George Clooney apologises for 'destroying' Batman

In spite of the Oscars, his work with the UN and becoming one of the biggest names in Hollywood, George Clooney continues to make amends for what he calls (and we agree) the "disaster" that was Batman and Robin.

The 1997 film has gone down in legend as a cult bad film, thanks in part to the endless puns delivered by Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr Freeze, and the superfluous nipples on Clooney's costume. It had 11 nominations at the 1998 Razzie awards, but was ultimately saved by Kevin Costner's film The Postman being deemed even worse.

It has become customary for Clooney to apologise for Batman and Robin when the subject arises, although director Joel Schumacher has previously said the film's failure was his fault and not his leading man's.

During a recent appearance on Graham Norton's chat show to promote his new fantasy adventure film Tomorrowland, Clooney discussed his cinematic albatross once more, to cheers from the audience.

"Let me just say that I’d actually thought I’d actually destroyed the franchise until somebody else brought it back years later and changed it," he said.

In his defence, he added: "I thought at the time that this was going to be a very good career move. It wasn’t."

Clooney details the travails of trying to perform in a 60lb Batsuit, and does a very funny impression of Schumacher giving direction over a microphone. For fans of the "I'm Batman meme" in which people say the phrase in an extremely gravelly voice, Clooney gives us his version.  

Fortunately for Bat fans, the 1997 film did not sink the franchise. Batman was subsequently revived by Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, and Ben Affleck will don the suit in the forthcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.