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"Courage now, truth always, Batman... Forever."
―The film's trailer[src]

Batman Forever is the third installment of Batman's initial film series and the first to be directed by Joel Schumacher. Initially conceived as the third film to feature Tim Burton's version of the character, it took major departure from its predecessor, Batman Returns, after it received complaints about the darker tone. Changes many aesthetics such as cast, design, and music composure. The film starred Val Kilmer as Batman and marked the series debut of Robin (Chris O'Donnell). Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey also star as the film's villains Two-Face and Riddler, respectively.

Plot

BatmanForeverTitle

Batman Forever Title.

The Rise of Two-Face

The movie opens as Two-Face, the former DA Harvey Dent (Tommy Lee Jones), holds a hostage in a bank vault. Batman (Val Kilmer) arrives at the scene, consulting with Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman), who becomes enamored with the vigilante. Batman rescues the hostage, but is unable to foil the robbery. While this is going on, Edward Nygma (Jim Carrey), a lowly worker at Wayne Enterprises, is doing unauthorized research at work. He has invented an item that manipulates people's brainwaves and channels television programs into people's minds, making it feel like they are "inside the show." When Bruce Wayne enters, he presents his invention to him and shows him how it works. However, when he asks for a response to his idea, Bruce answers negatively, saying that manipulating brainwaves is dangerous tampering and "raises too many questions." Nygma complains, but Fred Stickley, a senior worker, fires Nygma in response to his insubordination. Driven mad by the amount of work he did being useless, Edward captures Stickley. He demonstrates his invention's powers on him, stealing Stickley's brainwaves to raise his own brain-power in the process. Nygma then murders Stickley and tampers with the security tapes, overwriting them to make it look like Stickley committed suicide. Nygma leaves a riddle at the scene for Bruce and resigns from Wayne Enterprises.

The Riddles

A while later, Bruce receives a second riddle at Wayne Manor and consults Dr. Meridian, who establishes that whoever is leaving the riddles is a "wacko" who is obsessed with Bruce. After this, Bruce invites her to the Charity Circus at the Hippodrome. Two-Face and his thugs arrive at the event, firing guns and terrorizing the audience. They also bring a bomb that Two-Face will detonate if Batman does not reveal his identity at the circus (Two-Face blames Batman for failing to thwart a criminal who threw acid on Dent's face, disfiguring him). Bruce finally gets up and yells that he's Batman but nobody hears him not even Two Face. The Flying Graysons, circus acrobats, work to remove the bomb through an opening at the tent's top. Bruce takes out the thugs. The youngest member, Dick (Chris O'Donnell), manages to push Two-Face's bomb out of the circus tent and into the water surrounding the tent by going ahead of his family. When Dick returns, he finds that Two-Face has killed the rest of his family by shooting up the wires they were climbing on, sending them to their deaths.

Feeling empathy for Dick's loss and feeling responsible for Batman's failure to show at the circus, Bruce takes a reluctant and devastated Dick in as a foster son. Initially, Dick wants to leave, but finds that he and Bruce share a love for motorcycles, with Bruce even offering to give Dick a rare one if he stays and fixes it. Before long, Dick accidentally stumbles across the Batcave and discovers Bruce's alter ego. After a joyride with the Batmobile, Dick saves a girl from a gang and defeats their leader, but is soon overwhelmed by their numbers; Batman saves him. Dick pleads to let Bruce train him as a partner, but Bruce refuses, feeling he cannot drag Dick into his crime-stopping world.

The Riddler

Meanwhile, Edward Nygma, inspired and delighted by watching Two-Face's raid at the circus, decides to become a villain himself, the Riddler. He proceeds to show Two-Face his invention from Wayne Enterprises in his river bridge lair. The two villains make a deal: if Two-Face helps him steal enough priceless goods and money to fund his project, the Riddler will use "The Box" (his invention) to learn Batman's true identity by taping Bruce's brainwaves. Their deal sealed, Two-Face and the Riddler start their rampage. They rob many museums and other wealthy areas, collecting diamonds and money. At a business party of NygmaTech (Nygma's new company), Two-Face begins robbing the guests, hoping Batman will arrive, which he does. In a trap laid for him, Batman is saved by Dick, but Bruce still refuses to let Dick become his partner. He then goes as Batman to Chase's apartment, where she reveals that, though she loves Batman, she has fallen in love with someone else. Batman turns away and smiles, knowing she has chosen him as Bruce. Unknown to Bruce, however, Nygma has drawn Bruce toward The Box, which absorbs his fears and memories; it also reveals his identity as Batman unto Riddler and Two-Face.

Batman & Robin

"Two against two are better odds."
―Batman[src]

Bruce tells Dick that he will retire as Batman, now that he has found happiness with Chase. Dick is furious and runs away. Bruce invites Chase to his home where - through a kiss - she finds out he is Batman, but the Riddler and Two-Face break into Wayne Manor. They destroy the Batcave, kidnap Chase, and leave behind a fourth riddle while Bruce and Alfred are unconscious. Bruce wakes up and is informed by Alfred that they've seized Chase, Dick has run away, the cave was destroyed, and another riddle was left. Bruce solves the riddle and uses all four riddles to discover the Riddler's true identity as Nygma. He locates Nygma's lair, Claw Island, on an island outside Gotham. Chase is imprisoned by the Riddler and attached to chains on a couch. Batman debates on his mode of transportation (the Batwing or the Batboat); a voice calls for both, and Dick steps out of the shadows as Robin, and this time, Bruce accepts their partnership. Upon reaching the island, Batman and Robin are both shot down and crash. They split up when the island begins to slide into pieces. Robin locates Two-Face and kicks him over the edge of a cliff, but is hesitant to kill him as he intended after being bluffed by Two-Face, helping him back up. However, Two-Face uses this response to capture Robin. Batman climbs up a shaft and enters the Riddler's lair, where he has an enormous brainwave device high above him. The Riddler gives Batman a choice of saving either Robin or Chase, who are both bound and gagged with duct tape in glass tubes above the water, whereas the one he doesn't rescue will be killed. However, Batman distracts the Riddler with a riddle of his own, using his Batarang to destroy the colossal device, which causes an overload of brainwaves to damage Riddler's mind. Robin and Chase are released, and the two fall into a pit; Batman grapples onto a girder and pulls them both up. Two-Face lands upon the girder and is about to shoot them, but Batman reminds him of his coin and how he's always two minds about everything. Two-Face concurs and flips his coin to determine their fate, but Batman throws a handful of similar coins into the air. Two-Face panics, attempting to catch all of them, but loses his balance and falls to the bottom of the pit, plummeting to his death. His real coin falls in his hand as he sank down landing on heads. Batman, Robin, and Chase escape from the lair and take the Riddler to Arkham Asylum to be committed.

Batman-Forever-batman-forever-23673668-640-384

Batman and Robin running with the Batsignal in the background, during the end of the movie.

At Arkham, one of the doctors, Dr. Burton, informs Chase that the captive Edward Nygma claims to know Batman's true identity. However, the overload of brainwaves severely twisted Nygma's mind, who now thinks that he is Batman. Chase leaves the building to inform Bruce that his secret is safe much to his delight. The film then ends with Batman and Robin running toward the camera with the Batsignal in the background.

Cast

Crew

Appearances

Individuals

Organizations

Vehicles

  • Batmobile
  • Batwing
  • Batboat
  • Two-Face's Armored Car
  • Two-Face Thug Car
  • Two-Face's Helicopter
  • Transport Capsule
  • Bruce Wayne's Jaguar
  • Bruce Wayne's Bentley
  • 1917 Harley Motorcycle
  • Indian Classic Motorcycle
  • Vincent Black Knight Motorcycle
  • Studebaker Champion's (Police Cars)

Technology

Weapons

Locations

Events

Miscellaneous

Merchandise Gallery

Gallery

Brchest There is an image gallery for

Videos

Trailers

TV Spots

Production

Development

While the previous two films had been directed by Tim Burton, Batman Forever was directed by Joel Schumacher, who made changes to the established designs and thematics of the first two films. According to an interview with Janet Scott Batchler, Tim Burton's only involvement with Batman Forever was approving Joel Schumacher as director and Lee and Janet Scott Batchler as the writers. Burton did not contribute story ideas and by the time the Batchlers signed on, Schumacher already had hired Tommy Lee Jones to play Two-Face. Since Warner Brothers wanted two villains in the movie, the Riddler was mandated, due to the character's popularity in tv show. They wrote the role with Robin Williams in mind, but no deal was made with him. Schumacher also wanted to bring in the character of Robin and the Batchlers turned to their assistant, who grew up in the circus, for research. The character of Dr. Chase Meridian was also created as a way to challenge both sides of Batman's personality, with Nicole Kidman's name mentioned for the role in the early stages. Michael Keaton was still expected to return as the project developed, negotiations were ongoing. Robin Williams was offered the Riddler role multiple times, but turned it down. Even when Akiva Goldsman began reworking the screenplay he had Keaton in mind. Rene Russo was cast as Chase, to rekindle her chemistry with Keaton seen in One Good Cop. H.R. Giger was chosen to design a new Batmobile for the movie. He left due to creative differences. Marlon Wayans and Billy Dee Williams still had pay or play contracts to fill the roles of Robin and Two-Face in potential sequels. As a result, Wayans' and Williams' contracts were paid out in full by WB. Schumacher wanted Chris O'Donnell and Tommy Lee Jones instead. After some negotiating, Keaton left the film as he was unhappy with the script and disagreed with Schumacher's ideas. Rene Russo was deemed too old to play Kilmer's love interest, and therefore was replaced by Nicole Kidman.

Filming

Val Kilmer and Joel Schumacher clashed during filming. Schumacher described Kilmer as "childish and impossible". According to Schumacher, Kilmer refused to talk to him for two weeks. Reportedly, Kilmer was so angered at one point he tore one of the cowls off his head, which upset the costume department due to cost.[1] Schumacher also said that Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones had problems with each other on set. Jones was not friendly to Carrey, telling him once off-set during the production, "I hate you. I really don't like you... I cannot sanction your buffoonery". Rick Baker designed the prosthetic makeup for Two-Face and his team built the giant bat for a vision in the Batcave. John Dykstra, Andrew Adamson and Jim Rygiel served as visual effects supervisors, with Pacific Data Images also contributing with visual effects work. PDI provided a computer-generated Batman for complicated stunts. For the costume design, producer Peter MacGregor-Scott claimed that 146 workers were at one point working together. Batman's costume was redesigned along the lines of a more "MTV organic, and edgier feel" to the suit. Sound editing and mixing was co-supervised by Bruce Stambler and John Levesque which included trips to caves to record bat sounds.

Promotion

Posters

Batman forever ver1

Initial teaser poster

John Alvin returned to design the one-sheets, this time based on the wardrobe photography of Herb Ritts. The character poster series concept from Batman Returns was used once again, also proving very popular.

Music videos

Hit singles from the soundtrack include "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" by U2 and "Kiss From a Rose" by Seal, both of which were nominated for MTV Movie Awards. "Kiss From a Rose" (whose video was also directed by Joel Schumacher) reached #1 in the U.S. charts as well. The soundtrack itself, featuring additional songs by The Flaming Lips, Brandy (both songs also included in the film), Method Man, Nick Cave, Michael Hutchence (of INXS), PJ Harvey, and Massive Attack, was an attempt to (in producer Peter MacGregor-Scott's words) make the film more "pop". The soundtrack was hugely successful, selling almost as many copies as Prince's soundtrack to the 1989 Batman film. In 1996, "Kiss From a Rose" won three Grammies for best male pop vocal performance, best record and best song.

A second album, featuring over 40 minutes of Elliot Goldenthal's "Original Score", was released two weeks after the soundtrack album.

Press tour

Joel_Schumacher_interview_on_Charlie_Rose_(1995)

Joel Schumacher interview on Charlie Rose (1995)

Questions about Michael Keaton's departure were often brought up during promotion.

Schumacher appeared on the Charlie Rose show and was confronted by early criticisms of the film, as well as details regarding Michael Keaton's departure from the project.

Reception

The Nippled Knight

Nipples on the new costume made headlines around the world before the film even opened.

Batman Forever obtained generally mixed reviews. Much of the negative reaction came from the drastic makeover of the franchise (most of it led by Joel Schumacher at the will of the Warner Bros. executives). Due to the fact that Batman Returns earned less than the original, Warner Bros. insisted the movie to be more "family friendly" to improve merchandising turnover. This included deleting over 30 minutes of footage, including Two-Face escaping from Arkham Asylum, the resolution to the Red Book subplot, and a sequence in which Bruce Wayne confronts a section of the Batcave with a giant bat. Further editing rearranged the first half of the film to start it off with an action scene. The end results reflected the third Batman movie with an overall tone that seemed to be lighter in comparison to its Burton predecessors. However, based on 54 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, 43% of reviewers enjoyed the film. The film was more balanced with 14 critics in Rotten Tomatoes's "Top Critics" poll, receiving a 71% approval rating. Metacritic collected an average score of 51, based on 23 reviews.

Peter Travers criticized the movie's blatant commercialism, but commented that "Batman Forever still gets in its licks. There's no fun machine this summer that packs more surprises. The script misses the pain Tim Burton caught in a man tormented by the long-ago murder of his parents." Brian Lowry of Variety believed "One does have to question the logic behind adding nipples to the hard-rubber Batsuit. Whose idea was that supposed to be anyway, Alfred's? Some of the computer-generated Gotham cityscapes appear too obviously fake. Elliot Goldenthal's score, while serviceable, also isn't as stirring as Danny Elfman's work in the first two films."

James Berardinelli enjoyed the film. "It's lighter, brighter, funnier, faster-paced, and a whole lot more colorful than before." Scott Beatty felt "Tommy Lee Jones played Harvey Dent as a Joker knock-off rather than a multi-layered rogue." Lee Bermejo called Batman Forever "unbearable". Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert both gave the film mixed reviews, but with the former giving it a thumbs up and the latter a thumbs down. In his written review, Ebert wrote: "Is the movie better entertainment? Well, it's great bubblegum for the eyes. Younger children will be able to process it more easily, some kids were led bawling from Batman Returns where the PG-13 rating was a joke." Mick LaSalle had a mixed reaction, concluding "a shot of Kilmer's rubber buns at one point is guaranteed to bring squeals from the audience."

Val Kilmer as Batman

There was debate about the performance of Val Kilmer; some critics charged that Kilmer, while physically fit to play Batman, more so than his predecessor Michael Keaton had been, gave a wooden performance as Bruce Wayne. Other critics though, such as Roger Ebert, had kind words for Kilmer. Film critic Leonard Maltin (who heavily criticized the dark tone contained in Batman Returns) complimented Kilmer's portrayal when he reviewed the film for his expanding collection of film reviews, as well as being very favorable of the film as a whole. Defenders of Batman Forever praised the movie for portraying Batman as a more conventionally handsome and heroic, less ruthless than in the Tim Burton films. The film also brought the interpretation of Bruce Wayne more in line with his tradtional comic book persona, showing him as a seasoned celebrity of the media and a very public figure rather than the neurotic recluse of the previous films.

One of the biggest complaints about the Burton films was their portrayal of Batman killing his adversaries without showing much remorse. However it is interesting to note that Batman does choose to kill Harvey Dent at the finale, despite a noticeably less cavalier attitude to killing.

Two-Face and Riddler

2faceandriddlerbf

Two-Face and the Riddler.

Others accused Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones of giving cartoonish performances as the Riddler and Two-Face (Carrey himself even stated, though non-judgmentally, that this film "didn't take itself as seriously" as the past films had.) In one scene, Two-Face repeatedly flips his coin until achieving the desired outcome; in the comics, Two-Face always adheres to results of a single coin toss when a decision must be reached. It has been hypothesized that Two-Face is treating each opportunity to kill Bruce Wayne in this scene as a separate decision requiring a separate toss.

Reactions to Carrey's performance were generally similar, though some complained that his portrayal was too over the top, and had more in common with the Joker than with the comic book version of the Riddler. In fact, after the Riddler proclaims megalomaniacally, "For if knowledge is power, then a god am I!" he pauses, then reflects, "Was that over the top? I can never tell".

Criticism of his portrayal aside, Carrey's manic performance was a large part of the film's box office success.

Gotham City and Bat-Gadgets

A prominent criticism of the film's atmosphere centers on the constant use of neon lights, black lights, and glow-in-the-dark elements, which seemingly reaches its peak with the street gang Dick Grayson fights halfway through the film.

Charges of Homoeroticism

Batman Forever has been regarded by some as homoerotic, especially after Garry Willis, a conservative columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, sardonically bashed the movie's campiness and perceived homoerotic motifs ("'Batman Forever' is a Gay Old Time", Chicago Sun-Times, 1995). One source of this controversy is the introduction of nipples on the chest of the Batsuit worn during the majority of the film, as well as the humorous close-ups of Bruce Wayne while donning the Batman costume, including the close-up shots of the groin and buttocks. Similar charges would be brought up in the sequel, Batman & Robin.

Box Office Performance

The film's budget was approximately $90 – $100 million and earned $184,031,112 (including a record breaking $52.8 million opening weekend) in total domestic sales and $152.5 million worldwide (according to Box Office Mojo) surpassing the ticket takings for Tim Burton's Batman Returns, making it the most commercially successful movie of the summer of 1995 and second-best of that year (next to Toy Story). It was also the third highest grossing Batman movie as of 2005 (after the 1989 original and 2005's Batman Begins). This success came as a surprise to the filmmakers, who were constantly told by the studio that no one wanted a Batman movie and it was only going to be a moderate success.

Awards and Nominations

Batman Forever was nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound.

Legacy

Psychology & Batman

Batman Forever was notably the first theatrically-released film in the Batman film franchise that attempted to explore the character's psychology more explicitly. Prior comic stories, like Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight and Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, also indicated these to an extent, though they remained subtext within their stories. The psychology of Batman's villains had also been explored in similar stories and many, including both Two-Face and Riddler, had been frequently depicted as Arkham Asylum inmates. Batman himself had also been imprisoned within the Asylum during Batman: Shadow of the Bat and The Animated Series episode "Dreams In Darkness", though these were either a ploy by him to uncover criminals' schemes or due to the effects of them. Some character, like the Post-Crisis characterization of Hugo Strange, was also interested in Batman's psyche.

However, Batman Forever was one of the most first to notably make these more explicit. Symbolism in Chase's office point to Bruce's identity crisis and implications towards Batman being his true identity. Flashbacks and memories he relays indicate either trauma and survivor's guilt left from witnessing his parents' murder. The film also indicates that Bruce's choice to be Batman may be how he attempted to cope with these, though this had been implied in both Burton films. Some of these themes are also present in deleted scenes, including his discovery of his father's diary and an encounter with the "Monarch Bat".

These ideas have been further explored in later stories, the presence of which depends on the writer. Some stories, like Darwyn Cooke's Batman Ego, have also presented the two identities as different personalities, with Bruce being the more human of the two whilst Batman being more monstrous and brutal. Some stories, such as Batman: Arkham Knight, also explore whether Batman his holding back a dangerous side of himself that could endanger all of Gotham. Other, such as Morrison's Batman: R.I.P. and a fear-toxin induced hallucination Batman: Arkham Asylum, also asked propose questions on whether Batman was as insane as his villains and deserves to be locked up in Arkham alongside them.

Connection with Predecessors

It is fiercely debated whether Batman Forever and its successor, Batman & Robin, take place within the same continuity as Tim Burton's films, affectionally referred to as the "Burtonverse". Though they were intended follow on their events by both the director and WB, some argue that the films take place in their own universe and that it does not follow on story threads left from Batman Returns, such as Catwoman's fate. The primary arguments for the split derive from the recasting of Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face (the character having been previously portrayed by Billy Dee Williams in Batman), as well as the tonal and aesthetic changes made to Gotham and the characters. Their generally more-negative reception and fan-distain have also served as the primary factor for the arguments.

However, arguments can be made that the films take place in the same continuity. Despite changes in the cast, both Michael Gough and Pat Hingle (who played Alfred and Commissioner Gordon in the films, respectively) return in both Schumacher films. Chase also alludes to Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman during a conversation with Batman, implying a direct connection to Batman Returns. In addition, some point out that Batman maintains a consistent character arc through the entire film series, gradually opening up to other characters and learning work with allies. Elements of this begins in Batman and continue through Schumacher's films.

The arguments in favor of the split became more prevalent following the announcement of Michael Keaton's return as his Batman in the 2022 Flash film. Additionally, DC announced the comic series Batman '89, which is set to follow the events of Batman Returns and ignore Schumacher's films. The announcements have been interpreted as definitive proof that the films take place outside the "Burtonverse" and, as a result, have been designated part of the "Schumacherverse".

Home video

BatmanForeverDVD

Batman Forever (Special Edition) DVD Cover.

The film was first released on VHS and Laserdisc in October 1995.

Batman Forever was given a "bare bones" DVD release when the medium was introduced in 1997-1998. However, in 2005 Batman Begins release incited Warner Brother Home Entertainment to release a Two-Disc Special Edition set of all four previous WB films in Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1989-1997. This included 14 of the 30 minutes of deleted scenes known to exist. The Region 2 DVD restores more than a minute of cut footage. Previous cuts included headbutts and various close ups of Two-Face. The uncut version was certified 12 by the BBFC, higher than the cut version's PG. Forever was the only movie in the franchise to a separate section of deleted scene included its Anthology releases, even though every movie in the series has alternate takes and deleted scenes. It was also the only DVD the series to get interviews from batman stand-ins/stunt doubles.

Deleted Scenes

Batman Forever went through a few major edits after test screenings before its release. Originally the movie opened with Two-Face escaping from the asylum, showing aftermath of Two-Face's escape. The sequence of events was shifted to show Batman suiting up with immediacy, rather than making the audience wait. The workprint for test screenings was closer to 2 hours and 40 minutes. While all four previous Batman films were given Special Edition DVD releases on the same day as Batman Begins's DVD release, Batman Forever was the only movie in the series to get a dedicated deleted scenes section in the special features. The following is a compiled list of the most important deleted scenes or original versions of scenes:

Dr burton

Dr. Burton prior to Two-Face's escape.

  • A scene that featured Two-Face escaping Arkham originally opened the movie. A guard enters the empty cell and finds the words "The Bat Must Die" illuminated by lightning on the wall. Followed by the opening titles, which focuses on the mind, referring to Batman and Riddler. Rene Auberjonois had more scenes filmed here, playing Doctor Burton but his role was reduced to a cameo in the final film. This was supposed to begin the picture but test audiences thought the opening was too slow and uninteresting. As this was cut, it made the editing of the final film somewhat muddled to the fans of the original script as later scenes were re-arranged. This scene appears in a rough edit on the Special Edition DVD. Segments of the scene also appears on the U2 music video "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me."
    • Some segments from this scene appeared in the music video "Kiss from a Rose" and the theatrical trailer despite being deleted from the final film.
  • One scene featured an extended scene of a confrontation between Batman and Two-Face in the helicopter. This scene appears in a rough edit on the Special Edition DVD.
    • Some segments from this scene appeared also in the music video "Kiss from a Rose" and the theatrical trailer despite being deleted from the final film.
  • One scene featured a local Gotham talk show with Chase Meridian as a guest, talking about Batman, just after Nygma left his second riddle to Bruce.
  • An extended conversation when the Riddler and Two-Face team up.
  • The scene at the casino robbery where the Riddler fails at punching the security guard originally added the Riddler proceeding to beat the man with his cane. A segment from this scene appeared the theatrical trailer despite being deleted from the final film.
Hair Salon

The Obese Barberette laughs at Batman

  • One sequence came directly after the casino robbery, where Batman follows a robbery signal on a tracking device in the Batmobile. He shows up at the crime scene and finds he is at the wrong place (a beauty salon), in which a an Obese Barberette mocks him, causing the salon full of girls laugh at him. The Riddler had been throwing Batman off the track by messing with the Batmobile's tracking device. This would explain why in the theatrical version Batman seems to give Riddler and Two-Face moments of free rein over the city. This scene appears in a rough edit on the Special Edition DVD.
Bforeverdeletedscene5

Bruce talking with Dick.

  • One scene featured a little conversation with Dick and Bruce in the gym of the manor. This scene appears in a rough edit on the Special Edition DVD.
  • One scene showed the development of the NygmaTech building on Claw Island, funded by the Riddler and Two-Face's robberies. This features deleted scenes of Nygma visiting the site and the box press conference. The construction of NygmaTech was more in-depth. There were scenes shot that appear in publicity stills of Edward Nygma with a hard hat helping with the construction of his headquarters on Claw Island. This scene is shown in a sticker album published by Merlin Collections but not in the final film or on the Special Edition DVD.
Kilmer and Gough 2

Bruce and Alfred examining a NygmaTech Box.

  • There was originally a scene of Alfred and Bruce examining the Nygma Tech "Box". This scene is shown in a photo in the commentary of Joel Schumacher and Val Kilmer.
  • One deleted scene featured a philosophical conversation between Two-Face, Riddler, Sugar, and Spice as they take hits from the box. Sugar and Spice, played by Drew Barrymore and Debi Mazar, try out the Riddler's device during the montage when it goes on sale. They are seated with the Riddler and Two-Face on the couch where Chase is handcuffed later in the film. This scene appears in the comic adaptation but not in the final film.
Kenneth Frequency

meet Kenneth Frequency

  • An extended scene established Bruce in the Batcave shortly after having discussed with Dick then that this would have saved his life after the battle with Two-Face in the subway system under construction. In this scene he is criticized by GNN anchor Kenneth Frequency. Bruce watches the show on the Batcave computer monitor. After that Bruce speaks to Alfred about the dilemma of continuing his crusade or try a normal life with Chase. This would explain why in the theatrical version Bruce turns off all the systems and everything else in the Batcave telling Dick he's gives up being Batman. This scene appears in a rough form on the Special Edition DVD.
  • The Wayne Manor raid sequence was longer, featuring Bruce and Chase fighting Two-Face and his thugs.
96684Escena Eliminada Batman Forever (2)

Chase being injected by the Riddler.

  • The scene where the Riddler has Chase chained up on a couch originally ended with him knocking her out by injecting her with a type of sleeping drug. He then says, "Nap time, gorgeous" to Chase.
Bforeverdeletedscene1

Bruce reading the diary from his father.

Bforeverdeletedscene

Bruce confronts the Monarch Bat from his youth.

  • One of the most important deleted scenes involved further backstory to the film which many people, including screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, which is on the DVD, shows Bruce waking up from being shot by Two-Face with temporary memory loss. Bruce remembers everything except being Batman. After Alfred shows him the Batcave which has been destroyed by the Riddler. They stand on the platform where the Batmobile was and Alfred says "Funny they did not know about the cave beneath the cave". The platform then rotates downward to another level where the sonar-modification equipment is kept, from the experimental Batsuit to the new batarang and grapple gun. Alfred urges Bruce to go to a section of the cave where he first encountered the "Monarch Bat" that inspired his alter ego (which is shown earlier in the movie when he talks to Chase). This deleted scene kept in line with the earlier storyline of Thomas Wayne's diary, which Bruce finds in the cave. The recurring nightmares of his parents' deaths throughout the movie are given closer inspection when he reads the diary. He had believed his parents would not have died if he hadn't made them go to the movies, but his father's diary reveals that his parents had been planning to go to the movies anyway, prompting Bruce to say through tears, "Not my fault...". The Monarch Bat appears to Bruce once again, raising his arms and the shot revolves around the pair to signify that they are one. Bruce now remembers who he is and goes with Alfred to solve the riddles left throughout the film. Akiva admitted the scene was very theatrical on the Special Edition DVD and felt the scene would have made a difference to the final cut. The Monarch Bat was designed and created by Rick Baker, who was in charge of the make-up of Two-Face, played by Tommy Lee Jones. This scene appears in a rough form on the Special Edition DVD.
  • The fight scene between Two-Face and Robin on Claw Island was originally longer.
Batman Forever originale ending

The incomplete original ending.

  • The original ending paid homage to Batman standing on top of a building in the 1989 movie, using a similar bluescreen shot. When Alfred drives Dr. Chase Meridian back to Gotham she asks him "Does it ever end, Alfred?" Alfred replies, "No, Dr. Meridian, not in this lifetime...". The Bat-Signal shines on the night sky and Batman and Robin are standing on a giant gargoyle overlooking the city. This scene, with Kilmer and O'Donnell, was shot in front of a blue screen. A rough edit of the first half of the ending scene appears on the Special Edition DVD, but not in its entirety. The sequence with Batman and Robin at the end of this scene is not to be confused with a commercial for the video game, which is on the VHS release of this film (released in the UK on December 3, 1995), with Batman standing on a pillar looking ahead. Robin then comes into the shot and joins his partner. Batman leaps off the pillar, towards the camera. This commercial was filmed with two stuntmen dressed in Batman and Robin outfits on a small sound stage.

Some fans have wished for a extended cut to be released. Despite daily posting from a few twitter accounts, none of them have ever presented evidence of Schumacher being unhappy with his highly successful theatrical cut. In all likely hood it is his final cut, with scenes that didn't fit or work at all being removed for the best possible product. Despite the movie making tons of money during its initial theatrical run as well as generally favorable reviews, fans still arent satisfied. A few social media accounts are still campaigning for Warner Discovery to do so. However, there is still no official word from the studio. Goldsman recently said at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con that it would take roughly $1 million US dollars to complete an extended version.[2]

Quotes

"Let's start this party with a Bang!"
―Two-Face[src]

"You called me here for this? The Bat Signal is not a Beeper!"
―Batman[src]

"You like strong women, I've done my homework. Or do I need skin tight vinyl and a whip?"
―Chase Meridian[src]

"Ooooh, nice form but a little rough on the landing. He may have to settle for the bronze."
―Edward Nygma[src]

"Just a friend. But you can call me: The Riddler."
―The Riddler[src]

"Your entrance was good, his was better! The difference? Showmanship!"
―Edward Nygma[src]

"Why can't you just die?!"
―Two-Face[src]

"Riddle me This, Riddle me That. Who's afraid of the Big Black Bat?"
―The Riddler[src]

"Poor Edward, I had to save them both, you see I'm both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Not because I have to be, because I choose to be."
―Batman[src]

"Don't work too late."
―Chase Meridian[src]

References

External Links

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