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
Val Kilmer generally well-reviewed, but received only a limited release. The same year, he teamed with his "True Romance" co-star, Christian Slater, and the two starred in the low-budget film, "Hard Cash", also known as "Run for the Money". In 2003 Kilmer starred alongside Kate Bosworth in the drama/thriller "Wonderland", portraying porn star John Holmes. He also appeared in "The Missing", where he again worked with "Willow" director Ron Howard. The next year, he starred in David Mamet's "Spartan", where he played a United States government secret agent who is assigned the task of rescuing the kidnapped daughter of the President. He