Batman & Robin was released in 1997, 5 years after Tim Burton's critically acclaimed Batman Returns. The movie, starring George Clooney as the Dark Knight, couldn't have been any different from what Burton had set out to do with the character less than a decade prior, with 1989's Batman.
It also upped the campiness of 1995's Batman Forever—no easy feat—with filmmaker Joel Schumacher embracing the toyetic nature of the Caped Crusader's world.
The result was a movie that's still widely considered one of the worst comic book adaptations ever. While it was a commercial success, Batman & Robin ended its box office run behind its predecessor; the negative response from fans and critics also led to Warner Bros. shelving the franchise until 2005's Batman Begins.
One of the most divisive elements of Batman & Robin was the inclusion of nipples on the hero's Batsuit. Nearly three decades after the movie's release, they're still a hot topic among fans, and in the video below, Clooney reflects on that unique addition to his costume.
"I was the best Batman, and you know it, and I know it. And I don't want to hear any more sh*t," he stated after previously panning both the movie and his performance in it. "Batman has nipples, dude. How do you think he feeds the children? The little bats."
All jokes about the Batsuit aside, Clooney admitted that it presented its fair share of challenges while working on the project alongside Chris O'Donnell, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Uma Thurman, and Alicia Silverstone.
"It was a very painful suit, and you couldn't move. I would be laying on a board, and Joel Schumacher would direct you with a microphone with a giant speaker," the actor recalled. "And he would go: 'Okay, George, and here we go. And ready, and your parents are dead. You have nothing to live for. And action.'"
"And then they'd just prop me up and I go, 'I'm Batman.' And they go, 'And cut!' And they drop me back down, and they carry me out on a board."
In the movie, Batman teamed up with Robin (O'Donnell) to battle villains Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy. The former was attempting to freeze Gotham City - obviously - while Poison Ivy (Thurman) used her plant-based powers to try to take over the world. The Dynamic Duo was later joined by Batgirl (Silverstone), who helped them in their quest to save the day.
Clooney reprised his role as Bruce Wayne for a bizarre cameo in 2023's The Flash movie. Asked later that same year whether he'd be open to returning for a second time, he replied, "There aren't enough drugs in the world."
You can hear more from Clooney on Batman & Robin in the player below.