Batman Forever was a transitional film in the history of Batman on screen and superhero movies in general, which is why it’s important that the original cut of the film submitted by director Joel Schumacher finally see the light of day.

It was 30 years ago this month that Warner Bros. Pictures released Batman Forever , the follow-up to Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), and the first of the studio’s modern live-action Batman movies not directed by Tim Burton. To take the franchise in a lighter, more kid-friendly direction, Warner Bros. executives turned to Schumacher, a director known for delivering commercial fare with an edge in films like St. Elmo’s Fire , Lost Boys , Flatliners , and Falling Down .

Schumacher’s Batman Forever also starred Val Kilmer in his

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