4th Generation Batsuit

The latest variation of the standard Batsuits worn by Bruce Wayne. Just like the 3rd generation suit this also bore a resemblance to human anatomy. It is notable for being now all one color, the belt and chest emblem now have no special colors or sheen to draw attention to them, greatly enhancing his ability to blend end in with the shadows. It features some upgrades first seen on the Sonar suit.

History

Creation

This suit was created after Riddler destroyed the Batcave and all the previous costumes. It looks to be upgraded with gauntlets and belts based the ones seen on the Sonar prototype. Variations of them are now stored in the walk-in armory in the Batcave.

Battling Mr Freeze

Bruce introduced the suit while suiting up to go for battle with his partner Robin. While driving in the Batmobile, he receives a video message from Commissioner Gordon about the new villain Mr. Freeze robbing the Gotham Museum of Art. It was worn when Batman and Freeze battled until Robin intervened and he and Batman were forced to battle Freeze's hockey thugs. The suit also possesses Pop-Out Ice skates for traversing ice floors. Batman while on the Ice Rocket after being freed by Robin uses a Batbomb to blow up the Rocket before it would fall back to Gotham.

After escaping the Rocket, Batman and Robin air surfed after Freeze. Batman managed to catch up to him in mid air. Fries escaped by jettisoning his Cryo-Suit glider wings (much like Batman's glider cape) causing Batman to drift backward. Freeze froze the furnace of a factory smoke stack, slowing his descent as he fell into it. Batman and Robin used their capes to "parachute" downward and caught up with him. Freeze froze Robin and retrieved his diamond, then forced Batman to either save his partner or pursue him. Batman chooses to thaw out Robin by placing his Frozen body into a vat of steaming water and heated it up with his Batlaser stored on the belt of this costume.

Gotham Botanical Gardens

The suit was used again at the Gotham Botanical Gardens for its fundraiser with Batman and Robin as special guests. When Poison Ivy appeared, Batman overwhelmed by her pheromone dust started a bidding war with Robin and pulled out his Credit Card with his expiration date saying :FOREVER. He adds that he never leaves the cave without it. Freeze crashed the event and Batman and Robin battled his thugs before the villain escaped. Batman reminded Commissioner Gordon that he has eleven minutes to thaw out the frozen victims.

Chasing Mr Freeze

Pullback — Batman has a communicator in his left glove he can use to talk to Robin.

Batman also used a few features on this suit to capture Mr. Freeze during a car chase. He used the communicator on his left glove to command Robin before making an impossible jump. Bruce ended up using the car's computer to disable the Redbird's engine after Dick refused to obey, via voice commands. Batman then used the cape to glide into the windshield of the Freezemobile after ejecting himself from the frozen Batmobile.

Battling Poison Ivy and Bane

Sadomasochism — The 4th generation Batsuit in use

The suit was used again when Batman and Robin arrived at Freeze's hideout the Snowy Cones Factory as they waited along with the police for Freeze to show up after he had escaped from Arkham Asylum with help from Ivy and Bane. In the cryo chamber room they found Freeze's wife Nora in her chamber and discovered that he found a cure for the diseasing stages. The Dynamic Duo also did battle with Ivy and Bane in which Ivy used her Pheromone dust to seduce Robin in order to kill him but Batman stopped it and reminded Robin of the victim that Ivy killed at the Airport. Robin began to rebel against his partner as he accused Batman of jealousy allowing Ivy and Bane to escape.

Battling Poison Ivy and Meeting Batgirl

The suit was used again when Batman arrived at Poison Ivy's Turkish Bath hideout to rescue his partner Robin after Robin coated his lips with rubber to prevent Ivy's venom from entering his lips when they kissed. Ivy however ensnared Batman in her vines and they hung him up on the wall by tying him. He and Robin were able to free themselves when a new crime fighter named Batgirl arrived and began fighting with Ivy. Batman used his Batsaw to cut the vines to free himself just as Batgirl defeated Ivy by kicking her to her throne thus having her trapped when the giant flower closed on her.

Batgirl then revealed that she is Barbara Wilson Alfred's niece and that she has found the Batcave. However Bruce decides to deal with her later as he learns that Freeze was going to have Gotham frozen and leaves the hideout with Robin and Batgirl for the Observatory. This forces Bruce to use his Sonar Batsuit to battle Freeze as his current suit couldn't be used to survive against extreme cold temperatures from Freeze's freeze blast.

Saving Alfred and accepting Batgirl

Bruce was wearing the Sonar suit after removing the silver plates from the suit in a rush to putting the two vials Freeze developed into Alfred's IV to cure him. Only in this scene he had his cowl off. After agreeing that Barbara could be his second partner and continue to fight crime as Batgirl, Batman is seen (In silhouette) wearing the 4th generation suit (with the cowl back on) when he Robin, and Batgirl are running in front of the Bat-Signal off to a night to fight crime.

Behind the scenes

Design and Scuplting

This costume was sculpted by Jose Fernandez, who also did the previous costume.

Legacy

George Clooney was pictured with a mannequin of the 4th Generation Batsuit at Planet Hollywood while promoting Batman & Robin in 1997.
The mannequins of Clooney in the 4th Generation Batsuit are currently on display at the Warner Bros. VIP Studio Tour in Burbank California.

Trivia

George Clooney suffered an ankle injury playing basketball while shooting Batman & Robin. Because of this he would have to cut off the left boot of the Batsuit to wear a cast. You can tell that he's injured when he is limping in the Ice Rocket. When he filmed the climax with the Arctic Batsuit he had recovered from the injury.
Had the film series continued with Batman Unchained Batman would wear yet another new suit, as confirmed by Bob Ringwood the studio pushes for new costumes and vehicles in each movie for toy and merchandise potential. The creative team often sees it as a chance to improve the functionality of the costume, even if they forced to alter the aesthetic for commercial purposes.