Fans of Batman & Robin, or perhaps those who like to collect things somewhat ironically, are in luck. Funko has revealed that they are immortalizing Geroge Clooney’s Batman with his very own Pop! Figure. Clooney famously played the iconic DC Comics hero once and only once in Joel Schumacher’s 1997 film, which is considered by many to be amongst the worst superhero movies ever made. Now, it’s being immortalized in Pop! figure form.
The figure was revealed by Funko recently as part of celebrating the character’s 80th anniversary. The figure makes use of Clooney’s rather audacious silver and blue costume from the movie, Most notably, it doesn’t include the famous “Batnipples” that Schumacher, for reasons that aren’t totally clear, felt the need to include. Funko had this to say about the figure in a blog post.
“‘Hello Freeze, I’m Batman.’ Celebrate 80 years of DC’s Dark Knight with a Pop! Batman from the 1997 action film Batman & Robin. With a dramatic navy blue and silver Batsuit, Batman’s ready to take on Mr. Freeze or any other Super Villains that threaten his beloved Gotham City.”
This is far from the first time that Batman has been given a Pop! figure but the fact that Clooney’s take on Bruce Wayne is getting the treatment is significant in its own way. Batman & Robin was the last straw in that version of the franchise. The movie was widely panned by critics and was the campiest take on the property since Adam West. However, whereas West’s Batman carries with it a certain charm, for many, Batman & Robin misses that same mark.
The movie was a relative bomb at the box office and ensured that Clooney would only play the part once. In the film, he faces off against Mr. Freeze, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Poison Ivy, played by Uma Thurman. Bane also appears, played by Jeep Swenson. And let us not forget Alician Silverstone’s Batgirl or Chris O’Donnell’s Robin.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year, Clooney reflected on his brief time as Batman. The Actor historically hasn’t been shy in admitting this wasn’t his finest on-screen moment.
“[Arnold] Schwarzenegger was paid, I think, $25 million for that, which was like 20 times more than I was paid for it, and, you know, we never even worked together! We worked together one day. But I took all the heat,” Clooney said. “Now, fair deal; I was playing Batman and I wasn’t good in it, and it wasn’t a good film, but what I learned from that failure was, I had to rethink how I was working. Because now I wasn’t just an actor getting a role, I was being held responsible for the film itself.”
A specific release date for the figure has yet to be revealed.
So what do you think? Does George Clooney’s Batman deserve the love from Funko? Will you be picking one of these up? Join in on the conversation over on Facebook or Twitter!
