Pierce Brosnan talks failed audition for Tim Burton's Batman

Pierce Brosnan as James Bond
(Image credit: Eon Productions)

Pierce Brosnan discussed his failed Batman audition on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

The James Bond actor, who stars opposite Dwayne Johnson in the upcoming DC movie Black Adam, had the chance to play the caped crusader in 1989's Batman.

"I remember saying something stupid to Tim Burton, I said you know I can't understand any man who would wear his underpants outside his trousers," he told Fallon. "But there you go, the best man got the job and you know Doctor Fate and I were meant to meet on the same page I think."

The role ultimately went to Michael Keaton, who would reprise the role in Batman Returns, before Val Kilmer and George Clooney took over for Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, respectively. Losing the role didn't matter much to Brosnan however, as he made his debut as the legendary James Bond in 1995's GoldenEye, cementing his status as a Hollywood icon. The actor would play Bond for three more films before the studio recast him with Daniel Craig.

Brosnan plays Kent Nelson aka Doctor Fate in Black Adam, the son of an archeologist who learned sorcery and was given the magical Helmet of Fate. In the comic books, Doctor Fate does, indeed, wear his underwear on the outside of his pants.

Black Adam is set to hit theaters on October 21. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2022 and beyond, or, skip straight to the good stuff with our list of movie release dates.

Lauren Milici
Senior Writer, Tv & Film

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.