Why didn't Val Kilmer return for Batman & Robin?

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Dream, Sep 2, 2012.

  1. Dream

    Dream Admiral Admiral

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    Whenever I watch the original four Batman movies, I get a little whiplash going from Burton's first two movies to Schumacher two toytastic Batmans. One of the major reasons for that is that the part of Batman/Bruce was once again recast and given to a new actor.

    Kilmer did a decent if unremarkable job in Forever.

    Do you think Kilmer could have done better than George Clooney if he had kept his job?

    Would Batman & Robin been better or do you think it would have still sucked?

    George Clooney On Batman And Robin "It Was A Difficult Film To Be Good In”
     
  2. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I believe he left to do "The Saint".
     
  3. Guy Gardener

    Guy Gardener Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    In the lap of squalor I assure you.
    Pretending to make out with Elizabeth Shue, or pretending to make out with Uma Thurman... tough choice. Although, maybe he thought that he would have to pretend to make out with Nicole Kidman again and she wasn't entirely his cup of tea.

    (Idiot.)

    Though Schumacher was a dick not to lock Val into a multi picture deal, unless he wasn't allowed to do that after they probably had to buy Burton out of his "contract" or at the least pay him to wander off with out causing property damage.
     
  4. Captaindemotion

    Captaindemotion Admiral Admiral

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    Supposedly he was very difficult to work with during Forever. Shumacher frequently butted heads with him.

    I actually read an interview with Shumacher - who, it must be said, comes across as a very nice man, whatever you think of his films - in which he said in all sincerity that Kilmer was clearly a very disturbed individual who needed help. I've also heard him say:

    http://xfinity.comcast.net/slideshow/entertainment-actorsvdirectors/18/

    Certainly, around the same time, The Island of Doctor Moreau, in which Kilmer also appeared, led to numerous stories about what a nightmare he was on set, so Shumacher may have had some point here. Indeed, it was Shumacher who personally cast Kilmer in Batman Forever.
     
  5. Trekker4747

    Trekker4747 Boldly going... Premium Member

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    He saw "Batman Forever."

    He read the "B&R" script.

    No. In Forever Kilmer had all the screen presence of drywall. I'm pretty sure he was given six Valium at the beginning of the day and then filming took place while he was sleepwalking.

    For all of the problems "B&R" had, Clooney wasn't one of them. I'd argue he was the best thing about that movie because he was the most believable as Bruce Wayne b/millionaire playboy. He gets a lot of shit over the movie but, really, he had nothing to work with. If it was a much better script I think he could have really pulled it off.

    Kilmer? It's easy to forget he's even in the movie even when watching a scene with him in it. When he's in the Riddler Booth "dreaming" bout bats? It's hard to tell the difference between that scene and every other scene he's in during the movie.

    Kilmer sucked is what I'm getting at.
     
  6. The Badger

    The Badger Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    He stated that he quit because he was unhappy that the role of Batman was being increasingly over shadowed by the bad guys and sidekicks. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,291605,00.html

    It's also been claimed that whilst on the set of Heat one of his co-stars (either Al Pacino or Robert de Niro, I can't remember which) ribbed him mercilessly for appearing in a comic book, kids movie.
     
  7. Guy Gardener

    Guy Gardener Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I heard that he stayed in character as Jim Morrison for two years after the movie wrapped.
     
  8. Saul

    Saul Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I believe Jim Carrey mentioned in an interview that Kilmer wasn't that happy on set.
    I liked his Batman over George Clooney who I felt was playing George Clooney and not Bruce Wayne.
     
  9. Set Harth

    Set Harth Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Why didn't Val Kilmer return for Batman & Robin?

    His Bat-Flop Detector.

    Given Dick Tracy, I would hope it was De Niro.
     
  10. Samurai8472

    Samurai8472 Admiral Admiral

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    That was a rough time for comic book movies. High brow actors frowned on it.

    Only those actors that didn't mind doing a "silly comic book" movie would sign up.


    Now it's different with comic book movies getting Oscar nominations
     
  11. Captaindemotion

    Captaindemotion Admiral Admiral

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    I think that argument is somewhat difficult to accept. In Superman the Movie, you had Marlon Brando (double Oscar winner, widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time), Gene Hackman (already an Oscar winner for The French Connection, would later win another for Unforgiven) and Terence Stamp.

    In Batman, you had Jack Nicholson (already two Oscars to his name, more to follow) and Jack Palance, screen legend. Christopher Walken (winner for The Deerhunter) and Michelle Pfeiffer (multiple Oscar nominee). There was lots of talk about Oscar nominations for Nicholson and Pfeiffer in those years, though ultimately neither was nominated. Batman Forever cast Tommy Lee Jones just after he won for The Fugitive.

    Dick Tracy had Warren Beatty, James Caan, Pacino (who got an Oscar nomination for his role), Mandy Patinkin and Dustin Hoffman.

    Even a movie like The Shadow could cast Ian McKellen (long before X-Men or Lord of the Rings) and Tim Curry and the great Patrick McGoohan made a rare but welcome big screen appearance in The Phantom.
     
  12. Dream

    Dream Admiral Admiral

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    Don't forget the actor that won an Oscar for playing the sad Clown.
     
  13. Greg Cox

    Greg Cox Admiral Premium Member

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    And Faye Dunaway and Peter O'Toole (!) both appeared in Supergirl!
     
  14. Dream

    Dream Admiral Admiral

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    No, let's pretend that Supergirl never happened.:p
     
  15. The Badger

    The Badger Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Fair enough. I'm going from one reference I half remember hearing from years ago, it's entirely plausible I got it wrong.


    I'd rather pretend that Supergirl did happen, with a decent script and good direction, and was a success with three sequels. But I have a weakness for cute blondes in miniskirts, so that's just me.

    Peter Cook wasn't in this version though. Brilliant satirist, not so hot as an actor. IMO
     
  16. Captaindemotion

    Captaindemotion Admiral Admiral

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    To be fair, some actors turned down such roles because of the 'stigma.' I believe that Leonardo DiCaprio turned down the role of Robin in Batman Forever, but that was because he didn't like the script, rather than a general dislike of comic book movies. And part of the reason why Nicholson got such an outrageously large fee for Batman was because he was concerned that the movie might affect his credibility.

    But equally, there are still actors who don't want to do comic book movies. Viggo Mortensen and Daniel Day-Lewis turned down the role played by Liam Neeson in Batman Begins, while Chris Cooper turned down the Gordon role (though again, I think this may have been down to disliking the script). I've also heard that Nolan and co were turned down by their first choice for The Joker, Sean Penn.

    So what it seems to come down to is, some actors were and are willing to do comic book movies, some weren't and aren't.
     
  17. Greg Cox

    Greg Cox Admiral Premium Member

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    I dimly remember an interview with John Malkovich in which he admitted that, personally, he had no particular interest in spending weeks of his life playing a comic-book super-villain, so he would have to be extremely well-compensated to even consider it.

    Fair enough. There's no reason it has to be every actor's dream to play Dr. Doom or Lex Luthor . . . or the Flash or Spider-Man for that matter.
     
  18. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Commodore Commodore

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    I doubt that. He got a lot of money because he is Jack Nicholson! Same reason Brando got a ridiculous amount of money for his brief screen time in Superman. Back than studios felt big names were needed to justify the budgets superhero movies need.
     
  19. Enterprise is Great

    Enterprise is Great Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Then I'd have to forget about the beautiful Helen Slater. :(
     
  20. Captaindemotion

    Captaindemotion Admiral Admiral

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    I remember reading this in a biography of Jack. Note that I said 'part of the reason.' Of course the reason you cite is part of it too.