Batman & Robin (film)
A 1997 superhero film that ended the original Batman series.
Batman & Robin, released in 1997, is an American superhero movie featuring the DC Comics duo. It serves as the fourth and final chapter in Warner Bros.' original Batman film series, which ran from 1989 to 1997, and picks up after 1995's Batman Forever. Joel Schumacher directed the film, with Akiva Goldsman writing the script. The cast includes George Clooney as Bruce Wayne (Batman), Chris O'Donnell as Dick Grayson (Robin), Arnold Schwarzenegger, Uma Thurman, and Alicia Silverstone. The story follows Batman and Robin as they take on Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy while dealing with friction in their own partnership.
Because Batman Forever did well at the box office, Warner Bros. quickly pushed Batman & Robin into production, telling Schumacher to make it more toy-friendly than the previous film. Schumacher and Goldsman came up with the plot while working on pre-production for A Time to Kill. When Val Kilmer chose not to return as Batman, Schumacher considered William Baldwin before settling on Clooney. Filming started in September 1996 and finished in January 1997, wrapping two weeks ahead of schedule. This is the only movie in the original Batman series that did not involve Tim Burton in any way.
The film premiered in Los Angeles on June 12, 1997, and hit theaters everywhere on June 20. It earned $238 million worldwide on a budget of $125–160 million, which made it a box office letdown. Critics mostly panned it, and it's often called one of the worst movies ever made. The negative response led Warner Bros. to scrap future Batman films, including Schumacher's planned Batman Unchained, until 2005's Batman Begins, which kicked off the Dark Knight trilogy. One of the movie's songs, "The End Is the Beginning Is the End" by the Smashing Pumpkins, won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards.
**Plot** Batman and Robin come across a new villain, Mr. Freeze, who has been stealing diamonds. At a natural history museum, Freeze snatches a diamond and escapes by freezing Robin as a distraction. The duo later discovers Freeze was once Dr. Victor Fries, a scientist trying to cure a disease called MacGregor's syndrome for his wife, Nora. A lab accident left Fries unable to survive normal temperatures, forcing him into a cryogenic suit powered by diamonds.
In Brazil, botanist Pamela Isley works for Jason Woodrue at a Wayne Enterprises lab. Wood
- release_year
- 1997
- director
- Joel Schumacher
- budget
- $125–160 million
- box_office
- $238 million worldwide
- series_position
- Fourth and final installment of Warner Bros.' original Batman film series (1989–1997)
- notable_award
- Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance for 'The End Is the Beginning Is the End' by the Smashing Pumpkins
Lore & Background
Warner Bros. fast-tracked development for Batman & Robin following the box office success of Batman Forever; Schumacher was given a mandate to make the film more toyetic than its predecessor. Schumacher and Goldsman conceived the storyline during pre-production on A Time to Kill. After Val Kilmer decided not to reprise the role of Batman, Schumacher was interested in casting William Baldwin before Clooney won the role. Principal photography began in September 1996 and wrapped in January 1997, two weeks ahead of the shooting schedule. Batman & Robin is the only film in the initial Batman film series made without the involvement of Tim Burton in any capacity.
The film premiered in Los Angeles on June 12, 1997, and went into general release on June 20. It grossed $238 million worldwide against a production budget of $125–160 million, and was a box office disappointment. The film received generally negative reviews from critics and is considered to be one of the worst films ever made. The film's poor reception caused Warner Bros. to cancel future Batman films, including Schumacher's planned Batman Unchained until 2005, with the release of Batman Begins, serving as the first film of the Dark Knight trilogy.
Reader's Guide
Batman & Robin is historically significant as the final film of Warner Bros.' original Batman film series, which began in 1989. Its poor critical and commercial reception led to the cancellation of planned sequels, including Schumacher's Batman Unchained, and effectively ended the franchise until the 2005 reboot Batman Begins. The film is often cited as a cautionary example of studio interference and over-commercialization, particularly due to the mandate to make it more 'toyetic.' Despite its negative legacy, the film won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance for the Smashing Pumpkins song 'The End Is the Beginning Is the End.' It remains a notable entry in superhero film history for its campy tone, star-studded cast, and role in shaping the subsequent Dark Knight trilogy.
Did You Know?
- Batman & Robin is the only film in the original Batman film series made without the involvement of Tim Burton in any capacity.
- The film's poor reception caused Warner Bros. to cancel future Batman films until 2005's Batman Begins.
- One of the songs recorded for the film, 'The End Is the Beginning Is the End' by the Smashing Pumpkins, won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.
- Portions of Mr. Freeze's backstory were based on the Batman: The Animated Series episode 'Heart of Ice.'
More in American superhero films 1-24
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