George Clooney jokingly claims Ben Affleck "screwed up" Batman

It seems if George Clooney has his way, no one in his family will ever see Batman & Robin.

George Clooney is the first person in the world to make sure you understand he knows Batman & Robin was not a great movie. If someone brings it up to him he doesn't hide from it, he instead takes the chance to poke fun at it immediately.

While attending the red carpet premiere of The Tender Bar, the topic came up of why he hadn't worked with Affleck since the Academy Award-winning Argo. "Well, I didn't want to work with him. Obviously, for the obvious reasons. Because he screwed up the Batman franchise I had made so solid," joked Clooney. "Oh yeah. Yeah, I did. Yes, I did," he deadpanned.

Malkin went on to ask if that meant he wasn't asked to be in The Flash which will feature both Michael Keaton and Affleck as their respective Batmans. "The truth is I didn't want to do it," Clooney shared followed by a raised eyebrow. "No, they didn't ask me. You know, when you destroy a franchise the way I did, they look the other way when the Flash comes by."

Amal Clooney later shared that she has not seen Batman & Robin. “He won’t let me watch it,” she said. Clooney responded, “There are certain films I just go, ‘I want my wife to have some respect for me.’” Amal did share their twins may want to watch it which did not seem to thrill Clooney. “It’s bad when your four-year-old kid goes, ‘This sucks.’ That could be painful,” said Clooney.

Why did it take so long for George Clooney to reunite with Ben Affleck?

â€œI didnâ€™t want to work with him for the obvious reasons,â€ Clooney jokes. â€œHe screwed up the Batman franchise that I had made so solid.â€ https://t.co/TSDj1wPNey pic.twitter.com/duCCXiqUHp
— Variety (@Variety) October 4, 2021

The Flash is set to hit theaters on Nov. 4, 2022.

IMAGE SOURCE: Depositphotos - George Clooney - arp

36 comments

Kara

October 6, 2021

BvB Affleck’s Batman vs Clooney’s Batman. Make it happen WB!

Hunter Zolomon

October 6, 2021

I love how Clooney is with B&R, he makes zero excuses for it and i remember on Graham Norton Show (a UK chat show) where he outright said sorry for the film. Really helps with that down to earth nature he has.

Its sad really as he's a great actor and would have done well in a Nolan or Burton level Batman film.

NinjaGamer13
October 8, 2021
Clooney legit could have such a good Batman

Seb

October 6, 2021

Kinda sad that this is the type of """news""" this site feels the need to cover now... that being said, even if it was a joke, the truth is that Ben did drop the ball. In BvS, he was very monotone and stiff. And in JL, he literally couldn't even care less.

mr nobody
October 6, 2021
The site died years ago. I think we all come in just out of instinct or habit.
Even the community is fading
1. Hunter Zolomon
  October 6, 2021
  Sad thing is Sean could turn it around if he actually bothered.
  1. mr nobody
    October 6, 2021
    Oh 100% He's a nice person and educated. I've sent him mails (sometimes a but more annoyed that others) and he responds very politely but always with excuses or random arbitrary rules as to why they do or don't cover certain stories
    1. Hunter Zolomon
      October 6, 2021
      I don't understand how IGN whose in bed with everyone can cover these more controversial DC stories while Sean is too scared to touch them. I've said it before but i wouldn't be shocked if somewhere down the line Sean has connections to WB and he doesn't want to p*ss them off.
      Its sad really because while we fought, sometimes took it to far and acted like ass*s it was a ton of fun during the BvS-JL years, comments sections could reach 500+ comments often yet now we're lucky to hit even 20 comments on articles what 3 years back would reach 100-200 comments. Its true while many of the Snyder fanboys have gone so has many of the "anti-Snyder" people as well. Hopefully DCFandome will ignite something even if its only for a few days.
    2. Margaret Purdy
      October 7, 2021
      I have even managed $19520 in no more than by comfortably working part-time from my computer.~ot116~As I have lost my office position, I was troubled and ultimately I obtained this easy job now doing this I'm ready to receive thousand of dollars from the comfort of home.~ot116~Each individual can start this easy job & could collect extra dollars on-line by exploring following web-page.
      >>> https://plu.sh/JobsOpportunity
      .
2. El Catalan Libanes
  October 6, 2021
  I come here because at least there're comments. Most websites don't have them or there're few people commenting.
  1. mr nobody
    October 6, 2021
    Same here but even the commenters are either the same ones saying the same things or just not saying anything any more
  2. Tom
    October 7, 2021
    Would the Batman subreddit be a fitting substitute ☺️
Pikashades
October 6, 2021
By JL, I assume you mean the Josstice League.
1. Seb
  October 6, 2021
  Both versions. He was definitely better in ZSJL, but at best he was just... "serviceable".
  1. Hunter Zolomon
    October 6, 2021
    Yeah at best he was fine in ZSJL, he lacked any moments to showcase any real acting and the new footage shot just felt like Affleck phoning it in. I still find it weird how Snyder gave Batman no action scenes of note in JL though, like BvS may be a awful film but the warehouse fight is really good and sticks out but JL had none of that for Batman, being truthful he had pretty much the same level of action Whedon gave him. Going even further i don't think JL has any great action scenes barring the JL Vs Supes fight what funny enough Whedon improved because Elfman's score was so much better in that version then Junkie's. Like sure The Flash saving everyone was awesome but its not a fight scene and Junkie's score gives that scene more power then it actually has looking back.
    1. Seb
      October 7, 2021
      Yeeeeepp... said this before, but didn't see a lot of people agree with me, but the actions scenes in JL are just boring. Honestly, I felt that way about BvS too, except for the warehouse scene of course. But everything else, the Africa opening, the Batmobile chase scene, the main BvS fight and the DD fight ranged from "whatever" to just outright disappointing.
      But JL didn't have a single truly "great" action scene. I was all just so by the numbers and generic. Nothing we haven't seen a countless times before, and done better too. Not to mention, lots of it just looked fake too (Amazon scene especially has atrocious CGI as far as I'm concerned). Heck I don't think Snyder has really delivered truly "unique" action since MoS. Now, I had massive problems with how relentless the action in MoS got from a purely narrative standpoint, but from a choreography and photography standpoint, MoS had some amazing action. Stuff we have never seen done before in a CBM, even to this day.
      Superman vs the League is probably my favorite too in JL, and the only one I kinda "enjoyed" but that's it. I do prefer the ZS version though, just b/c I like those few extra shots with Superman fighting Cyborg & I like the overall more aggressive tone. Don't like the Junkie music at all (although I do think it was cool for him to add the old MoS Arcade/ Faora theme) and while I prefer the Elfman track from a purely musical standpoint, I never thought that the OG Superman theme actually fit that moment.
      The rest is again, just all so freaking.. bleehhh... Amazons vs Steppenwolf literally just looks awful. Tunnel scene has a couple of cool shots (like Flash saving those ppl from the debris) but overall was extremely generic. Aquaman vs SW, also just mindless fighting. Superman vs the League was kinda neat as we've said and then the entire third act is just so generic tbh. Even the shots that are supposed to be "really cool" do nothing for me, like Aquaman riding the parademon through that building. It's just, I don't care... and it doesn't showcase AM's unique abilities at all.
      I know that lots of people find AM (the movie) a bit cringe & uneven... but there's no doubt those action scenes were absolutely INSANE. The camera work was just top notch, and there was always a real emotional stake behind every fight scene. With JL, it's just so superficial. There's no emotional reason behind why they're fighting at any point.
    2. NinjaGamer13
      October 8, 2021
      Let’s please come back from crazy town o_o
  2. Pikashades
    October 7, 2021
    HOW?!
NinjaGamer13
October 8, 2021
Come on, no matter how much anyone loved or hated BvS, Affleck’s performance was one of the only things they could all agree was good. And while he did phone it in for the theatrical version of JL, his acting in ZSJL was back up to par
1. Seb
  October 8, 2021
  Nope, not at all. His performance was extremely stiff. His emotions ranged from brooding to anger. That's it. Now compare that with Bale in TDKR. I literally cannot imagine Ben pulling off the "you're not Batman anymore" scene with Alfred. He'd just get angry, brood or show zero emotion. There was absolutely zero depth to his performance. In ZSJL he was just "fine". Again, nowhere NEAR the level of Bale.

j.k.2023

October 6, 2021

Nothing DC has done since 2013 can touch dark knight trilogy.

Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
October 6, 2021
TSS is pretty darn good.
1. j.k.2023
  October 6, 2021
  TSS and Joker were indeed good but for me, They fall below the magic that dark knight trilogy created.
  1. Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
    October 6, 2021
    Joker was good but it was an incomplete story. It was the first act, intro of a story.
    1. j.k.2023
      October 6, 2021
      Intro was pretty good though.
    2. Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
      October 6, 2021
      yeah, I guess my point is we need Joker 2, Joker 3 for you to compare it to the DK trilogy. The comparison isn't fare.
Kingkiller
October 6, 2021
Joker in it's writing, characterization, payoff, cinematography, score, acting and it's sheer popularity easily rivals The Dark Knight. Even though I still prefer TDK.
And I don't think any Superheroe movie has been able to rival TDK until now. It's not exclusive to DC.
Edit: I wouldn't say the complete TDK Trilogy. Batman Begins was a very good origin story at best and The Dark Knight Rises is a deeply flawed albeit still an entertaining movie.
The Dark Knight is the onky one I consider a masterpiece.
1. Hunter Zolomon
  October 6, 2021
  TDK transcends itself, its not just one of the best comic book films its one of the best films ever and will be held up in the decades to come with the all time greats like The Godfather, Pulp Fiction, Citizen Kane, Gone With The Wind, Alien and so on. I love the MCU and i love DC films like WW and TSS but they are no where near the levels of TDK and where it sits in film, Ledger's Joker is also held in the same regard as Darth Vader, Dracula, The Devil, Hannibal Lecter and such and that's a group of villains what is extremely difficult to be put along side.
Hunter Zolomon
October 6, 2021
Joker does, TDK and Joker are easily my 2 top comic book films.
1. Hunter Zolomon
  October 6, 2021
  TWS is certainly in my top 5 comic book films.

El Catalan Libanes

October 6, 2021

His kids are gonna love it, because it's a film made for kids. I will say it over and over: Batman & Robin it's a perfect adaptation of the campy 1960s Batman.

Seb
October 6, 2021
Just being honest, I still like Batman & Robin to this day... yeah, it's a horrible film, but I grew up watching it and honestly, it's just so ridiculously over the top that I can look at that movie, turn my brain off and just enjoy all the nonsense.
1. Hunter Zolomon
  October 6, 2021
  I will standby by saying Thurman was fine as Ivy performance wise and it was only the dialogue what ruined it, plus being shallow i think she was incredibly hot as Ivy and always made me blush as a kid haha. I actually think the Alfred and Bruce stuff is pretty solid though and the best parts of the film, i certainly prefer it to Affleck and Irons what when you brake it down is just banter between them and nothing more.

ivy97

October 7, 2021

Batman and Robin was the first movie i was allowed to go to watch at the cinema without my parents when i was 11. Just me and my mates. And it was awesome! I loved every minute of it! Do i like it now? No. But i loved it as an 11 year old and it pisses me off clooney is always shitting on it. Cant people just accept it was a kids movie? I don't see the 66 Batman getting shit.

Flower & Monster & Golden Calf

October 7, 2021

Hey look, Denis Villeneuve likes Batman.
https://twitter.com/joshuah...

AnonymousHero

October 9, 2021

Clooney is a walking deadpan. Always has that dry wit. But I don't blame him, I'd never let Amal see Batman & Robin either. Maybe it'd be fun for the kids while they are still toddlers. Although I could understand how you wouldn't want to expose your child to any bad and/or cheesy cinema. At least it still had fun moments as a kid to take in. But a caregiver would have to watch with them or something seeing as Amal couldn't be near the TV as that plays. Gotta keep some dignity in front of wifey, completely understand Georgie boy.

Kara
October 6, 2021
BvB Affleck’s Batman vs Clooney’s Batman. Make it happen WB!
Hunter Zolomon
October 6, 2021
I love how Clooney is with B&R, he makes zero excuses for it and i remember on Graham Norton Show (a UK chat show) where he outright said sorry for the film. Really helps with that down to earth nature he has.
Its sad really as he's a great actor and would have done well in a Nolan or Burton level Batman film.
1. NinjaGamer13
  October 8, 2021
  Clooney legit could have such a good Batman
Seb
October 6, 2021
Kinda sad that this is the type of """news""" this site feels the need to cover now... that being said, even if it was a joke, the truth is that Ben did drop the ball. In BvS, he was very monotone and stiff. And in JL, he literally couldn't even care less.
1. mr nobody
  October 6, 2021
  The site died years ago. I think we all come in just out of instinct or habit.
  Even the community is fading
  1. Hunter Zolomon
    October 6, 2021
    Sad thing is Sean could turn it around if he actually bothered.
    1. mr nobody
      October 6, 2021
      Oh 100% He's a nice person and educated. I've sent him mails (sometimes a but more annoyed that others) and he responds very politely but always with excuses or random arbitrary rules as to why they do or don't cover certain stories
      1. Hunter Zolomon
        October 6, 2021
        I don't understand how IGN whose in bed with everyone can cover these more controversial DC stories while Sean is too scared to touch them. I've said it before but i wouldn't be shocked if somewhere down the line Sean has connections to WB and he doesn't want to p*ss them off.
        Its sad really because while we fought, sometimes took it to far and acted like ass*s it was a ton of fun during the BvS-JL years, comments sections could reach 500+ comments often yet now we're lucky to hit even 20 comments on articles what 3 years back would reach 100-200 comments. Its true while many of the Snyder fanboys have gone so has many of the "anti-Snyder" people as well. Hopefully DCFandome will ignite something even if its only for a few days.
      2. Margaret Purdy
        October 7, 2021
        I have even managed $19520 in no more than by comfortably working part-time from my computer.~ot116~As I have lost my office position, I was troubled and ultimately I obtained this easy job now doing this I'm ready to receive thousand of dollars from the comfort of home.~ot116~Each individual can start this easy job & could collect extra dollars on-line by exploring following web-page.
        >>> https://plu.sh/JobsOpportunity
        .
  2. El Catalan Libanes
    October 6, 2021
    I come here because at least there're comments. Most websites don't have them or there're few people commenting.
    1. mr nobody
      October 6, 2021
      Same here but even the commenters are either the same ones saying the same things or just not saying anything any more
    2. Tom
      October 7, 2021
      Would the Batman subreddit be a fitting substitute ☺️
2. Pikashades
  October 6, 2021
  By JL, I assume you mean the Josstice League.
  1. Seb
    October 6, 2021
    Both versions. He was definitely better in ZSJL, but at best he was just... "serviceable".
    1. Hunter Zolomon
      October 6, 2021
      Yeah at best he was fine in ZSJL, he lacked any moments to showcase any real acting and the new footage shot just felt like Affleck phoning it in. I still find it weird how Snyder gave Batman no action scenes of note in JL though, like BvS may be a awful film but the warehouse fight is really good and sticks out but JL had none of that for Batman, being truthful he had pretty much the same level of action Whedon gave him. Going even further i don't think JL has any great action scenes barring the JL Vs Supes fight what funny enough Whedon improved because Elfman's score was so much better in that version then Junkie's. Like sure The Flash saving everyone was awesome but its not a fight scene and Junkie's score gives that scene more power then it actually has looking back.
      1. Seb
        October 7, 2021
        Yeeeeepp... said this before, but didn't see a lot of people agree with me, but the actions scenes in JL are just boring. Honestly, I felt that way about BvS too, except for the warehouse scene of course. But everything else, the Africa opening, the Batmobile chase scene, the main BvS fight and the DD fight ranged from "whatever" to just outright disappointing.
        But JL didn't have a single truly "great" action scene. I was all just so by the numbers and generic. Nothing we haven't seen a countless times before, and done better too. Not to mention, lots of it just looked fake too (Amazon scene especially has atrocious CGI as far as I'm concerned). Heck I don't think Snyder has really delivered truly "unique" action since MoS. Now, I had massive problems with how relentless the action in MoS got from a purely narrative standpoint, but from a choreography and photography standpoint, MoS had some amazing action. Stuff we have never seen done before in a CBM, even to this day.
        Superman vs the League is probably my favorite too in JL, and the only one I kinda "enjoyed" but that's it. I do prefer the ZS version though, just b/c I like those few extra shots with Superman fighting Cyborg & I like the overall more aggressive tone. Don't like the Junkie music at all (although I do think it was cool for him to add the old MoS Arcade/ Faora theme) and while I prefer the Elfman track from a purely musical standpoint, I never thought that the OG Superman theme actually fit that moment.
        The rest is again, just all so freaking.. bleehhh... Amazons vs Steppenwolf literally just looks awful. Tunnel scene has a couple of cool shots (like Flash saving those ppl from the debris) but overall was extremely generic. Aquaman vs SW, also just mindless fighting. Superman vs the League was kinda neat as we've said and then the entire third act is just so generic tbh. Even the shots that are supposed to be "really cool" do nothing for me, like Aquaman riding the parademon through that building. It's just, I don't care... and it doesn't showcase AM's unique abilities at all.
        I know that lots of people find AM (the movie) a bit cringe & uneven... but there's no doubt those action scenes were absolutely INSANE. The camera work was just top notch, and there was always a real emotional stake behind every fight scene. With JL, it's just so superficial. There's no emotional reason behind why they're fighting at any point.
      2. NinjaGamer13
        October 8, 2021
        Let’s please come back from crazy town o_o
    2. Pikashades
      October 7, 2021
      HOW?!
3. NinjaGamer13
  October 8, 2021
  Come on, no matter how much anyone loved or hated BvS, Affleck’s performance was one of the only things they could all agree was good. And while he did phone it in for the theatrical version of JL, his acting in ZSJL was back up to par
  1. Seb
    October 8, 2021
    Nope, not at all. His performance was extremely stiff. His emotions ranged from brooding to anger. That's it. Now compare that with Bale in TDKR. I literally cannot imagine Ben pulling off the "you're not Batman anymore" scene with Alfred. He'd just get angry, brood or show zero emotion. There was absolutely zero depth to his performance. In ZSJL he was just "fine". Again, nowhere NEAR the level of Bale.
j.k.2023
October 6, 2021
Nothing DC has done since 2013 can touch dark knight trilogy.
1. Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
  October 6, 2021
  TSS is pretty darn good.
  1. j.k.2023
    October 6, 2021
    TSS and Joker were indeed good but for me, They fall below the magic that dark knight trilogy created.
    1. Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
      October 6, 2021
      Joker was good but it was an incomplete story. It was the first act, intro of a story.
      1. j.k.2023
        October 6, 2021
        Intro was pretty good though.
      2. Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
        October 6, 2021
        yeah, I guess my point is we need Joker 2, Joker 3 for you to compare it to the DK trilogy. The comparison isn't fare.
2. Kingkiller
  October 6, 2021
  Joker in it's writing, characterization, payoff, cinematography, score, acting and it's sheer popularity easily rivals The Dark Knight. Even though I still prefer TDK.
  And I don't think any Superheroe movie has been able to rival TDK until now. It's not exclusive to DC.
  Edit: I wouldn't say the complete TDK Trilogy. Batman Begins was a very good origin story at best and The Dark Knight Rises is a deeply flawed albeit still an entertaining movie.
  The Dark Knight is the onky one I consider a masterpiece.
  1. Hunter Zolomon
    October 6, 2021
    TDK transcends itself, its not just one of the best comic book films its one of the best films ever and will be held up in the decades to come with the all time greats like The Godfather, Pulp Fiction, Citizen Kane, Gone With The Wind, Alien and so on. I love the MCU and i love DC films like WW and TSS but they are no where near the levels of TDK and where it sits in film, Ledger's Joker is also held in the same regard as Darth Vader, Dracula, The Devil, Hannibal Lecter and such and that's a group of villains what is extremely difficult to be put along side.
3. Hunter Zolomon
  October 6, 2021
  Joker does, TDK and Joker are easily my 2 top comic book films.
  1. Hunter Zolomon
    October 6, 2021
    TWS is certainly in my top 5 comic book films.
El Catalan Libanes
October 6, 2021
His kids are gonna love it, because it's a film made for kids. I will say it over and over: Batman & Robin it's a perfect adaptation of the campy 1960s Batman.
1. Seb
  October 6, 2021
  Just being honest, I still like Batman & Robin to this day... yeah, it's a horrible film, but I grew up watching it and honestly, it's just so ridiculously over the top that I can look at that movie, turn my brain off and just enjoy all the nonsense.
  1. Hunter Zolomon
    October 6, 2021
    I will standby by saying Thurman was fine as Ivy performance wise and it was only the dialogue what ruined it, plus being shallow i think she was incredibly hot as Ivy and always made me blush as a kid haha. I actually think the Alfred and Bruce stuff is pretty solid though and the best parts of the film, i certainly prefer it to Affleck and Irons what when you brake it down is just banter between them and nothing more.
ivy97
October 7, 2021
Batman and Robin was the first movie i was allowed to go to watch at the cinema without my parents when i was 11. Just me and my mates. And it was awesome! I loved every minute of it! Do i like it now? No. But i loved it as an 11 year old and it pisses me off clooney is always shitting on it. Cant people just accept it was a kids movie? I don't see the 66 Batman getting shit.
Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
October 7, 2021
Hey look, Denis Villeneuve likes Batman.
https://twitter.com/joshuah...
AnonymousHero
October 9, 2021
Clooney is a walking deadpan. Always has that dry wit. But I don't blame him, I'd never let Amal see Batman & Robin either. Maybe it'd be fun for the kids while they are still toddlers. Although I could understand how you wouldn't want to expose your child to any bad and/or cheesy cinema. At least it still had fun moments as a kid to take in. But a caregiver would have to watch with them or something seeing as Amal couldn't be near the TV as that plays. Gotta keep some dignity in front of wifey, completely understand Georgie boy.

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George Clooney jokingly claims Ben Affleck "screwed up" Batman

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