Batman in film hooded villain whose identity remains a mystery throughout the serial until the end. "Batman" (also known as "Batman: The Movie") is a 1966 film adaptation of the popular "Batman" television series, and was the first full-length theatrical adaptation of the DC Comics character. The 20th Century Fox release starred Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin, as well as Lee Meriwether as Catwoman, Cesar Romero as the Joker, Burgess Meredith as the Penguin and Frank Gorshin as the Riddler. The film was directed by Leslie H. Martinson, who also directed a pair of "Batman" episodes: "The Penguin Goes
Homosexuality in the Batman franchise certainly understand the gay readings, though." While Frank Miller has described the relationship between Batman and the Joker as a "homophobic nightmare," he views the character as sublimating his sexual urges into crime fighting, concluding, "He'd be "much" healthier if he were gay." Grant Morrison, writer of both "Batman" and "Batman Incorporated" said in an interview with "Playboy" that "Gayness is built into Batman. I’m not using gay in the pejorative sense, but Batman is very, very gay...Obviously as a fictional character he's intended to be heterosexual, but the basis of the whole concept is utterly gay." Morrison later said