Pierce Brosnan has opened up about the “stupid” comment he thinks led to him losing the titular role in Batman in the nineties.

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Before starring as James Bond, Brosnan had made a name for himself in television show Remington Steele.

It was around the time of him starring in this when Brosnan auditioned for the role of Batman for Tim Burton’s directorial take on the caped crusader.

Speaking on The Tonight Show, Brosnan revealed a quip he made during the audition process – something he thought would win him the role. However, the actor revealed how it did just the opposite.

“I remember saying something stupid to Tim Burton,” Brosnan told host Jimmy Fallon. “I said, ‘You know I can’t understand [why] any man who would wear his underpants outside his trousers.’”

Brosnan said he thinks the comment led to him not getting the part. “But there you go … the best man got the job,” he said of Michael Keaton’s eventual landing of the part. Keaton went on to play the part again in Batman Returns in 1992.

You can watch the full interview here:

Last year, Keaton opened up about his decision-making process when it came to revisiting the character of Batman 30 years since his last outing in 1992’s Batman Returns.

The 70-year-old actor is set to reprise the iconic role in HBO Max‘s The Flash.

Speaking to Variety‘s Awards Circuit Podcast, Keaton explained that he had been curious about donning the cape again, and felt like the time was finally right.

“‘What would that be like?’ or ‘What if I had to do that again,’” the actor recalled asking himself. “Just because I was curious didn’t mean I wanted to do it. So it took a long time, frankly.

“I’m not just gonna say I’ll do it. It has to be good. And there has to be a reason.”