He quit because small children were more excited at the prospect of meeting Batman than Val Kilmer. What did he expect?!

Insulting Mr. Freeze like that wow that's cold........ I'll show myself out

val couldn't even go to the toilet without help as the suit had no zip. no wonder he hated it.

Val kilmer was a great Bruce Wayne and Batman he brought a Kevin Conroy vibe to his Batman and Bruce Wayne and deff look up the deleted scene when he encounters the Bat it was a great scene that they cut bad move on them and those kids were fans but not real fans bc I was those kids that really knew if that was the man behind the cowl

0:25 "Christine Bale"??

He looked good though in bat suit

Titular: Whatculture’s most used word.

Bob Kane said Val was his favourite Batman 😳

I still love him as batman

It's funny, when I was a kid I felt Kilmer couldn't hold a candle to Keaton, despite being fairly decent (and better than Clooney, who to his credit tried). It was when I got a bit older I came to appreciate more that those last two films themselves were bad, and those Batmen were just given a thankless task. After all, Kilmer was given a more fleshed-out Bruce Wayne and you can see greatness there. And a darker film might have allowed him to be a more effective Bat. Oh well, it is what it is.

I hate what Shumacher did to Batman.

Personally, I think Val Kilmer was the best Bruce Wayne we’ve had yet, while Christian Bale as Batman is the most grounded.

*Val had also said he would want to play Batman again.*

I am very grateful for your videos. They are well researched and fun to watch. Thank you!

Good decision Val; "The Saint" was an excellent movie.

Whoa whoa whoa, Did you say Christine Bale? Cause thats for sure what it sounded like.

Batman Forever was my favorite Batman movie when I was a kid.

If Val was 10 to 15 years younger he would have killed it if he was cast in Nolan’s trilogy.

How did this series get 4 films and I didn't?!

Val had a good point, ANY actor could've played Batman in the Nolan trilogy and the quality wouldn't change at all.

Well that is nice to know why he quit. Thanks

The first actor I ever did a kick (watch their filmography) to. It was because of the massive preview Batman Forever received in Disney Adventure magazine, my pre-Entertainment Weekly growing up, I became fascinated with behind the scenes of movies, movie news in general and made the soundtrack to this my first CD.

Val was and will always be the most sexiest Batman ever !

Great article!

It makes sense to me. Superheroes are like James Bond, the actor can make the film a hell of a lot better, but many of the audience came for the character and the world the movie is set in. But you could truly argue that that is what acting is itself. From then, you just try your best and make the character you, like Robert Downy Jr did with Iron Man.

0:26 Christine Baile🤣🤣🤣

Basically the reverse of Iron man in the mcu

The Saint > Batman & Robin

And here I thought he saw the script and was smart enough to find a loophole and get out of the role.

Kilmer is my favourite Batman

Interesting video as Kilmer is my favourite depiction of Wayne/Batman in cinema and Forever is my favourite Batman movie. I actually don't like the Dark Knight Trilogy all that much as it's a series of films without hope or heroes. It's Batman would never be friends with Superman as it's too obsessed with being grumpy. So it's a shame he felt that way as everyone since Kilmer has come up short in my book.

I heard when he made Heat with DeNiro and crew he took kidding too seriously when DeNiro would yell between takes , help me Batman which pissed him off . Also he took the role to establish himself higher as a lead in a major film but reconsidered the role after Heat .

This "blank cavas" revelation is probably why Kilmer performed his best segments of Batman Forever as Bruce Wayne. He feels way more at ease outside of the cowl.

Val kilmer was just in the interview I just watched her on KZfaq and he says when he was playing Batman he felt like an old man the put in the bat suit on and off took 45 minutes each he needed help to go to the bathroom he could not eat only through a straw and he was at the mercy of the crew and he says when he wanted something and nobody was there to help and they had to help him get dressed up as Batman and everything like that so he felt like an old man in a nursing home I think that's why he did not return as Batman and Batman and Robin in 1997 because he had no help on set.

So he extrapolated his experince with kids (rich ones at that) out to the entire audience?

He and Bale were the best.

"Not the first, not the most recent and probably won't be the last"- whatculture 2020

Val Kilmer looks like the most down to dance Batman out of them all

0:48 superbat? I can't find any reference of this

I was actually surprised that I liked BATMAN FOREVER upon seeing it for the first time at home (especially after having seen the entire DARK KNIGHT Trilogy, the series as a whole which remains one of my favorite films of all time, one of my favorite film series of all time, and one of the best times I ever had at the movies, period!) and was utterly mind-blown that Val Kilmer was both an awesome Bruce Wayne and Dark Knight. I was 9 going on 10 when BATMAN FOREVER was released, and therefore it wasn't until much later that I saw the entire series cycle of BATMAN films from 1989 to '97. (That being said, it's interesting that some elements of BATMAN FOREVER were well integrated into the DARK KNIGHT Trilogy.) That being the case, I can understand why Kilmer quit (and it did turn out to be a blessing in disguise, considering the batshit mess that BATMAN & ROBIN turned out to be). While he did have the reputation of being one of the biggest egotistical stars in Hollywood at the time - and it's really infuriating that he couldn't understand how kids wanted to see him play an iconic role model that they looked up to instead of the actor playing him - I can't deny that he was also striving to be a real artist in his own right, and Hollywood usually has a tendency of reducing extraordinary talent on both sides of the camera to one-note stick figures and cookie-cutter puppets being compromised by a smug, avaricious big-budget studio system that has eyes on big returns and grossly huge publicity rather than the quality and honesty of the films.

He honestly had a good point. Any actor can play Batman if given good direction.

how you get the superbad - adam west connection? nothing on wikipedia

i just rewatched barman forever, and honestly i liked it, it's campy, and 2 face is really bleah, but batman saying: ah woman... or his smile after that Dr.Meridian Chase chose Bruce over Batman was priceless for me, and talking about Batman and Robin, as much as i try to enjoy the movie, and as much as i like Clooney as an actor, i can't really force myself to like it, honestly batman forever is underrated, a modest sequel considering all the changes that happened !

Why did Tim Burton not do a third Batman?

I actually think that |Batman Forever is the best of all the Batman films.

Val Kilmer Is The Best Batman Of All Time :D ^_^

Of course kids are going to be more interested in the Batsuit and Batmobile than him, he's not really Bruce Wayne/Batman so he'd hold no interest to them. I agree with everyone else who thinks he was underrated in the role, I could see him rivaling Christian Bale if he had a good director behind his movie like Nolan.

As a man, I'm flesh and blood, I can be ignored, I can be destroyed; but as a symbol... as a symbol I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting.

His best movie is Real Genius!

You mean to tell me Kilmer didn`t know right away that a supe hero character is one-dimesional? Couldn`t he tell that from the script?

Adam West loved the character so much that he literally played the character until the day he died

Christine Bale?

Nah, he didn't want to play Batman again because Arnold was going to be Mr.Freeze. Val Kilmer hates Arnold for not sticking up for him as he wanted to be the T-1000 in Terminator 2

Keaton said, he wanted to play more interesting role. It says

I say in all honesty. The best batman s, in order. Keaton, Kilmer, Aflec. I am torn about 2 and three.

I actually really liked Val Kilmer in this role. Batman Forever is a fine movie for what it was trying to do. It’s literally I live action cartoon. But Val was a great Batman and an even better Bruce Wayne.

WHO'S CHRISTINE BALE? 👩🏻‍🦰

Yeah, Bale will never be my favorite Batman. Different strokes for different folks. I'm glad other people enjoyed the films.

I read sometime in the 90’s that Val was insulted by Arnold and didn’t want to act with him in Batman and Robin. He gave them an ultimatum and they chose Arnold over Val

Kilmer was a great Batman and Bruce Wayne

Would imagine it would get very old, stressful and nerve racking walking around having people call you Bruce Wayne & Batman & mess with you. Haha

Val did a great batman.

Val was a great Batman and Bruce Wayne. He should be given more credit for doing an amazing job!!

I love Batman

this maybe an unpopular opinion but the tim burton and joel Schumacher batman films are more fun to watch than Christopher nolans.

That's sad. I liked his portrayal of Batman, but I completely respect his reason.

Michael Keaton is the best hands down.

I love Val Kilmers Batman!

Val Kilmer was the best Batman .....only bc he was the best looking and the most serious one based on the time it was done...

Its a pity he did not understand the potential of the role.

Michael Keaton is the best Batman.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little disappointed Simon Miller isn't doing this video. I'm come to expect him to do all WhatCulture videos starting with 'Why', (slaps head) here's why 😆

Val Kilmer was a great Batman

Lol ironic you said he might not be the last Batman to bail. Well, Christian didn't Bale lol

I understand people like michael keaton because he is the first movie batman. But really if you actually look val kilmer is the best batman until bale. To me he is the third best batman after bale and affleck.

Christian Bale's portrayal is the best and Christopher Nolan's is the best trilogy.

I bet he has a different opinion now seeing how most of the actors that followed him were not as good in the role as he was

Val Kilmer was the BEST Batman & Bruce Wayne.

That's fucking depressing. I actually really liked him as Batman. And then the sequel happened...Jesus fucking Christ...now I'm even more depressed. Maybe he dodged a bullet with that one.

*BATFLECK FOREVER*

Imo, Christian Bale was the best Bruce Wayne but not the best Batman. If I had to choose a favorite Batman I think I'd actually pick Michael Keaton. Crazy, right?

Really hope that abomination with disco-boy wasn't because he was in an annoying film where a annoying girl was a blank persona as well.

But the 9 year old me that watched Batman Forever at the cinema frikkin loved it. I had seen Batman returns by that stage and it had freaked me out badly. Danny Devito was revolting as penguin.... That whole fish eating scene as a child was awful. Of course i love the Tim Burton films now.

Val was my favorite batman AND bruce Wayne. Batman forever is always my favorite batman but Dark Knight is the greatest movie ever made.

Batman Returns, fantastic? That's pushing it. For me, both Kilmer and Clooney (more the latter) were forgettable in the role imo, whilst Bale, who was a great Bruce Wayne, Batman, not so much. My personal choice is Michael Keaton, he played both roles with a duality that just worked for me (and those eye brows too!) followed by Affleck.

As for kilme r, smart move. Clearly the knuckleheads running Warner Bros back then wanted to make a toy commercial for batman and robin and that's what they got. Batman forever is an ok movie. It's not up to its predessors but it's defo better than a lot of CBM out there.

Christine Bale? You mean Christian Bale?

Really sad that we had to go through losing val in 1997, and getting the god awful George Clooney portrayal. All though I understand why he left.

Kilmer 2024

Clooney was the WORST

Batman Forever was my 2nd fav behind Batman Returns. It was too cartoony carnival, though, for Doc Holiday. Imagine a Batman Begins with mid-90's Val. I loved Nolan's universe but Bale was sooo cringe.

Val Kilmer made a good Bruce Wayne, not as much as Batman

That was a long, long sentence.

Did u call Christian, Christine? XDXD

He did extremely well.! With a better script wow...! Bale didn't have the magic and Afftrash Batman on roids... Was pathetic..

Was Batman Forever a terrible film? Yes. But it did give us "Kiss from a Rose", so there was a silver lining. :D

Why Batgirl. You're not wearing a bustle. How Lewd.

Shame we never got to see Kilmer don the suit again. Even though Batman and Robin are one of the worst things ever made, I wish he’d of got to do it again. His take was great

Imo, Bale has more successful movies, but Affleck fit the role of Bruce and batman the best of all of them and his portrayal in BvS (and the movie itself) is trashed on WAY to much

Yes but Val Kilmer now wants to return as batman