Chris O'Donnell and Alicia Silverstone Open Up About the Chaos and Hate Surrounding BATMAN & ROBIN

It’s been nearly three decades since Joel Schumacher’s Batman & Robin hit theaters, but the conversation around the infamous 1997 superhero film never really stopped.

The movie, starring George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell, and Alicia Silverstone, became one of the most talked-about comic book movies of all time because of how bad it was.

Now, O'Donnell and Silverstone are opening up about what it was really like making the film, and how the backlash affected everyone involved.

Released five years after Tim Burton’s dark and moody Batman Returns, Batman & Robin swung hard in the opposite direction.

Schumacher leaned into bright colors, exaggerated vibrant sets, and silly toy-friendly designs, turning Gotham into something closer to a neon playground than a crime-ridden city.

While it earned a decent box office haul, the film quickly became a punchline among fans and critics, with many calling it one of the weakest superhero movies ever made.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Alicia Silverstone reflected on just how surreal the experience was.

“I remember a lot of things not making sense. We would be in a big warehouse and there was so many extras and so much going on. [George] really was like a big brother in those circumstances.

“He stood up for me and was reasonable when things were not. And to get the outfit on took so much time and energy. And once you had it on, you couldn't go to the bathroom for ages.”

Silverstone laughed as she remembered how uncomfortable the famous Batgirl suit was.

“These were not easy costumes. You had to put baby powder all over your body to get it on. The whole thing was a big production.

“I remember we finally got the things on and we're standing there on top of this platform in the warehouse, and I turned to Chris and George and I said, 'What do we do?' And they're like, 'Don't worry, you'll figure it out.' I was like, 'What do you mean?'”

“And then I hear over a big bullhorn, 'Throw the thing!' and I said, 'Chris, throw what at what?' He's like, 'Don't worry about it, you're overthinking it.’”

“It's like, 'What do you mean? We don't even know what we're throwing!' because they added it all later.”

Even before the backlash, it sounds like the production was already chaotic. But things got even harder once the movie hit theaters:

Chris O'Donnell, who played Robin, said the reaction from fans was brutal.

“All of a sudden, you were starting to get the feedback, and you realize it was just going sideways. There was so much hatred of the film when it came out.

“It was like, 'Oh my God.' And you want to do your job and promote the movie. I remember at one point [director] Joel Schumacher just threw up the flag.

“He's like, 'I'm out. I can't do it anymore.' He was so heartbroken and kind of bummed out about it.”

For O'Donnell, it was tough watching Schumacher, who had poured his creative energy into the film, take the criticism so personally. Still, he looks back at the experience with perspective.

“It was a tough one for us to all digest. But we were lucky to be in the movie, and it was fun to be a part of it. It is what it is. Some work out and some don't.”

Time has a funny way of changing how people see things. While Batman & Robin was once mocked endlessly, it’s since found a kind of cult following.

Silverstone shared that the movie has become a favorite among her LGBTQ+ friends, embracing its over-the-top campiness.

“Many of my gay friends have said it's their favourite movie. It's very camp.”

And despite the film’s rocky legacy, O'Donnell still holds some fond memories from his time as the Boy Wonder.

“Even now, I still have the Batmobiles toys from when I was a kid.”

When Batman & Robin closed out its theatrical run with $238 million worldwide, the franchise went quiet until Christopher Nolan resurrected it with Batman Begins in 2005.

While Schumacher’s version will always be remembered for its ice puns and flashy costumes, it’s also a fascinating chapter in the evolution of Batman on screen as a wild, colorful time capsule that somehow keeps fans talking nearly 30 years later.

Love it or hate it, Batman & Robin will forever have its place in Gotham history.