Deadpool’s Godfather Ends the Christian Bale vs Robert Pattinson Batman Debate Once and for All

Rob Liefeld wandered into the eternal Best Batman debate and, in very Liefeld fashion, made a call that surprised a lot of people. And no, he didn’t pick the one you think.

Liefeld’s pick: Batman Begins over… all of it

Prompted by @GRCinemaTicket’s two-option showdown — Christian Bale’s 'Batman Begins' versus Michael Keaton’s 'Batman Returns' — the Deadpool co-creator went with Bale’s origin story. He didn’t stop there either, calling 'Begins' the high-water mark for the character. That alone had fans raising eyebrows, since the internet usually treats 'The Dark Knight' as Nolan’s crown jewel.

Then someone asked the obvious follow-up: why choose 'Begins' over Robert Pattinson’s 'The Batman'?

"Acting. Story. Direction."

Short, sharp, and posted on X on Nov. 19, 2025. That’s Liefeld for you.

Why that answer riled up the Bat-faithful

The Bale vs Pattinson split has been brewing since 2022. The broad fan take tends to go like this:

• Bale nails Bruce Wayne’s dual life; Pattinson owns the cowl — especially the brooding, early-years version.
• 'The Batman' serves up some of the cleanest, most grounded fight choreography in the character’s film history — quick combos, tight technique, nothing too flashy.
• Pattinson’s Batman builds his own toys; Bale’s Batman leans on Lucius Fox for the gear, suits, and R&D.
• Nolan’s storytelling and villains turned Bale’s arc into a foundational screen take: 'Batman Begins' introduced Liam Neeson’s Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Shadows, plus Cillian Murphy’s Scarecrow.
• Matt Reeves leans hard into detective mode with Pattinson, and skips the sweeping origin framework Nolan used — by design.

So yeah, it’s a legit toss-up depending on what you value most. Liefeld just made it sound easy.

Quick rewind: who’s Rob Liefeld again?

Beyond Deadpool, Liefeld created Cable, and his mainstream comics run started with designing Dawn Granger’s costume for DC’s 1988 'Hawk & Dove'. He later guested on 'Teen Titans' and drew Robin during Tim Drake’s tenure. In other words: he’s been around the Bat-block.

And when it comes to Batman comics, he’s got a definitive GOAT

On Instagram, Liefeld was watching the animated adaptation of 'The Dark Knight Returns' and said it’s good — but it can’t touch the comic. He called Frank Miller’s book the greatest comic ever, said it shook the world, changed Batman forever, and argued its ripple effects are still shaping the character. Even if you don’t agree with his movie pick, it’s hard to fight him on that one; 'DKR' is widely considered one of the most influential comics of all time, and the template for the darker, more mature Batman we’ve had ever since.

Where to watch

'Batman Begins' and 'The Batman' are now streaming on HBO Max.