Movies
George Clooney wasn't everyone's favorite Batman, but did he deserve so much less than Arnold Schwarzenegger for 'Batman & Robin'? Probably not.
Published on November 6, 2022
3 min readOver the decades, Arnold Schwarzenegger has appeared in a wide variety of film projects. He’s starred in action epics like the Terminator franchise and comedies such as Junior and Jingle All the Way. Known for his inimitable accent and his larger-than-life persona, Schwarzenegger became one of Hollywood’s most unconventional leading men in the ’80s. Although he’s mostly retired from the acting business today, he still makes occasional movie appearances. One of his most outrageous roles was in the 1997 superhero film Batman & Robin. Although the former bodybuilder wasn’t onscreen for many minutes of the film, he still walked away with a salary that blew away the earnings of the film’s leading man, George Clooney.
Who did Arnold Schwarzenegger portray in ‘Batman & Robin’?
Batman & Robin was released in 1997, as the sequel to the hit film Batman Forever. It made headlines as the film that replaced Batman Forever director Tim Burton with Joel Schumacher. In addition, George Clooney took over the role of Batman from Val Kilmer. Rounding out the star-studded cast are superstar performers like Uma Thurman, Chris O’Donnell, Alicia Silverstone, and, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In the film, Schwarzenegger plays Victor Freeze, a molecular biologist who attempts to cryogenically preserve his terminally ill wife. In the process, Freeze becomes the victim of a lab accident and is rendered unable to live at normal temperatures. To survive, he has to wear a cryogenic suit that is powered entirely by diamonds. Empowered with a new, terrible purpose, Mr. Freeze tries to take over the world. Naturally, he’s thwarted by Batman in the end.
Arnold Schwarzenegger made a much higher salary than George Clooney for ‘Batman & Robin’
According to IMDb, Schwarzenegger’s presence in Batman & Robin was a real coup for the production team. The actor even received top billing over Batman himself, George Clooney. At the time, Schwarzenegger was possibly perceived as the bigger star, which is part of why the action star was able to land such an impressive paycheck for the role of Victor Freeze.
According to BuzzFeed, Schwarzenegger was paid a total of $25 million for his work in Batman & Robin. Since he was on set for about 25 days, that would mean he made about $1 million for each day of work. That is all the more impressive, considering that Clooney reportedly made about $1 million in total for his work as Batman in the film, according to CinemaBlend.
What is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s net worth?
Batman & Robin only served to elevate Schwarzenegger’s star power further. Although he slowed down the trajectory of his film appearances in the years that followed, he went on to appear in movies such as End of Days, The 6th Day, Collateral Damage, and Around the World in 80 Days. By the early 2000s, Schwarzenegger had entered a period of semi-retirement, only to return to acting full-force a few years later.
Over the years, Schwarzenegger has become one of the most successful actors in the entertainment business. Between his endorsement deals and his political campaigns, the actor’s star, as well as his net worth, has risen dramatically. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Schwarzenegger’s approximate net worth is around $450 million. These days, he rarely acts, although he still regularly interacts with fans on social media — and certainly, fans would love to see him return to the big screen.
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