Editing Batman Forever (section)

==Legacy==
===Potential director's cut===
Cuts were made to the film based on audience reactions during test screenings, like the rest of the ''Batman'' films. Photographs from these scenes have always been available since the film's release, shown in magazines such as ''[[Starlog]]''. Some excerpts from these scenes appear in the music video for ''[[Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.newsweek.com/batman-forever-release-schumacher-cut-deleted-scenes-1601844 | title=The 'Batman Forever' Deleted Scenes That Could be in the 'Schumacher Cut' | website=[[Newsweek]] | date=June 18, 2021 }}</ref> In 2005, ''Batman Forever'' was the only film in the franchise to include a dedicated deleted scenes selection among its bonus content on the special edition DVD.<ref name="HomeMediaIGNAnthologyDVD" />

After Joel Schumacher died on June 22, 2020, media outlets started reporting the possible existence of an extended cut, with the first rumors being thrown in by American [[journalist]] [[Marc Bernardin]]. Bernardin claimed it to be darker and contain less camp than the theatrical cut. Some of the differences include Bruce having a vision of a human-sized bat, less of an emphasis on Dick Grayson, and a focus on Bruce's psychological issues with Chase. The cut uses about 50 minutes of additional footage. Warner Bros. confirmed that alternative test screening cuts existed after an interview with ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', although they have no plans to release it and are unsure about what, if any, footage remains. Later that year on August 7, Kilmer's appearance at [[DC FanDome]] fueled fan speculation about the release of a so-called "Schumacher Cut".<ref>{{Cite web|first=Cooper|last=Hood|title=Val Kilmer at DC FanDome Fuels Batman Forever Schumacher Cut Speculation|url=https://screenrant.com/batman-forever-schumacher-cut-val-kilmer-dc-fandome/|date=August 7, 2020|website=ScreenRant|access-date=March 10, 2021|archive-date=March 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306105545/https://screenrant.com/batman-forever-schumacher-cut-val-kilmer-dc-fandome/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Batman Forever'' screenwriter Akiva Goldsman revealed in a YouTube interview in April 2021 that he had recently seen the original cut of the film (dubbed "Preview Cut: One") and that he expects a rebirth coming up, suggesting all the footage needed to make the Schumacher cut still exists and that the release of a director's cut might be possible.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2LHMWs9AHLA& |title=On Story 1102: A Conversation with Akiva Goldsman |author=Austin Film Festival |date=April 10, 2021 |via=YouTube |access-date=May 1, 2021 |archive-date=June 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210630022118/https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=2LHMWs9AHLA |url-status=live }}</ref>

In July 2023, following a private screening of a workprint version by director [[Kevin Smith]], Goldsman confirmed that the original cut does exist and even though Warner Bros. currently has no plans to release it, he said he was hopeful for a possible distribution in the future.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://theplaylist.net/batman-forever-akiva-goldsman-says-the-schumacher-cut-exists-releasing-it-would-be-a-nice-way-to-honor-the-director-20230705/ | title='Batman Forever': Akiva Goldsman Says the "Schumacher Cut" Exists & Releasing It Would be "A Nice Way to Honor" the Director | date=July 5, 2023 }}</ref> Some of the aforementioned deleted scenes make up a portion of this footage.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-09|title=Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever Unreleased Extended Director's Cut DOES Exist|url=https://screenrant.com/batman-forever-movie-extended-directors-cut-confirmed-release/|access-date=2020-07-22|website=ScreenRant|archive-date=July 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200710060206/https://screenrant.com/batman-forever-movie-extended-directors-cut-confirmed-release/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Vary|first=Adam B.|date=2020-07-09|title=Could Joel Schumacher's Darker, Longer 'Batman Forever' Cut Ever Get Released?|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/batman-forever-directors-cut-joel-schumacher-1234697441/|access-date=2020-07-22|website=Variety|archive-date=July 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713205013/https://variety.com/2020/film/news/batman-forever-directors-cut-joel-schumacher-1234697441/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 2024, Goldsman reaffirmed the existence of the director's cut, while also declaring that work to restore it has been put on hold following Warner Bros. recent internal turmoils.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://collider.com/batman-forever-directors-cut-joel-schumacher/ | title=Joel Schumacher's 'Batman Forever' Director's Cut Actually Exists | website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]] | date=July 25, 2024 }}</ref>

In May 2025, it was announced that the director's cut would be screened in Los Angeles later that month.<ref>https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2025/5/11/batman-forever</ref>

===''Batman '89''===
{{Main|Batman '89 (comic book)}}
An alternate six-issue comic book continuation of ''Batman Returns'' titled ''Batman '89'', which ignores the events of ''Batman Forever'' and ''Batman & Robin'' and brings back Keaton's Batman along with Burton's dark setting seen in his first two Batman films, along with elements of his failed third ''Batman'' film (particularly, the return of [[Billy Dee Williams]]' Harvey Dent and transformation into Two-Face, the introductions of new versions of Robin and [[Barbara Gordon]], and the return of Catwoman), was launched on August 10, 2021, with its issues releasing monthly before ending in January 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Betancourt |first1=David |title=Tim Burton Never Got to Make More Batman Movies. This New Comic Is the Next Best Thing. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/08/10/batman-89-tim-burton-sam-hamm-joe-quinones/ |website=washingtonpost.com |access-date=August 10, 2021 |date=September 11, 2021}}</ref>{{Importance inline|date=September 2022}}

In response to a question as to whether Schumacher's Batman films are canon to the world of ''Batman '89'', the first two films' screenwriter [[Sam Hamm]], who also serves as the comics' writer, confirmed that the latter two films take place in a diverging timeline and they are not building toward that fate.<ref>{{cite web |last=Stone |first=Sam |title=Batman '89 Rejects the Dark Knight's '90s Movies With a New Twist on Batgirl |url=https://www.cbr.com/batman-89-batgirl-barbara-gordon-twist/ |website=[[Comic Book Resources]] |access-date=August 14, 2021 |date=September 11, 2021}}</ref>