George Clooney has played many iconic roles throughout his career, one of which is his portrayal of the titular superhero Batman. Clooney played the caped crusader in Joel Schumacher’s 1997 Batman and Robin.
However, this particular Batman became one of the most ridiculed in the series due to the obvious plastic nipples on the bat suit. Decades later, the infamous suit is now up for auction at Heritage Auctions with a starting bid of $40,000. In a statement about the lawsuit, Heritage’s vice president Joe Maddalena said,
- “The fact that this is easily the most famous and infamous Batman costume of all time proves that it continues to make headlines every time Tim Burton and George Clooney are asked about it over the years. .
- But to his credit, Joel Schumacher never apologized for “bat nipples.” In fact, he once told Vice, “I’m still glad we did.” I’m glad we now have the opportunity to offer this film history to those who can appreciate the costume as much as Schumacher. “
While the nipple was endorsed by Schumacher, the design was actually the brainchild of Jose Fernandez, the lead sculptor for the Batman series. Fernandez has since defended his choice, calling it “all about anatomy” because the comics always seem to spray paint the body. Heritage Auctions describes Clooney’s Batman suit as suitable for Clooney. It is “constructed from cast foam latex, vinyl, resin compositions, leather and other mixed media elements, all expertly painted, retouched and assembled on a life-size poseable mannequin with ultra- Realistic George Clooney head and prosthetic-grade prosthetic eye. Costume items include hero’s signature hood, full-length superhero cape with 2 cape clips, iconic Batman muscle tunic chest icon, muscle bodysuit , pointed and flipper gloves, and knee-high character boots.”
Those interested in bidding can view the auction online at Heritage Auctions, which runs July 22-23.
