While we loved seeing Michael Keaton make his return as the Caped Crusader in The Flash earlier this year, we admittedly had George Clooney hanging in the back of our mind.
So we were thrilled when, at the end of what was potentially the most doomed DCU movie of the year, the Batman actor appeared to reprise his role as the suave Bruce Wayne once again. It made us wonder: is there more gas in the tank for Clooney when it comes to upcoming DC movies? Well, according to the man himself…no.
“There was such a clamor for me to come back as Batman,” Clooney told Entertainment Tonight. “I said: ‘Where are my rubber nipples?’ and they were like, ‘Can we do it without the rubber nipples?’ And I said, ‘Well it’s not really my Batman is it?'”
When asked if he would consider coming back for more superhero movies as Batman, he had a definitive answer. “I don’t think there’s enough drugs in the world for me to come back again.”
Well, that’s one way of saying no! Clooney only played the DC character once, which is strange, since he’s become one of the most iconic performers to take on the cape and cowl over the years. Why? Well, because his turn as Batman was in what is widely considered to be one of the worst movies about the hero.
Batman and Robin (1997) made money, but it was harshly received by critics and fans alike thanks to comes questionable costume choices (hello, Batnipples!) and some incredibly hammy DC villains, like Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze.
That said, there’s something enjoyable and fascinating about the Clooney era of Batman. Yes, it’s over-the-top, and yes, it’s very unbelievable, but isn’t that just part of the fun? And all in all, while Clooney may not have been the greatest Batman, he made one hell of a Bruce Wayne.
When he turned up at the end of The Flash, straight from a Nespresso commercial by the looks of it, we couldn’t help but get a little excited. But if he’s not up for coming back to the fold fully, we can understand. We’re happy to take what we can get!
For more, check out our guides on how to watch the DC movies in order and the Gods and Monsters slate. You can also get to know our list of the best movies of all time and keep tabs on all the new movies coming soon!