George Clooney owes his 1997 Batman & Robin role to one pivotal episode of the 1990s medical drama ER. Directed by Christopher Chulack, the November 9, 1995 episode titled Hell and High Water featured Clooney’s character, Dr. Doug Ross, rescuing a boy trapped in a storm drain, a performance that caught the attention of Warner Bros. executives and led to his casting as the Caped Crusader.
Chulack recalled to TV Insider,
“That episode got 45 million viewers,”
and described how the very next day Bob Daley and Terry Semel, then presidents of Warner Bros. Television, visited Clooney’s dressing room to announce,
“You’re going to be the next Batman because of the heroism of that episode.”
The director added,
“So I figured it’s just going to go up from here, and it did.”
From ER to Hollywood Stardom Beyond Batman
Clooney left ER in 1999 to concentrate on his movie career, gaining acclaim in films like Michael Clayton, Up in the Air, Syriana, and the Ocean’s Eleven series. However, his status as a major movie star was not due to his role in Batman & Robin, which underperformed critically and commercially. Joel Schumacher directed the star-studded superhero film, which also featured Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alicia Silverstone, Uma Thurman, and Chris O’Donnell, but it was widely panned by critics and earned an 11 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 95 reviews.
Clooney’s Self-Critique on His Batman Performance
George Clooney has openly acknowledged the negative legacy of his Batman performance. Speaking at a Directors Guild of America event in New York City in October 2021, he joked,
“I did one superhero movie, and I f—ed it up so bad they won’t let me near the set.”
In December 2023, during an interview with Entertainment Tonight, he stated he had no plans to reprise the role.
“I don’t think there are enough drugs in the world for me to go back again,”
he said, while still making a cameo appearance as Bruce Wayne in that year’s The Flash.
The Lasting Impact of the Role and What Lies Ahead
Although the Batman & Robin film remains a low point in Clooney’s career, it marked a significant turning point that launched his transition from television to film stardom. While the movie’s poor reception left a blemish, Clooney’s subsequent career choices cemented his reputation as a versatile and respected actor. His candid reflections on the experience reveal a turbulent chapter that shaped his professional path but does not define it entirely.
