Val Kilmer reported to be a top contender, though just days after Keaton dropped out, Kilmer was cast. Kilmer took the role without even knowing who the new director was and without reading the script. Released in June 1995, "Batman Forever" was a success at the box office, despite receiving mixed reviews from critics. There was debate about Kilmer's performance: some critics, like "The New York Times" Janet Maslin, thought Kilmer was a poor successor to Keaton in the part; while others, such as Roger Ebert, had kind words for Kilmer. "Batman" creator Bob Kane said in a "Cinescape" interview that of
Michael Clayton (film) Michael Clayton (film) Michael Clayton is a 2007 American legal thriller film written and directed by Tony Gilroy and starring George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, and Sydney Pollack. The film chronicles the attempts by attorney Michael Clayton to cope with a colleague's apparent mental breakdown and the corruption and intrigue surrounding a major client of his law firm being sued in a class action case over the effects of toxic agrochemicals. The film received critical acclaim and was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Gilroy, Best Actor for Clooney, and