1978-87 Superman Films vs. 1989-97 Batman Films

[TMC1982]

Or the Christopher Reeve/Richard Donner series vs. the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher series:
Superman (1978) vs. Batman (1989):
*Christopher Reeve's Superman/Clark Kent vs. Michael Keaton's Batman/Bruce Wayne

*Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor vs. Jack Nicholson's Joker/Jack Napier

*Margot Kidder's Lois Lane vs. Kim Basinger's Vicki Vale

*Jackie Cooper's Perry White vs. Pat Hingle's Commissioner James Gordon

*Glenn Ford's Jonathon "Pa" Kent vs. Michael Gough's Alfred Pennyworth - Both serve in the capacity of being the heroes' surrogate fathers

*Marc McClure's Jimmy Olsen vs. Robert Wuhl's Alexander Knox

*Terence Stamp's General Zod vs. Billy Dee Williams' Harvey Dent - Both are villains who would be featured more prominently in future movie (albeit Tommy Lee Jones would play Harvey Dent, not Billy Dee Williams in Batman Forever)

*Ned Beatty's Otis vs. Tracy Walter's Bob the Goon - Both served as the villains' number one henchmen

*Valerie Perrine's Eve Tessmacher vs. Jerry Hall's Alicia Hunt

*John Williams score vs. Danny Elfman's score

Superman II vs. Batman Returns:
*Christopher Reeve's Superman/Clark Kent vs. Michael Keaton's Batman/Bruce Wayne

*Margot Kidder's Lois Lane vs. Michelle Pfeiffer's Selena Kyle/Catwoman

*Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor vs. Christopher Walken's Max Shreck

*Terence Stamp's General Zod vs. Danny DeVito's Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot

*Sarah Douglas' Ursa vs. Anna Katarina's Poodle Lady

*Jack O'Halloran's Non vs. Rick Zumwalt's Tattooed Strongman

*Jackie Cooper's Perry White vs. Pat Hingle's Commissioner James Gordon

*Susannah York's Lara vs. Michael Gough's Alfred Pennyworth

*Marc McClure's Jimmy Olsen vs. Andrew Bryniarski's Chip Shreck

*E. G. Marshall vs. President of the United States vs. Michael Murphy's Mayor of Gotham City

Superman III vs. Batman Forever:
*Christopher Reeve's Superman/Clark Kent vs. Val Kilmer's Batman/Bruce Wayne

*Christopher Reeve's "Evil Superman" vs. Tommy Lee Jones' Two-Face/Harvey Dent

*Richard Vaughn's Ross Webster and Richard Pryor's Gus Gorman vs. Jim Carrey's Riddler/Edward Nygma

*Annette O'Toole's Lara Lang vs. Nicole Kidman's Dr. Chase Meridian

*Marc McClure's Jimmy Olsen vs. Chris O'Donnell's Robin/Dick Grayson

*Jackie Cooper's Perry White vs. Pat Hingle's Commissioner James Gordon

*Gavan O'Herlihy's Brad Wilson vs. Ed Begley, Jr.'s Fred Stickley

*Annie Ross' Vera Webster vs. Debi Mazar's Spice

*Pamela Stephenson's Lorelei Ambrosia vs. Drew Barrymore's Sugar

*Elizabeth Sanders' Gossip Gerty vs. Margot Kidder's Lois Lane

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace vs. Batman & Robin:
*Christopher Reeve's Superman/Clark Kent vs. George Clooney's Batman/Bruce Wayne

*Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor vs. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Mr. Freeze/Victor Fries

*Margot Kidder's Lois Lane vs. Uma Thurman's Poison Ivy/Pamela Isley

*Marc McClure's Jimmy Olsen vs. Chris O'Donnell's Robin/Dick Grayson

*Jon Cryer's Lenny Luthor vs. Alicia Silverstone's Batgirl/Barbara Gordon

*Jackie Cooper's Perry White vs. Pat Hingle's Commissioner James Gordon

*Susannah York's Lara vs. Michael Gough's Alfred Pennyworth

*Mariel Hemingway's Lacy Warfield vs. Elle Macpherson's Julie Madison

*Sam Wanamaker's David Warfield vs. John Glover's Jason Woodrue

*Marc Pillow's Nuclear Man vs. Jeep Swenson's Antonio Diego/Bane

 

[El Payaso]

Somehow I see both franchises as opposites.

What 'Superman' got traditional and fun, 'Batman' got it untraditional and twisted. Whereas one was set in a visually realistic environment, the other one was set in a completely fantastic world. Reeve was the absolutely perfect cast for Superman and Keaton was the most untraditional cast for Batman. Superman is the hero and main role and the villiains (well, Lex) are secondary. In Batman the villains are very important and Batman is an anti-hero that's mostly hidden amongst the shadows. Superman is colorful and optimistic, Batman is dressed in black and the ultimate dark figure.

As movies I can't just pick one between Superman and Batman, but I think Superman II is better built than Batman Returns. I love Returns but I can't help notice it drags at some points and lose some energy here and there. I pick B Forever over S III absolutely and about SIV vs B&R... well... there's a point where trying to choose between that kind of movies is pointless.

 

[Ponyboy]

I don't think you can really compare them either. batman and superman, to me, are just polar opposites of one another. It might be more appropriate to compare Batman and Iron Man.

 

[The Batman]

...just because they have different styles of storytelling dosent mean you cant compare them. ultimately, they're both films in the superhero genre.

 

[ALP]

I agree fully with El Pay.

Funny, the two things the films do have in common is that the first two in the series are terrific films and then afterwards went downhill.

However BF has it's fun moments. SIII is absolutely awful! If Reeve was not in that film it would have been long forgotten by everyone.

 

[Ponyboy]

...just because they have different styles of storytelling dosent mean you cant compare them. ultimately, they're both films in the superhero genre.

Sooo... compare them, then.

 

[The Joker]

...just because they have different styles of storytelling dosent mean you cant compare them. ultimately, they're both films in the superhero genre.

True that.

Funny thing is both franchise follow a trend. First two movies were good, last two movies were terrible.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

As were thier respective 'spin-offs'...