Janet Scott Batchler, screenwriter: We originally met with Joel and with Tim, and they told us they wanted to do two villains again, like in Batman Returns. The deal was obviously going to be worked out. ( Laughs.) A few hours later, he calls back and says, “OK, I’ll do it.” And then he got on a plane and flew into Burbank the next day, and we went to work. Later when we were working on Batman, I said to Joel, “Tommy would be a fantastic Harvey/Two-Face.” He said, “Go get him.” So I sent Tommy Lee the screenplay down in Texas, and two hours later, he calls me up and he says, “I don’t get it.” I said “Why don’t you reread the f-king thing and remember that the Academy Award-winning actor Tommy Lee Jones is playing the f-king role!” And I hung the phone up. And I remind him that he got the Academy Award for The Fugitive. I’d done Under Siege and The Fugitive with him. I go to see Joel on set and got Tommy Lee and all of his principle actors working. Peter Macgregor-Scott, producer: Joel was in the Carolinas shooting The Client. I was going to get to make a Batman movie. I’m finished Joel, so fine.” That having been done, it was a very exciting prospect. Joel Schumacher, director: I would never do it unless it was OK with Tim. Schumacher is juggling duties on John Grisham‘s ‘The Client’ as he prepares for ‘Batman Forever.’ Keaton is still expected to star, with Robin Williams considered the frontrunner to play the Riddler. In 1993, Schumacher agrees to direct the film after receiving Burton’s blessing. Defying all expectations, it went on to break the then-record for opening weekends at the box office with $52.2 million on its way to a $336.5 million global haul. When Batman Forever hit theaters 20 years ago on June 16, 1995, it was colorful and splashy, like a comic book panel come to life.

Most toy companies turned their noses up at the project.

Schumacher personally had to meet with distributors around the world to get them to carry the film. A slew of notable franchise newcomers rounded out the cast, including Jim Carrey (the Riddler, originally to be played by Robin Williams), Tommy Lee Jones (who took convincing to join as Harvey Dent/Two-Face) Chris O’Donnell (Robin) and Nicole Kidman (love interest Dr. With Michael Keaton later dropping out as Batman, Val Kilmer stepped into the cape and cowl as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Enter Joel Schumacher, a veteran director who would change the course of Batman’s onscreen history more than anyone could have imagined (and not just with anatomically correct suits).

Batman forever movie