One doesn’t have to travel too far on the world wide web in order to find plenty of heated discussions and colorful opinions, and that rings doubly true when you start talking about one of America’s favorite pastimes (and no, I don’t mean baseball). For better or worse, everyone’s got an opinion these days, and with movies being as popular as ever (and readily available, thanks to streaming platforms and services), it’s easy to find oneself embroiled in a vitriolic debate with someone you’ve never met in real life, all thanks to the power of the internet.
However, a few companies attempted to inject some much-needed scientific accuracy into the equation. As we reported earlier today, The Hollywood Reporter and Morning Consult recently conducted a poll, surveying over 2,000 American adults about some of their favorite movies and actors.
When it comes to the Caped Crusader, it seems younger audiences are more accepting of Robert Pattinson, who recently beat out Nicholas Hoult for the coveted role in Matt Reeves’ upcoming film. Looking at more established players, it seems moviegoers strongly preferred Christian Bale and Michael Keaton, compared to George Clooney, Ben Affleck, and Val Kilmer.
The Hollywood Reporter also looked at a few actors who have played the Clown Prince of Crime, and the results weren’t all that surprising. Unequivocally, audiences seem to strongly prefer Heath Ledger’s Joker (coming in at 60 percent) over Jared Leto’s (an abysmal 18).
Interestingly, Jack Nicholson’s take on the character was also well-liked, with a respectable 58 percent. For those scratching their heads, it’s worth noting the totals surpass 100 percent. The 2,201 adults surveyed were asked which actors left a favorable impression, and only responses of “very favorable” counted for the final results.
Needless to say, it looks like moviegoers seem to strongly prefer Christopher Nolan’s take on the franchise, though they weren’t too hot on Anne Hathaway’s role as Catwoman. That being said, with Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker movie set to hit theaters in a few months, it’ll be interesting to see how audiences react to the film’s more grounded, realistic take on the character.