How Mark Wahlberg Almost Ruined His Career with One of Hollywood’s Worst Movies

Mark Wahlberg once revealed that he almost took on a role in one of Hollywood’s most infamous flops, Batman & Robin.

In a conversation with Entertainment Tonight, Wahlberg reflected on roles he’s glad he passed on, including the chance to play Robin in Joel Schumacher’s 1997 superhero film.

“I did not get an official offer, but I was meeting with Joel Schumacher about Batman & Robin for Robin… I’m glad that didn’t come my way,” Wahlberg said. “I was a fan of Joel’s and his other work, but I was not really interested in that kind of project.”

Batman & Robin followed Batman Forever as the fourth and final installment of Warner Bros.’ initial Batman film series. The movie starred George Clooney as Batman and Chris O’Donnell as Robin, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, Uma Thurman, and Alicia Silverstone. The story featured the heroes battling villains Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy while dealing with personal challenges in their partnership.

Development for the movie was rushed after Batman Forever’s success. Joel Schumacher was tasked with making the film more toy-friendly, leading to a heavily stylized approach. After Val Kilmer opted not to return as Batman, the role eventually went to Clooney. Principal photography ran from September 1996 to January 1997, finishing ahead of schedule.

Upon release in June 1997, the movie earned $238 million worldwide, which was considered underwhelming given its $125–160 million budget. Critics were harsh, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting only 11% positive reviews and Metacritic giving it a 29 out of 100. Audience reception was mixed, with CinemaScore polling an average grade of C+.

The film’s reputation as one of the worst superhero movies ever made contributed to Warner Bros. canceling future Batman projects, including Schumacher’s planned sequel, Batman Unchained.

Despite its critical failure, the movie did have a small win: the Smashing Pumpkins’ song “The End Is the Beginning Is the End”, recorded for the film, won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance.

Wahlberg’s decision to step away from the project is now seen as a career-saving move, especially considering the film’s lasting negative reputation.

Looking back, it’s easy to see why Wahlberg passed on Batman & Robin. The movie’s tone and execution were widely criticized, and it could have been a major misstep for his career. Sometimes, saying no to the wrong project is just as important as saying yes to the right one. Do you think Wahlberg made the right choice? Share your thoughts in the comments.