Pierce Brosnan reveals 'stupid' underwear comment to Tim Burton that might have cost him Batman role

Pierce Brosnan's emotions sent out at Bat-Signal of distress when he realized a playful comment he made might've cost him the lead role in Tim Burton's DC movie masterpiece Batman.

"I went up for Batman way back in the day, when Tim Burton was doing it. Obviously I didn't get the job," the Black Adam star told Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday's episode of The Tonight Show. "I remember saying something stupid to Tim Burton. I said, 'I can't understand any man who would wear his underpants outside his trousers.'"

The British actor went on to lead the James Bond blockbuster film franchise throughout the late '90s and early '00s, and admitted that, though he didn't play Batman for Burton, "the best man got the job," referring to eventual series star Michael Keaton.

"Doctor Fate and I were meant to meet on the same page," he added, however, voicing anticipation for his character in Black Adam, another DC Comics adaptation in which he plays the iconic figure opposite Dwayne Johnson.

Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images; Everett Collection Pierce Brosnan revealed the 'stupid' underwear comment he made that likely cost him the lead role in Tim Burton's 'Batman.'

Keaton's performance in Batman cemented his A-list status in Hollywood. After teaming with Burton for both Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), he was set to reprise the role in the shelved Batgirl film. He will instead make his long-awaited return as the superhero in the DC Extended Universe feature The Flash.

Black Adam hits theaters Friday. Watch Brosnan's full interview on The Tonight Show above.

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