Collider recently caught up with writer Akiva Goldsman, and asked the prolific writer about working on 1997's Batman & Robin, a critical and commercial flop which damn near killed the franchise. It would take eight years for the Caped Crusader to return to the big screen, but Goldsman has now made it clear that everyone involved wants fans to know they're sorry.
"We're all sorry," Goldsman, who now works on the likes of Star Trek: Discovery, Picard, and DC Universe's Titans, said. "As for Batman & Robin, that one just confused me. I mean, we didn't mean for it to be bad. I swear, nobody was like, 'This will be bad.'"
Going on to discuss the criticism of the movie's childish tone, he added: "We were really thinking...I mean, here's the irony: There was a reel that was put together halfway through [filming] where it actually looked dark in an interesting way. It just is what it is and I'm sorry. I think we're all sorry." Goldsman also noted that Batman & Robin didn't have the "alchemy" needed to make it a hit.
Despite the response to Batman & Robin, the initial plan was for Joel Schumacher to direct another film in his trilogy title Batman Unchained. That would have seen George Clooney's Dark Knight taking on Scarecrow, but Goldsman was never attached to that project, and writing duties were instead handed to Mark Protosevich. Ultimately, Warner Bros. decided to head down another route.
Are you able to forgive Goldsman for his involvement in the movie?
About The Author:
Comic Book Reader. Film Lover. WWE and F1 Fan. Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic and ComicBookMovie.com's #1 contributor.