--- description: "I just stopped and stared into nothing for half an hour," Bale said of learning that Affleck would play Batman in 'Dawn of Justice' title: Bale Misses Batman image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9b72ca4caec5408d/69876ac38e060170ef458cc8/christian-bale1.jpg?branch=production&width=1920&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [movies](/tag/movies/) ## movies Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Christian Bale 'Jealous' That Ben Affleck Gets to Play Batman Now  by [Nolan Feeney](/author/nolan-feeney/)  ## Nolan Feeney Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 25, 2014 3:45 AM CUT  Christian Bale attends the EE British Academy Film Awards 2014 at The Royal Opera House on Feb. 16, 2014 in London, England Christian Bale attends the EE British Academy Film Awards 2014 at The Royal Opera House on Feb. 16, 2014 in London, EnglandKarwai Tang—WireImage/Getty Images  by [Nolan Feeney](/author/nolan-feeney/)  ## Nolan Feeney Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 25, 2014 3:45 AM CUT You’d think that after three movies with the comic-book character that Christian Bale would be ready to let go of playing Batman. Bale thought that too, but he recently admitted [he was feeling “jealous” that Ben Affleck](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/24/christian-bale-jealous-ben-affleck-batman%5Fn%5F6211190.html "undefined") was cast as the caped crusader for the upcoming _Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice_. “The fact that I’m jealous of someone else playing Batman … I think I should have gotten over it by now,” he told _Empire_ magazine. Bale says he hasn’t spoken with Affleck about the role, but he has emailed him with advice. “I’ve got to admit initially, even though I felt that it was the right time to stop, there was always a bit of me going, ‘Oh go on… Let’s do another,'” Bale said elsewhere in the interview. “So when I heard there was someone else doing it, there was a moment where I just stopped and stared into nothing for half an hour.” \[[_Huffington Post_](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/24/christian-bale-jealous-ben-affleck-batman%5Fn%5F6211190.html "undefined")\] ### Meet All the Actors Who Have Played Batman and Robin  Lewis Wilson was the first actor to play Batman on screen, with Douglas Croft joining him as the first Robin in the 1943 film Batman. Columbia Pictures—Getty Images  Robert Lowery was the second to don the guise of Batman, playing the caped crusader in the 15 chapter serial, Batman and Robin in 1949. Everett  Johnny Duncan played Robin to Lowery's Batman in the 1949 Batman and Robin serial. Columbia  Adam West played the role of masked crime fighter for three seasons on the 1960s television series Batman. Mondadori—Getty Images  Burt Ward joined Adam West as his Robin for the Batman television series. Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images  Michael Keaton played Batman in the 1992 film Batman Returns. Warner Bros.  Following Keaton three years later, Val Kilmer portrayed the billionaire playboy in 1995's Batman Forever. Warner Bros.  Chris O'Donnell played Robin for two different Batmen. He was Val Kilmer's Robin in 1995 (pictured above) and then joined George Clooney in 1997 for the widely panned Batman & Robin. Warner Bros.  Hard to remember, but George Clooney once took a turn as Batman, back in the 1997--before the Oscars knew his name so well. Warner Bros.  Christian Bale donned the mask for Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. Ron Phillips—Warner Bros  Ben Affleck is the latest to join the ranks of actors who have portrayed the caped crusader, in the upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie. DCComics.com  Will Arnett voices Bruce Wayne/Batman in The Lego Batman Movie, a 3D-animated take on the DC superhero and a spin-off of 2014's The Lego Movie. 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