Posted by JeffMillsIB at pcp993375pcs.goosck01.sc.comcast.net on May 04, 2002 at 13:10:11:
Someone please tell me if this is true. After "Batman Returns", there reportedly was going to be a third Batman movie with Keaton returning as Batman and Robin Williams as the Riddler. John Malkovitch was also reportedly being considered for the Riddler part. Rene Russo was going to be Sidney, the psychologist. Marlon Wayans was mentioned as a possibility for Robin. But Warner Bros. wasn't happy with the second movie and thought it was "too dark." Personally, I thought Warner Bros. was wrong.
Joel Schumacher is a very good director, but he desecrated the next two "Batman" films. Val Kilmer was awful as Batman and looked like a guy who was showing up for a paycheck rather than putting anything into the part. He's a great actor, but should never have appeared in this movie. I personally would have picked Alec Baldwin since Keaton was obviously out. Say what you want about his politics, which I disagree with, but I think Baldwin would have made a great Bruce Wayne/Batman. Instead, he did "The Shadow." (sarcastic chuckle)
So does anyone have any feedback on this? How close did Tim Burton come to directing what became "Batman Forever"? And btw, Danny Elfman is one of the best film composers of all-time. After he left the "Batman" project, that other guy did nothing. His replacement played the same theme over and over again.