Johnny Depp Was Almost Batman In Batman Forever

[ChocheTheHero]

When Tim Burton, producer this time (Depp and him together in a project? VEEERRYYY STRAAANGEEEEE), talk with Schumacher, Johnny was almost Batman.

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/CookiepussProduction/news/?a=12646

 

[Brother Jack]

I'm not sure he would have worked as Bruce Wayne/Batman.

 

[Drz]

Well i'm sure he would have been much kinder than Val Kilmer towards Joel. Also a better actor thats for sure.

 

[Darkseid1]

Thats a fansite and I would take their "rumor" reports with a grain of salt. It has been well documented that Tim had ONE meeting with Joel and only discussed some elements of the overall story. Burton was a producer in name only. He had nothing to do with that film. This has been discussed to death right here on this very forum. Depp was NOT almost Batman.

 

[El Payaso]

Well i'm sure he would have been much kinder than Val Kilmer towards Joel. Also a better actor thats for sure.

Agreed and agreed.

 

[Two-Face]

I can't blame Val Kilmer for that, he wanted to make a good Batman movie, Joel Schaumacher ****ed it up all.

Johnny Depp as Batman. wow:, I prefer Depp as The Riddler but not campy.

 

[Mace Dolex]

Geez first Billy Baldwin and now Johnny Depp! you might as well mention Kurt Russel was in the running too.

Even though women find Depp gorgeous cheekbones irresistable he just physically more so than Keaton wouldn't fit the part, I think Depp would've suffocated in the rubber suit.

 

[Catman]

It has been well documented that Tim had ONE meeting with Joel and only discussed some elements of the overall story.

Um, no. On the DVD, the original writers of the script, the Bachlors, confirmed that Burton was very much involved with the movie's first draft. Once Akira Goldsmith was brought in to do re-writes is when Burton stepped back and let Schumacher do his thing. Plus, Burton is credited as an actual producer and not an executive producer. Producers in name only don't get producer credits. That's a union violation. That's like getting a screenplay credit when you didn't write the screenplay. Why do you think there's a "story by" credit?

 

[Spoonman]

Well, I wouldn't say "almost was" because as we can see Shumacher didn't really consider Depp for the role. Now William Baldwin, Danel-Day Lewis and Ralph Finnes those guys were almost Batman, quite interesting than fifteen years after BF we get to know a more concrete list of candidates for replacing Keaton back in the day.

If Schumacher had done his dark and small Year One adaptation in the late 90s or early 2000s I wonder who he would've casted, he briefely revealed it was going to be a younger cast in the B&R commentaty.

 

[Pythagoras]

I do not see why Kurt Russell could not worked as Bruce Wayne/Batman if he fixed his hair. He had the looks and charm to pull Bruce off and the stiff badassness to pull Batman off.

 

[Mr. Earle]

Well i'm sure he would have been much kinder than Val Kilmer towards Joel. Also a better actor thats for sure.

That's unfair. Val Kilmer is considered one of the great actors out there. And frankly he didnt have a good relationship with Joel because he wanted a less campy movie, so if anything i support the guy for that.
Finally, he had the appearance to play such a role when i cant say the same for Depp. How on earth could Depp be Wayne? Jesus Christ Burton is Depp your lover or something?

Personally i liked Kilmer more than Keaton and Clooney. Keaton was short, with a receding hairline and doing poopy faces under the mask, Clooney was just Clooney and not Wayne. The only thing wrong with Kilmer were his blond hair and his misfortune to be in a Schumacher Batman movie.

 

[Juggernaut33]

That's unfair. Val Kilmer is considered one of the great actors out there. And frankly he didnt have a good relationship with Joel because he wanted a less campy movie, so if anything i support the guy for that.

I don't think Val Kilmer and Joel Schumacher clashed because Kilmer wanted to make a darker Batman. I mean he was clearly aware of where the franchise was headed when he signed on to take over Michael Keaton as Batman. He had meetings with Joel Schumacher prior to accepting the role and I think he took the part of Batman because he wanted to boost his career. No, I heard that back in the days, Val Kilmer was a completly f***ed up. Oliver Stone said so in an interview. He said that Val was a complete screw up. Like crazy. I believe that. I mean you look at him today, he looks and sounds like a damaged person. I think the reason Val Kilmer clashed with Joel Schumacher was because of his character not because of the quality of the flick.

 

[Bad Superman]

I'm amazed at Depp's humility when he says he playing The Riddler would be a step back because of Heath's great performance as The Joker. To me, he can pull it off but if he chooses not to, if offered the role, I would like to see Paul Bettany as The Riddler.

 

[Mr. Earle]

I think its nice of him to say that, but the Riddler isnt the Joker. Just because Heath did a great job as the Joker it doesnt mean that there cant be another villain out there. Of course very few villains offer the actor a chance for a big performance, but still...

Juggernaut i dont know what to tell you. All i've heard is that Kilmer wanted less cheesy stuff and had many clashes with Schumi over this. Maybe i'm wrong. What i do know is that he hadnt read the script before signing in and he was actually in a real batcave doing research for something when they called him and told him that he got the part.
I think he was a better Bruce/Batman than both Keaton and Clooney.

 

[Spoonman]

I think its nice of him to say that, but the Riddler isnt the Joker. Just because Heath did a great job as the Joker it doesnt mean that there cant be another villain out there. Of course very few villains offer the actor a chance for a big performance, but still...

Juggernaut i dont know what to tell you. All i've heard is that Kilmer wanted less cheesy stuff and had many clashes with Schumi over this. Maybe i'm wrong. What i do know is that he hadnt read the script before signing in and he was actually in a real batcave doing research for something when they called him and told him that he got the part.
I think he was a better Bruce/Batman than both Keaton and Clooney.

You're correct, rumour has it that Kilmer didn't even know who the new director was, I too believe that he was a really good Bruce/Batman and as a flesh and blood representation of the character I think he is even better than Bale (eventhough I admire what he's done for the character), there's something about Bale's looks that don't strike me as if Bruce Wayne jumped out of the comics into real life.

 

[Mr. Earle]

Kilmer didnt look too much like Wayne, but at least he was tall and had a noble presence. I'd have liked Bale to be a bit taller and have less of a lisp, but other than that he definitely has that dark nature and intensity about him that makes him a great Bruce.

 

[Spoonman]

Kilmer didnt look too much like Wayne, but at least he was tall and had a noble presence. I'd have liked Bale to be a bit taller and have less of a lisp, but other than that he definitely has that dark nature and intensity about him that makes him a great Bruce.

Well I aknowledge this is way to subjective, for example, I believe Kilmer chiseled features are way more in line with the image I have of Wayne, Bale seems more like "guy next door" too me in comparision, but of course he fits the bill way better than Keaton.

 

[Benstamania]

Kilmer didnt look too much like Wayne, but at least he was tall and had a noble presence. I'd have liked Bale to be a bit taller and have less of a lisp, but other than that he definitely has that dark nature and intensity about him that makes him a great Bruce.

You know, the ONLY time I ever heard a lisp in a Batman film was from Kilmer...who I normally like.

"Tell me doctor, do you like the thircus?"

That was it...never again did I hear him, or other Batmen lisp...

Weird.

 

[Mr. Earle]

You know, the ONLY time I ever heard a lisp in a Batman film was from Kilmer...who I normally like.

"Tell me doctor, do you like the thircus?"

That was it...never again did I hear him, or other Batmen lisp...

Weird.

"Rachel, all of this... ITS not me...ITS, ITS.... Inside, i am more..."

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Interesting. Would be strange to see Depp as Batman.

But anyway, Kilmer did a great job for what he had to work with IMO. If he had the chance to work with someone like Nolan I think he would of been THE best Bruce/Batman