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
Val Kilmer as a small cameo role. Kilmer spoke at the May 5, 2010, commencement ceremonies of William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri. During his week-long visit on campus, he also performed his one-man play, "Citizen Twain". He received an honorary doctorate "in recognition of his creative abilities and his contributions to art and theater." In 2012 Kilmer received a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word. He also starred in Harmony Korine's short film "The Lotus Community Workshop, part of the collaborative film "The Fourth Dimension". He plays a version of himself from an alternate reality: a former actor turned self-help guru.