Before he enters the DCEU as Doctor Fate in “Black Adam,” in theaters next Friday, and before he became James Bond for four films, Pierce Brosnan was almost Batman for Tim Burton. EW reports that in an interview on “The Tonight Show,” Brosnan mentioned he was up for the lead role in Burton’s 1989 “Batman,” but a “stupid” comment may have cost him the job.
READ MORE: New ‘Black Adam’ TV Spot Teases Amanda Waller & Possibly Other DC Heroes In Upcoming Film
“I went up for “Batman” way back in the day, when Tim Burton was doing it. Obviously I didn’t get the job,” Brosnan told Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday’s episode of the late-night talk show. “I remember saying something stupid to Tim Burton. I said, ‘I can’t understand any man who would wear his underpants outside his trousers.'” Obviously, the role went to Michael Keaton, who played Bruce Wayne/Batman in Burton’s 1989 film and its 1992 sequel, “Batman Returns.” It remains to be seen if Keaton will indeed reprise the role in “The Flash” next year (his cameo in “Batgirl,” like that movie, is scrapped, and Ben Affleck replaces him in “Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom,” out in December 2023).
But Brosnan has zero regrets about not getting the Bruce Wayne part. “The best man got the job,” he told Fallon. And the actor is happy with his first superhero role being Doctor Fate instead of Batman. “Doctor Fate and I were meant to meet on the same page,” Brosnan said to drum up anticipation for “Black Adam.” In the upcoming movie, Brosnan’s character and other members of the Justice Society Of America attempt to steer Dwayne Johnson‘s Black Adam to more heroic than antiheroic feats as the world faces a dangerous threat. The film hits theaters everywhere on October 21.
Pierce Brosnan as Bruce Wayne/Batman against Jack Nicholson‘s Joker? It doesn’t feel as good a fit as Mr. Keaton’s performance, so Tim Burton made the right call. On the other hand, maybe Michael Keaton understood the psychology of wearing underpants on top of trousers better than Brosnan.