The Reason Why Arnold Schwarzenegger Pays Warner Bros. $1 Annually Is Brilliant

Following the box office success of Batman Forever, Warner Bros. greenlit another sequel with Joel Schumacher returning as director. Val Kilmer was initially set to reprise his role but ultimately declined, citing his commitment to The Saint. It was later revealed that Kilmer and Schumacher had a strained working relationship, which may have been the real reason behind Kilmer’s decision.

George Clooney stepped in to replace Kilmer for Batman & Robin, marking Clooney’s first and, fortunately, his only major appearance as Batman (excluding any special cameos). The film also starred Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, delivering what many consider one of the worst comic book performances ever.

While Schwarzenegger’s portrayal was widely criticized and the character poorly written, his costume remains memorable. Though not accurate to the comics, it stood out enough to warrant this report dedicated to examining the iconic suit.

Arnold Schwarzenegger played Victor Fries, also known as Mr. Freeze, in Batman & Robin. The performance was widely criticized due to miscasting and a poorly written screenplay that turned Mr. Freeze into a campy, ice pun-obsessed villain, far removed from his more nuanced portrayal in Batman: The Animated Series by Paul Dini.

Although Schwarzenegger’s performance may not be remembered fondly, the Mr. Freeze suit he wore has left a lasting impression on many fans. Interestingly, Schwarzenegger has an unusual arrangement with Warner Bros.: he pays them $1 each year to keep the Mr. Freeze suit. This deal came about because costumes and props are typically retained by studios, but Schwarzenegger negotiated a contract allowing him to keep the suit in exchange for a symbolic annual payment.

In a past interview with The Hollywood Reporter, producer Peter Macgregor-Scott provided insights into this unique contract.

Storage after a movie like Batman Forever becomes a real element. A lot of the sets get folded and held so they are available for the next picture if need be. We didn’t keep the cave, because the cave is so unwieldy. You had to make the cave each time. All the unused bat costumes. All the wardrobe saved. The actors would like to walk off with pieces, and we have to be very careful that that happens to an absolute minimum. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted a costume of Mr. Freeze. It went all the way up to the top of the studio. He had to sign a contract, and I think he pays $1 per year to borrow the costume. The lights in those costumes last 9,000 hours. He doesn’t have them on all day long, but he does turn them on quite frequently. 

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

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