Batman in film series to be more mainstream. Joel Schumacher replaced Tim Burton as director, while Burton decided to stay on as producer. However, Michael Keaton did not like the new direction the film series was heading in, and was replaced by Val Kilmer as Batman. Chris O'Donnell was introduced as Robin, Jim Carrey starred as The Riddler, while Tommy Lee Jones starred as Two-Face. Filming started in September 1994, and Schumacher encountered problems communicating with Kilmer and Jones. "Batman Forever" was released on June 16, 1995 with financial success, earning over $350 million worldwide and three Academy Award nominations, but the film
Val Kilmer Simon Templar in "The Saint" (1997), and Moses in "Prince of Egypt" (1998). Kilmer was born December 31, 1959, in Los Angeles, the son of Gladys Swanette () and Eugene Dorris Kilmer, an aerospace equipment distributor and real estate developer. His mother was of Swedish descent. His father's ancestry included English, Scots-Irish, French and German. His parents divorced in 1968 when he was 8 years old. Kilmer's grandfather was a gold miner in New Mexico, near the border with Arizona. In 1977 Kilmer's younger brother Wesley drowned in a swimming pool at age 15; their father died in 1993. Kilmer