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Pierce Brosnan laments missing out on Batman 89

posted 2 years ago by bozo_500 (13122)
15 replies | jump to latest

Pierce Brosnan officially joins the DC Films Extended Universe with his upcoming portrayal of Doctor Fate in “Black Adam.” During a “Tonight Show” chat with Jimmy Fallon, however, he revealed he was once nearly cast as Batman — until a “stupid comment” cost him the job.

“I went up for ‘Batman’ way back in the day when Tim Burton was doing it and obviously I didn’t get the job,” he told Fallon. “I remember saying something stupid to Tim Burton. I said, ‘You know, I can’t understand any man who would wear his underpants outside his trousers.’”

Fallon feigned pity to audible laughter from the crowd when quipping Brosnan “had to settle for James Bond” and cheekily told him he was “so sorry” for the hardship. Brosnan graciously said “the best man got the job” in reference to Michael Keaton’s casting in Batman (1989).

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/pierce-brosnan-tim-burton-batman_n_634c3b42e4b04cf8f379a25c

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

I didn't mind Keaton as Batman, but I still don't think he was the right choice at the time.

[–] SilenceByWolf (1868) 2 years ago

Agreed. I can't picture Brosnan as Batman. Not a good fit for him.

[–] Ace_Spade (9550) 2 years ago

Keaton continues to be my favourite version of Batman. He had subtlety and gave an "iceberg performance" where most of it was invisible, but definitely present. I've loved a lot of different versions of Batman over the years, but Keaton/Burton got some magic formula going and rode the serious comic book line into greatness.

As for Brosnan, I don't think he'd have been the right choice, although he's a fine actor who could probably have been a decent Batman.

[–] SilenceByWolf (1868) 2 years ago

Your thoughts on Ledger's "Joker"?

[–] Ace_Spade (9550) 2 years ago

I'd rather have the Joker with chemically-altered skin and hair, but that's not a sticking point for me.

I thought Ledger's performance was impeccably good and mesmerizing. I loved the multiple origin stories he tells, showing his lying nature. I thought his nastiness, his sinister plotting, and his thrill to anarchy was fantastic. I would have liked him to indulge in a sense of humour more, but I appreciated his "disappearing pencil magic trick".

[–] DoctorThirteen (14033) 2 years ago

Funny, I can see Brosnan as Bruce Wayne, but not as Batman.

[–] NotoriousRio (12927) 2 years ago

Same!

[–] seanwhelan2310 (575) 2 years ago

Had he been Batman, then he probably would have never been Bond. I could see him as Bruce Wayne, but Batman IDK

[–] jekporkins (1972) 2 years ago

I don't think I've ever heard Pierce try an American accent. Could he have pulled it off?

[–] bozo_500 (13122) 2 years ago

I think he did a US accent in Death Train (with Patrick Stewart)

[–] April-151-CT (10210) 2 years ago

Played a Texan in The Son 2017-2019.

[–] fawltybasil (249) 2 years ago

I'm glad he did. Keaton was perfect. I love his Batman, and I love his "uncomfortable in his own skin" Bruce Wayne.

[–] TMC-4 (20153) a year ago

Pierce Brosnan during his Remington Steele days actually looks like Bruce Wayne in the comics from that same time period:
https://preview.redd.it/the-most-comic-accurate-bruce-wayne-looking-actors-in-my-v0-jlrpyq97lhkb1.png?width=789&format=png&auto=webp&s=90ab5b0c58b82586fc448b3847261821b47276ef

https://www.reddit.com/r/batman/comments/1620oub/the_most_comicaccurate_bruce_wayne_looking_actors/

[–] MCguy (1147) a year ago

This sounds like an older actor's tall tale. This story didn't surface until 2022. Pierce Brosnan doesn't fit into Burton's vision for Bruce Wayne.

[–] Otter (24464) a year ago

Oh Pierce, darling... it wasn't your little joke that cost you the job! It's the fact that you couldn't act in those days, and Keaton could!

Seriously, Brosnan has improved a lot over the years but has never had much depth, while Keaton knocked it out of the park, so much so that nobody cared how physically underdeveloped he was! It was a revelation to mainstream audiences, by which I mean the ones who hadn't touched a DC comic in years, and that was when they realized that yes, Bruce Wayne really WOULD have to be batshit crazy to do the things he does! And that's what Keaton did, he made Wayne this very weird, focused, obsessive guy, he made Batman interesting again, and he kicked Batman onto the front rank of popular culture where he's stayed. Now I love Brosnan, but he could have spent the last 30-odd years trying to do the same with that one role and he'd never have gotten close.