we have ever seen in live-action; has a merciless, fearsome, fighting style unlike any other; and building an identity-concealing voice changer into his cowl is a brilliant touch. As for his performance: I think the Academy Award-winning filmmaker and vastly underrated actor stands out tremendously well with a unique shade of Wayne’s inner darkness that brilliantly comes through in his demeanor and serves as a perfect way to bring Frank Miller’s older interpretation of the character to the big screen. It makes me sad we could not see even more of him since the DCEU is being replaced with the DCU.

2. Robert Pattinson

Speaking as someone whose favorite Batman movie of all time is The Batman, I can understand why it may seem like ranking Robert Pattinson as the second best actor to wear the cape and cowl ever is a product of recency bias. However, this is a character I have been infatuated with and studied with close attention for most of my life and I genuinely believe this portrayal of the Dark Knight and the performance behind it is something we needed to see on the big screen.

In addition to, arguably, the best chase scene in a Batman movie ever, director Matt Reeves’ 2022 hit gave us the film noir-inspired detective version of the character that cinema had yet to embrace, crafted a world that felt grounded without being too bogged down by ultra-realism, and (most importantly) made the title character the real star by telling the story almost entirely from his perspective. No longer is Edward Cullen from Twilight Pattinson’s definitive role, because his performance as the Dark Knight – while a little too moody for some people’s taste – is on its way to becoming this generation’s definitive Batman for portraying the hero with a refreshing sense of humanity and hope.

1. Michael Keaton

Even in a world with a Batman performance as strong as Pattinson’s, it is still easy to understand why Michael Keaton’s return to the role in The Flash was in such high demand and so widely celebrated upon release. To put it simply, he’s the best – and not just because he has one of the coolest cinematic Batman suits or, arguably, the best live-action Batmobile. The secret lies in his diversified approach to playing both the hero and the man underneath the mask.

In two of the best Tim Burton movies, Keaton played Wayne as socially anxious and with a tendency to fly off the handle, while portraying Batman as strong and stoic, hardly revealing any emotion, and lacking dialogue in Batman Returns upon request, believe or not, to allow silence to be his ally. Each of the Academy Award nominee’s successors have clearly been inspired by his focused and equally intriguing balance of the two alter egos, but none have captured it to quite the same degree. Keaton is as much Bruce Wayne as he is Batman, and that is why he remains the finest actor to assume the role in a live-action setting.

Now, to be perfectly honest, my true, all-time favorite actor to play Batman is still the late Kevin Conroy, whose many great vocal performances as the Dark Knight are nothing short of legendary. However, this was a list of live-action movie actors, specifically. Do you agree that Keaton is king in that regard, or do you think Kilmer and Clooney have been unfairly overlooked?

Spoiler warning for anyone who didn't yet watch Family Guy's Season 17 finale.

Even though Hollywood icon Adam West died back in June of 2017, Family Guy only just got around to addressing the aftermath of the death of character Mayor Adam West. To be expected, that tribute of sorts was delivered in some of the most irreverent and weirdest ways possible. Let's take a look at some of them now.

The Disruptive Audience Member

Kicking things off with a "filmed before a live studio audience" gag, Family Guy brought in Julie Hagarty's still-mourning widow Carol West for a dinner scene, in which the conversation about (Mayor) Adam West's death kept getting interrupted by a rowdy viewer in the crowd who loudly has the hots for Carol.

After a few outbursts, the off-the-screen action included the offending non-gentleman getting taken away by show security, as he shamefully admitted he knew he was in the wrong for his catcalls. The audience cheered. I feel the late Quahog mayor would have also approved.

The Dedication Video

Within the same opening scene, Peter introduced a "special video dedication reminding people of how great Mayor West was." Such a description might have one thinking that fans would get a montage filled with shots of the animated Adam West doing kooky things throughout his many years as a Family Guy mainstay. That line of thinking is half on-the-money, but not completely. Check it out.

Who'd have thought that Peter would have turned things around to make the video about himself? Oh, right, everyone would. Sure enough, Mayor West's past moments soon gave way to recordings of Peter trying to reach viral fame through clips of hard-to-make basketball shots. The last one ends with an elderly person's presumed death, so the show once again veered left of respect to make a joke.

Renaming the High School

Family Guy chose a smart way to keep Adam West's name around for however many more seasons are left: it renamed its high school to Adam West High. The sign dedication was also undercut by strife, as celebrity unveilers Chip and Joanna Gaines (not voiced by the actual husband and wife) had relationship squabbles in the moment.

The first scene in the episode also addressed this fact by taking some potshots at the former high school namesake, James Woods. Brian and Peter shared jabs about Woods' provocative Twitter feed, among other things, in one of two moments that markedly railed on conservative celebrities. The other target was Fox News giant Sean Hannity, though the Family Guy characters didn't joke about his politics, but rather just a picture of Hannity's face.

Choosing a New Mayor (Or Not)

Without Mayor Adam West leading things in Quahog, the obvious solution was for the town to find a new mayor, even if it wasn't exactly clear where it was best to look. Things looked particularly grim whenever Quagmire took it upon himself to enter the mayoral race.

Though the situation didn't exactly brighten up whenever Brian became Quagmire's main political opposition, largely due to the number of pancake breakfasts Adam West would brag about. (I mean, that's at least 8-10 chocolate chicp pancake breakfasts.) After a particularly shoddy debate in which Quagmire totally duped Brian, and circumstances that left them presumed dead to the outside world, the election was called off. As such, Quahog still doesn't have a mayor.

And while one scene mentioned that fans could go and vote on a new mayor at Fox's website – which inspired some amusing back-and-forth dialogue about it being a trick to track people's data – it doesn't appear that it was a legitimate contest. For now, it's completely unclear what'll happen to the mayor role in Season 18. Maybe some of the characters from Veep can run since that show is completely over now.

The Mirage

As Brian and Quagmire were on the brink of death after their bus accident – that wasn't so much an accident as just the aftermath of Brian's errant throwing abilities – Brian got a helping hand from the universe. For a second, he thought that helping hand came from a smiling Mayor Adam West. However, it was revealed that Brian was really just hanging onto a tree branch on the side of the mountain. A tree branch that didn't look anything like Adam West. It was a weird moment.

The End

After Brian dismantled his own body by jumping into a swimming pool that didn't exist, the episode truly closed out on some actual live-action video footage of Adam West himself asking people to vote for him to be the mayor of their home towns. The clip was part of the promotional footage for the mobile game Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff, so it wasn't new or anything, but it was still a lovely way to cap off an episode that was quick to divert from sincere tributes elsewhere in the episode.

So here's a final R.I.P. to Adam West, both the actor and the animated mayor. We hardly knew ye, though everything we learned, we cherished.

Family Guy is currently finished with Season 17, though Fox has already confirmed that Season 18 of the happily offensive comedy will be arriving this fall.

Ranked lists on Batman are always fun, but what about the man behind the mask? So many have criticized and compared the various Batman performances of actors over the years, yet so few look to the Bruce Wayne portion. Batman, while awesome, is rather one-dimensional compared to the headspace one has to have to play Bruce Wayne. From worst to best, here's a definitive ranking of the best Bruce Wayne performances based on the actors who played him in live action cinema.

6. George Clooney

George Clooney's fleeting performance as Batman has never gotten a lot of love, and I can't say his performance as Bruce Wayne is any better. Sure, he's got the good looks, but there's not much else to love about Clooney's Wayne. His public persona is rather lacking, as evidenced by his television interview in Batman & Robin that he stumbled through in what feels like a Jeff Goldblum impersonation?

Now I know the scenes between George Clooney's Wayne and Michael Gough's Alfred have some appeal, but that's more a product of Gough's acting than anything. Most of the emotional weight in the scenes comes from Gough's delivery, while Clooney's Wayne has this smug smirk on his face seemingly inappropriate for a man so mentally scarred by the death of his parents that he's been driven to vigilantism. Without question, he's the gold standard for how not to play Bruce Wayne.

5. Adam West

There's an argument that can be made that the late Adam West may be the best Bruce Wayne of them all, but that's not the case here. West's performance ranks above Clooney because he represents the classic Batman to a "t", and for all the Bat merchandising he did create he never went to the bank and got a credit card in his name.

Here's the thing though, Adam West's Bruce Wayne and Batman are practically identical. This makes it impossible to tell if the man is always on as Batman, or as Bruce Wayne. If it's the latter, then it's a damn good performance and worthy of a higher ranking on this list. Without a clear way of knowing, however, he's gonna have to hang out near the bottom with George Clooney.

4. Michael Keaton

Michael Keaton's Bruce Wayne, while leagues above the aforementioned performances, is still somewhat lacking compared to the three above him. Keaton's Wayne has the brooding and anger down well enough, but can never really break out of that shell into the deeper personas of Bruce Wayne. He couldn't even chill out long enough to have an honest conversation with Vicki, and ended up shoving her and telling her to "shut up."

In truth, Michael Keaton's Bruce is perfect for the actual Bruce. It's a fine persona to have in the presence of Alfred, but a bit more problematic when dealing with the general public. After all, if the town's billionaire is always acting tough and staring down supervillains out of costume, people might put two and two together as to who he really is. It worked for Keaton's films, but is far from a perfect performance as Bruce Wayne.

3. Val Kilmer

Batman Forever may be one of the lesser films of the franchise, but Val Kilmer's performance as Bruce Wayne was actually pretty solid. While the actor could never reach the same level of acclaim for the Batman portrayal of his predecessor, Kilmer struck a better balance between Wayne in private and Wayne in public than Keaton ever could.

The public persona of Kilmer's Wayne is best showcased when he first met Edward Nygma. The professional nature, the boss-like attitude, the smile on his face despite his clear annoyance, that's the Bruce he puts out there for people to see. Conversely, the argument with Robin in the Batcave is much more unrestrained and more honest. Kilmer never quite reaches the intensity or sadness of the character, however, so I can only give him so much credit.

2. Ben Affleck

There are certainly shades of Michael Keaton's performance in Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne, but he saves that for Alfred or people that piss him off. He's capable of playing the billionaire Playboy rather well, but equally as capable of letting his gruff, no-nonsense personality show on a dime. The party scene between Clark and Bruce in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a great showcase of this, and exemplified the difference between Keaton and Affleck's Wayne.

The conversation started with Affleck trying to quickly end things with who he thinks is just some journalist. He cracked a joke to justify his attention to Diana, which falls in line with his playboy persona. Once Clark started taking shots at Gotham and Batman though, Bruce flips the script and let him know he didn't know what he was talking about. It's a brilliant scene that should have everyone crossing their fingers he'll return to the role.

1. Christian Bale

Was there ever any question Christian Bale would top the list? His performance may have an unfair advantage considering he had three films to build his Bruce Wayne persona, but honestly, Batman Begins featured plenty of evidence he understood Batman's secret identity from the jump. The plot presented a clear understanding that Bruce must maintain a certain public persona to keep from arousing suspicion about his life as Batman and executed it perfectly with the hotel scene.

Christian Bale's performance doesn't just take the #1 spot for publicly displaying his extreme wealth and fake carefree persona either. Bale's Bruce almost appeared to be having fun, which ground to a halt after a chance reunion with Rachel Dawes. Bruce tried to keep the act up, but eventually dropped it and tried to show more of his true self to his old friend. It's the epitome of what it means to play Bruce Wayne, thus deserving of the top spot.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, of course, so those with different ideas on where each Bruce Wayne falls and whether Bale's performance surpasses even that of DC Comics' vision should share their thoughts in the comments below. For more on Batman, be sure to check in on the latest news regarding Matt Reeves' solo film by visiting and bookmarking our what we know so far guide.

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CBS' The Big Bang Theory will be heading into its final season when it hits the air this fall, and, as could be expected of a very popular show that's been on the air for eleven seasons, there have been many, many guest stars during the show's run. Since Season 12 will be our last go-round with Leonard, Penny, Sheldon, Amy and the rest of the gang, we figured now would be a grand time to pay tribute to the best of the best when it comes to guest starring appearances on The Big Bang Theory, knowing, of course, that this final season is sure to have some surprises up its sleeve with regards to guest performances. Here for you now, we'll go through our favorite guest stars who have popped up on the show, and rank them by sheer awesomeness and utilization in the plot.

So, without further ado, and with zero apologies to Charlie Sheen, here are the top 12 celebrity guest appearances that have occurred on The Big Bang Theory since the show hit the schedule in 2007.

12. Leonard Nimoy

While Leonard Nimoy is a recurring figure in Sheldon's life, once even getting a restraining order against the "Big Bang Theory" character, the only time he has technically appeared on the series is in the Season 5 episode "The Transporter Malfunction," when he popped up as the voice of a Spock action figure that Sheldon encountered while he was dreaming. It was weird, it was wacky and it just makes our list.

11. Wil Wheaton

Wil Wheaton has an ongoing presence on The Big Bang Theory and he is clearly an important celebrity on the show. The Star Trek actor and blogger has been appearing as a minor character on the hit series since Season 3, popping up as a guest star (usually) once or twice a season. His initial issues with Sheldon were amusing, but now that the two men have become less antagonistic toward one another, his appearances have been a wee bit less exciting, although catching the actor in a gorilla suit was good for some laughs.

10. LeVar Burton

Star Trek: The Next Generation actor and Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton has popped up on The Big Bang Theory on three occasions, first in the Season 4 episode "The Toast Derivation," then again during Season 6's "The Habitation Configuration," and Season 8's "The Champagne Reflection." We've loved the "Fun with Flags" segment but our favorite joke probably has to be Burton admitting he should've listened to Wil Wheaton and "gotten a gate" when Sheldon keeps bothering him.

9. Steve Wozniak

The Apple co-founder first appeared on The Big Bang Theory during the Season 4 episode 'The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification." The gang runs into The Woz randomly at a Cheesecake Factory and the technology guru does a great job when he is confronted by Sheldon. So, technically, the Woz's role is a small one, but we do get to see him poke fun at Steve Jobs and his turtlenecks, and even makes a jab at nerds. (This happened before Jobs tragically passed away after battling cancer, so it was a lot funnier at the time.)

8. Katee Sackhoff

The Battlestar Galactica actress may have moved on to "greener pastures" with, first, the Netflix series Longmire and her upcoming show Another Life, but she doesn't mind revisiting the character that made her famous. Sackhoff has actually appeared more than once on the CBS comedy as a figment of Howard's romantic imagination, once even popping up as herself in the bathtub with him! The second time she shows up in a flight suit... along with George Takei.

7. Stan Lee

It's no secret that Stan Lee loves the opportunity to show up on sets for cameos. The Marvel spokesman has popped up in every Marvel-produced superhero movie, and he also appeared in the Season 3 episode "The Excelsior Acquisition." Sheldon and Penny showed up, unwelcome and uninvited at Stan Lee's house, and the legendary comic creator was forced to get a restraining order. Between the outraged Stan Lee, the excellent Fantastic 4 robe he was wearing and the general ridiculousness of the setup, the guest performance was top-notch.

6. George Takei

Takei's cameo amusingly appeared in "The Hot Troll Deviation," which happened to be one of the episodes Katee Sackhoff is also in. Most fans would be excited about Sulu popping up on the comedy, but Takei also nailed his performance, appearing with Sackhoff in one of Howard's fantasies and also appearing to give advice to Bernadette. In real life he comes off as a lovable eccentric, and that's exactly how he played his Big Bang Theory appearance.

5. Carrie Fisher

The late, great, Carrie Fisher had a really short role in The Big Bang Theory, but it's still a gem. The Star Wars franchise actress appeared in an episode of the comedy that also featured James Earl Jones. He, along with Sheldon, doorbell ditches her and, well, she reacts like a crazy person with a baseball bat, out for blood. The episode actually marked the first time Fisher met Jones face to face, which ads an adorable aww moment to the crazy performance.

4. Adam West

Most guest stars on The Big Bang Theory step in for a quick scene or two, the late Adam West, though, was present throughout almost the whole episode when he appeared in "The Celebration Experimentation" in Season 9. After nine years, Sheldon has finally allowed his friends to help him celebrate his birthday, and Leonard decides to gift his friend with having Adam West at his party. Some of the highlights of this episode include West joining in on a debate about who the best Batman is, with the elder Batman throwing serious shade on Ben Affleck, and West calling Sheldon "Sherman" when he meets him. It was a pitch perfect guest spot, to be sure.

3. Bob Newhart

Bob Newhart has popped up on five episodes of The Big Bang Theory. The comedic legend is less geektastic than some of the other big names on the list, and he is also one of the few big names that hasn't shown up to play himself. However, as Professor Proton, Newhart actually nabbed an Emmy for his performance as a retired TV scientist whom Sheldon and Leonard adore. Unfortunately, the character passed away in "The Proton Transmogrification," although he's reappeared twice (the first time as Obi-Wan Arthur) as either a dream or figment of Sheldon's imagination to give advice to his life-long fan. And, luckily, he's set to reprise his role at least once more in the final season.

2. Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking was a "dream guest" for executive producer Bill Prady and co. for years before he actually appeared on the series. He did end up appearing in 2012, in the aptly titled "The Hawking Excitation." In the episode, Howard was tasked with taking care of Hawking's wheelchair during a guest lecture and Sheldon slipped Howard one of his papers to show the man. Hawking ended up correcting an error in Sheldon's paper, which was hilarious, but the man was also able to poke fun at himself in the episode, which made it even more endearing. While the world lost Hawking in early 2018, he was able to complete a whopping six additional guest appearances, more than anyone else on this list.

1. James Earl Jones

You would hope any cameos by individuals related to the Star Wars franchise would come up near(ish) the top, and the over-the-top James Earl Jones appearance has to be tops. In the episode, Sheldon spent time with James Earl Jones after not being able to get into Comic-Con, with the goal of asking Jones to be a panelist at the con he wanted to create with his friends. What followed was a slew of wild shenanigans. Seriously, getting to see Sheldon hang out with James Earl Jones on a ferris wheel, at karaoke, in a sauna and doorbell ditching Carrie Fisher had to be one of the most amusing comedy sequences in recent TV memory. Anytime Sheldon is able to holler, "Hey Los Angeles, I'm on a ferris wheel with Darth Vader. And he's nicer than you think," you should know you have a win.

Family Guy has a history of recruiting major celebs to voice roles on the series, and it landed two greats over the years with Carrie Fisher and Adam West. Sadly, both legends passed away in the past year. The good news is that both had already recorded for future episodes of Family Guy at the times of their passing, and we'll still get to hear them in the new season. The Carrie Fisher episode was shown at the Family Guy panel at the recent New York Comic Con, and it featured Adam West. Executive producer Richard Appel had this to say about Fisher and West in the new season:

On Family Guy, Carrie Fisher played a character by the name of Angela, who was Peter's hilariously sexually aggressive boss at the Pawtucket Brewery. We never knew what we were going to get with Angela in a given episode, but we could always count on her being quite inappropriate with her underling. Judging by Richard Appel's comments at NYCC, Angela will be no less aggressive in Fisher's final performance, and she'll get pretty far if she's making out with Peter. While the episode hasn't aired on Fox just yet, it sounds pretty funny.

Even better, it seems that Family Guy intends to give a specific farewell to Carrie Fisher and Adam West later in the current Season 16, although they won't be the same tribute. My guess is that the tribute to Fisher will air either following or before her final episode, while the tribute to West may be held until his final episode later in the season.

A big question is how the show will handle these farewells to the two legends. Family Guy aired an episode with an "In loving memory" title card after Carrie Fisher passed away, and a special video was put together in honor of Adam West, who played a version of himself as mayor of Quahog. It should be interesting to see the direction the Family Guy team goes with their farewells in Season 16.

Tune in to Fox on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET to catch the latest and greatest that Family Guy has to offer. It's still going strong in Season 16, and there seems to be plenty of material in store for the rest of the season. For your other viewing options now and in the not-too-distant future, take a look at our fall TV guide. If one more episode of Family Guy isn't enough of a Carrie Fisher fix for you, you can find her in The Last Jedi in December.

With the first half of its initial season out of the way, Amazon's The Tick is set to deliver some more thrills to its eager audience in early 2018. That's some amazing news for a show delivering the third TV iteration of an already well-worn cult superhero. Still, the big blue character endures anew, and part of its success resides in star Peter Serafinowicz absolutely killing it in the title role. And it's all thanks to his love of superhero lore of the past, particularly the late, great Adam West's portrayal of Batman.

During the press day proceedings for Amazon's The Tick, I spoke with Serafinowicz about what influenced his variant of the mentally jumbled hero, with an emphasis on just how his performance invokes the memory of West's legendary take on the Dark Knight. It certainly wasn't a coincidental resemblance, as Peter fessed up as follows:

It's hard not to think of Adam West's Batman performances every time The Tick calls Griffin Newman's Arthur Everest his chum, and even the narration provided by the blue bug himself has a very 1966 feel to it. While speaking with both Peter Serafinowicz and Griffin Newman, it's easy to see that both actors have a healthy appreciation of Batman's more campy history, which is something that they not only share with each other, but also with their families.

Such an impassioned fandom helps The Tick serve as an effective homage to the Batman series of old, while at the same time allowing the Amazon comedy to exercise a healthy dose of self-referential parody. While all of the gags surrounding The Tick run the gamut from post-modern deconstructions to loving tributes, the character acts as a firm anchor to the proceedings, tying the universe together as a solid whole.

But as easy as it is to mimic the classic Adam West style oeuvre, the voicework is much more than just simple mimicry. In fact, Ben Edlund, the executive producer and creator of The Tick helped Peter Serafinowicz hone his vocal stylings through another classic entertainment filter. The mixture of West's cadence and phrasing, with the following notes, ultimately provide the voice of The Tick:

Shows like The Tick are what the dreams of comic fans are made of, as the genre lends itself to being loved and mocked in equal measure. But to truly walk the line between the two, and still tell a successful story, is something that only the deftest of hands are able to do. As you'll see in this clip below, Peter Serafinowicz's performance wholly compliments the writing and molding that the creative team behind The Tick has put into place.

The first half of The Tick's first season is currently on Amazon Prime, with the second half being pegged for some point in early 2018. Grab your favorite spoon, give it a binge-watch, and then head to our fall TV schedule to see all the other new and returning shows hitting the small screen later this year.

It's been more than 50 years since the Batman TV series premiered, and the campy superhero show remains a favorite among many DC Comics fans. The last few years have been especially kind to that era of the Caped Crusader's history thanks to the series finally being released on Blu-ray and DVD, new comics centered on this iteration of the Dynamic Duo and, last but not least, the animated movie Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, which saw Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar reprising Batman, Robin and Catwoman, respectively. In a few months, the sequel, Batman vs. Two-Face, will hit shelves, and we now have our first trailer teasing the battle with the duality-obsessed deviant.

Adam West passed away back in June, but he left Batman fans with one last performance as Gotham City's protector: Batman vs. Two-Face. This movie, which also features Burt Ward and Julie Newmar's return, will see Batman and Robin going up against a William Shatner-voiced Harvey Dent, a.k.a. Two-Face. While there were originally plans to include Two-Face in the original Batman TV series, those fell through, and five decades later, the coin-flipping antagonist is finally debuting in this continuity. Along with causing trouble with his own gang of goons (thankfully wearing identifying shirts), Two-Face will also try to bring down the Dynamic Duo with the help of Gotham City's other colorful cretins, including The Joker, The Riddler, The Penguin, Catwoman, Egghead, Mr. Freeze, Shame and The Clock King.

The biggest surprise in this trailer (which debuted on IGN), however, was the reveal of Hugo Strange being Batman vs. Two-Face's secondary antagonist. Strange debuted in the comics in 1940, making him one of Batman's earliest super villains. In this movie, he appears to be keeping faithful to his comic book counterpart and experimenting on criminals under his supervision. This time, he's created an Evil Extractor, but when the machine malfunctions and explodes (hinted to be on purpose), it ironically ends up creating a new villain by scarring Harvey Dent and turning him into Two-Face. If that wasn't bad enough, Two-Face will later seek Strange's help in getting the Evil Extractor back up and running for a nefarious scheme.

Like Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, Batman vs. Two-Face looks like it will be a fun blend of action and campy material, the two elements key to making any Batman '66 story captivating. This movie is also bittersweet, as this will be the last time we hear Adam West voicing the Bright Knight. Thankfully, he left behind a body of work for fans of all generations to enjoy, and fingers crossed that Batman vs. Two-Face is a wonderful swan song to his Batman legacy.

Batman vs. Two-Face will be available for purchase starting October 13.

It was a sad day when we learned that Adam West had passed away. However, fans of the classic 1960s style Batman will have one final chance to enjoy the actor's unique performance as the Caped Crusader. Last year several of the original Batman TV series actors got together to lend their voices to a canonical animated movie called Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. A sequel was in the works when West passed away and it now has a release date. You'll be able to enjoy Batman vs. Two-Face when it arrives on Blu-Ray October 17. It will sell for $20.

Originally going by the title Return of the Caped Crusaders 2, Batman vs Two-Face will introduce the popular Batman villain into the world of the classic TV series, as he was never a member of Batman's Rogues Gallery on the show. Even better, the part of Two-Face will be voiced by William Shatner, which just gives me a mental image of Batman and Two-Face in a showdown of overacting that must be glorious. The release date comes courtesy of Best Buy who have put up a pre-order page if you want to be sure that you get your copy of the film as soon as it's available.

In addition to Adam West and William Shatner, Burt Ward will be back in his role as Dick Grayson/Robin and Julie Newmar will reprise her series role as Catwoman.

While the classic Batman series is often derided for its perceived corniness, the series has had a lasting impact on pop culture. In addition to the animated films, the series also saw a comic book version of the story that followed the events of the series. Adam West has been associated with the Batman role ever since and you don't get that sort of typecasting for a role that nobody cares about.

Adam West passed away in June and the outpouring of well wishes and remembrances was staggering. Several other actors who have put on the cape and cowl sent messages of love. West's Batman may not have been the dark and gritty superhero that Batman has become, but his version wasn't that far off from the way the character was being portrayed in the comics at the time. In the end, he was just as much Batman as any modern incarnation.

It would have been a tragedy if Batman vs. Two-Face hadn't been completed. It's nice to know that we'll all have one more opportunity to enjoy Adam West's trademark delivery and the fun adventure that his version of the character brought us. And the best part is we only need to wait about two months.

One of the most beloved actors to ever play a superhero on the small screen was Adam West for his portrayal of Batman in the 1960s. Sadly, West passed away earlier this summer after a battle with leukemia. Many of those who worked with West over the years have come out to share stories about him, and The Big Bang Theory executive producer Bill Prady has a fabulous story. During an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, Prady had this to say about Adam West on The Big Bang Theory:

Adam West played a fictionalized version of Adam West -- as he did with surprising frequency -- in his appearance in the big milestone 200th episode of The Big Bang Theory, and he evidently had notes on the script when he first read it. In the episode, called "The Celebration Experimentation," Leonard and his pals convince Adam West to attend Sheldon's birthday party. West agrees, but he asks Leonard not to ring the doorbell, lest his pet poodles go nuts from the sound. If Adam West has originally had his way, it might have been a Rottweiler or two who risked going crazy.

It seems that Adam West's real-life poodle pets are what reconciled him to his fictionalized self also owning poodles. I have to agree with Bill Prady on this one. The image of Adam West being smothered by poodles when he returns home is adorable. I'm glad West decided to go along with the original script.

All things considered, Adam West's guest shot on The Big Bang Theory has to go down as one of his funniest TV appearances in recent years. He was never one to hold back when it came to fictionalized versions of himself, and his ranking of the Batmen in "The Celebration Experimentation" was pretty hilarious. Naturally, he ranked himself first, but there were a couple of surprises. Christian Bale's version of Batman was second to last for West, only coming in ahead of George Clooney. Lego Batman managed to even outrank Bale and Clooney. Who would have guessed?

Adam West's death is still a tragedy, but it has been truly touching to see all the tributes to his memory in the weeks since. His co-stars have had nothing but good things to say about him, and it's not every man who gets a Bat-signal shone in Los Angeles in his honor after he passes away.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest Big Bang Theory news, and don't forget to take a peek at our summer TV guide for what you can catch while we wait for the new season on CBS in the fall.

Adam West will certainly always be remembered as the star of the Batman television series from the 1960s, but he also left an indelible mark on pop culture making regular appearances on the animated hit show Family Guy. Playing a version of himself who also happens to be the mayor of Quahog, Rhode Island, the actor made his first appearance in the show's second season, and made regular appearances in every season after that. Of course, the question always lingered: why did Adam West voice "himself" instead of an original character? Earlier tonight, Ralph Garman, radio host and friend of West's and Seth MacFarlane's, revealed the answer:

Because Adam West's first Family Guy appearance was back in 2000, it's actually been closer to 20 years than a dozen -- but the larger point is that we've been laughing at the antics of Mayor Adam West for a very long time. Garman told this story while on stage during a "Remembering Adam West" panel at San Diego Comic-Con -- joined on stage by writer/director Kevin Smith, Batman: The Movie star Lee Meriwether, and Batman: Brave and the Bold producer James Tucker. Garman, who has also done a lot of voice work on Family Guy, also recounted exactly how it was that Seth MacFarlane originally came to work with Adam West, explaining that their relationship went back to when MacFarlane was a writer on the Cartoon Network series Johnny Bravo. Said Garman,

Between his work on Batman and Family Guy, Adam West most definitely did get the opportunity to show the world how funny he could be before he passed away last month. Because he could act like a limitless nutjob in the animated world, his work on the latter was surreally hilarious, and whenever he was on the screen he truly upped the random humor ante (which is impressive for a show that is almost entirely made up of random humor). To celebrate his many years of great work on the series, we definitely recommend giving the amazing montage video below a watch:

Do you have a favorite Adam West memory, be it from Family Guy, Batman or possibly in real life? Share it with us in the comments section below, and stay tuned for more CinemaBlend coverage of San Diego Comic-Con 2017!

Family Guy paid tribute to late co-star Adam West by putting together an epic Mayor West video, and it's as hilarious as it is heartbreaking to think about. Check out the compilation below for some of West's best moments and continue reading:

Watching that Family Guy montage really shows just how much comedy Adam West brought to the series. Of course, a lot of the goofiness is rooted in the fact that West is playing himself, albeit a zanier and far more idiotic version. But as the compilation proves, it's a bit that somehow never got played out to the point that it ceased being enjoyable. With West still making appearances in upcoming episodes next season, fans still have yet to see how the show will cope with his loss going forward, although it's been stated that no one will come in to voice the character in West's place.

The death of Adam West will likely hit the show harder than other celebrity deaths, considering Mayor West was a longtime member of the series. With appearances in over 100 episodes as the non sequitur-espousing mayor of Quahog and his recorded episode count dwindling, the Family Guy team will have to make a decision sooner or later on whether to continue the character in some different form, or perhaps write his character off and introduce another city leader to the fold. It's possible Family Guy will introduce that solution midway through Season 16, which debuts in October, or they could push things further to Season 17 and deal with it then.

Whether Family Guy finds another celebrity mayor or just drops the character completely, it goes without saying the lack of Adam West will be felt all the same. With all the touching tributes and loving memories that have come from fans since his passing, it's hard to believe that West died only a month ago. Hopefully whatever decision Family Guy makes to honor their long time cast member is a respectful one considering the shows tendency to be irreverent, although this tribute and other words from creator Seth McFarlane appear to indicate they'll handle his official departure from the series in a respectful way.

Family Guy returns for Season 16 October 1st at 9 p.m. ET. For more on Adam West and his penchant for goofy humor, be sure to check out the ridiculous prank he played on people wishing to look him up in the phonebook. For a full list of summer shows returning and premiering, hit up our summer premiere guide.

A few weeks ago, TV lost a true legend when former Batman star Adam West passed away at the age of 88. Unlike many who reach that age, West still kept his career going strong, even returning to his caped crusader role for a pair of animated features. For today's TV audiences, his absence will be felt the most on Family Guy, where he voiced a non sequitur version of himself as the Mayor of Quahog. Now, executive producer Steve Callaghan has explained that more Mayor West is definitely on the way, and he hinted at what could happen next.

Two rounds of thanks are warranted here. First, hooray for five more episodes with Mayor West! Second, hooray that presumably no one on Family Guy's staff had the monumental breach in logic to seriously suggest another actor coming in to serve as Adam West's replacement for the role of Mayor Adam West. It's a show that doesn't exactly scream "Class!" on a minute-to-minute basis, so guarantees are never an option.

Admittedly, there are some ways it could play out in both an honorable and a comedic sense, but only in a super-temporary fashion. For example, if West's former co-star and decades-long friend Burt Ward would step in for the Mayor's final appearance, that wouldn't be so heinous. If Mayor West took off a mask and revealed himself to be George Clooney's Batman, though...yikes.

Understandably, Steve Callaghan was still emotional and fairly distraught when talking to EW about Adam West's time on Family Guy, and the still-fresh pain hasn't faded. It's possibly even been heightened as the show's creative team obviously had to go back and rewatch and re-listen to Adam West's yet-to-air performances to make sure nothing needed to be edited out for any reason. (Note that nothing needed to be edited out, though.)

As for what will happen beyond Adam West's final recordings as The Mayor, it's still up in the air, but fans can expect something fitting. According to Steve Callaghan:

So perhaps Family Guy will do the standard TV comedy thing and simply throw another character into the mix as the head of the town, or maybe that entire element gets completely removed from the show. Either way, fans are missing out. And as Callaghan points out, Family Guy is also still dealing with the death of Carrie Fisher, who also voiced a recurring character.

With more of Mayor Adam West's surreal antics still to come, Family Guy will return to Fox for Season 15 on Sunday, October 1, at 9:00 p.m. ET. To see what other new and returning shows will arrive before then, head to our summer premiere schedule.

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Adam West passed away on June 9, and the world lost the man who played one of the most iconic versions of the Caped Crusader. While plenty of Batmen have come and gone over the years, Adam West's not-so-Dark Knight was one of a kind, and he became a legend in the landscape of superhero TV. West actually filmed an episode of NBC's Powerless prior to his death, but audiences never got to see it due to the show's cancellation back in May. Now, DC Entertainment has made the entire unaired episode available streaming as a tribute to West's years of wonderful work as Batman.

We've known for a while that Adam West was slated to appear in an episode as a character named Dean West, who is the chairman of Wayne Industries. After yet another catastrophe strikes Gotham City, West comes to Wayne Security to make some cuts for the good of the company as a whole. The prospect of Adam West appearing as a Gotham City citizen on Powerless was pretty exciting, so it was a shame that NBC gave Powerless the axe before the episode made it to the airwaves. Luckily, fans of Adam West and/or Powerless can watch the episode streaming on DC Entertainment's YouTube page.

I don't want to spoil everything that happens in the episode, but my biggest laugh-out-loud moment came courtesy of Adam West's character in the final moments, and it's definitely worth a watch. If you're interested in the episode -- called "Win, Luthor, Draw" -- you'll probably want to watch it as soon as possible. Although no specific date has been revealed, the episode will only be available in its entirety for a limited time. Be sure to check it out to see one of West's final performances before his death.

DC Entertainment isn't the only entity that has found a wonderful way to honor Adam West in the wake of his passing. The city of Los Angeles lit up a real-life Bat-signal and projected it against a building, and special guests (including the mayor of L.A., former Boy Wonder Burt Ward, former Catwoman Lee Meriwether, DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson, and comic book legend Jim Lee) were all on hand for the event. Batmen of the big screen Val Kilmer and Ben Affleck shared their fond memories of Adam West on social media, and Batman '66 actors Burt Ward and Julie Newmar both released touching statements about what West meant to them in their lives. The Powerless presentation will be one of many tributes.

Of course, this Powerless episode won't be the only project that will give fans a last experience with Adam West's contributions to the superhero community. We'll be able to hear his voice in the animated movie Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders 2, for which West completed his recording prior to his death from leukemia. Powerless will give us live action Adam West, and Return of the Caped Crusaders 2 will give us Adam West back as the campiest Batman ever to don the cape and the cowl.

The city of Los Angeles found a way to pay tribute to Adam West in the perfect way. The iconic superhero actor, who played Batman in the entertaining 1960's television show, passed away recently at the age of 88 after a brief battle with leukemia. Fans around the world mourned his passing, but L.A. gave everyone a chance to celebrate the life of the "Bright Knight" by lighting up a legitimate Bat-Signal, with scores of fans and special guests in attendance. You can watch the event, which was attended by some special guests in the video below.

Last night (June 15), the city of Los Angeles honored the late Adam West by shining the iconic Bat-Signal in the sky just for him. Hundreds of people, some in costume, gathered and watched Batman's illuminated logo shine on City Hall. Running the show was Mayor Eric Garcetti, who flicked the switch himself before saying a few kind words, and the actor's wife, Marcelle West, was also there with other family members.

The most familiar face was arguably former Boy Wonder Burt Ward, who was the literal Robin to West's Batman. Ward took the stage to share some words of remembrance for his former co-star and lifelong friend, whom he believed to there in Bat-spirit. Ward said that West devoted his life to making people happier and making everyone's lives a little easier. If the large attendance is proof of anything, it's that West certainly made a positive impact. Also in attendance were Lee "Catwoman" Meriwether, Batman '66 Meets The Green Hornet comic co-writer Ralph Garman, President of DC Entertainment Diane Nelson, and comic book legend Jim Lee.

Beyond the industry folks, one could find several people dressed in costumes, some as simple as a Batman T-shirts and masks, while others were in full cosplay level getups. Before the light was turned on, fans lined up to take pictures with two old school Batmobiles parked on the street. Also on display was the red phone used on the show by Commissioner Gordon to call for Batman's help. During his speech, Mayor Garcetti got the crowd to playfully sing along to the Batman theme song, a chorus of "na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na."

Though they may not have been able to make it to L.A., several actors involved with Batman projects have reached out to share their thoughts and condolences over Adam West's passing; among those were former movie Batman Val Kilmer and the current Batman Ben Affleck. Fans and friends have been sharing their Adam West stories over the last few day, reminding everyone what a joy he was, whether he was going all out on a simple line reading or prank calling people through the phone book. If you'd like to pay further respects, Adam West's family suggests paying tribute by sending a donation to the Adam West Memorial Fund for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the Camp Rainbow Gold charity for children diagnosed with cancer.

Adam West will never be forgotten for many reasons, not the least of which is his iconic light heartened take on Batman. For many years, he was THE Batman before the character's darker re-emergence in pop culture, but West left his distinct mark nonetheless. We here at CinemaBlend, send our thoughts and condolences to West's friends and family. The Bright Night will surely be missed.

The comic book community is still reeling over the death of Adam West last Friday. As the 1960s TV Batman, West propelled the Caped Crusader to new levels of popularity, and decades later, his portrayal remains one of the most cherished versions of the character. West had several opportunities to reprise Batman in the years after the TV show's cancellation, and it's been confirmed that we'll hear him voice the Bright Knight one last time in a sequel to the 2016 animated movie Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders.

It was announced last year at New York City Comic-Con that Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders 2 was in the works, and 13th Dimension has confirmed that West completed recording before his passing. Like the first Caped Crusaders movie, the sequel will have West and Burt Ward returning to voice Batman and Robin, respectively, just like the good ol' days. So if you're a big fan of Adam West's Batman, you'll get to hear his tongue-in-cheek delivery as Gotham City's protector in another animated project.

No official plot details for Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders 2 have been disclosed yet, but the Dynamic Duo will be going up against Two-Face. The duality-obsessed deviant was supposed to appear in the Batman TV series in a story written by Harlan Ellison, but this "lost episode" was never made. Four decades later, Two-Face will finally debut in the campy Gotham City, and he'll be voiced by William Shatner, who co-starred with Adam West in the failed TV pilot Alexander the Great. Julie Newmar will also reprise Catwoman in the sequel.

Batman '66 has been experience a resurgence in recent years which Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders only strengthened. Along with the TV series being released on DVD and Blu-ray in late 2014, there was an ongoing comic book series that ran from 2013-2016. Batman '66 has also shared comic book crossovers with properties like The Green Hornet (which happened before in the TV series), The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Avengers (the British agents, not the Marvel superheroes) and Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman from the 1970s. Outside from the Batman TV series, Adam West also lent his talents to DC fare like Robot Chicken DC Comics Special III: Magical Friendship, The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham and Powerless.

Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders 2 doesn't have an official release date yet, but it's expected to come out either before 2017 is finished or sometime in 2018. In the meantime, you can always re-watch its predecessor or the original TV series (and the 1966 movie) if you want to enjoy Adam West's Batman to your heart's content.

The world lost one of its most iconic superhero actors recently with the passing of Adam West, who played the unforgettably entertaining version of the Caped Crusader back in the 1960s. His death came after a brief battle with leukemia, and it was a tragedy that shocked superhero fans all over the world. Luckily, the city of Los Angeles has found a way to honor Adam West that should be both a fitting tribute to his life and a celebration of his legendary version of Batman. Los Angeles is bringing out the Bat-signal.

The good citizens of Los Angeles will get to honor Adam West in a way that befits his status as an iconic Batman. On Thursday night, the Bat-signal will be lit and projected onto the tower of Los Angeles City Hall. Mayor Eric Garcetti and Police Chief Charlie Beck will do the honors, and they'll be joined by a number of mysterious "Bat-guests," who will hopefully include folks like West's former Batman '66 co-stars Burt Ward and Julie Newmar.

While the Bat-signal lighting is a tribute to Adam West's death, the event isn't going to be a somber affair. In fact, fans who show up to attend the lighting in person are being encouraged to dress up in their best Bat costumes and don their favorite utility belts. The action will kick off on Thursday, June 15 at 9 p.m. PT at Los Angeles City Hall.

All things considered, the event sounds like the perfect way to remember the man who brightened so many lives as the not-so-Dark Knight. While West's death isn't any less sad, a Bat-signal lighting will certainly be something worth celebrating. Hopefully the lighting goes off without a hitch, but if there are technical difficulties, I'm sure there will be plenty of people willing to put their utility belts to good use.

For any who can't make it to Los Angeles City Hall for the Bat-signal lighting, Adam West's family suggests that fans consider donating to the Adam West Memoral Fund for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the Camp Rainbow Gold charity for children diagnosed with cancer.

In the days since Adam West died on June 9, a number of actors involved with various Batman productions have spoken out about how he changed their lives, ranging from Burt Ward and Julie Newmar to former movie Batman Val Kilmer to current Batman Ben Affleck. Thanks to the reveal of an epic (and surprisingly elaborate) phone book prank he pulled, we also got a reminder of just how West applied his sense of humor to so many areas of his life.

Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend go out to Adam West's loved ones. Hopefully the Bat-signal event will be exactly what everybody needs to say goodbye to a man who will never be forgotten for his distinctive version of Batman.

Comic book television did not begin or end with the existence of the camp-driven 1960s Batman series, but the genre has yet to come close to matching its hilariously absurd tone and approach. It's equally likely no superhero TV show will be able to match the leading man prowess of Adam West, whose comedic efforts extended beyond the TV screen and into, believe it or not, phone books. It turns out the actor, who sadly passed away just days ago, used his local phonebook for a fun prank that felt a little more Riddler than Batman.

A former resident of Sun Valley, Idaho, Adam West made his presence known in a nifty way that definitely rewarded people who like poring through phone books. (Pretend like I just made the expected joke about nobody having used phone books since AOL Instant Messenger was communication central.) If someone would attempt to look up West's phone number and/or address, as pop culture activist Rusty Blazenhoff had previously done, that person would get the excellent note to "See Wayne, Bruce (Millionaire)." I'm pretty sure no actual millionaires would post such a distinction publicly.

So if you go down this bat-rabbit hole a little deeper by heading to the Bruce Wayne entry, then you'll see a brilliant new direction to take your search. Bruce Wayne the millionaire cannot be reached by direct contact, so seekers are told to consult the Crimefighters section of the Yellow Pages. A pretty bizarre piece of advice, to be sure, and it's made all the more amusing when one notices that there's only one entity in Sun Valley that gets the distinction of being a Crimefighter.

Ha! And, as one might have guessed, heading back to check the Batman entry in the White Pages will send readers right back to looking up Adam West, creating what is probably the first and only "Bat-closed circuit of telephone book identification." Technically, this all goes a little too far in connecting Batman and his secret identity, but I suppose it's forgivable since none of it is real. (I totally know it's all real, guys.) Check it out below!

This was thankfully far form the only time that Adam West has shown his love for the Batman brand in the decades after the TV show came to an end. He provided fun behind-the-scenes stories and conversations about his time as Batman for the show's conversion to Blu-ray a few years ago, and he even legitimately returned to the role of Batman itself for last year's animated feature Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. (And while not necessarily Batman-related, he provided voicework for NBC's short-lived Powerless, set in the DC Comics universe.) But if any of West's fans ever tried giving him a ring without having an inside line to the Bat-Phone, then it likely wasn't as easy task.

Farewell once again, Adam West, and we're hoping that big Batcave in the sky couldn't be more comfortable and inviting. You will be missed.

We've lost a lot of acting greats over the past couple of years, but the world this weekend was rocked when classic Batman actor Adam West lost his battle to leukemia, succumbing to the disease at 88. Many of his fellow cast members from Batman already spoke out about losing their partner in crime(fighting), and this weekend new Batman Ben Affleck also spoke out about the loss, and even a little bit about what Adam West had taught him about taking on the role.

Taking to social media, Ben Affleck spoke out about Adam West as a person, also nodding at the fact that the actor, while not the first to play Batman, was the first for millions of Americans who flocked to the 1966 ABC series. In some respect, Adam West will always be Batman to a lot of people, and while it's common for celebrities to come out and pay tribute to actors who have come before them, it feels even more special in this case since West and Affleck have a big bond from being among just the handful of people who have known the highs and lows of playing the superhero.

Adam West had shared his thoughts on Ben Affleck playing the Caped Crusader in the past, joking to 13th Dimension that Batfleck would need to ditch the beard to play Bruce Wayne.

Obviously, Ben Affleck's take on the late Adam West is a little more reverent and serious, as it should be. Other celebrities who have also been involved with Batman-oriented projects have spoken out about the late actor, including the aforementioned cast members of the original TV series, but also Val Kilmer, who played Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever.

News broke over the weekend that Adam West had died after a short battle with leukemia. He was surrounded by his family when he passed and is survived by his wife, along with six children, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His version of Batman paved the way for future versions of the character, and he played other roles in the Batman universe in the time since the '66 series. His presence and his personality will certainly be missed.

Today is a sad day for fans of both Batman and Family Guy, as the legendary and always delightful Adam West has died at the age of 88. The iconic actor is known for being the very first live-action Batman, and his short battle with Leukemia shocked his generation of fans. But while the fandom may be collectively mourning, so are the many actors that West worked with in his long career in the business. And many of those peers have already written thoughtful statements on his passing, including his two Batman co-stars.

Burt Ward and Julie Newmar played starred in Batman as Robin and Catwoman respectively. They've each penned tributes to Adam West, which reflect on the legend's life. While Batman only ran for a few years, Adam West and Burt Ward's friendship lasted throughout the years and various appearances together. Burt Ward wrote,

This personal message is sure to also affect the generations of Batman fans. While many live-action incarnations of Bruce Wayne/Batman have come and gone throughout the years, Adam West's witty and campy interpretation of the character will always be the very first one. And in a time where superhero movies are so constantly focusing on gritty interpretations, the Batman TV show and accompanying movie is one that adds a sense of brightness to the property.

Variety has also curated Julie Newmar's official statement regarding Adam West's passing. Newmar was the original Catwoman, although Eartha Kitt eventually took over the role in the show's final season, and Newmar didn't appear in the film. She said,

The trio of original Batman actors recently reunited to reprise their roles through voice over work in the animated film Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. This last project as Batman feels all the more important and precious after Adam West's death. Plans for a sequel were in the works with William Shatner set to play Two-Face, although West's passing likely puts a wrench in those plans.

Our thoughts are with Adam West's many loved ones at this time.

While 2016 was devastating in regards to celebrity deaths, this year hasn't been without its tragedies. Roger Moore's passing affected generations of James Bond fans, and now the same will now occur with the Batman fandom. Because the legendary Adam West, of Batman '66 fame, has unfortunately passed away at the age of 88.

This news comes to us from THR, who reports that Adam West has died after a short battle with Leukemia. West was reportedly surrounded by loved ones in his final moments, and is survived by his wife, six children, five grandchildren, and two great grand children.

Adam West's passing will surely affect the many fans who grew up watching his iconic performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman in the campy 1960's Batman TV series. West played the role for a whopping 120 episodes over the course of two years, alongside Burt Ward's Robin. The series even aired multiple times a week, with a cliffhanger encouraging the audience to watch both episodes.

This version of Batman would also gain even more popularity following the 1966 film Batman. Filmed after the show's first season, Batman was the first full length movie adaptation of the Dark Knight, and featured much of the TV show's cast reprising their roles. The movie further cemented Adam West's iconography as the character, including some massively quotable moments like "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb".

Adam West's career would struggle a bit following his role as Batman. The legend has publicly revealed his struggles with typecasting, and how he and his Batman co-stars tried booking work after the series wrapped. He would eventually go into voice acting, which would open up West's talents to new audiences.

Most notably, Adam West had a recurring role in the animated comedy Family Guy, playing a fictionalized version of himself. Family Guy's Adam West was the mayor of the town of Quahog, often delivering somewhat random but nonetheless Batman-esque lines during the series. A character signifying political corruption, Mayor Adam West was often shown wasting taxpayer money, although he was also a sleeper KGB agent in one episode. He would later appear in the series in live-action opposite Rob Lowe. This wasn't the first time that West would play a fictionalized version of himself, as he did the same in campy 90's mockumentary Drop Dead Gorgeous.

Adam West's passing is sure to affect generations of Batman fans. While we've seen many actors don the cowl over the years, the light hearted and witty Batman that West played was the the first. And as Baby Boomers had children of their own, West's portrayal of Bruce Wayne was passed down to the younger generations. Add in his role in Family Guy, and it's unlikely that you haven't heard of the legendary Adam West.

Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this time. Thanks for the memories, Bats.

Plenty of actors have played different versions of Batman over the years, and perhaps none is so iconic as Adam West for his performance as the Caped Crusader back in the 1960s. His version of Batman is one who loved puns, solved crimes in the daylight, and was even known to dance a silly dance or two in his Batsuit. Now he's officially slated to return to the world of DC Comics TV with a guest star role on NBC's Powerless.

Adam West will play Dean West, who is the chairman of Wayne Industries. After Gotham City is attacked yet again, Wayne Industries is forced to make some budget cuts. EW reports that West will drop by Charm City to tell Van and Emily that some sacrifices will have to be made for the good of the company. It should be fun to see a former Batman interacting with Bruce Wayne's cousin at a company that builds gadgets for a world filled with superheroes. Given how sly Powerless has become at including Easter eggs, we can bet that the episode will sneak in references to West's time in the cape and the cowl.

This appearance won't be the first time that Adam West has contributed to Powerless. Back before the show even premiered, he narrated a commercial for Wayne Security that combined classic comic panels with footage from the new show. Even if West hadn't gotten a credit in the ad, there would have been no mistaking his distinctive delivery of comic book-esque lines. Take a look!

Most of Adam West's work over the past several years has involved voice performances rather than live action. He even managed to revisit the role of Batman in the animated feature film Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, which also featured the voices of Burt Ward as Robin and Julie Newman as Catwoman. West has actually played himself in the majority of his live action projects, which have included hilarious appearances on 30 Rock and The Big Bang Theory. I only wish we could count on a cameo from Burt Ward as Dean West's associate on Powerless. I'd be on board for West to have an executive assistant who chimes in with "Holy corporate layoffs, Dean!" at key moments.

We don't know just yet when Adam West's episode of Powerless will air. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in superhero TV news, and don't forget to check out NBC on Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET to catch new episodes of Powerless. The ratings haven't been phenomenal in Season 1 so far, so the time is really now to check it out. Take a look at our midseason TV premiere schedule and our 2017 Netflix TV premiere schedule to see all your other superhero viewing options on the small screen.

Fighting crime may be a seriously dangerous occupation, but portraying a fictional superhero is no easy feat either. Burt Ward found that fact out the hard way during his time as Robin on the set of the classic Batman TV series alongside Adam West. In fact, the TV icon recently sat down for an interview with THR ahead of his appearance at LA Cookie Con and Sweets Show and talked about an incident in which he dislocated his finger during a high-speed Batmobile stunt -- which was one of many injuries sustained on the set of the show. Ward explained:

The irony of the situation is the fact that Adam West did not have to go through nearly as much hell during his time as Batman. West was the face, heart, and soul of the 1966 Batman series, so the network made sure to keep him as safe and comfortable as possible. This disparity in treatment would lead to Burt Ward doing stunts alongside West's stunt double (who reportedly made more money for getting hurt), because the Robin double simply didn't look enough like Ward for a given shot. As a result, Burt Ward revealed to THR that he wound up going to the emergency room four out of his five first days on the set of Batman.

Despite the brutal circumstances surrounding his time as Batman's trusty ward, sidekick, and best friend, Burt Ward definitely seems to look back fondly on his time as Robin. The actor is known for making regular convention appearances, and he even recently returned to the role that made him a household name (albeit in voiceover form) to once again work with Adam West and Julie Newmar in the animated film Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. Dislocating a finger and going to the emergency room multiple times sounds like a small price to pay in order to carve out that kind of legacy.

All's well that ends well, I suppose. Burt Ward never sustained any life-threatening injuries during his tenure as The Boy Wonder on the classic Batman series, and he has subsequently gone on to become an absolute icon in the world of television. He is the standard to which all other live-action Robins are currently compared, and that legacy has been secured through blood, sweat, and dislocated fingers.

Looking for more information related to all of the most highly anticipated premieres still slated to debut on the small screen this spring? Check out our comprehensive midseason premiere guide and fill out your TV viewing schedules accordingly!

Despite the fact that numerous actors have played Batman over the years, Adam West continues to arguably be the most inextricable performer from The Caped Crusader's universe. Although he hasn't played the role in live-action in years, his name instantly conjures images from Batman '66. Now it seems that Adam West wants to cameo in Ben Affleck's solo Batman movie as Thomas Wayne. West explained:

During a recent interview with Comicbook.com, Adam West revealed that he would want to play Thomas Wayne in Ben Affleck's solo Batman movie. He even has a great idea for how to approach his cameo. In an uncharacteristically dark scene, West would want to appear to a conflicted Bruce Wayne on a dark and stormy night in the library of Wayne Manor. It's an incredibly dramatic vision, and one that perfectly mirrors the bat that inspired Bruce Wayne to become Batman in the first place during the events of Batman: Year One. The guy clearly knows this universe inside and out.

There's already a precedent for Adam West playing the role of Thomas Wayne -- albeit in voiceover form. The actor took on the role of Bruce Wayne's father in several episodes of Batman: The Brave and the Bold in 2010. As you can probably imagine, he absolutely killed it.

Of course, while we're incredibly excited about the idea of Adam West potentially debuting in the DCEU, there are admittedly a few problems associated with him taking on the role of Thomas Wayne. For starters, the character has already premiered in this particular universe -- played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan in the prologue sequence of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. It's also worth noting that Bruce Wayne makes a comment about being older than his father during the events of Dawn of Justice, which means that 88-year-old Adam West might not fit the character if Thomas Wayne returned as a hallucination.

While there are still a number of details that would have to be worked out in order for an Adam West cameo to work in the Batman solo movie, the aging actor remains an active part of the Batman mythos. Not only does he want to cameo as Thomas Wayne, but he also recently returned to the role of The Dark Knight in Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. It's been almost five decades since Adam West wore the cape and cowl, but he clearly still loves everything about Batman.

Even if he never gets the chance to play Thomas Wayne in the DCEU, we are completely onboard for an Adam West cameo in the solo Batman movie. Whether or not this will actually happens remains to be seen. CinemaBlend will bring you more information related to Ben Affleck's Batman film as new details become available.

Although interconnected superhero movie universes are a relatively new phenomenon, live action comic book characters have existed for decades. Sure, Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot are great, but Adam West and Lynda Carter nailed Batman and Wonder Woman long before the creation of the DCEU. These versions of such iconic characters have become firmly ingrained in our collective consciousness, and it seems that they will finally meet within the pages of DC Comics. Take a look at the tweet below to see for yourself.

DC Comics has officially announced that Adam West's Batman and Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman will meet one another in an upcoming issue of Batman '66. Although the above tweet does not provide any real insight into the narrative ramifications of the interaction between the two characters, the artworks shows Wonder Woman deflecting gunshots with her Bracelets of Submission while Batman takes cover behind a shield. It's camp at its finest, but these two characters are clearly going to get into some serious trouble. Readers will just have to find out for themselves when the issue hits shelves in January.

Superheroes from yesteryear seem to have become incredibly popular with comic book fans recently. Although dark and gritty comic book characters are currently the standard on the silver screen, there's still a very committed segment of the superhero fan base that enjoys the old school camp of Adam West and Lynda Carter. This passion has bled into comics with the creation of Batman '66, and it has even led to the production of a brand new film in the form of Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, which will debut later this month.

Check out a trailer for Return of the Caped Crusaders below:

If that doesn't make you excited for a bygone era of superhero TV shows, then I really don't know what will. There are multiple ways to depict iconic comic book characters in live action, and this crossover really hammers that idea home. We love the inherent darkness of the DCEU, the wackiness of old DC TV series and movies will always have a special place in our hearts. Camp never goes out of style.

CinemaBlend will bring you any and all relevant details related to the impending team-up between Adam West's Batman and Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman as more pertinent information becomes available to us. The crossover issue of Batman '66 will hit shelves in January.

The classic 1962 Batman TV show is making a comeback this weekend with the premiere of a new animated movie, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, at New York Comic Con. A sequel to that throwback movie has already been announced, and while the future of the campy Batman looks bright, it doesn't hurt to look into the show's past. While at the Con, actor Adam West revealed the guest star he wanted most to appear on the show: Kim Novak. It never happened but West remembers the story of how he met the actress.

While at New York Comic Con, Adam West was asked by ComicBook.com what he regretted not getting to do on the show or any actors he didn't get a chance to work with. Seeing as how West got to do everything from fighting egg people to beating the Joker in a surfing contest, there probably wasn't much he didn't get to do, but guest stars is a whole other story. West revealed that Kim Novak -- who was a big actress at the time -- wanted to be on the show so bad that she arranged a lunch with the Batman star. To put that in a modern perspective, that's like if Jennifer Lawerence called Stephen Amell so she could be on Arrow. It's unclear why Novak didn't get to be on the show if she wanted it so badly, but it's possible she just wanted to fangirl with Batman himself.

Batman had no shortage of guest stars in its 120 episode run, with cameos from stars like Jerry Lewis, Dick Clark, Sammy Davis Jr., and even the Green Hornet and Kato. (That's right, kids. Bruce Lee and Batman worked together.) Most of these cameos took place during the classic Bat-Climb scenes, in which Batman and Robin would scale (and by scale I mean walk) up a building and then have a conversation with a "civilian" from their window. It's easy to imagine Kim Novak popping her head out and seeing the Dynamic Duo right outside her window. But if she'd have wanted to follow big names like VIncent Price and John Astin by playing a villain, that would have been great, too.

For those who don't know, Kim Novak was an actress who had some of her biggest roles in the late 1950's. She appeared in successful films such as Picnic and The Man with the Golden Arm, but her most prominent role was in Alfred Hitchcock's iconic Vertigo opposite Jimmy Stewart. She was a Marilyn Monroe-type, but her career, unfortunately, simmered down in the sixties, and she later retired from the craft. Maybe she could come back for a voice role in a completely unspecified animated feature about a duo that is dynamic.

Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders hits home video on November 1, with its sequel already scheduled for a 2017 release.

The Batman TV show originally aired 50 years ago, but within that last several years, it's experienced a resurgence of popularity thanks to the series being released on Blu-ray/DVD and a comic book series (as well as several mini-series) hitting shelves starring the Adam West and Burt Ward-portrayed Batman and Robin. Then in just a couple days, this iteration of the Dynamic Duo will headline the animated movie, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. However, it's now official that a sequel has been green-lit, and Star Trek star William Shatner will play its lead villain, Two-Face.

Shatner's addition to Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders 2 was announced earlier today at New York City Comic-Con (via THR). No other details were provided about the sequel other than that it will be released sometime in 2017. Of course, almost everyone reading surely knows Shatner best as Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek TV series, which aired during the same years as Batman. Shatner obviously had enough on his plate at the time, though I certainly would have liked to see Kirk and Leonard Nimoy's Spock pop their heads out during one of those recurring Batman "Celebrity Window" cameo gags.

Regardless, five decades later, William Shatner is now getting to play the scarred Harvey Dent in Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders 2. Wait, there's more! After the first movie was screened at NYCC, DC Comics provided a first-look at what Shatner's animated Two-Face will look like, along with a special message from the actor himself.

As you can see, not only is William Shatner voicing Two-Face, but his normal-looking side looks just like he did in his younger years. That's a clever move from the animators. Although the original Batman TV series featured many prominent members of the Caped Crusader's rogues gallery, Two-Face never made the cut. Harlan Ellison did pen a story featuring the duality-obsessed evildoer, but the episode never aired, supposedly because the character was considered to be too gruesome for children to see. However, Ellison's story, titled "The Two-Way Crimes of Two-Face," was adapted in 2014 as a one-shot comic book called Batman '66: The Lost Episode #1.

Bringing Two-Face to animation was the next best step forward, and seeing Adam West and Burt Ward's Dynamic Duo battle this incarnation of the villain should be fun to watch. Casting William Shatner is certainly an interesting choice, but at least we know he won't have any problem hamming up the role, which is crucial when it comes to the campy Batman world.

We'll keep you updated on all the major details surrounding this sequel as more news comes in, but for now, you can check out Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders on Digital HD starting October 11, and the Blu-ray/DVD release will follow on November 1. The movie will also be screened theatrically on October 10.

Whether you're a fan of the DC Animated Universe, or are longing for the days of the 1966 TV version of Batman to return, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders is looking to be the next huge event in the animated world of superheroes. What's even better is that thanks to Fathom Events, you'll get a chance to see the return of Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar in theaters.

Fathom Events has announced that on Monday, October 10th, you'll have three chances to see Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders in select theaters nationwide. Showings at 2:00, 7:30 and 10:00 PM are scheduled to occur, with the film's running time being listed as a brisk 95 minutes. Unlike the last animated event broadcast by Fathom, Batman: The Killing Joke, this latest film is rater PG for ''action, suggestive material and rude humor.'' While Burt Ward himself has promised the film will be a welcomed refresh of the original Batman TV show, it doesn't look like this latest film will be crippling any of its key characters, or introducing interesting twists to their love lives.

One way Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders could mimic its theatrical predecessor is in the way its initial engagement was extended. What was supposed to be a single night of showings for Batman: The Killing Joke eventually turned into a two night extravaganza that brought in a pretty impressive haul for the limited run it occupied. Should fans feel just as revved up about the dose of classic comic capers heading their way, there could be at least one more night of showings added to the current engagement. In case you haven't already seen it, the trailer below is all you should need to sell you on the idea.

Nostalgia works wonders when it comes to projects like Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. Not to mention, with the success of the Batman '66 comic the film takes its inspiration from has done, there's a good chance that this DC animated film could be their next big hit. Only time will tell, but for now we're eagerly awaiting this nostalgic throwback's arrival with our cereal bowls full and our capes firmly tied around our necks.

Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders will be in theaters on October 10th, followed by a Digital HD release on October 11th and an eventual Blu-ray / DVD release on November 1st. The date for the 1st National Battusi Dance Contest is to be determined.

It's unlikely that anyone will ever credit Adam West with giving the most comic book accurate portrayal of The Dark Knight, but his incarnation of Batman holds a serious place in all of our hearts. The comical, campy Batman of the 1960's has become iconic in its own right, and in many ways it often represents a welcome reprieve from the doom and gloom of most other versions. Batman '66 was clearly fun to shoot, but which member of the show's villainous ensemble did Adam West like working with the most? As it turns out: he loved Catwoman. West explained:

Adam West recently took the stage Fan Expo Canada 2016 for a Q&A session, where he dished about the original run of Batman back in the1960s. When asked about his favorite member of the cast to work with, he answered "Catwoman," citing the "curious stirrings" line uttered during an episode in Season 2 when he played Batman opposite Julie Newmar's Catwoman -- the line itself has actually become a fairly iconic innuendo from the 1960s.

Of course, Catwoman wasn't alone on that list. Adam West would go on to include the likes of The Riddler (Frank Gorshin) and The Penguin (Burgess Meredith) among his other favorites. From top to bottom, the Batman series of the 1960s was chock full of legendary portrayals of iconic characters; it's hard to pick favorites among them.

It's also worth noting that Adam West never specifically stated which Catwoman actress he preferred working with. He technically referenced an episode in which Julie Newmar portrayed the character, but Eartha Kitt stepped into the role of Selina Kyle a.k.a Catwoman during Batman's third season when Newmar had to depart the series to work on Mackenna's Gold. Both Newmar and Kitt have become equally iconic for their specific takes on Catwoman, so Adam West could really be referring to either (or both) of them.

But if you consider yourself a fan of Julie Newmar's take on the character, then you're in luck. Newmar will once again join Adam West and Burt Ward in the 1966 Batman mythos when the upcoming animated feature Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders hits shelves this fall. Even in a time dominated by gritty superhero movies, it's clear that people still have a soft spot for the camp of a bygone era.

Check out the trailer for the upcoming animated feature below:

Adam West may have aged since Batman's heyday, but he hasn't slowed down. He's as quick-witted and charming as he ever been, and we're so glad that he and Julie Newmar going to return to the roles of Batman and Catwoman later this year -- even if it's a voice-over job. Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders will be available on Digital HD on October 11, and the Blu-ray and DVD will hit shelves on November 1.

2016 has been a great year for Batman in movies. Ben Affleck debuted as the DC Extended Universe's Caped Crusader in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and he later cameoed in Suicide Squad. In the direct-to-DVD area, Gotham City's protector appeared in three animated movies, including Batman: The Killing Joke. Before the year is up, Batman will get one final chance to shine, but not as the shadowy, intense vigilante we're all used to. Instead, fans will finally be reunited with the swinging Batman from the infamous 1960s TV series in Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. We got our first look at the animated movie last week, but today saw the release of the first full trailer. Check it out!

The Batman TV series concluded its three-season run in 1968, but after nearly 50 years, this animated movie proves they haven't missed a beat. Featuring the same campiness and tongue-in-cheek humor from the original show, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders will see Adam West and Burt Ward reprising Batman and Robin, respectively, in voice form. Just like in the 1966 live action Batman movie, they'll face off against Catwoman (being reprised by Julie Newmar), Joker (sans painted mustache, I'm afraid) Riddler and Penguin in a 1960s setting. This movie has all the trademarks from the beloved TV series, from the the classic sound effects to the bad puns. It's also good to see the Dynamic Duo is practicing safety while fighting crime by chasing after the bad guys using the crosswalk rather than jaywalking.

Along with the trailer, IGN also released the first official synopsis for Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, which revealed that in order to defeat their four ferocious foes, Batman and Robin will need to travel to space and back, and there will also be some kind of "Replicator Ray" involved. Created during the Silver Age of Comics, the original Batman TV series was the standard for how non-comic book fans looked at the Dark Knight. Even today, that catchy theme music still rings in our ears strongly. Even though Batman nowadays is a more darker figure, there are still plenty of fans who appreciate this hokey version decades later. Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders looks like it will be a fun way to continue capitalizing on that popularity, following the Batman series finally being released on DVD/Blu-ray and these versions of the characters appearing in various comic book series.

Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders will be available on Digital HD starting on October 11, while the Blu-ray and DVD release will follow on November 1.

Why does everything related to The Dark Knight have to be so damn grim these days? There was a time when Batman represented campiness, fun, and a lighthearted sense of humor. Adam West's incarnation of the Caped Crusader holds a distinct pace in the hearts of many Bat-Fans, and we all look back fondly on the 1966 TV series as a wholly unique era in the hero's history. However, it now looks like we will soon see a major resurgence of that particular universe, as Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar will soon return to their respective roles as Batman, Robin, and Catwoman for a major animated event.

Get your shark-repellent spray and bubble-top Batmobiles ready, Bat-Fans; EW is reporting that Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar will soon reprise their iconic Batman '66 roles in a new Batman animated movie titled, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders. The movie will return audiences to the campy world of 1966 Gotham City to see Adam West's Batman and Burt Ward's Robin face off against the entire iconic rogues gallery from that legendary era. Expect to see quite a bit of "WHAM," "POW," and "CRASH" flying across the screen.

Julie Newmar is the only surviving central villain from the Batman '66 ensemble, so her Catwoman will most certainly make a return as well. We're glad to have her back, but it's also somewhat bittersweet. It's hard to shake the feeling that Frank Gorshin, Burgess Meredith, and Cesar Romero would all return as well if we were lucky enough to still have them around. Rest in peace, you wonderful icons.

The Adam West Batman mythos has struck a serious chord with audiences in recent years. Perhaps it's a response to the overwhelming darkness of the latest films, or maybe it's simple nostalgia. Batman '66 ended almost 50 years ago, but the Adam West incarnation of the character has subsequently found himself adapted into the comics, cartoons, and even the video games without even a hint of irony. In many ways Adam West's Batman has become just as valid as the Batmen written by Frank Miller, Grant Morrison, or even Scott Snyder; it's simply another interpretation. After all, we need the light to balance out the dark.

Also worth noting is the return of the relationship between Batman and Catwoman. Some people adore the back and forth between Michael Keaton and Michelle Pfeiffer, while other people prefer the more adversarial partnership between Christian Bale and Anne Hathaway. In this writer's humble opinion, the palpable sexual tension between Adam West's campy Batman and Julie Newmar's sexy Catwoman will always stand as the standard by which all other live-action depictions are compared.

Check out the below clip and try to tell me that I'm wrong:

Holy excitement, Batman! Cinema Blend will bring all of you Bat-Fans any and all relevant details related to Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders as more information becomes available to us. The animated feature will release on Digital HD on October 11, and Blu-Ray on November 1. To the returning cast members of Batman '66 we have one very important thing to say: welcome back.

We’re living in the golden age of superhero television right now, but the shows currently airing certainly weren’t the first to star masked heroes. For instance, from 1966 to 1969, the Batman TV series took the world by storm, introducing the Dynamic Duo to audiences who’d never read a Batman comic book. In the decades since, stars Adam West and Burt Ward have worked together on and off (like in the 2003 TV movie Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt), but we’ve now learned that they’re reuniting for a special project involving Batman and Robin.

While appearing at Megacon 2016, Adam West teased to the audience watching him that he and Ward are back together for something Batman and Robin-related. As he put it:

This isn’t a lot to go off of, but for fans of the old-school Batman TV series, the prospect of having Adam West and Burt Ward working with each other as Batman and Robin is exciting. Seeing this iteration of the Dynamic Duo somehow fighting their oddball versions of Joker, Penguin, Riddler and Catwoman and other members of their rogues gallery again would be an amazing blast from the past. Now, there will be plenty of “Holy [fill in the blank]” lines, right?

Although Adam West’s information was sparse, we may already have a clue about what this thing is. Last year, he and Burt Ward mentioned that they would be voicing their versions of Batman and Robin in a 90-minute animated project. It seems unlikely that this would be a movie released in theaters. Instead, it seems like a much better fit as a direct-to-DVD movie, something streamed on an online platform or even as a TV special. However, there’s been no official announcements concerning that particular project, and it’s unclear whether what West is currently talking about is the same project or something entirely different. Either way, having the old guard together again is intriguing.

It’s been over 45 years since the Batman TV series, nowadays referred to as Batman ’66, ended, but it still remains a touchstone of pop culture, from its catchy theme music to the sound effect bubbles that appeared when the two heroes punched bad guys. Its campy tone basically defined Batman’s appeal to the general population until Tim Burton’s Batman movie was released in 1989. More recently, the West/Ward Batman and Robin starred in their own comic book series. The actors have also done voice work for various DC Comics animated shows and video, and this project, whatever it may be, will be their latest contribution to the company’s gigantic library of content.

We’ll keep you apprised of any developments regarding Adam West and Burt Ward’s Batman project, but if you’re looking for Dark Knight-related material on the small screen, your best option is Fox’s Gotham, which returns for its third season this fall.

It’s a debate that nerds will likely have until the end of time: who’s the best Batman of them all? After so many different incarnations, and so many different stylistic choices, it becomes difficult to decide. Some people prefer the tortured, gothic soul of Michael Keaton, while others prefer the gritty, post-9/11 realism of Christian Bale. We may never actually come to a definitive conclusion, but Adam West apparently has his own opinion on the subject.

Batman legend Adam West recently made an appearance on the hit CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory and gave his own input regarding the definitive rankings of the cinematic Caped Crusaders:

Although it may be a joke, it’s a ranking that’s probably not too far off from what many people think. Adam West and Michael Keaton often battle it out for the top spot among older Batman fans. Val Kilmer as the third best Batman has to be a joke; although he did a perfectly serviceable job in Batman Forever, his portrayal of the character never really stood out and represents the middle of the pack in terms of memorability. The typical rankings that most people assign generally follow West and Keaton with Christian Bale – whose Bruce Wayne is often praised more than his Batman. Although it’s a joke, a fairly large chunk of the population might actually agree with West’s assertion that Christian Bale’s take on the character is “overrated.” After all, nobody likes an asthmatic Batman.

Lego Batman represents the wild card of the bunch. Nobody would have expected that the character would become so popular in animated Lego format, but audiences responded so well to his appearance in The Lego Movie that he would actually receive his own spin-off down the road. Then finally we have one we can pretty much all agree, George Clooney represents the worst cinematic incarnation of Batman.

Check out the clip from The Big Bang Theory below to watch Adam West sound off on the age-old debate:

Of course, we also have to praise the writers of The Big Bang Theory. They used the scene as a perfect opportunity to remark on the casting of Ben Affleck as the latest silver screen version of the Dark Knight, and the concerns that many people have about him. However, judging by the overall praise we have heard from early screenings of his performance, he might knock a few of these former Batmen off of their pedestal when Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters on March 25.

Oh, and by the way, Mr. West, you forgot to mention the actual best Batman of all time: Kevin Conroy.

The Big Bang Theory is no stranger to having guest stars from the world of geekdom stop by for a visit. From Battlestar Galactica’s Katee Sackhoff as Howard’s fantasy woman to Darth Vader himself James Earl Jones having a night on the town with Sheldon, the men on the show have had many opportunities to interact with their favorite actors and scientists in some way, even if these moments didn’t always go well. With The Big Bang Theory’s 200th episode approaching, the show has managed to grab one of the biggest names in comic book media to celebrate the occasion. The main characters will soon be visited by TV’s Batman from the 1960s, Adam West.

West will appear as himself in Episode 200, set to air on February 25. Specific details about the episode are being kept secret, but no doubt the guys will be excited to simply be in his presence.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, West will also be joined by many familiar Big Bang Theory faces, including John Ross Bowie as Barry Kripke, Christine Baranski as Leonard’s mom Dr. Beverly Hofstadter, Sara Gilbert as Leslie Winkle (who hasn’t been seen since the Season 3 finale) and Will Wheaton as himself, as per usual. Unfortunately, there’s no mention of West appearing alongside the other half of the ‘60s Dynamic Duo, Burt Ward, a.k.a. Robin.

Although West hasn’t appeared on the show before, he was mentioned in Season 3’s “The Precious Fragmentation,” when the boys explained how they thought they saw Adam West and followed the man (it wasn’t really West) to a garage sale, where they found that prop of the One Ring from The Lord of the Rings movies. It’s actually surprising that West hasn’t appeared on The Big Bang Theory sooner, given how much talk there’s is about Batman and other comic book material, and how West is not against making cameos in recent years. West is the first major live-action superhero actor to appear on the show, although Marvel superstar writer Stan Lee did appear in the episode “The Excelsior Acquisition.”

West starred as Batman’s eponymous protagonist from 1966 to 1969 on the small screen, as well as played the Caped Crusader on the big screen in the TV series’ movie. He recently reprised his campy version of Batman in Robot Chicken DC Comics Special III: Magical Friendship and the video game Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. To younger TV watchers, he’s probably better known for voicing a version of himself on Family Guy as the insane mayor of Quahog.

New episodes of The Big Bang Theory air Thursdays at 8 p.m. EST on CBS, but fans will have to wait another three weeks for West’s big appearance. One can only hope there will also be some classic Batman sound effects to spice up the episode further. Pow!

Before Tim Burton’s Batman, Heath Ledger’s Joker and the Dark Knight rose, there was the 1960’s version of the caped crusader. And boy, was it glorious. Not only was it delightfully over-the-top, but it was also a pure celebration of the childish joy that comic-books of the era embodied. So news that a Batman ’66 animated film is in the works was met with fervent celebration, as should the revelation that Julie Newmar will be appearing.

According to 13th Dimension’s sources, the animated film will feature the vocal talents of Newmar, however they refused to confirm whether she would once again be portraying Catwoman. But I’m pretty sure it goes without saying that she will be. Because if she doesn’t, then those involved will have a full-scale riot on their hands, the likes of which has only been seen when Arkham Ayslum’s walls have been penetrated. The aforementioned publication confirmed that Warner Bros. have so far failed to provide a definite answer on this rumor, however their insiders are adamant it’s happening.

It’s already been confirmed that both Adam West and Burt Ward, who wonderfully portrayed Batman and Robin, respectively, throughout the 1960s, are on-board for the project too, which means that the film has a full-blown reunion on its hands.

81-year-old Newmar effortlessly portrayed the devilish Catwoman in the first two seasons of the 1960s Batman television show. However, Lee Meriwether replaced her for the 1966 Batman feature film, while Eartha Kitt took her place for the third season of the show.

But despite these other performances, Julie Newmar, who also forged a formidable theater career that resulted in her winning a Tony award, has always held a firm place in the hearts of Batman fans across the world. In fact, her portrayal of Catwoman is regarded as the pinnacle of the character. Even Michelle Pfeiffer’s turn as Selina Kyle/Catwoman in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns and Anne Hathaway’s as the feline inspired anti-heroine in The Dark Knight Rises didn’t come close to eclipsing Newmar’s popularity.

Both Burt Ward and Adam West confirmed that they’d be returning for the film as the Caped Crusader and Boy Wonder at last weekend’s Mad Monster Party convention in North Carolina. Ward also teased that the animated Batman feature film would be 90 minutes long and would be out in time for the 50th anniversary of the original Batman TV series, which ran from 1966 to 1968.

The 1966 Batman TV series has been experiencing a resurgence after Warner Bros and 20th Century Fox settled their decades-long legal battles over show rights in 2013. Since then DC Comics has been releasing new merchandise and creative material to give fans of the colorful, psychedelic series. Now a new animated project based on the TV series is being developed to coincide with the show’s 50th anniversary, and the original two leads are returning to voice the Dynamic Duo. Holy fantastic news!

At the Mad Monster Party in Charlotte, North Carolina this weekend (via Consequence of Sound), actors Adam West and Burt Ward announced that they will be voicing Batman and Robin respectively for an animated 90-minute film coming out in 2016. While no specific release date was revealed, it’s possible it will be released around the same time as Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters as a fun tie-in. Ward also mentioned that there may even be a second film he and West will do voice work for, but only one is confirmed as of now.

The TV series originally aired from 1966-1969 and was a pop culture phenomenon. In addition to toys and other merchandise being released following the show’s legal settlements, DC Comics also began publishing the Batman ’66 comic book series in 2013. The series was also finally released on Blu-Ray and DVD last year completely remastered, previously only being able to be seen in syndication and bootleg copies.

Aside from Ward and West, the only three major actors still alive from the series are Julie Newmar, who played Catwoman in Seasons 1 and 2, Lee Meriwether, who played the same character in the 1966 theatrical movie, and Yvonne Craig, who played Batgirl in Season 3, but it’s unknown whether the production has recruited any of these talents alongside the leads. However, don’t be surprised if we see new actors voice iconic members of his rogues gallery like Joker, Penguin and Riddler.

This wont be the first time that West and Ward step back into the world of DC Comics together. Both actors returned to play their characters in The New Adventures of Batman animated series and the Legends of the Superheroes TV specials, and teamed up in 2003 for the TV movie Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt playing fictional versions of themselves. West has also voiced other characters for DC animated shows, including the Grey Ghost in Batman: The Animated Series, Mayor Grange in The Batman and Thomas Wayne in Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

With a new big screen version of Batman and a return of the original TV version coming next year, fans of Batman will undoubtedly be pleased that both ends of the Bat-spectrum will be covered: the gritty, serious Dark Knight and the campy, fun Caped Crusader.

We’re just over a week away from one of the biggest Blu-ray releases of the year, as all three seasons of the Batman TV series are headed to high-def for the first time in a stellar limited edition set. For anybody who’s thinking that this isn’t so big of a deal, check out the video below, which gives a side-by-side comparison of the original footage and the digitally restored updates. It’s bat-magic, to say the least.

Isn’t that stunning? It’s like watching a VHS version of Citizen Kane on a rear-projection TV right next to a flat-screen playing the Blu-ray version. It’s crazy to think that one of the most vividly colorful shows on TV could possibly get even brighter and sharper. Yet here it is.

All it takes is one look at Cesar Romero’s Joker to see the difference. Just look at how washed out the left side of the picture is, both in the Joker’s white face paint and in his purple jacket. The right side makes everything look richer and now that jacket looks crisp enough to touch.

Later in the video, the restored Joker looks absolutely amazing when put up against the bat-blurs that are Batman and Robin. I mean, I guess he doesn’t look as outstanding as Christopher Nolan’s IMAX footage from The Dark Knight, but the line between the two just got a lot thinner. The look of the product is just the icing on the cake here, as well.

This excellent (and pricy) Batman set comes with all 120 fully remastered episodes, along with a Hot Wheels Batmobile replica, a set of 44 trading cards, an episode guide and the Adam West Scrapbook, which features tons of never-before-seen photographs from the show’s production. As far as special features go, Adam West is the subject of several, as he looks back at the role that built his career; he also invites some celebrity friends for a round table discussion. One feature follows Batman collectible enthusiasts, while another captures actors and producers talking about their favorite Batman moments. Check out what the massive set looks like below.

Continuing the celebration of Batman’s 75th anniversary, Batman: The Complete TV Series will hit stores on Tuesday, November 11, along with the 25th anniversary special edition of Tim Burton’s Batman.

I think we can all agree that this is the most bat-tastic time to be a Batman fan, regardless of whether you’re excited about Ben Affleck’s mopey mug donning the cowl or not. Batman is 75 years old, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is marking the occasion by finally bring the campy classic 1960s Batman series to Blu-ray and DVD for the first time with Batman: The Complete Television Series. To coincide with this year’s Comic-Con, they’ve revealed the packaging and extra features for the set and holy Crayola, is it a colorfully fabulous collection.

Hitting stores on November 11, Batman: The Complete Television Series Limited Edition will set customers back well over $200 for the high-def Blu-rays, while the non-limited edition DVDs will predictably be a tad more cost-efficient. (Season 1 will also be available to purchase on its own, with later seasons to follow.) Both contain remastered versions of all 120 episodes from Batman’s hijinks-filled three seasons. Season 2 contained 60 episodes, if you can imagine that. How many puns do you think were uttered during that span? Count them and let us know your results by shining a light in the sky.

Both sets contain over three hours of special features, including several conversations and segments devoted solely to Adam West and his history with the character. “Batmania Born!” is an extra focused on the art and design behind the show, which should be extremely interesting, given how vibrant it was. Batman memorabilia collectors get their own feature, and then there’s “Bats of the Round Table,” which is Adam West and “his celebrity friends, chatting all things Bat ’66,” which sounds awesome. Rounding out the supplemental material is “Na Na Na Batman!” for which “Hollywood’s favorite stars and producers recount their favorite Batman memories.” I love the use of the words “Hollywood’s favorite” in a press release.

It’s already a solid purchase regardless of which format you choose, but bat-shelling out some more moolah will get you a wonderful toy and a few more nifty items. The Limited Edition comes with an exclusive Hot Wheels Batmobile replica (no fire included), 44 vintage trading cards, an episode guide full of photos and synopses, and the Adam West Scrapbook, which contains photos from West’s personal archives. Plus, you get Ultraviolet digital copies of all the episodes, if that’s your thing. Take a closer look at the Batmobile below.

And these cards are pretty solid as well. I used to have most of the trading cards for Tim Burton's Batman, and now I'm mad that I have no idea what happened to them.

You can be damned sure by November 12, I’ll be experiencing Vincent Price’s Egghead and Cesar Romero’s Joker in high definition for the first time in one way or another. And I know what I said earlier about the price of the Blu-ray set, but Amazon has a cheaper pre-order price that you can find here.

It’s been four whole days since the world ripped itself in two over the news that Ben Affleck will become the next Batman for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel sequel. There have been torrential storms of backlash drowning almost all other news across the Internet (at least until everybody got a look at http://www.cinemablend.com/pop/Watch-Miley-Cyrus-Grind-Up-Robin-Thicke-VMAs-58575.html>Miley Cyrus’ awkwardness on the MTV VMAs last night). But not everyone was being a Negative Nancy about the casting, as The Hollywood Reporter found three examples of relevant Hollywood players coming to Affleck’s rescue. There weren’t only three positive things said about it, but they’re definitely diamonds on the rough, rough world of Twitter, where over 70% of the Batfleck-related tweets were of the negative variety.

First up is Joss Whedon, who knows a thing or two about superheroes having directed the most successful comic book movie of all time. I have a feeling Whedon’s opinion is powerful enough to get at least 5% of people flipping their opinions on Affleck’s involvement. Geek culture can be pretty fickle at times.

I think Whedon expresses exactly the sentiment that non-naysayers are feeling: if it’s a great script with a great story, then the pressure isn’t entirely on the actor within the batsuit. But seeing as how Snyder and co-writer David Goyer have arguably never been solely responsible for anything that was actually “great,” we might have to rely on Affleck more than anyone would hope for.

But what about actors that have actually played the caped crusader? What about the guys who faced similar WTF reactions from fans once they were chosen for the role? Both Val Kilmer, who starred in 1995’s Batman Forever, and Adam West, who starred in the wonderfully campy 1960s TV show, gave their bat-stamp of approval to the news, and West even had a little advice to give.

Meanwhile, Kevin Smith took the time to tell everyone that he has now made out with and has seen at least one Batman naked.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of well-wishing, there is still a petition at Change.org asking President Obama to get Warner Bros. to remove Affleck from the film - and it has already amassed over 75,000 signatures. There was also a petition started on the White House website, but it has since been taken down.

There’s no way Warners is backing down from this, so everyone should just calm the hell down now. Or if you’re going to keep complaining, at least make it funny.

So, I’m pretty sure you guys already know and are possibly tired of hearing that Ben Affleck will be Batman in the sequel to Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. About a fifth of the Internet’s content since the announcement has been people either bitching about the decision, or championing it. (See our own debate between Katey and Eric here.) Regardless of whether it’s a “good” or a “bad” choice, casting Affleck was definitely an interesting choice, as were each of those chosen to take the role before him. Let’s take a look back at those previous actors that donned the cowl, and how the role figured into their careers.

Michael Keaton – Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns

Before Batman: Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, Keaton rose to stardom in a variety of comedies that proved his worth as the everyman who could deliver lines with biting wit and pull off any physical comedy with aplomb. He co-starred with Jim Belushi in the short-lived series Working Stiffs, he starred in Ron Howard’s Gung Ho and Night Shift, and he absolutely killed it in Amy Heckerling’s 1930s throwback Johnny Dangerously. (Not that it’s hard to look amazing next to Joe Piscopo.) Even in something like Mr. Mom, it’s Keaton’s performance that saves what otherwise would have been a tepid commercial comedy.

When Tim Burton cast him for his macabre 1988 comedy Beetlejuice, it seemed like an odd pick, but ended up being one of the better decisions of Burton’s career. The bizarre and over-the-top antics combined with that gravelly voice make it one of Keaton’s most memorable roles, even though he’s only on screen for a little over 17 minutes. And it’s this performance that gave Burton the confidence that Keaton would be perfect as another costumed character of the night.

As Batman: While it was of course a shock to see Keaton replace the warm smiles with a brooding blankness, his performance as both the Bat and Bruce Wayne stunned the naysaying masses, rendering their previous complaints useless. In both of Burton’s films, Keaton turns out what are arguably the two of the best dramatic performances of his career, causing people to forget the slapsticky 1960s TV show and returning their attention to the comic franchise that spawned the character. It would be quite a while before we got another Batman that could realistically answer the question “Why so serious?”

After Batman: It’s a shame that so much of Keaton’s later career was spent in lackluster thrillers like Desperate Measures and White Noise, although his directorial debut The Merry Gentleman, which he also starred in, was enjoyable enough. Appearances in Jackie Brown and The Other Guys prove that Keaton is still very much in control of his comedic talents, so I can’t wait to see him in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s upcoming ensemble comedy Birdman, even if it means having to watch him in the Robocop reboot and the Need for Speed video game adaptation too.

Val Kilmer – Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever

Before Batman: Unlike Keaton, Kilmer’s experience with comedy films was most limited to his first two acting gigs, the spoof Top Secret! and the teen comedy Real Geniuses. His performances in films like Willow and Top Gun were good, but he really set career high points in Oliver Stone’s wishy-washy The Doors and George P. Cosmatos’ action western Tombstone. As both Jim Morrison and Doc Holliday, Kilmer seemed to lose all traces of himself and truly became both of those iconic figures. I still get shivers when I think about Holliday’s dying, sweat-ridden body.

As Batman: There was a quite a bit of controversy once Burton and Keaton were no longer attached to the third Batman movie, and no one really knew what to expect when Joel Schumacher decided to follow up The Client with Batman Forever. Kilmer’s involvement arguably made the most sense out of all the Batman actors, given his good looks, his toned physique and his cross-genre acting chops. 18 years later, Kilmer is still the best thing about Batman Forever. With two insanely cartoonish villains (Jim Carrey’s Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones’ Two-Face), a candy-coated set design and the awful inclusion of Chris O’Donnell as Robin, this movie could have featured Kilmer in a coma and he still would have come out on top. (Truth be told, I honestly loved this movie when it came out, and I still like it quite a bit, though it’s been about a decade since I last saw it.)

After Batman: Following a winning performance in Michael Mann’s crime epic Heat, Kilmer seemingly took on every role that was offered to him (other than Batman in Schumacher’s next flick), starring in the so-bad-it’s-almost-awesome The Island of Dr. Moreau, Red Planet, and At First Sight. While he occasionally pops up to win audiences over in movies like Shane Black’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans, he has spent the last decade starring in some truly heinous indie thrillers. The Thaw? Double Identity? The Steam Experiment? Here’s hoping his role in Terrence Malick’s next film brings him back to quality cinema once and for all.

George Clooney – Joel Schumacher’s Batman and Robin

Before Batman: If there’s anyone on this list who would love to have a time machine to go back to his pre-Batman career to make a better decision, Clooney is without a doubt that guy. He cemented himself as a TV star through the 1980s and 1990s starring in shows like Facts of Life, Sisters, Bodies of Evidence and Roseanne. None of those shows, however, could possibly match his career-making role in the long-lasting medical drama ER, which he left in 1999 to re-enter Hollywood. Prior to stepping into the nippled Bat-suit, Clooney blew all expectations away as the murderous badass in Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn, and then met all those expectations with the romantic drama One Fine Day.

As Batman: For any lifelong Batman fans, Schumacher’s second trip to Gotham, Batman and Robin, was a hard, careless kick in the cod piece, and there was no way even an A+ performance from Clooney would fix that. And even he wasn’t that good in it, though it may have been Arnold Schwarzenegger rubbing off on him. Almost nothing in this movie is worth remembering non-ironically, and Clooney himself has come out against the film in passing years, calling it a waste of money. But that’s an understatement. Why am I even still talking about it?

After Batman: Oddly enough, Clooney’s career has been an unstoppable force since this Bat-tragic misstep. In the two years following Batman and Robin, he turned into a bonafide movie star with The Peacemaker. Out of Sight, The Thin Red Line and Three Kings, which got him into the Coen Brothers acting stable. (So far, he’s been in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Intolerable Cruelty and Burn After Reading.) He’s been nominated for six Oscars, having won two of them; one as a producer for Argo and the other for his supporting role in Syriana. He seamlessly transitions into a director every couple of years, having turned out the excellent Good Night and Good Luck and The Ides of March, having also scripted both. Next up, he’s starring in Alfonso Cuaron’s space thriller Gravity and Brad Bird’s secret-filled Tomorrowland, as well as the comedy adventure The Monuments Men, which he’s also directing.

Christian Bale – Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy

Before Batman: Empire of the Sun, Newsies and Swing Kids. Take your pick for your favorite “young Bale” role. Bale is up there with Kilmer for the best actual actor to take on the role of the Bat, even if the movies he chooses to star in aren’t always on par. My favorite performance Bale has ever given (and I don’t see this changing with any future roles) was his take on Patrick Bateman in Mary Harron’s adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho. His smug, debonair douchebaggery for that film is always in the back of my mind when I watch him in other movies. Would Bruce Wayne try and shove a cat into an ATM? Perhaps.

Perhaps the most striking role he’s played was Trevor Reznik in Brad Anderson’s thriller The Machinist, for which Bale dropped over 60 pounds to play the emaciated sleep-deprived lead character . The fact that Nolan hired Bale for Batman Begins at this point in his career was kind of amazing, considering he had to put all that weight back on to take the part.

As Batman: Considering Christopher Nolan’s direction and co-written script were the biggest stars of the Dark Knight trilogy, it’s a wonder that Bale was able to keep up. He shined as Bruce Wayne, providing just the right amount of pompousness needed to keep Gotham’s citizens at bay. He was less impressive as Batman himself, more often than not because his warbled grumbling sounded more like dry heaving than the assertive voice a superhero needs. That said, Nolan’s movies still present Bale as the quintessential caped crusader, and it will be hard for anyone to top him.

After Batman: It’s only been a year since The Dark Knight Rises hit theaters, and Bale’s post-Batman work in Scott Cooper’s Out of the Furnace and David O. Russell’s American Hustle have yet to be seen. However, his work in between the Batman films yielded some of his strongest work yet, leading to a supporting actor Oscar win for Russell’s The Fighter. He was also pretty great in Nolan’s The Prestige, James Mangold’s 3:10 to Yuma and Werner Herzog’s Rescue Dawn. And no one can forget his Terminator Salvation expletive-filled rant, which was almost better than the film itself.

Adam West – 1960s Batman TV series, 1966’s Batman

There is no before and after, because Adam West will always be Batman.

This poll is no longer available.

It’s been awhile since we’ve had a completely bonkers Dark Knight Rises rumor. There hasn’t been any need for them, since the studio has now actually confirmed the cast. But here we go again. This time the big rumor is that Adam West is joining the movie’s cast.

The rumor originated with Floss Magazine, where they offer nothing beyond a vague proclamation to back up their findings. So the story here is I guess that some magazine says Adam West will have a cameo in Chris Nolan’s next Batman movie. Stranger things have happened. Believe it or not?

I’m going with “not” here, because casting Adam West in your movie would be a gimmick and Christopher Nolan isn’t prone to gimmicks. For fans over the age of fifty this addition might be kind of fun, he was the original TV Batman after all, but how many in The Dark Knight Rises audience are old enough to care? Definitely not enough to justify a gimmicky stunt casting.

There’s also Adam West’s age to consider. He’s 83-years-old and perhaps not getting around as well as he used to. Most of his appearances in recent years have been confined to voice work on Family Guy, though he does occasionally show up in the odd Funny or Die web video.

We’ll let you know if this rumor gets confirmed, but don’t count on it. So far Chris Nolan has shown no inclination towards this type of gimmickry, this isn’t a Marvel movie and Adam West isn’t Stan Lee.