Looks Like George Clooney Won’t Be Returning As Batman Anytime Soon, Which Is Probably Fine By Him

These days, everything old is new again, or at least coming back for a reprise. For instance, Michael Keaton hadn’t played Batman since 1992…until Warner Bros. summoned him back. He filmed scenes for Batgirl, which was unceremoniously shelved, but he’s still coming back for this summer’s The Flash. His return sparked rumors that another big screen Bruce Wayne would be returning, too. But that one apparently ain’t happening.

On Saturday, James Gunn — now, along with Peter Safran, one of the kings of the newly refurbished DCEU — innocently posted a photo of his dog. He was inevitably pelted with a lot of responses from comic book movie fans, one of whom asked if the rumors were true that George Clooney — who starred in 1997’s notorious Batman and Robin — would be returning, too. “Absolutely not,” Gunn replied.

That’s probably fine with Clooney, too, who played the role once and doesn’t appear to have enjoyed it. He’s even said he won’t let his wife, Amal, to ever watch it, lest she lose “respect” for him. That film, which featured Arnold Schwarzenegger as a pun-dispensing Mr. Freeze as well as Uma Thurman’s Poison Ivy, didn’t bomb exactly, but it was so poorly received that it killed the franchise dead for nearly a decade. He’s probably fine doing retro rom-coms, which don’t require him strapping on latex Batsuits with prominent nipples.

(Via The Daily Beast)