Meet Batman's Hottest Girls

Even the most dedicated vigilante of Gotham City cannot resist the charms of the fairer sex.

While his playboy persona as Bruce Wayne entertains romantic illusions primarily to displace any attention from his role as Batman, there's no denying the brooding do-gooder's taste in women -- strong, hot and heady.

And when he's not rescuing Gotham from violent villains, both Wayne and his masked alter ego make quite an impression on the ladies irrespective of what side they're on.

From Tim Burton to Christopher Nolan, Hollywood has dished out quite a few interpretations of the caped crusader and his lady loves. With the madly anticipated The Dark Knight Rises set to hit the screens this Friday, here's looking at the hottest women to have crossed his path.

Anne Hathaway, The Dark Knight Rises

Best known to play feisty, spirited characters in light-hearted romp or dramas, playing the ass-kicking Catwoman in skin tight suits and crimson lipstick is quite a change for Anne Hathaway.

And if the promos and early reactions are anything to go by, she's done a purrrrfect job.

Unlike Hathaway's much publicised outing as Catwoman, Nolan has been deliberately secretive about the details of  Oscar-winning French actress Marion Cotillard's role in the final installment of the trilogy.

Save for the fact that she's playing Miranda Tate, a board member of Wayne Enterprises not much is known about her character.

While Christopher Nolan's take on the genre changed how we view comic book heroes; it didn't do any favours to its leading lady Katie Holmes.

Playing the unconditionally supportive childhood mate of Bruce Wayne, Holmes' Rachel Dawes is much too blah to make any impact. Little surprise she earned a Golden Raspberry nomination for this.

Naturally, Holmes declined to return and reprise her role as Rachel Dawes, following which Maggie Gyllenhaal was asked to step in.

As Wayne's well-wisher and Harvey Dent's fiancee, the otherwise talented Gyllenhaal was woefully miscast and indifferently utilised by Nolan.

A compelling Uma Thurman dons a bright green suit and orange-red hair to play the sexy albeit loony Botanist, Dr Pamela Isley aka Poison Ivy in Joel Schumacher's cheesy adaptation of the comic books.

Her sole agenda is to take on Batman and Co (George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell) with her deadly kiss and flirtatious moves.

Needless to say, Thurman nails it effortlessly.

The baby-faced star of the 1980s made a disastrous foray into superhero genre with her lumpy portrayal of Barbara Wilson, orphaned niece of Alfred, Wayne's faithful butler.

Her feeble transition from Barbara to Batgirl was dissed by fans and critics, landing Silverstone an unflattering Razzie trophy for Worst Supporting Actress.

While not the best roles of her career, it's surely one of the highest-grossing.

To her credit, Nicole Kidman delivers a super sassy Dr Chase Meridian, the intensely attractive criminal psychiatrist juggling her feelings for Batman and Wayne not realising they're one and the same.

Sorry Anne, Halle and Scarlett but Michelle Pfeiffer's uber sleek Catwoman is inarguably the hottest femme fatale representations  in the universe of comic book adaptations. Nobody rocks a bodysuit like this lady.

As the anti-heroine who keeps locking horns and lips with our dashing Knight, Pfeiffer's tremendous transformation from Selina Kyle to Catwoman is most astonishing.

Kim Basinger romanced the elusive Bruce Wayne as the curious hottie and Gotham Gazette reporter Vicki Vale in Tim Burton's iconic Batman. 

Basinger's earnest efforts notwithstanding, the show clearly belongs to Jack Nicholson's Joker.