From ER to Gotham: The One Episode That Made George Clooney Batman
From County General to Gotham: Director Christopher Chulack says a single 1995 ER episode clinched George Clooney’s casting as Batman, showcasing the star power that put him in the cape and cowl.
If you have ever wondered how George Clooney jumped from scrubs to the Batsuit, it turns out one very specific ER episode did a lot of the heavy lifting.
The ER night that put Bruce Wayne on the table
Director Christopher Chulack says Clooney becoming Batman tracks directly back to ER's 1995 episode 'Hell and High Water.' In a chat with TV Insider, he pointed to that November sweeps hour where Clooney's Dr. Doug Ross dives into a flooded storm drain to save a kid. The episode pulled in around 45 million viewers — a massive audience even by 90s broadcast standards — and turbocharged Clooney's leap to movies.
Studio brass at the dressing-room door
According to Chulack, the reaction inside Warner Bros. was immediate. He remembers two top execs — Bob Daley and Terry Semel, whom he describes as the presidents of Warner Bros. Television at the time — showing up the very next day to make their intentions crystal clear to Clooney.
'You are going to be the next Batman because of the heroism of that episode.'
Chulack figured the show would only climb from there, and it did. 'Hell and High Water' became one of ER's most celebrated hours, snagging six Emmy nominations and earning him a Directors Guild of America Award.
From County General to Gotham
Off that wave, Clooney landed Bruce Wayne in Joel Schumacher's 1997 Batman & Robin. The cast was stacked:
- George Clooney as Bruce Wayne/Batman
- Uma Thurman
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Alicia Silverstone
- Chris O'Donnell
You know how the movie turned out: mixed reviews and a rough ride with critics. But the backstory is a neat little chain reaction — one barnburner of a TV episode, a studio pep talk, and suddenly Clooney is carrying the cape and cowl.