Val Kilmer that same year, he starred opposite Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in "Heat", which is now considered one of the best crime/drama films of the 1990s. In December 1993, "Batman Forever" director Joel Schumacher had seen "Tombstone" and was most impressed with Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday. Schumacher felt him to be perfect for the role of Batman, though at the time, the role was still Michael Keaton's. In July 1994, Keaton decided not to return for a third Batman film after 1992's "Batman Returns", due to "creative differences". William Baldwin (who previously worked with Schumacher on "Flatliners") was
Val Kilmer the stories about him, so I checked him out. I called Bob De Niro and Michael Mann, who'd worked with him on "Heat", and they both gave him raves... I had a wonderful experience, in spite of all the naysayers." Jeffrey Katzenberg (producer of "Prince of Egypt") talks about the actor: "Val was one of the first people cast in "The Prince of Egypt". He was there every step of the way; patient, understanding, and phenomenally generous with his time." In 2011, Kilmer sold his ranch in New Mexico, where he would track, hike, fish, and raise bison. Kilmer is