With The Batman recently dropping on HBO Max and with "Something In The Way" still being one of Nirvana's most streamed songs, it is safe to say that Robert Pattinson's Batman has been fully integrated into modern pop culture. The Twilight star's take on the Dark Knight comes a year after Ben Affleck's Batman starred in Zack Snyder's Justice League.
As the DC Extended Universe version of Batman, Affleck played a much older version of the character. Although there were a few similarities between his and Pattinson's characters, fans would mainly agree that the two actors managed to give two distinctive and completely different portrayals, be it in terms of "superheroing" or just existing as Bruce Wayne.
Deaths In The Family
It is clear that Pattinson's Batman cannot move on with the death of his parents. The traumatic incident has led him to a path of justice and serves as a recurring thought in all of his dark adventures so far. He firmly believes that the loss of his parents gave way to his quest to prevent such incidents from happening in Gotham City.
While Affleck's Batman has faced the same incident in childhood, he still seems to have moved on over the deaths (barring the infamous "Martha" scene in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice). In fact, with age, he seems to have adopted his own family (as can be seen from Jason Todd's costume in the Batcave). In fact, not only does Batman face the brunt of Thomas and Martha Wayne's deaths but also the death of Todd, who was like a son to him.
Control Over Violence
True to the edgy nature of the movie, Robert Pattinson's Batman doesn't hold back his punches. He is an aggressive individual with a tendency to inflict bone-breaking violence on his enemies. But as has been the norm in Batman comics, the masked vigilante never crosses the line of actually killing someone.
Affleck's Batman, on the other hand, can be seen using guns to mortally wound enemies. It is implied that Jason Todd's death drove him to such a point that he is willing to violate his own "no-killing" rule. Otherwise, his aggression in hand-to-hand combat is similar to that of his latest counterpart.
Comic Accuracy
It can be debated among fans whether Ben Affleck is the Better Bat in terms of comic book accuracy or Robert Pattinson. However, what cannot be denied is that both evoke different dimensions of Batman from drastically-different storylines.
Pattinson's lean body type suits a younger Batman from origin storylines such as the 1980s Batman comic book issue Year One. Affleck's Batman possesses a more bulked-up physique that goes in tandem with most of Batman's representations, be it in Knightfall or The Dark Knight Returns. The latter was referenced further in Dawn of Justice with Batman sporting the Mech Batsuit to take down Superman.
Social Life
Pattinson's Batman doesn't have much of social life and it gets even worse when he's Bruce Wayne. As the caped crusader, he just interacts with Jim Gordon and Catwoman (and even then this is for solving criminal conspiracies). His only true friend seems to be Alfred, who, again, feels more fatherly than friendly.
The other Batman is close friends with his fellow superheroes and has a friendly demeanor in general. A romance with Wonder Woman is also subtly hinted. On the other hand, Pattinson's Batman doesn't appear to harbor any strong romantic feelings for Catwoman towards the end. Hence, in the face of this, the latter seems like a lonelier man with his solo adventures, taking up most of his time.
Billionaire Status
Both versions show the billionaire superhero enjoying a lavish lifestyle. However, Robert Pattinson's unique take on Bruce Wayne doesn't seem to care much about his fortune. Using most of his resources to fight crime, he doesn't wish to attend any board meetings or social events. As a result, Alfred does warn him that his fortune would dwindle.
Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne, on the contrary, is way more outgoing as a billionaire. Be it his first meeting with Clark Kent/Superman or the time when he bought back Martha Kent's house, Wayne doesn't shy away from openly flaunting his wealth. Unlike Pattinson's version, this Bruce Wayne is also comfortable with the media's spotlight being on him as an influential figure in his city.
General Attitude
The facial expressions of both Batmen make their differences in attitude pretty evident. Even though Affleck's Batman is brooding like his comic-book counterpart, the Bruce Wayne side of his personality can be quite humorous at times (as is evident from his deadpan humor in front of other Justice League members like Superman and the Flash). In fact, the DCEU version even smiles more than the average Batman.
Pattinson's angsty Batman might seem more accurate to the comics, for he seems to be in a perpetually dull and sleepless state. He hardly sports a smile and is often very cold in his communication skills.
Age
The differences in each of the Batmen's personality traits stem from the age gap between the two. Pattinson's Batman hasn't experienced many arch-villains in his crime-fighting career yet and has been the protector of Gotham for only two years. His lack of experience is also evoked in scenes that showcase his incompetence.
Affleck's version is introduced as an older and more relaxed Batman who has been active for over two decades, having encountered main villains such as the Joker. He has had his brunt of trauma but he doesn't let his impulses take the best of him, unlikely Pattinson's angstier portrayal.
Detective Skills
Regarded as "The World's Greatest Detective" in the comics, it is expected for both versions of Batman to be proficient detectives. Owing to the influences of neo-noirs on The Batman, Pattinson's Batman feels more like a real detective than a fictional superhero. With partners like Jim Gordon and Catwoman, Batman relies on not just his gadgets but also his own intelligence to interpret the clues left behind by The Riddler.
In the DCEU's case, the movies following up to the creation of the Justice League showed him more as a leader-like figure than a solo detective. Most of the clues that Batman anyway follows upon are procured from convenient sources (such as Wonder Woman or his own butler Alfred). So, his individual detective skills were yet to be fully explored.
Fighting Style
Probably owing to the age factor and physicality of each rendition, Pattinson's Batman seems to be more agile and quicker in hand-to-hand combat scenes. His fighting is characterized by aggressive strikes and takedowns followed by usual grappling techniques.
Coming to Affleck's Batman, he might not be the fastest but he is often very successful in disarming his enemies. Pattinson's version is great at attacking but he sometimes lacks the defense skills necessary to dodge or disarm the opposing fighter (unlike Affleck's take on it). This version also exhibits more signs of old-school boxing other than the usual martial arts shared by both.
Relationship With Alfred
Alfred Pennyworth has been a loyal friend and a wise father figure for Bruce Wayne, whom he has dutifully served since Wayne's younger days. Despite both Andy Serkis's and Jeremy Irons' versions of Alfred's seem very similar, it is their relationship with Bruce that makes the difference.
In The Batman, Bruce still takes Alfred for granted on many occasions. He often turns a deaf ear to Alfred's rational advice, relying on his own impulsive decisions. Bruce feels like a spoilt son in front of him. In the DCEU, Bruce treats Alfred more as a peer than a parental figure. He is also very attentive to Alfred's wisdom and rarely has any major disagreements with him.