Editing Batman & Robin (film) (section)

===Legacy===
''Batman & Robin'' is considered to be one of the worst superhero films<ref name="apology" /> and among the [[List of films considered the worst|worst films ever made]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/mikenelsonsmovie00nels|url-access=registration|page=79|title=Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese|publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|isbn=978-0-380-81467-1|last=Nelson|first=Michael J.|date=June 20, 2000}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/features/50-worst-movies-ever/default.asp?film=1|title=The 50 Worst Movies Ever|work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]|access-date=April 17, 2013|archive-date=May 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514063827/http://www.empireonline.com/features/50-worst-movies-ever/default.asp?film=1|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2009, [[Marvel Studios]] president [[Kevin Feige]] said that ''Batman & Robin'' may be the most important comic book film ever made in that it was "so bad that it demanded a new way of doing things" and created the opportunity to make ''[[X-Men (film)|X-Men]]'' (2000) and ''[[Spider-Man (2002 film)|Spider-Man]]'' (2002) in a way that respected the source material to a higher degree.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-oct-18-ca-akiva18-story.html|title=For Akiva Goldsman, a beautiful turnaround|date=October 18, 2009|last=Boucher|first=Geoff|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=October 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025063638/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-oct-18-ca-akiva18-story.html|archive-date=October 25, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> In an interview with ''[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]'' 20 years after its release, director [[Joel Schumacher]] apologized for the film while taking full responsibility for its poor reputation, stating, "I want to apologize to every fan that was disappointed because I think I owe them that. A lot of it was my choice. No one is responsible for my mistakes but me." He added, "I was scum. It was like I had murdered a baby", recounting his initial reaction to the overwhelmingly negative public response.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/14/entertainment/joel-schumacher-batman-robin/index.html|title=Joel Schumacher apologizes for {{'}}''Batman & Robin''{{'}}|date=June 14, 2017|last=Respers France|first=Lisa|work=[[CNN]]|access-date=October 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822001756/https://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/14/entertainment/joel-schumacher-batman-robin/index.html|archive-date=August 22, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/joel-schumacher-apologizes-batman-robin/|title=Joel Schumacher Apologizes for ''Batman & Robin''|date=June 13, 2017|last=Mithaiwala|first=Mansoor|work=[[Screen Rant]]|access-date=October 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221029013812/https://screenrant.com/joel-schumacher-apologizes-batman-robin/|archive-date=October 29, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> Screenwriter [[Akiva Goldsman]] also apologized, saying, "we didn't mean for it to be bad. I swear, nobody was like, 'This will be bad.'" and elaborating that the film was initially intended to be darker in tone.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/batman-and-robin-batman-forever-akiva-goldsman-interview/|title=Akiva Goldsman Reflects on the '90s Batman Movies & the {{'}}''Batman Forever''{{'}} Arc He Wanted to Keep|date=May 12, 2020|last=Gemmill|first=Allie|work=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]|access-date=October 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915220121/https://collider.com/batman-and-robin-batman-forever-akiva-goldsman-interview/|archive-date=September 15, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:New York Comic Con 2013 - Mr Freeze (10275480704).jpg|thumb|A person [[cosplay]]ing as the film's depiction of Mr. Freeze.]]
Retrospectively, George Clooney has spoken critically of and apologized for his involvement in the film, saying in 2005, "I think we might have killed the franchise",<ref name="Boston Globe">{{cite news|title=''Batman and Robin''|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|url=https://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2005/06/12/behind_the_masks/?page=1|access-date=May 17, 2006|first=Mac|last=Daniel|date=June 12, 2005|archive-date=February 11, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060211122321/http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2005/06/12/behind_the_masks/?page=1|url-status=live}}</ref> and calling it "a waste of money".<ref name="confessions" /> In 2015, while promoting [[Walt Disney Pictures|Disney's]] ''[[Tomorrowland (film)|Tomorrowland]]'' at [[New York Comic Con]], Clooney said that he had met former Batman actor [[Adam West]] and apologized to him for the film.<ref name="apology">{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2014/10/george-clooney-batman-apologies.html#:~:text=At%20a%20surprise%20appearance%20at,panel%20for%20his%20upcoming%20Tomorrowland.|title=A Brief History of George Clooney Apologizing for Being a Bad Batman|date=October 14, 2014|last=Jones|first=Nate|work=[[Vulture (magazine)|Vulture]]|access-date=October 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713202119/https://www.vulture.com/2014/10/george-clooney-batman-apologies.html|archive-date=July 13, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> Furthermore, when asked during a 2015 interview on ''[[The Graham Norton Show]]'' about whether he had ever had to apologize for ''Batman & Robin'', Clooney responded, "I always apologize for ''Batman & Robin''".<ref>{{cite AV media|title=George Clooney Apologises For Destroying ''Batman''|date=May 22, 2015|work=[[The Graham Norton Show]]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXzcSCf3kwg|via=[[YouTube]]|publisher=[[BBC]]|access-date=May 22, 2015|archive-date=May 30, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530045232/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXzcSCf3kwg|url-status=live}}</ref> In late 2020, he told [[Howard Stern]] that it was "physically" painful to watch his work in the role: "The truth of the matter is, I was bad in it. Akiva Goldsman — who's won the Oscar for writing since then — he wrote the screenplay. And it's a terrible screenplay, he'll tell you. I'm terrible in it, I'll tell you. Joel Schumacher, who just passed away, directed it, and he'd say, 'Yeah, it didn't work.' We all whiffed on that one."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/george-clooney-says-it-physically-hurts-him-to-watch-batman-robin-4106895/ | title=George Clooney Says It "Physically Hurts" Him to Watch 'Batman & Robin' | website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] | date=December 17, 2020 }}</ref> In 2021, Clooney said he refuses let [[Amal Clooney|his wife]] to watch the film.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/george-clooney-batman-and-robin-the-tender-bar-amal-clooney-1235080929/ |title=George Clooney Jokes That He ‘Destroyed’ Batman Franchise so He Wasn’t Asked to Join ‘The Flash’ |work=Variety |last=Malkin |first=Marc |date=October 4, 2021 |access-date=April 10, 2025}}</ref> In April 2023, Clooney was asked about what his biggest regret, he responded "I regret doing fucking Batman".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/george-clooney-oceans-11-johnny-depp-b2322476.html |title=George Clooney says Johnny Depp ‘regrets’ turning down Ocean’s Eleven |work=The Independent |last=Harrison |first=Ellie |date=19 April 2023 |access-date=10 April 2025}}</ref> Conversely, in an interview with ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' in 2012, [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] stated that, despite its poor reception, he did not regret making the film, commenting about his role as Mr. Freeze and his involvement with the studio, "I felt that the character was interesting and two movies before that one Joel Schumacher was at his height. So the decision-making process was not off. At the same time I was doing ''[[Eraser (film)|Eraser]]'' over there and Warner Bros. begged me to do the movie."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/movies/news/arnold-schwarzenegger-doesnt-regret-batman-robin/|title=Arnold Schwarzenegger Doesn't Regret ''Batman & Robin''|date=December 30, 2012|last=Berlingame|first=Russ|work=[[ComicBook.com]]|access-date=October 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220604104820/https://comicbook.com/movies/news/arnold-schwarzenegger-doesnt-regret-batman-robin/|archive-date=June 4, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> Similarly, 25 years after its theatrical release, [[Uma Thurman]] described her work on the film as a "fantastic experience".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/movies/uma-thurman-batman-and-robin-25th-anniversary-rubber-costume-poison-ivy/|title=Uma Thurman Reflects on {{'}}''Batman & Robin''{{'}} 25 Years Later: 'As Much Rubber as I've Ever Worked with'|date=February 4, 2022|last=Juneau|first=Jen|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|access-date=September 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220605075401/https://people.com/movies/uma-thurman-batman-and-robin-25th-anniversary-rubber-costume-poison-ivy/|archive-date=June 5, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref>

The nipples seen on the character's costumes, first appearing in ''[[Batman Forever]]'' and accentuated for ''Batman & Robin'' at Schumacher's request, remain among the most defining aspects of the film.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/batman-robin-movie-george-clooney-batsuit-auction-price/|title=George Clooney's ''Batman & Robin'' Nipple Suit In Auction For $40,000|date=July 6, 2022|last=Bentz|first=Adam|work=[[Screen Rant]]|access-date=November 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711084520/https://screenrant.com/batman-robin-movie-george-clooney-batsuit-auction-price/|archive-date=July 11, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> Recounting his involvement with the film, costume designer Jose Fernandez stated that he was opposed to "sharpening" the nipples, calling them "ridiculous".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2022/06/batman-and-robin-nipple-suit-joel-schumacher-1234732204/|title={{'}}''Batman & Robin''{{'}} Costume Designer: Joel Schumacher Loved the 'Ridiculous' Nipples|date=June 9, 2022|last=Bergeson|first=Samantha|work=[[IndieWire]]|access-date=October 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627030818/https://www.indiewire.com/2022/06/batman-and-robin-nipple-suit-joel-schumacher-1234732204/|archive-date=June 27, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022, [[Tim Burton]] commented about Warner Bros.' decision to replace him as director with Schumacher after ''[[Batman Returns]]'', "You complain about me, I'm too weird, I'm too dark, and then you put nipples on the costume? Go fuck yourself."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/tim-burton-on-batman-forever-nipple-suit-go-f-yourself/|title=Tim Burton On ''Batman Forever''{{'}}s Nipple-Suit: 'Go F–– Yourself'|date=June 7, 2022|last=Travis|first=Ben|work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]|access-date=October 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030014139/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/tim-burton-on-batman-forever-nipple-suit-go-f-yourself/|archive-date=October 30, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> George Clooney's screen-worn suit was put up for auction by [[Heritage Auctions]] in 2022 with a starting bid of $40,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/movies/george-clooney-batman-nipple-costume-auction-40000/|title=George Clooney's 'Infamous' Batman Nipple Costume Up for Auction with Starting Bid of $40,000|date=July 6, 2022|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|access-date=November 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716040305/https://people.com/movies/george-clooney-batman-nipple-costume-auction-40000/|archive-date=July 16, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> A previous owner had estimated it to be worth $100,000 in 2006 when Clooney was at the height of his career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/news/george-clooney-s-batman-costume-sale-wbna11398759|title=George Clooney's {{'}}''Batman''{{'}} costume for sale|date=February 17, 2006|agency=[[Reuters]]|via=[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]|access-date=November 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201123047/https://www.today.com/news/george-clooney-s-batman-costume-sale-wbna11398759|archive-date=December 1, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> The suit would go on to sell for $57,500.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/art-industry-news-22-2151913|title=Art Industry News: Experts Warn That the Ocean Is Not Finished With the Titanic, and Is Now Disintegrating the Accursed Boat + Other Stories|date=July 26, 2022|work=[[Artnet|Artnet News]]|access-date=November 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220804124830/https://news.artnet.com/art-world/art-industry-news-22-2151913|archive-date=August 4, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the 2009 film ''[[Watchmen (2009 film)|Watchmen]]'', director [[Zack Snyder]] and comic book artist [[Dave Gibbons]] chose to parody the molded muscle and nipple [[Batsuit]] design from ''Batman & Robin'' for the [[Ozymandias (Watchmen)|Ozymandias]] costume.<ref>{{cite news|title=Exclusive Zack Snyder Video Interview Backstage at Saturn Awards|work=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]|date=June 26, 2008|url=https://www.collider.com/entertainment/news/article.asp/aid/8331/tcid/1|access-date=November 14, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121030239/http://www.collider.com/entertainment/news/article.asp/aid/8331/tcid/1|archive-date=November 21, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|first=Dave|last=Gibbons|author-link=Dave Gibbons|title=''Watchmen''{{'}}s artist tells us how the famed graphic novel changed his life and gives some thoughts on the upcoming movie and game|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|date=December 2008|page=53}}</ref> The film is referenced in the ''[[Batman: The Brave and the Bold]]'' episode "Legends of the Dark Mite!", when [[Bat-Mite]] briefly uses his powers to transform Batman's costume into the same suit shown in Schumacher's ''Batman'' films, before declaring it "too icky".<ref>"Legends of the Dark Mite!". Ben Jones (director), [[Paul Dini]] (writer). ''[[Batman: The Brave and the Bold]]''. May 29, 2009. No. 19, season 1.</ref> Twenty-six years after the release of ''Batman & Robin'', Clooney made a [[cameo appearance]] as Bruce Wayne in the 2023 [[DC Extended Universe]] superhero film ''[[The Flash (film)|The Flash]]''. Clooney was asked to reprise the role when the film was already in post-production, agreeing to join after seeing a cut of the film; filming took place in secret six months before release and lasted half a day.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/the-flash-inside-george-clooney-return-batman-1235517975/|title=Inside {{'}}''The Flash''{{'}} Ending and That Cameo Secretly Filmed 6 Months Ago|date=June 17, 2023|last=Kit|first=Borys|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|access-date=June 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230617230153/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/the-flash-inside-george-clooney-return-batman-1235517975/|archive-date=June 17, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>