Batman in 1990's: Val Kilmer & George Clooney

JOEL SCHUMACHER MOVIES

Akiva Goldsman: I tried to infuse characters with a little more pathos (Anthology)

There are several versions as to why Michael Keaton didn't reprise his role as Batman. Keaton says that he wasn't interested in the brighten up take on the character and in the new direction the series was taking, Schumacher claims that he was fired. One thing that's certain is that the movie was indeed greenlit with Micheel Keaton attached to the project.

Not only does Schumacher have Burton's blessing (''I wouldn't have approached it if Tim wasn't supportive of the idea,'' he says), but he has Michael Keaton's as well. ''Schumacher can make Batman sexier and more heroic,'' says Harry Colomby, a partner in Keaton's production company. ''Burton is not the hero type. His heart beats for the outsider-look at Edward Scissorhands.'' Keaton, who made $5 million for Batman and $10 million for the sequel, could earn as much as $15 million this time out of the Batcave. ''The predisposition for Michael is always to do Batman,'' says Colomby. Also watch for Keaton, who had to share the spotlight with those cute penguins in Batman Returns, to be more of a player in the next installment.(Entertainment Weekly Oct. 1993)

There are many versions as to what happened next though

Despite the success of the first two Batman movies, Michael Keaton passed over Batman Forever, convinced that there would be little reward in reprising the character again. Now, he is intent on moving on (Film Review Special #12)

Michael Keaton: To lighten up and brighten it up and be a cartoon was of no interest to me (Batman:The Complete History) 

He also did acknowledge that he was in talks at one point 
Michael Keaton: I knew we were in trouble in talks for the third one when certain people started the conversation with ‘Why does it have to be so dark?’ ‘Why does he have to be so depressed?’ ‘Shouldn’t there be more color in this thing?’ I knew I was headed for trouble and that it wasn’t a road I was going to go down.” (La Times 2011) 

Keaton talked about everything including why he "walked away" from "Batman Forever": "Apparently not for me." He said he has "personal" things to do, like time with his young son, as well as wanting to pursue "more interesting roles." (Variety Nov. 1994)

According to one source close to the production, Keaton, who starred in 1989's Batman and 1992's Batman Returns (which earned a combined $414 million), was making some thorny demands. ''He wanted $15 million,'' says the insider. ''He wanted a chunk of the gross, he wanted a chunk of merchandising.''
The Keaton camp strongly denies the showdown was about salary alone. ''Money was never the issue,'' says Keaton's producing partner, Harry Colomby. ''Not doing this movie means he probably gave up $30 million, based on his back-end deal.'' According to a source, Keaton was concerned that the Batman juggernaut was rolling without any input from its star.

Making matters worse was an increasingly tense relationship between Keaton and the film's new kingpin, Joel Schumacher, who replaced Keaton's friend Tim Burton as director. ''[After one meeting with Schumacher] Michael was not feeling confident,'' says the Keaton source. ''Creatively, it wasn't happening. He was worried that the character he'd lived with for two films wasn't going to be developed the way he wanted it to be developed.'' As the script was being revised, ''no one ever called [Keaton] to say, 'Wait! You've got to see this!' Or, 'Wait 'til you see what we've got for Batman!''' (Film Review July 1994)

O: Did you have the option to cast Michael Keaton in the third one?
Joel Schumacher: Yes. We were actually making it with Michael Keaton, but his demands were so ridiculous that Warner had to fire him. I inherited him. I was given Michael. By the time he was fired, I was saying, "Val Kilmer, Val Kilmer, Val Kilmer." I was saying, "Let's go younger." I'm always saying "Let's go younger" on my movies.
O: What do you think Val Kilmer brought to the role of Batman?  Joel Schumacher: Well, he was a very handsome Batman. I think that Batman Forever was an excellent Batman comic book. (AV Club int 2003)

Joel Schumacher: Bruce Wayne has always been glamorous and attractive and charming on one level and then dark and tortured underneath and I knew Val could play all those sides (Anthology)

Joel Schumacher's movies were more so a reboot rather than a continuation. The series was only linked to the original  movies by two supporting actors (Pat Hingle and Michael Gough) and one sentence alluding to Catwoman.

Batman Forever's  take on Batman is in some ways similar, but in many more ways vastly different then the character presented by Tim Burton and Michael Keaton. One of the similarities is the character's internal pain and pathos, which was a target of discussion even before the script has been written between the writers, Joel Schumacher and Tim Burton who served as one of the producers on the movie.

Val Kilmer: Hes traumatized from his youth and its certainly a fundamental fear you're gonna lose your parents, raised by someone else,' lonely, angry and theres a goodness in him he wants to right wrongs (Anthology)

Joel Schumacher: I wanted to add mythic qualities to our story of batman and so there is a struggle for Bruce Wayne to find his identity (Anthology)

Val Kilmer did a good job in projecting a character that's deeply depressed the time. Goldsman said that the character was driven by guilt, blaming himself for the death of his parents

Mike Mignola: You look at Val Kilmer and you think what the hell is that guy thinking cause certain actors had this thing when you look at them and you know the wheels are turning in there (Anthology)

This Batman is also a very good detective who works with his mind using intelligence and deductive thinking (he solved Riddler's riddles instantly and along with Chase figured out very fast why Two Face attacked this particular bank on this particular day). He also seems to be skilled in many different areas including technology.

However, this is where the similarities end and where a completely different take on the character comes to light. This take on the Batman world is completely different - it isn't a Gothic story, nor is it a fairy tale kind of approach. According to the producers, Joel wanted a new style for Batman and that was Pop. As one of the producers, explained it:

Peter Scott (producer) : It's Saturday Night Fever on acid (Anthology)

Joel Schumacher: My job was to put everything new that I could (Anthology)

Schumacher eschewed the dark, dystopian atmosphere of Burton's earlier films. Instead, he drew inspiration directly from the source: the Batman comic book he admits to loving as a kid [the late 1940's/early 1950's Dick Sprang run]. (...) "What you see is color, great graphics, exciting action sequences and humor." (Variety 1997) 

While Bob Kane worked on Batman Forever as well, he also thought that Batman Returns was a bit too dark even for his tastes and agreed that a brighter direction should be taken

Elizabeth Kane: Bob thought that because the second one perhaps had moments a little too dark, then the third one should be a little more upbeat, not like the TV show by any means, but a little bit more lighter, brighter (Anthology)

Michale Gough: Tim is more a psychological thriller and Joel is more viewing thriller (Anthology)

With the extravagant, pop approach, it was just natural that not only the tone but the characters will change too. Since Gothic element was dropped completely, so were the characteristics of Gothic literature

characters:

First of all, Batman was no longer mysterious and puzzling, and is now a conventional main character .He wasn't psychotic anymore either. As oppose to Keaton's portrayal, this Batman wasn't a psycho consumed by the monster he was holding within who was taking him over whom he tried to fight, he was doing what he was doing because it was his choice

Joel Schumacher: He has a choice as a man now whether to continue to be Batman or not (Anthology)

Val Kilmer: He's disgustingly wealthy (...) what he chooses to do with his free time is fight an impossible battle against the crime of the city that is corrupt (Anthology)

From the script:

BATMAN

Poor, Edward. I had to save them

both. You see, I am Bruce Wayne and

Batman. Not because I have to be.

But because I choose to be.

This Batman was simply a hurt Bruce Wayne who was putting on a costume to fight crime

Gough & Millar (Smallville producers): Val Kilmer felt more haunted but heroic. He was comfortable with his wealth, Michael Keaton's interpretation was he was never comfortable in his own skin and never comfortable with all of this stuff which has basically come from his parents (Anthology)

This Bruce also wasn't a loner or a creature of the shadows. As already mentioned, he was simply a depressed and hurt crime fighter in a bat costume. This time he had no problems at all landing and talking in the middle of the crowd in full light in costume...

...and as oppose to his previous incarnation, didn't mind the crowds outside of the costume either inviting Chase to a big, loud and crowded event that is Gotham's Hippodrome Circus and to Nygma's party.

He was also a public persona this time, overlooking Wayne Enterprise and appearing on official galas and on many magazine covers

This Bruce and Batman is very open and there's no anger in him at all, just sadness. He isn't a creature of few words anymore, but a caped and cooperative crime fighter - after all, the signal was now on top of Gordon's quarters implying that the two are collaborating together. This Batman is not only talkative in and outside of the costume, but has a knack for cheesy jokes as well  - "You trying to get under my cape?", "It's the car, chicks dig the car", "I'll get drive through", "Try a fireman. Less to take off." It's interesting to note that Kilmer's Batman is more open then his Wayne side

For Kilmer's part, he makes as good a case for himself as did Roger Moore in his first Bond movie. Keaton may have had the edge in psychological complexity, but Kilmer has nicer lips, and lips are important to a masked Batman.
Keaton's was a quirky, middle-aged, almost unreachable Bruce Wayne. Kilmer's Bruce Wayne is younger and more handsome, and though he's morose and unsmiling, you get the feeling most of his problems would be solved if only he got with the right girlfriend. (Film Review 1995)

While the previous Batman was a loner who wanted to be alone all the time and even stayed away from Alfred, this Batman, while originally receptive to the idea, accepted a young man as a crime fighting partner and welcomed him as a teammate.

In Dick he saw a young version of himself, and someone driven by pain who wants revenge. Still, he was rejecting the idea of endangering Dick by making him a teammate based on the danger factor and the boy's anger driven motivation, but as soon as he recognized his physical abilities and newly found focus he welcomed him in the "bat family"

He welcomes a partner as Batman and he also welcomes one as Bruce Wayne. He was willing to get involved with the seductive Chase, giving her a considerable amount of attention and being clearly affected by her charms. After he first saw her as Batman he was already enthralled by her and booked a visit in her office. Then even kissed her as Batman and accepted her night invitation, trying to connect with her as both batman and Bruce Wayne (by inviting her on a date)

Kilmer's Batman also had a thing for extravagant and flashy designer gadgets. This time his cave isn't a cold, wet, bat filled cave with a couple of rusty catwalks and a console, it was fully customized, filled with neons , customized construction and flashy gadgets like the rotating platform displaying glowing, logo filled Batmobile like at a car show

This Batman also has a very strong moral code which heavily goes against killing. He explains to Dick that if you kill once and you cross that line, there's no going back

From the script:

BRUCE

We don't kill. Killing is what damns you

At the end, Bruce is willing to spent his life with Chase and he's able to put his demons behind him, giving Chase her doll back saying that he's not gonna be needing it anymore. He made a peace with himself

............................................................

Michael Uslan (producer) George Clooney played a warm and fuzzy Bruce Wayne, kind of a guy next door. It was a completely different interpretation (Anthology)

Akiva Goldsman: What got lost in Batman & Robin is the emotions aren't real. The worst thing to do with a serious comic book is to make it a cartoon. (Reelz channel 2009)

Everything in the movie multiplies what was created by Batman Forever bt two, and the designs, action and campy dialogue is taken to an even bigger extremes then in it's already extreme predecessor

Val Kilmer however, did not return to protect Gotham again. As it usually is in cases like these, there are different version of events explaining why he did not reprise his role

Val Kilmer: Warner Bros offered me the next Batman, and the only reason that I didn't do it was because of The Saint. Warner Bros made a mistake. That was rushed, so they didn't tell me or my agent. They just went in and started pre-production, and I'd already committed to another movie. But Joel, I think, just thought that it looked bad for him professionally. It really didn't have anything to do with me. (UGO 2004)

Joel Schumacher: I’ll never work with Val Kilmer again, even if it’s to make The Val Kilmer Story.

Val is the most psychologically troubled human being I've ever worked with. The tools I used to work with him--tools of communication, of patience and understanding--were the tools I use on my five-year-old godson. Val is not just high-strung. I think he needs help. I say this to you only because I have said it to him (Premiere, April 1997)

According to sources close to the new production, Kilmer's outspoken nature gave the studio and Bat director Joel Schumacher pause. As one former Kilmer producer says, ''Working with him...[is] like working with nitroglycerin. [It] can blow up on you.'' While filming New Line's Island of Dr. Moreau in Australia last fall, Kilmer instigated script rewrites and occasionally clashed with crew members. Kilmer's agent would not comment, and New Line's president of production, Michael DeLuca, who helped find a new director (John Frankenheimer) for Moreau after Kilmer and costar Marlon Brando ran roughshod over Richard Stanley, insists that Kilmer merely ''has uncompromising artistic integrity.'' (Entertainment Weekly March 1996)

George Clooney was brought in to play a new take on Batman, which would go back to the 1960's Dick Sprang era which was Schumacher's introduction to Batman mythos. 

Joel Schumacher: There is a humanity to George, a kindness , a warmth that I think is new and I think very much needed. I thought he'd be a handsome, charming Batman (Anthology)

This Batman is presented as a regular next door guy, someone completely different from his previous incarnations. This time he was like a next door dad playing halloween and catching criminals with his boy. The decision to turn Batman into a regular, warm and kind guy in a suit was both Schumacher's and Clooney's

Joe Leydon: Your Batman seems to be a bit ...shall we say well adjusted
George Clooney: Yes, he's well adjusted. The one thing I talked to Joel about and he agreed was that we get rid of a lot of the flashbacks about his parents being dead (...) Its time to grow up, its time to move on a little bit. Most people I know who have had really bad pasts perform pretty well in day to day life (Joe Leydon int 1997)

George Clooney: We talked about this because there were some pages originally written dealing with his parents being dead again and I said "You know he's a 35 year old guy who lives in a giant mansion and has billions of dollars and goes out with the most beautiful women in the world has the coolest toys and hes batman and I don't think anybody's gonna feel sorry for him".(Anthology)

Joel Schumacher: Because we were suppose to make am more family friendly movie i would make a gentler kinder...maybe not as depressed, not as tortured Batman (Anthology)

Michael was terrific, and Val was terrific, but I think George is the best Batman of all. He has brought a humanity to the piece that is fresh, and we've stepped away from a more brooding, self-centered Batman to a more mature, accessible Batman (Variety 1997)

This Batman was not only a kind and a gentle one, but he also had a big sense of humor and was very often smiling

Peter Scott (producer): Joel wanted him not to be too serious in the Bat role (Anthology)

He also never acted any differently outside of the suit then he did in the suit and even appeared at official parties in the suit. Clooney's Batman also never even changed his voice while in the suit. He was simply Bruce Wayne in a blue-black Halloween suit

George Clooney: Batman never gets excited, you'll never hear him yell, so the problem is in high energy scenes you have to keep the energy in the scene but your voice has to stay like this all the time (not changing voice) and that's tricky to do (Joe Leydon int 1997)

I wanted to make him sound like a doctor (Anthology)

Clooney's Batman is seen expanding is Bat Family by easily accepting Barbara Wilson as Batgirl, without any kind of opposition. 

This take on Bruce/Batman is that of a normal guy, so just like any other normal person, he has a steady relationship with a regular woman which is implied to be strong and long lasting. After all, there's a talk about getting engaged already. 

Never has Batman been less believable or human. It's not actor George Clooney's fault -- he gives it a game try, but, really, his function is to provide a body to put into the costume. We see even less of Bruce Wayne's heart than we do of his face. Gradually, over the previous three movies, bits and pieces of Batman's character began to surface. Not so here. All attempts at development are obligatory, perfunctory, and not terribly convincing (ReelViews 1997)

He has an even bigger knack for customized designing then he ever had before, turning his batcave into a high tech, flashy and colorful base

George Clooney: "I think we buried that franchise," (via contactmusic.com)

............................................................