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Val Kilmer revealed insights into his experience portraying Batman in “Batman Forever,” shedding light on why he didn’t reprise the role in “Batman and Robin.” In the documentary “Val,” which chronicles Kilmer’s life and career directed by Leo Scott and Ting Poo, the actor expressed his profound childhood admiration for the character of Batman.
Despite his usual practice of reading scripts and knowing the director before accepting a role, Kilmer, driven by his love for Batman, departed from this routine and agreed to play the Caped Crusader without prior script perusal or director information. However, what appeared to be a dream role for Kilmer turned into a nightmarish experience. “Batman Forever” received lukewarm reviews, and Kilmer faced considerable criticism for what was perceived as an impassive performance.
His disillusionment with the superhero film commenced long before its critical reception. Kilmer expressed his disappointment, stating, “Whatever boyhood excitement I had was crushed by the reality of the Batsuit.” He elaborated that while every boy desires to be Batman, embodying the character in a movie wasn’t exactly the same.
Kilmer detailed the challenges he encountered with the Batsuit, which was constructed from rigid rubber, severely limiting his mobility. He voiced envy toward his co-stars Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey, portraying Two-Face and The Riddler, respectively, for their freedom to exhibit expressive performances compared to his confined portrayal.
The restrictive cowl added to his difficulties. Kilmer mentioned that while wearing it, he couldn’t hear properly, hindering communication on set, eventually causing people to avoid talking to him altogether. These combined challenges contributed to Kilmer’s unfavorable reputation during production and influenced his decision not to reprise the role in “Batman and Robin.”
Reflecting on that choice, given the notorious reception of “Batman and Robin,” it seems Kilmer’s decision to step away might have been a prudent move, considering the disaster that unfolded in that particular installment of the Batman franchise.