Batman has been one of the most enduring characters in popular culture. So, it is no surprise that the character is the superhero who has been portrayed in live action the most. There are even more actors playing Bruce Wayne across film and TV. Across more than eight decades, each actor to wear the cape and cowl has brought something different to the Caped Crusader. The hero has evolved with the times, from the World War II era to today. Their depictions also reflect the filmmakers’ vision and the audiences’ expectations of the character.

Here, we take a look at all the live-action portrayals of Batman, from its TV serial beginnings to its most recent iteration starring Robert Pattinson. With James Gunn‘s DCU actively developing their own version of Batman with the upcoming The Brave and the Bold, this list will definitely change in the near future. But for now, light up the Batsignal and play the Batman soundtrack of your choice, because here is our ranking of all the live-action Batmen!

9

Robert Lowery – ‘Batman and Robin’ (1949)

Robert Lowery is the second actor ever to take over the role of Batman in Batman and Robin, a serial sequel to the 1943 version. Unlike its predecessor, Lowery’s version shifted away from propaganda and focused on a more traditional superhero adventure as Batman and Robin searched for the mysterious criminal mastermind known as the Wizard.

Lowery played Bruce Wayne with confidence and a slightly more relaxed demeanor than his predecessor, but in the process becomes less memorable. The production suffered from an even tighter budget, resulting in an unconvincing Batsuit, repetitive action sequences, and uninspired storytelling that gave Batman very little opportunity to stand out. Lowery himself delivers a competent performance, but he never develops a distinct personality for either Bruce Wayne or Batman. That made the character feel generic compared to virtually every live-action interpretation that followed.

8

Lewis Wilson – ‘Batman’ (1943)

Lewis Wilson is the very first actor to portray Batman in live action in the 1943 Batman serial produced by Columbia Pictures. The serial Batman did not adapt any of the comic storyline or feature Batman’s rogues. Instead, Batman and Robin (Douglas Croft) face off against the Japanese agent Dr. Tito Daka (J. Carrol Naish) during World War II.

While the serial was practically a propaganda tool, Wilson’s performance was earnest and sincere, showing Batman as a courageous crime-fighter. It was still however, one-dimensional due to the straightforward nature of the story. This iteration actually helped establish some of the stylistic foundations of Batman on screen and in comics, such as the entrance to the Batcave through the grandfather clock and also Alfred’s look for the comics. The series was quite successful and was even re-released in cinemas three times.

7

George Clooney – ‘Batman & Robin’ (1997)

Image via WB

Infamously dubbed as the worst portrayal of the Caped Crusader on screen, George Clooney portrayed Bruce Wayne in Joel Schumacher‘s Batman & Robin. On paper, Clooney seemed like a natural fit thanks to his charisma and charm. He could be the perfect Bruce Wayne. In the film, he’s joined by an all-star cast that includes Arnold Schwarzenegger and Uma Thurman.

Clooney may have took his charm for granted and he barely tried to add more to the role. His performance was flat in a film that demanded big performances. Schwarzenegger and Thurman embraced the camp and delivered memorable performances as Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy. While his Bruce Wayne is perfectly pleasant, the Batman side of him was out of place and it felt like Batman himself was just a supporting character in his own movie. Clooney himself has admitted he never quite found the character beneath the spectacle and he has been on an apology tour ever since. However, he did reprise his Bruce Wayne in a cameo in The Flash.

6

Val Kilmer – ‘Batman Forever’ (1995)

Image via Warner Bros.

After Batman Returns was deemed too dark, Val Kilmer wore the cape and cowl in the much brighter and commercially accessible Batman Forever. Kilmer brought a quieter, more introspective quality to Bruce Wayne. He portrayed him as a person haunted by the trauma of his parents’ murder. In the film, he goes up against the double threat of Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and the Riddler (Jim Carrey).

In Schumacher’s direction, Kilmer’s Batman often feels caught between two creative visions. His dramatic instincts fit the darker aspects of Bruce Wayne’s character, while the rest of the film is pure camp. Kilmer gives Bruce emotional vulnerability and intelligence, but his Batman lacks the commanding screen presence of Michael Keaton or the physical intensity of later portrayals. His performance remains underrated because it contains genuine depth. One of Kilmer’s reasons for leaving the franchise was that his performance felt secondary to the merchandising and spectacle of the universe.

5

Robert Pattinson – ‘The Batman’ (2022)

Image via Jonathan Olley /© Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

Robert Pattinson is the most current live-action Batman, having debuted in 2022’s The Batman. Set during Batman’s second year as Gotham’s vigilante, this version is a man almost entirely consumed by his mission. Barely maintaining his public persona as Bruce Wayne, Pattinson’s Batman chooses instead to spend nearly all of his time investigating crimes until he goes head-to-head with his toughest adversary yet, The Riddler (Paul Dano).

Pattinson emphasizes Batman’s detective abilities more than almost any previous live-action actor, bringing the character closer to his famous moniker as the World’s Greatest Detective. His version of the Bat may be the most untrained but it is fascinating to see how he operates and develops throughout the three-hour film. While some viewers may have wanted a more charismatic Bruce Wayne, the film intentionally portrays someone who hasn’t yet learned to separate the alter-ego from himself. It is a pitch-perfect iteration for today’s world, and audiences will see him again in next year’s sequel.

4

Michael Keaton – ‘Batman’ (1989) & ‘Batman Returns’ (1992)

It’s hard to imagine now that Michael Keaton‘s casting was considered controversial when it was first announced. With Tim Burton at the helm, Keaton’s interpretation of the character was darker and more mysterious than Adam West’s in Batman. His Bruce Wayne appeared socially awkward and emotionally detached, but he truly comes alive as the Batman. His take becomes even darker and more mature in Batman Returns when he faces Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) and The Penguin (Danny DeVito).

Keaton’s greatest strength lies in how effortlessly he conveys Batman’s intimidating presence. Aided by the costume’s limited mobility, his movements become otherworldly and menacing. Burton’s gothic aesthetic complemented Keaton’s depiction perfectly. Although later portrayals would offer greater realism or more physical action, Keaton permanently changed how Hollywood viewed the character. His performance marked the point where Batman stopped being seen as merely a colorful comic-book hero and became a serious cinematic figure. Keaton reprised his role as an older version of his character in the multiversal adventure The Flash.

3

Ben Affleck – DCEU (2016 – 2023)

Image via Warner Bros.

Another controversial casting, Ben Affleck proved his detractors wrong when he portrayed Batman across Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and in cameo appearances in Suicide Squad and The Flash. Unlike previous live-action versions, Affleck’s Bruce Wayne is battle-hardened and cynical after decades of crime-fighting. This Batman has endured losses and has grown increasingly ruthless, but finds hope when he encounters Superman (Henry Cavill).

With his imposing frame, Affleck arguably resembles the comic-book Batman more closely than any actor before him. His warehouse rescue sequence in Batman v Superman remains one of the most faithful live-action depictions of Batman’s combat skills. Although the controversial decision to have Batman kill divided fans, Affleck committed fully to portraying a hero who had lost his moral compass before gradually rediscovering it. Despite appearing in uneven films, Affleck delivered one of the most layered and physically convincing Batman performances ever put on screen.

2

Adam West – ‘Batman’ (1966)

Image via 20th Century Fox

Many people considered Adam West the first Batman actor because of the popularity of his Batman television series and the 1966 film. Different from the dark portrayals we see today, West’s version embraced the lighthearted, comedic tone inspired by the Silver Age comics. His Batman was endlessly polite and completely sincere, delivering absurd dialogue with seriousness. Alongside Burt Ward’s Robin, he fought the colorful rogue gallery that includes the Joker and Catwoman.

Nowadays, the series are dismissed as camp, but it was highly accurate to the comics at the time. West’s performance has aged remarkably well because he understood exactly what the show was trying to accomplish. From trying to dispose a bomb to repelling a shark, he committed fully to every ridiculous situation like it’s normal. That sincerity made the comedy work and turned his Batman into a cultural icon. In weird ways, West portrayal was foundational to all the depictions that followed. West reprised the role in the animated movies Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman vs. Two Face.

1

Christian Bale – ‘The Dark Knight’ trilogy (2005 – 2012)

Image via Warner Bros.

Christian Bale portrayed Batman in Christopher Nolan‘s acclaimed The Dark Knight Trilogy. In Batman Begins, we see how he started out as the Caped Crusader and then in The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, Bale’s Batman has to face tougher enemies like the Joker and Bane. As we see him rise, fall and rise again, his journey throughout the trilogy is the most complete character arc ever given to a live-action Batman.

Christian Bale ranks at the top because he captures every essential aspect of Batman and Bruce Wayne in the trilogy. He portrays Bruce as brilliant and compassionate, while making his Batman feel like both a threat and a protector. A reliable, Oscar-winning actor, Bale consistently delivers emotional weight alongside the spectacle. His performance became the benchmark for every subsequent live-action Batman. With his trademark growl and tactical prowess, his Batman remains the definitive cinematic interpretation of the Dark Knight.

Dr. Drew Pinsky’s wife, Susan Pinsky, had a response to a social media comment advocating for Courtney Stodden amid the model’s claim the TV personality exploited her when he conducted an on-air breast exam on her at 16.

According to a screenshot shared by Stodden, 31, on Sunday, June 28, via Instagram, Susan, 66, replied to a comment on her husband’s page where a user wrote, “Justice for @courtneystodden.”

Susan responded, “I would love to talk to her on Ask Drew. If @courtneystodden wants to duke it out with Dr. Drew.”

Dr. Drew, 67, allegedly “liked” his wife’s comment. The remark appeared to be made on Dr. Drew’s Saturday, June 27, sponsored post, which now has the comments turned off.

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While resharing Susan’s comment, Stodden issued a response.

“Under a comment that simply said ‘Justice for Courtney’, Dr. Drew’s wife @firstladyoflove suggested I come on his show to ‘duke it out’ with him, and @drdrewpinsky liked the comment. To me, that misses the point entirely,” she wrote via Instagram. “This isn’t entertainment. It isn’t a debate. It isn’t a ratings opportunity.”

Stodden continued, “I was a teenager when I appeared on his show. I was a minor in a situation I couldn’t legally leave, and the money from that appearance went straight to my abuser. What I’m seeing in these comments gives me hope because people understand that this isn’t about rehashing trauma for content. It’s about accountability, and it’s about protecting children from exploitation.”

Stodden also expressed her appreciation for those who have supported her.

“Thank you to everyone speaking up for me, supporting me, and recognizing how wrong this is. I see you, and l appreciate you more than you know,” she concluded.

Us Weekly has reached out to Dr. Drew’s spokesperson for comment.

Over the weekend, Stodden made headlines when she accused Dr. Drew of exploiting her when she was underage.

“Dr. Drew had me on his show when I was 16 and had me undergo an ultrasound to see if my breasts were real or if I was lying about my breasts,” Stodden alleged in a post shared via Instagram on Saturday. “I wasn’t an underage girl. I was a minor trapped in a situation that I wasn’t able to get out of legally. I had no rights at the time. The money he paid me to be on the show went straight to my abuser.”

When Stodden was 16 years old, she married actor Doug Hutchison, who was 51 at the time. (Stodden later filed for divorce from Hutchison in 2018 and the pair finalized their split in 2020.)

During their marriage, Stodden appeared on a 2011 episode of Dr. Drew’s talk show. The TV personality instructed Stodden to lie on stage in front of a studio audience as he performed a breast ultrasound to check for implants.

“These photos bring up a lot of sadness for me because I see a little girl being exploited by grown men and used for views and mockery,” she wrote alongside images of the appearance. “Dr. Drew, what made you think this was a good idea? As a doctor, did you think this was actually healthy for a little girl to experience? Did you even care?”

Dr. Waqqas Jalil, a board-trained plastic surgeon and founder of Aspect Plastic Surgery, told Us that conducting “a breast examination or imagining on a minor — particularly in a public, televised setting — raises serious ethical red flags.”

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“In a legitimate medical context, procedures like ultrasound require informed consent, privacy and a clear clinical justification,” Dr. Jalil told Us. “Using a medical tool on a young person in front of cameras, without those protections in place, isn’t medicine — it’s spectacle. Patients of any age deserve to have their bodily autonomy treated as non-negotiable.”

Us reached out to representatives for Dr. Drew for comment shortly after Stodden’s Saturday post but did not hear back.

If you know of a young person who is being exploited or is the victim of a crime, you are urged to report it to your local FBI field office by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI. Tips can also be left here.

For Jane Seymour, easy really does it when it comes to fitness!

The British actress, who is quite famous for her impressive exercise routine even in her 70s, has revealed that she totally keeps her hands off yoga because the consequences of indulging in it may be dire.

Jane Seymour has approached aging in the public eye with such grace and gratitude, especially after her close brush with death in her 40s when she suffered from anaphylactic shock.

The media personality stated that her long-standing wellness routine is fueled by consistency rather than trying to conquer the next fitness trend. Seymour noted that she stays active with a cocktail of lightweight training, taking brisk walks, indulging in Pilates, Gyrotonic, ballet-inspired exercises, and traditional core workouts. 

Thanks to the actress’s background in dancing, Seymour revealed to Fox News Digital that she is able to pull off a full ballet barre routine whenever she can. Seymour also prioritizes a Mediterranean-style diet, which ensures less starchy foods, occasional alcohol, and a strictly clean diet whenever she is on set. 

On staying healthy, Seymour added that doing it on her own terms and recognizing her own limits has helped her stick to exercises that only suit her body; however, she avoids yoga classes because of her naturally competitive personality.

The actress joked that she would end up trying to match the most flexible person in the room, even if it meant risking injury. With each day, Seymour explained that she learns to remind herself that fitness is not a competition. According to her:

“My approach is to try everything, but do it the way that I know I can. So, I listen to my body.”

The 75-Year-Old Credits Aging For More Confidence Than Her Youth Ever Did

In 2019, Seymour got candid with Closer Weekly about embracing confidence at every age and how posing for Playboy in 2018 boosted that. The actress had earlier posed for the magazine in 1973 and 1987, but they do not compare to the confidence she feels now that she is older.

She added that growing older is something that has given her a greater sense of freedom and self-assurance. Above all, her strict fitness routine also has a role to play; a habit she maintains even during filming by relying on a home workout machine to stay active when her schedule eases up a bit.

Fitness is not the only thing that makes Seymour happy; she also derives joy from her lasting success in Hollywood. The actress originally had dreams about becoming a ballerina, but acting came as a saving grace after she suffered an injury at age 17 that stopped her from dancing.

Why Jane Seymour Gave Up On Chasing Youth

Since her life-threatening experience in her 40s, the actress gained a transformed understanding of aging and personal wellness. As noted by Women’s Health Magazine, Seymour shared that after the medical emergency, she realized the need to look after her body like a vehicle that required regular maintenance.

Ever since, the movie star has been on the path of maintaining her health rather than pursuing her youth. Seymour added that she has no interest in pretending to be decades younger and would rather be the healthiest and happiest version of herself at her current age.

The actress also said resilience is one of the principles that she lives by, as the important thing is to stand back up after life’s setbacks instead of dwelling on them. That positive attitude even encouraged John Zambetti, her boyfriend, to compose a song about her resolve to keep going.

When it comes to fitness, Seymour said she approaches exercise with caution and pays close attention to what her body can handle. She avoids overexerting herself and instead focuses on working out at least three times a week.

Every session starts with some mobility work to get her spine loose before she begins her strength training for her arms, core, and legs. When on the move, she believes strength training becomes increasingly important with age, explaining that weight-bearing exercises help maintain health and mobility as the years go by.

The ‘Blind Dating’ Actress Finds The Most Fulfillment In Helping Others

Seymour is also a fan of looking after her appearance, as great skin helps her project confidence. However, she added that she lets the wrinkles on her face be because they tell a story about a lifetime of emotions and have also become a valuable tool in her career.

From getting compliments on the street to having people patronize a certain brand because she said so, the actress cannot complain. There is another positive trait that goes hand in hand with glowing skin, which is emotional well-being.

The actress confessed that she finds true fulfillment in helping others, whether through random acts of kindness or through her collaboration with the Open Hearts Foundation. She credited her mother for leaving her with golden advice about being the shoulder for someone to lean on and being a listening ear.

Seymour is a true fan of helping others give life a greater meaning while looking after her mental well-being. For the actress, the perfect day for her is one where she has invested in her health while making a positive difference in the life of another person.

Jane Seymour Raved About Getting Compliments For Her Bold Life 

As shared by The Blast, the actress revealed that many fans have approached her with immense gratitude for proving that life can still be exciting after 70. To her surprise, she has become the poster child for aging with confidence, although she has never identified with the number.

The actress explained that she often compares her outlook on aging to that of previous generations, noting that while her mother considered 50 to be middle-aged, she does not feel that way about herself, even as she approached 75 at the time.

Seymour also revealed that, despite being older than many of the younger people she encounters on set, she has the stamina to outwork them all, noting that her energy and enthusiasm for long days of shooting has not waned.

The star laughed off suggestions to begin to reduce or ease up; rather, she is seizing new opportunities and is even more active at this point in her life. Seymour said that she is guided by what she calls experiential living more than 50 years after starting her acting career as Bond girl Solitaire in “Live and Let Die.” 

She is not one for doing things for the sake of doing them, but for things that really make her happy, and she always strives to make work a pleasurable part of life, not a duty.

Your Fault: London‘s Asha Banks and Matthew Broome offered some surprising insight into that step-sibling sex scene.

While at Prime Video’s Obsessed Fest on Saturday, June 27, the actors recalled how “uncomfortable” it can be to film an intimate scene, with Broome, 25, saying, “You’re there with an actor in silence. In a room full of people with feet shuffling and squeaking costumes.”

Broome recalled moving to “a nonexistent beat.”

“It’s so uncomfortable,” the actor quipped.

Related: Steamiest TV Sex Scenes: From ‘Bridgerton‘ to ‘My Lady Jane‘

From Bridgerton‘s Kate and Anthony to Maxton Hall’s Ruby and James, fans have enjoyed some pretty memorable sex scenes between their favorite TV couples over the years The Netflix regency series originally raised eyebrows with its numerous steamy moments between season 1 leads Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon (Regé-Jean Page). Ahead of season 2, creator […]

Banks, 22,, meanwhile, recalled the pair playing Addison Rae‘s new album on repeat amid production. Their love for “Fame Is a Gun” ultimately led to that scene being used in Your Fault: London’s memorable sex scene between Nick (Broome) and Noah (Banks).

“We ended up playing it while filming the sexy scene,” the actress recalled. “We are such big theater kids so [we choreographed our moves to the beat]. Then they managed to try to get it in the movie.”

Based on Mercedes Ron‘s novel Culpa Mía, My Fault follows Noah after she makes the move to a new place amid her mother’s new marriage.

Noah, who is 17 in the first film, ends up at odds with her stepbrother, Nick. Their initial disdain, however, quickly turns into a romance that spans three movies in total.

Prime Video originally released a Spanish-language version in 2023, with Nicole Wallace and Gabriel Guevara in the lead roles. Banks and Broome took over in the English-language remake with My Fault and Your Fault streaming now — while Our Fault: London is scheduled to be released soon.

“[When we read the ending of Your Fault: London], it was just chaos. We read it and we were like, ‘Oh, damn, Twitter is about to go crazy,’” Banks joked on Saturday. “But I think that was part of the excitement.”

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Banks is thrilled to see how the third film will address Nick and Noah’s romance after his arrest.

“We were so invested in our own characters and we spent so much time making sense of their decisions and being on their team and being on their side,” Banks recalled. “We were debating about it constantly. But we are very excited to see the reaction and the chaos that it caused.”

My Fault: London and Your Fault: London is streaming on Prime Video now.

For nearly two decades, The Big Bang Theory has proven remarkably adaptable. What began as a traditional multi-camera sitcom about four socially awkward scientists grew into one of television’s biggest comedy franchises, spawning the prequel Young Sheldon and its successor, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. Now, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is preparing to take the franchise somewhere it has never gone before, swapping apartment banter for a multiversal sci-fi adventure led by comic book store owner Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman).

Although this is a very exciting new direction for this franchise, it also presents an unfortunate challenge for this particular production: As Stuart Fails to Save The Universe continues to create and develop its own unique identity, it also reminds the audience of how The Big Bang Theory is primarily about Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), two characters who continue to serve as the gravitational pull of this overall franchise, even though they do not have leading or supporting parts in this production. Creating an act outside the gravitational pull of two characters like this is going to be a very difficult task for any sequel to achieve.

What Is ‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’ About?

Image via HBO Max

Unlike every previous installment in The Big Bang Theory universe, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe embraces science fiction in a way the original comedy only ever referenced through conversations about comic books, Star Trek, and superhero movies. The story follows Stuart (Sussman), Denise (Lauren Lapkus), Bert (Brian Posehn), and Barry Kripke (John Ross Bowie) after Stuart accidentally breaks a quantum device originally built by Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard (Simon Helberg). The resulting catastrophe tears apart reality itself, forcing the unlikely team into a multiversal adventure populated by alternate versions of familiar characters, strange new worlds, and increasingly absurd situations.

It’s a dramatic tonal shift, but one that appears intentional. Co-creator Chuck Lorre has openly described the series as an opportunity to challenge himself after decades of producing dialogue-driven sitcoms, while comic book movie veteran Zak Penn brings blockbuster science-fiction experience to a franchise that’s largely stayed grounded despite its scientifically minded cast.

The concept alone distinguishes Stuart Fails to Save the Universe from Young Sheldon and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. Rather than expanding familiar family dynamics, this series asks what happens when the comic book fantasies the original gang spent years debating suddenly become reality. It’s exactly the kind of creative swing the franchise arguably needs. After nearly 20 years, simply repeating The Big Bang Theory’s formula would have risked diminishing what made the original so successful.

Sheldon and Leonard Are Still the Foundation of ‘The Big Bang Theory’

Image via CBS

Ironically, that’s also where the new show’s biggest challenge emerges. For all its multiversal ambition, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe still begins with Sheldon and Leonard. Even as the series hands the spotlight to Stuart and his friends, its central conflict stems from inventions developed by the original protagonists, which is fitting because The Big Bang Theory itself always revolved around Sheldon and Leonard’s friendship. Before Amy (Mayim Bialik), Bernadette (Melissa Rauch), or Stuart became fan favorites, the series began with two roommates navigating life together after Penny moved into the apartment across the hall. Nearly every major relationship eventually branched off from that core dynamic.

Howard and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) were introduced by Leonard and Sheldon. Stuart became part of the group through the comic book store they frequented, and Amy entered the story when Howard and Raj created a dating profile for Sheldon. Even the show’s emotional finale centered on the group celebrating Sheldon and Amy’s Nobel Prize after years of shared growth. This is why Sheldon and Leonard continue to loom so large over the franchise, regardless of whether Parsons or Galecki physically appears, as they’re the framework on which every new story is built.

‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’ Has to Prove the Franchise Can Stand on Its Own

Image via Monty Brinton / ©CBS / courtesy Everett Collection

To the series’ credit, it isn’t pretending Sheldon and Leonard never existed. Instead, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe appears determined to acknowledge its roots while shifting attention toward characters who rarely received the spotlight during the original sitcom. Stuart spent years functioning as one of The Big Bang Theory’s most lovable supporting players, while Barry and Bert frequently stole scenes despite limited screen time. Giving them the chance to lead a series feels like a natural next step for a franchise looking to broaden its world.

The move to HBO Max also gives the creative team more flexibility than a traditional network sitcom ever could. Without the constraints of a broadcast comedy, the series can lean into visual effects, serialized storytelling, and larger-scale science-fiction concepts that would have been difficult to sustain on CBS.

Unlike Young Sheldon, which carved out its own identity by exploring Sheldon’s childhood, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe exists after the events of The Big Bang Theory, meaning that every callback, returning character, and scientific invention naturally invites audiences to think about the original ensemble. Even confirmed returns from familiar faces like Beverly Hofstadter (Christine Baranski) and Ramona Nowitzki (Riki Lindhome) reinforce that connection. These characters were defined by their relationships with Leonard and Sheldon, making it difficult to completely separate the sequel from the original show’s central duo.

Ultimately, that isn’t necessarily a weakness. If anything, it demonstrates how effectively The Big Bang Theory built its world over 12 seasons. The real test for Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is whether the series can convince audiences to invest in a story where they don’t have to. If Stuart’s multiversal adventure succeeds, it’ll prove the franchise has finally grown beyond its original heroes. But even then, the show will have accomplished that by telling a story that began with Sheldon and Leonard all over again.

After a steady streak of success over the last several weeks, which saw hits such as Obsession, Backrooms, and Toy Story 5, the domestic box office hit a speed bump this past weekend. Toy Story 5 retained the box-office crown, but had a bigger second-weekend drop than expected. Meanwhile, the big-budget superhero movie Supergirl fell drastically short of expectations, prompting DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran to admit disappointment. The movie took the number two spot at the domestic box office in its opening weekend, grossing less than half of what the DC Universe’s first installment, Superman, earned in its first weekend in 2025. Supergirl also fell short of two of the biggest box-office bombs of the DC Extended Universe and Marvel Cinematic Universe franchises, respectively.

Directed by Craig Gillespie, Supergirl is headlined by Milly Alcock, with Jason Momoa appearing as Lobo. The film received mixed reviews from critics and audiences upon release, which will certainly have an impact on its future run. It now holds a 56% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Milly Alcock brings a swagger to Kara Zor-El that’d make Krypton proud in this otherwise familiar origin story, dawning a promising new hero in the DCU who’s still waiting for an adventure that matches her vigor.” The movie also received a poor B- grade from opening day audiences, according to CinemaScore.

Here’s How Much ‘Supergirl’ Grossed in Its Box-Office Debut

With $37.1 million at the domestic box office this weekend, the movie fell short of the $55 million haul of The Flash and the $46 million debut of The Marvels. Both those movies ultimately tanked, grossing around $270 million and $205 million worldwide, respectively. Supergirl‘s opening-weekend haul also fell short of Morbius‘ $39 million debut, but it was marginally higher than the openings of Joker: Folie à Deux, Birds of Prey, and Dark Phoenix. Supergirl is the second installment of the DC Universe, which was launched in 2025 with James Gunn‘s Superman. That film grossed $125 million domestically and around $220 million worldwide in its first weekend, and ended its run with around $620 million globally against a reported budget of $225 million. Supergirl, on the other hand, comes with a reported price tag in the $180 million range, which leaves it with an uphill climb.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

June 26, 2026

Runtime

108 minutes

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Writers

Ana Nogueira

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Producers

James Gunn, Lars P. Winther, Nigel Gostelow, Peter Safran

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Who done it? That’s the central question at the heart of one of the most popular varieties of mystery. A whodunnit is structured differently than other mysteries. It presents all the suspects of its central crime up front, and from there it begins to process the clues so that the audience may try to puzzle out who the real culprit is for themselves. They can have as many plot twists and turns as any other mystery, but there’s an interactive quality that makes them undeniably entertaining. Some of the most popular crime writers of all time turned out a whodunnit or two in their time, and many of them have made their way to the big screen as well.

While true whodunnit movies aren’t as ubiquitous as they are in the literary world, there are still enough to make for a stellar murder mystery weekend. Some are funny, others are more sinister, but they’ve all got some mysteries that will pique your interest and have you trying to parse out the terrible truth. Whether you’re a true crime fanatic or just a casual player of Clue, these ten whodunnits will keep you curious with their perfect mysteries.

‘The Thin Man’ (1934)

Image via MGM Studios

Based on the novel by acclaimed crime writer Dashiell Hammett, The Thin Man is better known for the chemistry between lead actors William Powell and Myrna Loy, as crime-solving couple Nick and Nora Charles, than it is for its central mystery, but it’s still a cracking whodunit. The film’s success led to five sequels featuring the characters, but the original is still the best, offering a tantalizing mystery and a sinister list of suspects.

The titular Thin Man is inventor Clyde (Edward Ellis), who goes missing after confronting his mistress about stolen money. That’s when former detective Nick and his socialite wife Nora get involved, and the bodies begin to pile up. Is the Thin Man a suspect or a victim? Who is responsible for his disappearance and why? There’s a long list of suspects, and Nick gathers them all in the finale for a classic whodunit wrap-up. The entire film is a classic, and it’s all played with a light touch, making it one of the most fun murder mysteries ever made.

‘And Then There Were None’ (1945)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Agatha Christie is among the most famous mystery writers, having created iconic characters such as Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, along with authoring several singular mystery classics. Her seminal whodunit And Then There Were None, also known under some other far more racist titles, is the most frequently adapted of her work, with the most famous being the 1945 version. Directed by René Clair, the film collects a group of strangers in an island mansion, and kills them off one by one.

Eight guests are invited by a mysterious host named U.N. Owen to a manor on a remote island. The only thing the guests, as well as the two newly hired servants, have in common is that they have all been accused of prior murders. When they each begin to meet their own demises, the survivors begin to turn on one another as they try to sort out who the real killer is among them. It’s an iconic set-up for a whodunit that’s influenced dozens of others that have come after it, and its mystery will keep you guessing until the last minute.

‘The House of Fear’ (1945)

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The most iconic fictional detective of all time is, without a doubt, Arthur Conan Doyle‘s Sherlock Holmes. Of all the actors to take on the role of Holmes, the one most associated with the role is Basil Rathbone, who appeared in fourteen feature films as the detective alongside Nigel Bruce as Watson. While most of those films don’t conform to the whodunit template, The House of Fear is the murderous exception.

Based on Doyle’s short story The Five Orange Pips, the film follows Holmes as he visits a Scottish castle where a group of men, known collectively as the Good Comrades, live together. When the men begin to die off, each after receiving an envelope of orange pips, their insurance agent believes one of them is killing the others in order to collect a larger payout. It’s not the greatest of the Rathbone outings, but The House of Fear is still a classic Sherlock mystery and an enthralling whodunit.

‘The Last of Sheila’ (1973)

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One of the few whodunits not based on any prior source material, The Last of Sheila was instead inspired by real-life scavenger hunts that co-writers Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim had often arranged for their celebrity friends. The film likewise focuses on a group of Hollywood players attempting to solve a murder, and it has since become a major influence on more modern mystery films, most evidently in Rian Johnson‘s Glass Onion, in which Sondheim himself made a cameo appearance.

Invited on a yacht pleasure cruise around the Mediterranean by their producer friend, the guests take part in a mystery game which seems to allude to the death of the producer’s wife a year prior. When the producer himself turns up dead, the guests then begin to play an entirely new game of whodunit. The Last of Sheila has a terrific ensemble cast, which includes Dyan Cannon, James Coburn. James Mason and Raquel Welch, and a clever script by Perkins and Sondheim that finds genuine mystery in the sordid secrets of the Hollywood elite.

‘Murder on the Orient Express’ (1974)

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As star-studded as the cast of The Last of Sheila is, it can’t compare to the incredible ensemble that fills out Sidney Lumet‘s essential adaptation of Agatha Christie‘s Murder on the Orient Express. As Belgian detective Poirot, Albert Finney leads a cast of Hollywood royalty that includes Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave and Ingrid Bergman in an Oscar-winning performance. It’s the most stylishly produced version of a murder mystery that’s been adapted multiple times for film and television, but never bettered.

Set on the titular train, Poirot finds himself among a group of international travelers, one of whom is murdered in the middle of the night. Poirot discovers that every passenger on the train had a motive for murdering the victim, which leaves him until the train reaches its destination to suss out the perpetrator amongst the suspects. Murder on the Orient Express remains one of the best adaptations of Christie, with the author herself praising it, with the exception of her criticism that Poirot’s mustache wasn’t fabulous enough.

‘Clue’ (1985)

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Based on the beloved board game, Clue is another whodunit with a classy cast, although with a far more comedic bent to its mystery-solving than any of the previously mentioned films. Originally developed by John Landis before writer Jonathan Lynn took over as director, the film included three different endings, all of which were eventually included when it was released on home media. Clue initially received a mixed response from critics and failed at the box office but has since become a cult classic thanks to the performances of its talented cast and its perfectly hilarious mystery.

Following the basic premise of the board game, the film features a group of strangers invited to a manor, where they are each given their color-coordinated code names before being confronted by Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving), who has blackmail material on all of them. Boddy quickly becomes a dead body, and the strangers are left to decide which one of them was capable of the murder before the police arrive. The casting is pitch perfect across the board, from Mr. Green (Michael McKean) to Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn), but the MVP is Tim Curry as the butler Wadsworth, who gets to sleuth with increasing manic energy as the plot gets ever more convoluted.

‘Scream’ (1996)

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One of the most iconic horror franchises of all time also happens to be the longest-running modern whodunit franchise as well. Wes Craven‘s Scream is a meta satire of the slasher subgenre and its conventions, but unlike Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers, the identity of the film’s knife-wielding killer, Ghostface, is a mystery. As the bodies of teen victims begin to pile up, the survivors are left running for their lives like the cast of Scooby-Doo while trying to unmask the murderer.

The first film in Craven’s franchise follows a group of high school students stalked by a mysterious assailant who has an obsession with horror movies. The deaths create a media circus, with teen Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) caught at the center of it, while still struggling to process the murder of her mother a year prior. Scream reinvigorated slashers in the ’90s and led to a series of sequels and even more horror films that tried to draft off its success, but none of them feature a mystery as intriguing as the original.

‘Gosford Park’ (2001)

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Despite the success of Scream, whodunits didn’t gain much traction in the ’90s, and it wasn’t until Robert Altman‘s Oscar-nominated Gosford Park that the genre would get a proper reintroduction with a throwback murder mystery set in a manor. Written by Julian Fellowes, who would later go on to create the series Downton Abbey, the film features the same upstairs-downstairs examination of the British class system, all filtered through the subversive mind of Altman and wrapped up in a classic whodunit.

Set on a country estate where a group of wealthy guests has gathered for a shooting weekend, tensions are already high amongst the guests and staff well before one of them is murdered, which exposes even more fractures within the social ranks. Altman has always been a keen observer of characters, and that suits the film well here. As the camera wanders and conversations overlap, we’re forced to listen intently and focus to figure out which of the cast of characters might have cause to kill.

‘Hot Fuzz’ (2007)

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The second entry in the Cornetto Trilogy, following the zombie rom-com Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz combines even more genres together, including buddy-cop action, cult horror, slapstick comedy and a dash of whodunit. While the murder mystery elements eventually take a backseat during the action-packed third act, and we’re deprived of the classic killer reveal, the film is too damn fun and funny to nitpick.

Supercop Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is too efficient an officer, so he’s sent away by his lackluster superiors to a quiet village in the West Country, where he’s partnered with the bumbling Danny (Nick Frost). Angel’s need for action is quickly satiated when he discovers that the accidental deaths that plague the village are more than likely the result of a gruesome murderer. Hot Fuzz is easily one of the best comedies of the 2000s, with Edgar Wright’s energetic direction and the chemistry of Pegg and Frost powering its perfect little mystery.

‘Knives Out’ (2019)

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Easily the biggest and most popular reinvigoration of the whodunit on film in the 21st century, Rian Johnson’s Knives Out not only delivered a brilliantly clever modern evolution of the genre as a whole, but also introduced one of its greatest new detectives in the form of Daniel Craig‘s southern fried performance as gentleman sleuth Benoit Blanc. While the two subsequent efforts featuring the character, Glass Onion and Wake Up Dead Man, offer unique twists in their murder mysteries, the original is a modern whodunit masterpiece.

When famed author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) dies of an apparent suicide on his country estate (where else?), it seems like an open-and-shut case, except for the fact that Blanc has been anonymously summoned by someone who suspects foul play. This is bad news for Thrombey’s nurse Marta (Ana de Armas), who believes herself responsible for his death after accidentally giving him a lethal dose of morphine, and finds herself drawing suspicion from his privileged family when she is named as the sole benefactor of his estate. The truth, as is often the case in Johnson’s films, is far more complicated than it initially seems, and Knives Out offers one delightful twist after another in its perfectly concocted mystery.

Cara Delevingne confirmed that she and Amber Heard had a romantic relationship amid the actress’ highly-publicized divorce from Johnny Depp.

“It’s because we did a movie together, and it was called London Fields. He was also doing the movie,” Delevingne, 33, said of her connection to Heard, 40, and Depp, 63, during her Monday, June 29, appearance on “The Louis Theroux Podcast.”

“I think he was pretty driven crazy by jealousy,” she continued. “Nothing was happening at that point. Later, after they divorced, it had, I suppose.”

Theroux asked Delevingne to clarify what she meant by she supposed.

Related: Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s Ups and Downs Through the Years

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were married for less than two years, but they’ve weathered a ton of ups and downs since their 2016 split. The Oscar nominee and the Aquaman star met on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary, which began production in early 2009. At the time, Depp was in […]

“No, I don’t suppose. I know,” she said.

Theroux asked Delevingne if she considered her relationship with Heard to be “an entanglement,” prompting the Carnival Row actress to admit she did not understand the word’s meaning.

“I think it means a relatively short-lived liaison or series of physical encounters,” Theroux explained.

After confirming what Theroux meant by “entanglement,” Delevingne shared that she guessed her and Heard’s dynamic could be described as such.

“We were close for a long time, and then when they were going through the divorce, yeah, we were entangled, I suppose,” she said. “But she was also entangled with other people.”

Delevingne and Heard were first linked as friends in the 2010s. The women would attend multiple functions alongside other famous pals, including Margot Robbie. Delevingne was by Heard’s side following the Aquaman actress’ split from Depp in 2016. When Heard filed for divorce, she accused Depp of physical and sexual abuse. The Pirates of the Caribbean actor vehemently denied the allegations

Related: Why Amber Heard Is Speaking Out About Alleged Blake Lively Smear Campaign

Amber Heard sees some similarities between her story and Blake Lively’s. Lively, 37, filed a lawsuit against her former It Ends With Us costar Justin Baldoni on Friday, December 20, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign to damage her reputation. One of Baldoni’s publicists Melissa Nathan — who represented Johnny Depp […]

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Six years later, Depp sued Heard for $50 million, claiming she defamed him in a 2018 Washington Post essay she wrote about being a victim of sexual violence. Heard, who did not name Depp specifically in the article, countersued for $100 million. A jury found both Depp and Heard liable for defamation. However, Depp was ultimately awarded a more substantial compensatory and punitive damages.

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During the lawsuit, Depp accused Heard of having affairs with Delevingne and Elon Musk. Delevingne and Heard did not confirm their relationship at the time. Heard and Musk started dating in 2016 after she split from Depp, but the pair didn’t confirm their romance until April 2017. Heard and Musk ultimately called it quits four months later.

“I was really in love, and it hurt bad. Well, she broke up with me more than I broke up with her,” Musk told Rolling Stone in November 2017, adding that he was in “severe emotional pain” in the wake of the split. “I’m looking for a long-term relationship. I’m not looking for a one-night stand. I’m looking for a serious companion or soulmate, that kind of thing. I will never be happy without having someone.”

“The Louis Theroux Podcast” is available on Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

The downside of becoming a long-running series on television is the chance that the storytelling might start to feel a little stale. After several seasons (especially of a sitcom), viewers are already more than familiar with the characters. There’s also likely a rhythm that has been established with the writing, and an obvious formula that introduces a problem to be solved every episode. Of course, by the time the episode wraps up, all is right in the world. This formula has definitely been a successful one for CBS’ hit comedy, Ghosts. But after five seasons, the show is in dire need of something to shake things up. Luckily, a recent announcement has been made that states that Ghosts is making a change that will completely revitalize the series.

Ben Feldman Will Be Bumped Up to a Series Regular on ‘Ghosts’

The team behind Ghosts broke the news that Ben Feldman, who plays Kyle Rosenblat on the show, has been officially declared a series regular. Kyle first appeared on the show back in Season 4, when Pete Martino (Richie Moriarty) met him on one of his special trips away from Woodstone Manor. After discovering that the very-much-alive Kyle can also see and talk to ghosts just like Sam (Rose McIver), Pete brings Kyle back to meet his other spirit pals. Of course, hijinks occur, as with any supporting character that joins the kooky gang at Woodstone.

Kyle pops back up again in the latest season of Ghosts, and plays a major role in the Season 5 finale. Most importantly, we learn that Kyle will be staying with the ghosts while Sam goes off to Hollywood to work on bringing her scripts to the screen. This is already setting up some fun plots for the ghosts to interact with Kyle. Plus, in the finale, when Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) needs to travel with Pete to the UK to save Woodstone, Kyle comes along as a ghost translator. He’s a pivotal part in the plan to declare Woodstone a historical landmark, and is driving home with Jay and Pete, when the unthinkable happens. Pete has spent too much time away from Woodstone, and in the last moments of the episode, disappears completely before they can make it back. This brings up a major question heading into Season 6: Is Pete really gone forever? Now, with Kyle’s character seemingly in the mix in a more permanent way, Ghosts is setting up Season 6 to be even more entertaining.

Kyle Can Bring a Fresh, New Quality to the ‘Ghosts’ Storylines

With five seasons wrapped up, it’s true that Ghosts is starting to feel a little boring. Most of the interactions between Sam, Jay, and the ghosts are way too repetitive, with constant misunderstandings on Jay’s end, and the shtick of setting up a problem and then solving it after some shenanigans has been played out now. There haven’t been a whole lot of surprises in the storytelling, and the romances between ghosts also tend to feel a bit forced — looking at you Pete and Alberta (Danielle Pinnock). That’s why adding in a new character, especially a living person who can communicate with the ghosts, is such a brilliant idea. It introduces a whole new, fairly unknowable element to an already familiar set-up.

Many fans of the show were disappointed that Jay hasn’t been able to see the ghosts in any long-term capacity, so inserting Kyle into the action permanently will scratch that itch for viewers. The ghosts have only ever been able to interact with Sam, so there is plenty of mischief they can get into now that they have another human to boss around and/or befriend. Kyle has also seemed kind of lonely in past episodes, so having him join the gang at Woodstone means there will be a great deal of intriguing narratives to explore with his character as well.

Feldman has already established in his sporadic episodes that he has great chemistry with everyone in the cast, which isn’t always the case when some actors join a show well into its run. And his hilarious stint on Superstore proved that he’s clearly a talented comedic actor, and that he can handle a wide variety of storylines with perfect timing. Offering him a bigger role will provide the plots in Ghosts with even more opportunities for hilarity and silliness. Ghosts doesn’t return until early 2027, but having Feldman become a series regular is an exciting development for a series that desperately needs a boost.

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Ghosts

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Release Date

October 7, 2021

Directors

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Christine Gernon, Jaime Eliezer Karas, Katie Locke O’Brien, Nick Wong, Jude Weng, Pete Chatmon, Richie Keen, Alex Hardcastle, Kimmy Gatewood, Matthew A. Cherry, Cortney Carrillo

Writers

Emily Schmidt, John Timothy, Lauren Bridges, Sophia Lear, Guy Endore-Kaiser, Rishi Chitkara, Julia Harter, Skander Halim, Zora Bikangaga

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  Rose McIver

  Samantha Arondekar

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  Utkarsh Ambudkar

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  Jay Arondekar

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