10 Ways Batman & Robin Changed Batman Movie History

It feels like a lifetime since Joel Schumacher's Batman & Robin threatened to kill Batman completely, so it's almost a surprise that the film has only just reached its 20th anniversary. Considered not only one of 1997's worst films, but also one of the worst of the decade, the film remains the go-to whipping boy when fans talk about the low-points in comic book movie history.

It's hard to really argue against the tide of criticism: it is not in any way a good film, and even the cultish kitsch appreciation of it that seems to have risen up in more recent years mostly ignores the specifics in favour of a comedic reading of it. But Batman & Robin does still have a hugely important position in wider Batman lore.

Without Batman & Robin - and mostly its disastrous performance - we would have an entirely different Batman cinematic universe right now, which might still be based on the pillars built during Joel Schumacher's time in charge of the Dark Knight. In other words, you should probably be thankful that it all imploded so catastrophically.