When Joel Schumacher it was initially developing Batman forever for Warner Bros. Michael Keaton he was still expected to play Bruce Wayne/Batman, e robin williams he was originally going to play the role of Edward Nygma/The Riddler. That would have been a great combination! Keaton and Williams…the fans would have loved it! But the movie went in a completely different direction with Val Kilmer replacing Keaton e Jim Carrey ending up in the role of The Riddler.
During a recent interview with The Playlist, screenwriter Akiva Goldman talked about what it was like for him working on Batman Forever and recalled meeting Williams on The Riddler. Goldsman started by saying:
“I think I was within arm’s length of it. I wasn’t a producer yet… didn’t quite understand how it worked. I didn’t have the same access I have now that I’m old. I think Val was either not cast or was, and Robin Williams was still fond of it”.
Goldsman went on to explain that director Schumacher wanted Goldsman to meet with Williams to talk about ideas for how to tackle The Riddler. These discussions went well, but ultimately Williams and the director didn’t “eyeball” and Carrey was cast in the role. Goldmann said:
“I remember kind of this amazing day where Joel sent me to San Francisco, and I spent the day in Robin’s kitchen and he was just talking about the Riddler, and he was like, genius isn’t the right word. It was like he had he opened his head and the universe would just talk to it.It was so beautiful and so nice and i remember when i got home,he left a message on my answering machine..my girlfriend at the time,kept playing it still it’s still.
Goldman added:
“Eventually, he and Joel disagreed. Jim came along. Jim was great. Tommy Lee [Jones] he had worked with Joel and I on The Client and off we went. And it was fun and funny and amazing.
It’s a shame things didn’t work out for Williams as The Riddler. While Carrey gave an entertaining performance, I think Williams would have delivered an iconic performance. But Keaton and Williams together in a third Batman movie from the director Tim Burton… it would have been magical.
by Joey Paur
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
