Batman Forever costume designer explains why the Batsuit had nipples: "It was all about anatomy"

Batman Forever costume sculptor Jose Fernandez has explained why the Batsuit had nipples. The suit infamously had the rather strange additions in both Batman Forever, starring Val Kilmer, and Batman & Robin, which starred George Clooney. 

"With Val Kilmer's suit in Batman Forever, the nipples were one of those things that I added. It wasn't fetish to me, it was more informed by Roman armor – like Centurions," Fernandez told MEL (via Screen Rant). 

"And, in the comic books, the characters always looked like they were naked with spray paint on them – it was all about anatomy, and I like to push anatomy," he continued. "I don't know exactly where my head was at back in the day, but that's what I remember. And so, I added the nipples. I had no idea there was going to end up being all this buzz about it."

Sadly, every version of the Batsuit since 97's Batman & Robin has done away with that particular design feature. 

We'll next see Batman on the big screen in the upcoming The Flash, which, thanks to some multiversal shenanigans, will see the return of both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton to the role. Keaton will also be playing Bruce Wayne again in the upcoming HBO Max movie Batgirl, which stars Leslie Grace as the titular Barbara Gordon. 

The most recent cinematic incarnation of the Caped Crusader was Robert Pattinson's in The Batman, which has a sequel on the way. 

If you're up to date on Batman Forever, check out our guide to all the upcoming superhero movies to get up to speed on what's next in the DCEU and MCU.