In 1995's Batman Forever, the Dark Knight went up against one of his classic comic book villains: the Riddler. In the film, the Riddler/Edward Nygma was played by Jim Carrey. However, the character was almost played by another famous actor/comedian. In an interview with The Playlist, Batman Forever screenwriter Akiva Goldsman talked about meeting with Robin Williams about playing the villain.
After 1992's Batman Returns, Joel Schumacher replaced Tim Burton as the director of the next Batman film. "When I came in [to Batman Forever], no one had been cast yet, and it was still going to be Michael Keaton," said Goldsman. "I think I was arm's length for it. I wasn't a producer yet... I didn't understand quite how it worked. I didn't have the same access I do now that I'm old. I think that Val [Kilmer] wasn't cast or just was, and Robin Williams was still attached." Before Batman Forever, Williams had also expressed interest in playing the Joker in the 1989 Batman movie. The role ultimately went to Jack Nicholson. In the interview, Goldsman also talked about what it was like to talk with Williams about playing the Riddler. "He was like, genius is not the right word, It was as if he like he had opened up his head and the universe would just talk into it," said Goldsman. "It was so beautiful and so kind."
However, Williams did not end up playing the villain, and the role went to Carrey instead. "Ultimately, he and Joel didn't see eye to eye," said Goldsman. "Jim [Carrey] came on. Jim was amazing." Keaton has also shared that he didn't agree with Schumacher's vision for the Batman franchise, which led to him leaving the series and being replaced by Kilmer. In Batman Forever, Carrey's Riddler teamed-up with Two-Face, played by Tommy Lee Jones, with a plan to take over Gotham City using his invention called the Box, which stole information from people's minds.
RELATED: Why Did George Clooney Replace Val Kilmer as Batman?
The Legacy of Joel Schumacher's Batman Films
After Batman Forever, Schumacher returned to direct 1997's Batman & Robin, which starred George Clooney as the Caped Crusader. However, due to the film's negative reception and low box office, Batman wouldn't return to the big screen for eight years until 2005's Batman Begins. However, the Schumacher era of Batman was recently referenced in The Flash movie. At the end of the film, Clooney reprised his role as Bruce Wayne in a scene with Ezra Miller's Barry Allen. Goldsman himself would later co-develop the superhero series Titans, which featured Iain Glen as Bruce Wayne.
Batman Forever is currently available to stream on Max. A trailer for the film can be watched below:
