George Clooney Reveals Young Son’s Reaction to ‘Batman & Robin’

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George Clooney‘s filmography includes the famously unsuccessful 1997 movie Batman & Robin. Widely criticized when it came out and still considered a poorly made superhero film, it was directed by Joel Schumacher and featured Clooney as Batman (complete with the infamous bat-nipples!). He faced off against three villains: Poison Ivy, played by Uma Thurman, Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, and Robert Swenson as Bane.

It was only a matter of time before George Clooney showed his kids one of his older films, particularly because his eight-year-old son, Alexander, is a big fan of Batman. Clooney recently shared with W magazine, while discussing his new Netflix movie Jay Kelly, that he finally took the plunge.

Halloween is a really popular holiday in our family. My son dressed up as Batman, which was funny because he hadn’t even watched the movie yet! I always joke with him, telling him I was Batman, and he always insists I’m not. Looking back, I realize he didn’t fully understand how funny it was when he told me I couldn’t have been Batman.

I recently let my son see the movie, and while it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, he was absolutely captivated – it’s perfect for the eight-year-old crowd. As for Halloween, my daughter definitely marched to the beat of her own drum. Forget princesses – she wanted to be a witch, a delightfully wicked one, and honestly, I loved that she embraced the villain role.

How Do Other ‘Batman & Robin’ Stars Feel About the Movie?


Warner Bros. Pictures

George Clooney recently shared his thoughts on the famously criticized film Batman & Robin, following comments from his co-stars Chris O’Donnell and Alicia Silverstone. O’Donnell described the film as a project that simply didn’t work, noting that negative feedback quickly emerged during production. He recalled a strong negative reaction upon release and remembered director Joel Schumacher becoming overwhelmed and ultimately giving up on promoting it, deeply saddened by the film’s reception.

I remember when Emma Stone first got noticed – it was amazing seeing her in those Aerosmith videos as a teenager! She recently talked about what it was like filming those videos, and it sounded pretty wild and busy!

I recall a lot of confusion on set. We were often in a huge warehouse with tons of props and activity. George Clooney was like an older brother during that time – really calm and collected. He always had my back and was level-headed when things got chaotic. Getting into the costume was a huge effort, and once it was on, it was difficult to even use the restroom! They weren’t comfortable costumes at all; we had to cover ourselves in baby powder just to get them on. The entire process was a massive undertaking.

Despite initial concerns, Batman & Robin actually helped George Clooney’s career in the long run. He even said so himself when accepting a lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute. When asked which movie most impacted his career, here’s what he revealed:

Choosing Batman & Robin is an easy answer for me, and I’m serious. Before that movie, I was just focused on getting acting jobs. But the film’s creative failure made me realize I needed to be involved in the overall direction of my projects, not just my character. That led me to take charge with my next three films: Out of Sight, Three Kings, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?

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2026-01-11 15:33