The Big Picture. Michael Keaton's disagreement with Joel Schumacher about the characterization of Bruce Wayne led to his departure from the Batman franchise. Val Kilmer chose to leave the role of Batman due to feeling underappreciated and conflicts with Schumacher.
The viewers might have often noticed DC's frequent change of Batman actors, and behind it are many reasons attached. Some of the reasons have been creative differences, the underperformance of movies, an abrupt exit, or a willingness to call it quits.
Kilmer deciding to leave Gotham City behind after just one Batman movie was a combination of him not interested in it anymore, other projects catching his attention, and Schumacher not wanting him back, so in a way, it was a “mutual agreement” to not have him reprise the role.
In fact, this is the reason that Batman Continues was never put into production. It was decided that Batman should be more approachable for a family audience, which is why director Schumacher was brought in for Batman Forever.
There are several different versions of why George Clooney replaced him — Kilmer says it was because of scheduling difficulties with the other movie he had a contract for, “The Saint” — but one factor was surely this assessment by its director.
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Why did Michael Keaton quit Batman?
Michael Keaton opened up about his departure from Gotham City on the Playlist's Backstage podcast and said that disagreements with Schumacher over the characterization of Bruce Wayne led to his departure. "It was always Bruce Wayne. It was never Batman... I knew from the get-go it was Bruce Wayne," Keaton said.
Kilmer played Cruise's rival in the original TOP GUN, leading to fierce competition throughout the naval aviator training program. They reconcile towards the end of the movie when Cruise saves Kilmer's life, earning his respect. The two stars have remained friends since working on the original film in 1986.
Speaking to friend and longtime collaborator Matt Damon in a lengthy interview for Entertainment Weekly, Affleck revealed that the experience of shooting Justice League showed him he just wasn't enjoying it anymore. Justice League / Credit: Warner Bros.
Liotta, known for his versatile roles in various films and television series, disclosed that he turned down the opportunity to meet iconic filmmaker Tim Burton for a role in the Batman franchise. The revelation has left fans and industry insiders intrigued about the potential direction Liotta's career might have taken.
How much did Val Kilmer make for Batman? Kilmer was paid $6 million (about $12.1 million today) to play the title role in Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever after Michael Keaton hung up the cowl. Campier in tone than Tim Burton's previous films, Batman & Robin received mixed reviews but was a considerable box-office hit.
Sadly for Affleck and his fans, it seems The Flash will be the last time we'll see him play Batman. James Gunn and Peter Safran are leading the new DC Universe and we already know that Affleck won't play Bruce Wayne in the upcoming Batman: Brave and the Bold.
Ben Affleck's Batman makes a brief but important appearance in The Flash, showcasing his impressive crime-fighting skills and close friendship with other Justice League members. The film's vague ending leaves the future of the DCEU uncertain, including the fate of Ben Affleck's Batman.
Summary. Ben Affleck's absence from Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a positive thing considering his disappointing run as Batman in the DCEU. His appearance in The Flash served as a good sendoff for his version of the character, with a strong performance and well-written scene.
Why does Ben Affleck not want to be Batman anymore?
These changes led to Affleck's dissatisfaction with the behind-the-scenes situation of DC's on film management by Warner Bros., and played into him leaving the role. Additionally, Affleck was also dealing with numerous struggles in his personal life at the time, including his battle with alcoholism.
During his talk with THR, Affleck also opened up about how publicly revealing his experience with alcoholism has affected him. “I became — out of no desire of my own — one of the poster boys for actor alcoholism and recovery and the whole thing,” the filmmaker said.
Affleck has previously said that he'd lost some of his enthusiasm for the project and felt it would be better handled by someone with more passion for the franchise.
How much did Michael Keaton make for playing Batman?
How much did Michael Keaton get paid for Batman? Keaton reportedly earned $5 million for his work in Batman (1989). In today's money, that equates to about $10 million—which is an astronomical rate for an actor.
Has Batman ever lost his cool? Finally, we have possibly the most recent case of Batman finally losing his cool with a foe. Bane killed Alfred Pennyworth at the behest of Thomas Wayne, the Batman of the Flashpoint timeline.
Keaton's performance is so great and unique because we can't talk about his Batman without also acknowledging his Bruce Wayne. While most other Batman actors seem to focus solely on the Bat while neglecting the man, Keaton's approach is even and fair: he knows that Bruce is as crucial to the story as Batman.
Tom Cruise is known for not having many friends in the industry, but the ones he is friends with stay with him forever. However, it seems that is not the case for Will Smith , who was once a best friend of the 'Top Gun' star. It seems that Cruise and Smith 's relationship has gone bitter as the years went by.
Williams would eventually voice the character in The Lego Batman Movie (2017). According to Jim Carrey, he did not get along with Tommy Lee Jones, who told him that he hated him and his films. Val Kilmer and Jim Carrey became good friends during filming. They bonded over the deaths of their fathers.
Cruise, 59, has remained one of the world's last movie superstars, while the once famously mercurial leading man Kilmer, 62, battled throat cancer in the 2010s that required a tracheotomy which still greatly impacts his speaking voice.
