20 Times Actors Bet Against Hollywood (And WON)

11. Michael Keaton - Batman

Many superhero movie castings over the years have caused uproar, and Michael Keaton being cast as Batman was perhaps the first major case of this. To be fair to the fans, their surprise was understandable. Prior to this role, Keaton was primarily a comedy actor known for films such as Beetlejuice and Night Shift, so he appeared to be a fairly random choice to portray the brooding, Gothic superhero. 

It wasn't just fans who were skeptical; certain members of the crew and Batman co-creator Bob Kane also doubted the casting. So yes, Keaton as Batman was perhaps the first superhero casting choice to receive major backlash - it was also the first of many examples of said backlash being proven completely wrong, as Keaton's rendition of the character was widely acclaimed not only by critics, but by fans too. 

Keaton beautifully captured both sides of the character. His Batman was a grizzled, full-throttle bad-ass and he intelligently used his comedy roots to make Bruce Wayne a haunted yet eccentric, slightly kooky figure. He only played Batman two other times but for many fans, he is still the greatest to ever do it. That's not too shabby for a casting choice that earned the studio over 50,000 protest letters from angry fans.