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Julia Roberts is one of the biggest actresses of the ’90s, a true icon in Hollywood. It’s hard to imagine anyone who hasn’t heard of her. But with so many rom-coms and dramas on her resume, would casting her in a superhero movie even make sense? For a lot of people, it could be a bit of a stretch.
However, according toBatman & Robindirector Joel Schumacher, it could have happened — but only if Roberts had shown interest first. Back then, rumors floated around that she might play Poison Ivy in the movie, but Schumacher later set the record straight.
Julia Roberts Was Never Truly In The Running For Poison Ivy Role InBatman & Robin
Batman & Robinseemed to have it all, especially with its star-studded cast.Arnold Schwarzenegger,George Clooney,Chris O’Donnell, and even the fan-favoriteAlicia Silverstonewere set to bring one of DC’s best-known stories to life. The problem? Things didn’t go quite as planned, and the movie ended up with a mere 12% onRotten Tomatoes.
The film marked the last in a series that began withTim Burton, following Batman and Robin as they struggle to keep their partnership intact. Eventually, they team up with Batgirl to face off against Mr. Freeze, Bane, and Poison Ivy. At the time, there was plenty of buzz around which actress might bring the last one mentioned to life.
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Julia Robertsseemed to be in the running for the role, but years later, on the film’s 20th anniversary, directorJoel Schumacherrevealed in an interview withThe Hollywood Reporterthat this wasn’t quite the case.
According to him, there were inquiries from representatives of other actresses, even though rumors suggested that Roberts would be the one chosen. However, he never reached out to her to persuade her to take the role — if she wished, he would accept:
Julia and I did two movies together back to back. We’re friends. She would have picked up the phone and called me.
Schumacher ultimately choseUma Thurmanfor the role of Poison Ivy after seeing her photoshoot for Vanity Fair at the time. In 2022, the actress looked back on the great experience during an interview withEntertainment Tonight, fondly remembering the director, who passed away in 2020.
Julia Roberts Says She Wants To Star In A Superhero Movie
Ironically, in 2022, Julia Roberts revealed that she would be interested in playing a role that’s different from her usual characters. During an interview withVarietyalongside Clooney — while promoting their movieTicket to Paradise— she expressed this desire.
The idea of a superhero movie was brought up by the reporter, to which the actress enthusiastically responded, “Wouldn’t it be awesome?” Clooney, standing beside her, quickly chimed in that they should make the movie together.
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Clooney actually starred inBatman & Robin, but his comment might have reflected a desire to explore something fresh within the superhero genre. In 2020, he candidly shared his thoughts withGQabout his experience with the film, admitting that it wasn’t great. However, he didn’t shy away from taking responsibility for its shortcomings.
He also mentioned that he wouldneverplay Batman in a movie again. With that, perhaps it’s time for Roberts and Clooney to dive into a more modern superhero project — something they might both be interested in. It would be great if DC or Marvel took notice and made it happen.
Batman & Robinis available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Catherine Delgado
Articles Published :141
A geek enthusiast of fantasy and sci-fi, Catherine is also a screenwriter, completely obsessed with pop culture. Graduated in Audiovisual Production, she creates characters and writes about fictional universes when not writing articles, binge-watching shows, or reading sagas.
