Why Pierce Brosnan Turned Down the Role of Batman

Can you picture the British actor as the Caped Crusader?

ByABC News
August 22, 2014, 12:14 PM

— -- Pierce Brosnan could have been Batman?!

The Irish actor and former star of "James Bond," revealed the news on a Reddit AMA session, where he said "Yes, I did," following a fan ask if he was ever approached to play the Dark Knight.

It was back when Tim Burton was directing the 1989 "Batman," starring Michael Keaton.

Read: Pierce Brosnan Remembers ‘Sheer Magic’ With Robin Williams, ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Co-star

"I went and met with Tim Burton for the role of Batman," he said. "But I just couldn’t really take it seriously. Any man who wears his underpants outside his pants just cannot be taken seriously."

Instead Keaton battled with then Joker Jack Nicholson and fans still to this day debate over who was a better Batman, Keaton or most recently, Christian Bale. Brosnan admits considering the role might have been a good idea.

Brosnan, 61, continued, "That was my foolish take on it. It was a joke, I thought. But how wrong was I? Don’t get me wrong, because I love Batman, and I grew up on Batman. As a kid in Ireland, we used to get our raincoats and tie them round our neck and swing through the bicycle shed."