The recently announced casting choice of Ben Affleck to play Batman in the upcoming "Man of Steel" sequel has stirred lots of debate and produced the Twitter trend #BetterBatmanThanBenAffleck. Here's a look at those who could have played Batman on the big screen...
(CNN) -- The last time Ben Affleck played a superhero, the world cried.
The year was 2003, and the movie was "Daredevil" -- a Hollywood fail that even Affleck has insinuated he'd rather forget.
So is it any wonder that within hours of Warner Bros. announcing the actor was going to play Batman in the upcoming "Man of Steel" sequel, Twitter immediately tried to recast the part using the hashtag #BetterBatmanThanBenAffleck. (Suggestions have included "the drunken hobo who lives under the overpass," the dog from "Air Bud" and "Manti Te'o's girlfriend.")
But in the eyes of some critics, the 41-year-old Oscar winner may not be such a bad choice.
Lewis Wilson is famous for being the first actor to play Batman in live action in 1943's "Batman." He was the youngest and also the least successful of all the Batmen. Click through to see other actors who have played the Caped Crusader of Gotham City.
Actors who have played Batman
Ben Affleck reacts to Batman backlash
Bat-fleck casting causes backlash
Let's not forget that Affleck has turned a career corner since his "annus horribilis" -- the year that sparked "Daredevil" and that other movie that had film fans writing him off, "Gigli."
He recovered from that valley slowly but surely, and went on to direct and star in standouts like 2010's "The Town" and 2012's "Argo," the latter of which won an Oscar for best picture.
From actor to auteur: Ben Affleck's career trajectory
Knowing that, Yahoo! Movies thinks "we owe Ben the benefit of the doubt" given that "the guy has made quite the comeback lately."
And there's also the possibility that he's learned from his mistakes with "Daredevil" -- the faults of which, notes CraveOnline, don't rest completely on Affleck's shoulders.
Now that he's an older, more seasoned actor who's shown himself to be a wizard in the director's chair, maybe "Man of Steel 2" director Zack Snyder's assessment isn't so far off:
"Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry (Cavill)'s Superman," Snyder said in a statement. "He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne."
If anything, says The Wall Street Journal, Affleck is "too perfect for the role."
"He has it all," says WSJ's Michael Calia."The shoulder-heavy jock's physique, the chiseled facial features set to brood, the experience playing a tough but haunted leading character. It's yet another example of competent and professional, if uninspired, Batman casting. ... (It's) better than Hollywood forcing another nondescript young hunk on us."
Film School Rejects disagrees with those who call the decision ho-hum, arguing that "Affleck as Batman in 'Man of Steel 2' is actually some pretty exciting casting news. ... (A)fter more than a year of rumors and speculation that he would be directing their Justice League ensemble (movie) and/or possibly playing the Caped Crusader in it, this seems to be an equally interesting announcement."
Affleck as Batman? 'No, nyet, never!'
From the perspective of the studio, Warner Bros. (which shares a parent company with CNN), Affleck's casting is "a major win," The Wrap says. The move not only shows that the now-back-on-top star "still has faith in the studio," but it also paves the way "for several potential superhero collaborations."
That idea is probably making several Bruce Wayne fans cringe as they hurry to sign a petition begging Warner Bros. to drop Affleck from the role.
But maybe, just maybe, Affleck won't be as horrible as everyone is anticipating. After all, he's proven us wrong before.
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Prior to the announcement of Affleck snagging the role, Josh Brolin made 
"True Blood's" Joe Manganiello also made the THR shortlist and would definitely have raised Batman's sexy quotient.
Twitter users may not have been entirely serious when they ranked Idris Elba in the #BetterBatmanThanBenAffleck suggestions, but since producers haven't seen fit yet to make the British actor the new James Bond, we would take Batman.
Imagine the moves Batman would have had if Channing Tatum had been selected.
"Stoker" star Matthew Goode would have been another good Brit for the role.
Come on. It's Ryan Gosling!
Jon Hamm is sort of a man of mystery as Don Draper on "Mad Men" so Batman wouldn't have been a huge stretch, would it?
Armie Hammer starred in "Lone Ranger" so he has action film experience. And he is adorable.
Benjamin McKenzie from "The O.C." and "Southland" already voiced Batman for the 2011 animated film "Batman: Year One" so he is familiar with the territory.
British actor Richard Armitage looks darn spiffy in a tux and that's half the battle in playing Batman.
Will Smith hasn't had a major hit in awhile. We're just saying.
Robert Lowery became the second person to portray the character in the 1949 movie serial, "Batman and Robin." Although he never played the character in another movie, he did guest star on an episode of "The Adventures of Superman." This was the first time a Batman actor and a Superman actor shared the screen.
"Holy smokes, Batman!" Adam West is possibly the best known of the Batmen. His campy, over-the-top portrayal of the Worlds Greatest Detective led to the popularity of the 1966 to 1968 Batman television series and the first full-length feature film, "Batman: The Movie" in 1966. Later West would voice the character in "The New Adventures of Batman" and "Super Friends."
Twenty years after Adam West's Batman came Michael Keaton in Tim Burton's 1989 "Batman." He played more of a dark, explosive Batman, the opposite of West's goofy type. Keaton's performance received favorable reviews, and he became the first actor to reprise the role in 1992's "Batman Returns" with Danny DeVito as the Penguin.
When the franchise changed directors, it also changed actors. Val Kilmer became one of the more forgettable of the Batmen in 1995's "Batman Forever." Kilmer was described as "childish and impossible" to work with. He was destined to be a one-termed caped crusader and left the Batcave for good, instead of filming "Batman & Robin."
The handsome, up-and-coming actor George Clooney was cast as the caped crusader in 1997's "Batman & Robin." The film received some of the worst reviews, and Clooney once joked that he helped to kill the franchise. Although the film did nothing to hurt Clooney's career, it frequently ranks among one of the worst films of all time. Pictured is Clooney as Batman and Chris O'Donnell as Robin.
After the disaster of "Batman & Robin," the franchise was destined to remain a joke. That is until director Christopher Nolan came along to reinvent the role and finally make the Dark Knight, well, dark. Christian Bale became the new Batman in 2005's "Batman Begins," 2008's "The Dark Knight" and finally "The Dark Knight Rises" in 2012. While the films were extremely successful, Bale's voice was considered ridiculous and would get even more gravelly and bizarre throughout the three films.
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