Batman & Robin (film) to keep their partnership together. It is also to date the only live-action film appearance of Batgirl, who helps the title characters fight the villains. Warner Bros. fast-tracked development for "Batman & Robin" following the box office success of the previous film, "Batman Forever". Schumacher and Goldsman conceived the storyline during pre-production on "A Time to Kill", while Val Kilmer decided not to reprise the role over scheduling conflicts with "The Saint". Schumacher had a strong interest in casting William Baldwin in Kilmer's place before George Clooney won the role. Principal photography began in September 1996 and finished in January
George Clooney based loosely on former Central Intelligence Agency agent Robert Baer's memoirs of his service in the Middle East. Clooney suffered an accident on the set of "Syriana", which caused a brain injury with complications from a punctured dura. The same year he directed, produced, and starred in "Good Night, and Good Luck", a film about 1950s television journalist Edward R. Murrow's famous war of words with Senator Joseph McCarthy. At the 2006 Academy Awards, Clooney was nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for "Good Night, and Good Luck", as well as Best Supporting Actor for "Syriana". He won