THE FLASH: George Clooney Jokingly Reveals Why He's Not Returning As Bruce Wayne

THE FLASH: George Clooney Jokingly Reveals Why He's Not Returning As Bruce Wayne

There is one Batman star who won't be reprising his role as Bruce Wayne in The Flash: George Clooney. The actor has now (jokingly) revealed why he wasn't asked to be in the upcoming DCEU movie.

By DanielKlissmman - Oct 05, 2021 09:10 AM EST
Filed Under: The Flash
Source: Variety

The Flash will bring back Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck to play their respective versions of Batman in what promises to be an exhilarating adventure through the DC multiverse. So far, they seem to be the only previous Bruce Wayne actors returning for Barry Allen's solo adventure, but just for some extra confirmation, we know of one who'll definitely be absent from the movie: George Clooney. 

Clooney played Batman in the now-infamous Batman & Robin back in 1997, which was panned critically and became a pariah in the comic-book movie genre. Clooney hasn't been shy about criticizing Batman & Robin, and has found quite a few opportunities to poke fun at both the movie and his performance. Now, he's done it again, this time while reiterating that he will not be in The Flash.   

During a screening event for the Clooney-directed film The Tender Bar (which, ironically enough, stars Ben Affleck), the actor told Variety he won't be in the movie because they haven't asked him: 

“They didn’t ask me. When you destroy a franchise the way I did, usually they look the other way when The Flash comes by.”

It's worth noting that, back in 2020, the actor also told Empire (via Comicbook.com) that he had not been asked to return for the film. The playful Batman & Robin bashing didn't stop there, though. Clooney's wife, Amal Clooney, stated that the actor didn't allow her to watch the movie, to which he replied: 

"There are certain films I just go, ‘I want my wife to have some respect for me.’"

Could this be an elaborate ploy to distract us from the fact that he will, in fact, be in The Flash? Anything is possible, but we highly doubt it! 

As maligned as Batman & Robin is, it could be argued that it has its redeeming qualities. For starters, there is the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Alfred. The film developed a heartwarming dynamic between the two that made us believe they had been friends for decades — even though the film marked the third actor who had played Bruce Wayne opposite Michael Gough's Alfred by that point.

Secondly, there's its vibrancy. Most people think of darkness when they see the Caped Crusader, but there is also a whimsical touch in his world that we've rarely seen in live-action, and has instead been explored in shows like Batman: The Brave and the Bold and, to some extent, in DC Superhero Girls. Unlike most other Batman-centric films, Batman & Robin is colorful and playful, which makes for a fun watch. The movie may not be the epitome of comic-book-movie quality, but one could argue it's an enjoyable adventure worth revisiting every now and again when in need of a different kind of Batman fix. 

For now, the Dark Knight has a bright future. He will next star in his own film, The Batman, before returning to the big screen that same year, played by both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck, in The Flash, which releases on November 4, 2022. 

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Kadara
Kadara - 10/5/2021, 9:58 AM
LOL!! At least he's honest about it.
MrCamw1
MrCamw1 - 10/5/2021, 11:30 AM
@Kadara - he's a good sport about it which is appreciated
Menks123
Menks123 - 10/5/2021, 9:59 AM
Honestly, I think it would be awesome if he made an appearance for what they're doing.
Menks123
Menks123 - 10/5/2021, 1:00 PM
@Waddles - Honestly, i'd love that lmao.
dracula
dracula - 10/5/2021, 9:59 AM
90's Clooney actually isnt a bad choice for the role.....well at least for Bruce Wayne, not sure he could ever pull off batman.

A better choice than Kilmer
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 10/5/2021, 9:59 AM
Well at least he doesn't take himself seriously enough that he can't joke about it. With that being said, Arnold as Freeze was a fun watch.
dracula
dracula - 10/5/2021, 10:01 AM
@ModHaterSLADE - should have just cast Arnold as Bane and given him more than grunts.

Seriously you have Arnold, and Bane is a great character, but they turn him into a henchmen
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 10/5/2021, 10:19 AM
@dracula - Arnold as Bane would've been a nice choice. Would've beat the silent one we got in the movie.
GwenLantern
GwenLantern - 10/5/2021, 12:45 PM
@ModHaterSLADE - That reeked of studio. Similar to Sony forcing Raimi to include Venom in Spider-Man 3.
There is no way Schumacher had ever even heard of Bane. His Batman was 40s, '50s and '60s Batman (he was actually a hardcore fan of Golden Age Batman). But Bane was a popular character of the time, so the studio will have said "You've gotta squeeze this Bane character in there. The kids are all crazy about him"

But they completely misunderstood the character's importance. He wasn't just a muscle-bound thug you could squeeze into a campy Batman and Robin movie as a henchman. He was a deeply fvcked up, master stratagist who was the catalyst of a huge event towards the end of Batman's career.

smh at old skool WB. Glad they're not like that anymore...
...
Ah fvck.
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 10/5/2021, 2:02 PM
@GwenLantern - Agreed. Glad we got a Bane that showed off some intelligence and cunning with Hardy.
dracula
dracula - 10/5/2021, 10:00 AM
the 90's version of the 60's tv series
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 10/5/2021, 10:01 AM


For what it’s worth, Batman & Robin falls in the so bad that it’s actually [frick]ing hilarious category so there was some good that came out of it. And Clooney has been a great sport about the movie.
sKeemAn
sKeemAn - 10/5/2021, 10:04 AM
Their is only one answer, and it is always Batnips.
Fares
Fares - 10/5/2021, 10:17 AM
Man I enjoy Batman & Robin for what it is, y'all are trippin
braunermegda
braunermegda - 10/5/2021, 10:21 AM
"Could this be an elaborate ploy to distract us from the fact that he will, in fact, be in The Flash?"

jesus [frick]ing christ
GwenLantern
GwenLantern - 10/5/2021, 12:55 PM
@braunermegda - Right? I mean he's literally shooting a movie with Batfleck right now. And I'll be honest, if they get Kilmer and Bale, with Affleck and Keaton, I will be disappointed if he's missing.
Godzilla2000Zer
Godzilla2000Zer - 10/5/2021, 10:24 AM
He's better than Val Kilmer
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 10/5/2021, 10:27 AM
Worst Batman ever on the big screen…
But I am surprised his wife hasn’t seen him with his bat nipples.
Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 10/5/2021, 10:28 AM
Ah yes, the movie where a guy trying to cool the planet and a woman trying to save the rain forests are the villains and we're to root for the billionaire trust-fund furry trying to stop them.
ElricReturns
ElricReturns - 10/5/2021, 10:43 AM
He was the definitive film version of the Adam West campy Batman. I literally love the Schumacher Batman movies, they are campy velvety neon delights. They were quipy comic book movies before Marvel refined it. They are cheese you can't take seriously at all.

I think when they came out, just off the heels of Burtons works, people were not hungry for the Schumacher flavor of Batman movies. But I absolutely love them for nothing more than the over the top production value and watching everyone involved essentially get paid millions to play on a playground. They are toy commercials, yes, but I was a kid at the time who was buyin.

I love that George can be light hearted in his self depreciation, but I wish he knew there was a sub culture of mutant scum like me who love his film.
valmic
valmic - 10/5/2021, 10:45 AM
With a better script, he would have been a great Batman. He seriously looks the most like Bruce Wayne than any of them. And he’s a good actor when he has the right script and director. We’ve rarely ever seen a dark Clooney, he would have surprised many I believe.
SanFranLand
SanFranLand - 10/5/2021, 10:55 AM
I wonder if there’s a real fan base that unironically proclaim this as their ultimate live-action version of Batman.
Any brave souls out there?
Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 10/5/2021, 11:01 AM
If I had to pick between Batman & Robin and Dark Knight Rises I'd watch Batman '66 twice, then B&R.
SanFranLand
SanFranLand - 10/5/2021, 11:34 AM
@Reeds2Much - That’s splitting some scruffy hairs with those choices.
Batman ‘66 is like eating skittles, candy, and Takis all day.
Batman & Robin is stomach-greasing McDonalds or fast food.
Dark Knight Rises is some expensive, bloated meal not worth the cost with a pretentious name like Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
SanFranLand
SanFranLand - 10/5/2021, 3:09 PM
@Waddles - 😂Well the top 2:

Batman ‘89. You were young, tastebuds developing, and out of nowhere your crazy uncle one day takes you to your first time Pho, or Thai, or Indian. You’re like, wtf just happened? I didn’t know this existed and it could get this good. Finally someone understands the ingredients as I had hoped.

Dark Knight. Your older, wiser, the right amount of big-city jaded. You take a date to a French restaurant, or that new joint that’s elevated Thai, or Vietnamese. Maybe pricey. Maybe Michelin. Maybe 5 star, but dammit, sometimes things make sense to be that expensive. In the hands of a professional. Best quality. No corners taken. Do we even deserve this?

You are now an adult. And so is your Batman
THEDARKKNIGHT1939
THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - 10/5/2021, 11:30 AM
Hot take: The Schumacher films had the best looking Batsuits, rivaled only by Batman Begins.



SanFranLand
SanFranLand - 10/5/2021, 11:34 AM
@THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - So hot I dropped my phone
THEDARKKNIGHT1939
THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - 10/5/2021, 11:44 AM
@SanFranLand -

SanFranLand
SanFranLand - 10/5/2021, 11:53 AM
@THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - nooooooo. IMPOSSIBLE to not read in his voice.
“Hey Freeze. I’m Batman.”
Really? No changing your voice, Clooney? Do you EVEN…..whoa. So many old memories
SpiderBloke2099
SpiderBloke2099 - 10/5/2021, 11:43 AM
I would watch Batman and Robin every day for a fricking year before I would ever press play on fricking BVS again.
KurtLazner
KurtLazner - 10/5/2021, 12:23 PM
@SpiderBloke2099 - God, the Snyder haters are just desperate now.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 10/5/2021, 11:46 AM
Kinda wish he was though. Somehow he felt perfectly cast as Bruce Wayne
RubyRhod
RubyRhod - 10/5/2021, 2:28 PM
George,honey you're been so humble,there was a lot of issues with the batman & Robin movie,not just you,the WB producers,Joel,and the rest of the cast
asherman93
asherman93 - 10/5/2021, 2:47 PM
If George Clooney's performance in The American was any indicator, he would actually do a fantastic job as Batman if given the right material.
He can seamlessly switch from "rich playboy" to "intense badass".
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