Batman is known for many good movies, but there are also black sheep. Batman and Robin is considered one of the worst superhero films. Arnold Schwarzenegger has a legendary appearance as Mr. Freeze – and that seems to mean a lot to him, as he has kept an object from the set to this day.
What kind of movie is Batman and Robin? After Tim Burton was hired as director for two popular Batman films, Joel Schumacher was given the opportunity to direct films about the bat. In 1995, Batman Forever was released with Val Kilmer. In 1997, Batman and Robin followed, this time with George Clooney as the titular hero.
In Batman and Robin, the heroes fight against Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze. Freeze is portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film is considered one of the worst movies of all time – on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has a critic score of 12% and a user score of 16%.
The film does not take itself seriously and treats the characters quite absurdly. There are countless bad puns and gadgets like the Bat credit card. At least Batman and Robin is suitable for a trash night, says MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes.
Despite the poor reception, Arnold Schwarzenegger seems to be attached to the role, as he secured an object from the set and continues to pay for it annually.
Forever Borrowed
What did Arnold Schwarzenegger take? In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter about Batman Forever, Peter MacGregor-Scott, the producer of the Schumacher Batman films, also spoke about the leftover items from the set.
He explains that parts of the set are left for a possible next film. The Bat Cave had to be rebuilt for the second film, for instance. He also explains that actors like to take and keep costumes – but one must be careful that not everything is taken. Arnold Schwarzenegger also wanted to keep his costume.
Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted a costume from Mr. Freeze. This even went up to the studio’s top management. He had to sign a contract, and I believe he pays 1 dollar per year to borrow the costume. The lights in these costumes last 9,000 hours. He doesn’t wear them all day long, but he turns them on quite often.
Peter MacGregor-Scott on Schwarzenegger and the Mr. Freeze costume
Legally, Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t own the costume; he just borrows it every year for one US dollar. Whether the costume will ever be needed again is questionable. Since Batman and Robin, there has only been one live-action appearance of Mr. Freeze, and that was in the series Gotham.
As a cameo, it is quite possible that we will see Arnie again in the villain’s costume. Nowadays, even stars appear as cameos who theoretically were supposed to play superheroes. He seems not to have forgotten the role to this day. This was also evident at the last Oscars: At the 2024 Oscars, Schwarzenegger and DeVito meet their arch-enemy
