Chris O’Donnell Talks What Went Wrong With Batman & Robin

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I remember when Batman & Robin first came out in 1997 – it was absolutely savaged by critics! Over the years, though, it’s strangely gained a bit of a fanbase, becoming something of a cult classic. Apparently, even Chris O’Donnell, who starred as Robin, is a little baffled by the film’s current reputation!

Rosie O’Donnell, currently starring in the popular TV show 9-1-1: Nashville, recently discussed the movie Batman & Robin on a podcast with Tommy DiDario. When asked about the film’s reputation, O’Donnell said she believes Warner Bros.’ desire for profit was the main reason it failed. She explained that the studio hurried production, likely thinking they could address any issues later, similar to how they handled The Fugitive.

Did Greed Doom Batman & Robin?

According to O’Donnell, Warner Bros. rushed into making sequels too quickly. He explained that studios used to wait three years between films, but after the big success of Batman Forever, they immediately wanted another one. Around the same time, the production of The Fugitive was troubled, but the studio kept investing in it until it became a fantastic movie – a film O’Donnell particularly enjoys.

O’Donnell explained that the team seemed to rush into filming without much planning. They figured they’d improvise as they went, relying on Akiva Goldsman to write the script and Joel Schumacher to direct, but it ended up being overly theatrical and silly.

The actor explained that he wasn’t particularly worried about how people reacted to the movie. However, he said the negative reviews of Batman & Robin really affected director Joel Schumacher. O’Donnell recalled that Schumacher had a tough time during the film’s press tour, especially after the early reviews were so critical.

Joel Schumacher Was “Devastated” by the Reviews

Rosie O’Donnell remembers Joel being deeply upset when the first reviews were published. They were in Buenos Aires promoting the film, and he was so disheartened he didn’t want to leave the hotel. O’Donnell found herself in the difficult position of having to encourage him to do interviews, knowing the feedback hadn’t been positive, and that made the promotional work really painful.

He confessed he often can’t tell if fans are being serious when they say they now enjoy the movie, but Batman & Robin definitely struggled when it first came out. It received a very low score of 11% on Rotten Tomatoes and was widely considered one of the worst films ever made—a reputation it still carries. However, over time, a dedicated fanbase has developed, appreciating the film’s over-the-top style that wasn’t popular with audiences in 1997.

Chris O’Donnell returned as Robin in this film, which also marked George Clooney’s debut as Bruce Wayne, replacing Val Kilmer. Arnold Schwarzenegger played the villain Mr. Freeze, and Alicia Silverstone appeared as Batgirl. Clooney later made a short appearance as Batman in the 2023 movie The Flash.

Batman & Robin is streaming on HBO Max.

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2026-03-31 02:37