Editing Val Kilmer (section)

===1990–1995: Stardom with ''The Doors'' and ''Batman''===
After several delays, director [[Oliver Stone]] finally started production on the film ''[[The Doors (film)|The Doors]]'', based on the story of [[The Doors|the band of the same name]].<ref name="Riordan">{{cite book |last=Riordan |first=James |date=September 1996 |title=Stone: A Biography of Oliver Stone |publisher=New York: Aurum Pres. |pages=310–314 |isbn=1-85410-444-6}}</ref> Kilmer spoke with Oliver Stone early on, concerned about what he might want to do with the story because Kilmer did not believe in or want to promote [[substance abuse]]. Kilmer saw [[Jim Morrison]] as having picked the wrong heroes, who had different issues, which were not part of the creativity or inspiration. Kilmer saw Morrison's story as one that could be told "a thousand different ways" and did not want to tell it by playing the role in the style of drugs, with which Oliver Stone agreed.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} Kilmer memorized the lyrics to all of lead singer Morrison's songs prior to his audition and sent a video of himself performing some Doors songs to director Stone.<ref>{{cite news | last = Hall | first = Carla | title = Val Kilmer, Lighting the Fire | newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] | pages =G1 | date = March 3, 1991 }}</ref> Stone was not impressed with the tape, but [[Paul A. Rothchild]] (the original producer of the Doors) said "I was shaken by it" and suggested they record Kilmer in the studio. After Kilmer was cast as Morrison, he prepared for the role by attending Doors tribute concerts and reading Morrison's poetry.<ref name="doors">{{cite web |website=Alexander-the-great.co.uk |title=Val Kilmer |url=http://www.alexander-the-great.co.uk/val_kilmer.htm |archive-date=April 26, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060426202719/http://www.alexander-the-great.co.uk/val_kilmer.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=May 12, 2006}}</ref>

He spent close to a year before production dressing in Morrison-like clothes and spent time at Morrison's old hangouts along the [[Sunset Strip]]. His portrayal of Morrison was praised and members of the Doors noted that Kilmer did such a convincing job that they had trouble distinguishing his voice from Morrison's.<ref name="Riordan"/> Paul Rothchild played Kilmer's version of "[[The End (The Doors song)|The End]]" for the band's guitarist, [[Robby Krieger]], who told him, "I'm really glad they got 'The End'. We never got a recording of that live with Jim and now we've got it." However, Doors keyboardist [[Ray Manzarek]] was less than enthusiastic with how Morrison was portrayed in Stone's interpretation.<ref>{{cite book| last= Manzarek |first= Ray |title=Light My Fire: My Life With The Doors|year=1998|publisher=G.P. Putnam's Sons |location=New York |isbn=0-399-14399-8|pages=251–252}}</ref>

In the early 1990s, Kilmer starred in the mystery thriller ''[[Thunderheart]]'', the action comedy ''[[The Real McCoy (film)|The Real McCoy]]'', and again teamed with ''Top Gun'' director [[Tony Scott]] to play [[Elvis Presley]] in ''[[True Romance]]'', which was written by [[Quentin Tarantino]]. In 1993, Kilmer played [[Doc Holliday]] in the western ''[[Tombstone (film)|Tombstone]]'' alongside [[Kurt Russell]].<ref>{{Citation |last=Cosmatos |first=George P. |title=Tombstone |date=December 25, 1993 |type=Biography, Drama, History |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108358/ |access-date=April 2, 2025 |others=Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott |publisher=Hollywood Pictures, Cinergi Pictures Entertainment, Alphaville Films}}</ref> In the film, Doc Holliday performs [[Frédéric Chopin|Chopin]]'s [[Nocturne in E minor, Op. posth. 72 (Chopin)|Nocturne in E minor, Op.72, No. 1]]; however, Kilmer did not play the piano and he practiced that one piece for months in preparation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hedash |first=Kara |date=December 31, 2023 |title=Does Val Kilmer Really Play The Piano In Tombstone? Doc Holliday Scene Explained |url=https://screenrant.com/tombstone-val-kilmer-piano-scene-explained/ |access-date=April 2, 2025 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref> In 1995, Kilmer starred in ''[[Wings of Courage]]'', a 3D [[IMAX]] film, and that same year, he starred opposite [[Al Pacino]] and [[Robert De Niro]] in ''[[Heat (1995 film)|Heat]]'', which is now considered one of the best crime/drama films of the 1990s.<ref name= "heatrot">{{cite web |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |title=Heat (1995) |url=https://rottentomatoes.com/m/1068182-heat/ |access-date=May 11, 2006}}</ref>

In December 1993 ''[[Batman Forever]]'' director [[Joel Schumacher]] had seen ''[[Tombstone (film)|Tombstone]]'' and was most impressed with Kilmer's performance as [[Doc Holliday]]. Schumacher felt him to be perfect for the role of [[Bruce Wayne (1989 film series character)|Batman]], though at the time, the role was still [[Michael Keaton]]'s.<ref name="hold">{{cite news |last=Nathan |first=Ian |title=Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, Kilmer |work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |pages=108–117 |date=August 1995}}</ref> In July 1994, Keaton decided not to return for a third Batman film after 1992's ''[[Batman Returns]]'',<ref name="next">{{cite magazine |first=Jeff |last=Gordinier |title=Next at Batman |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=July 15, 1994 |url=https://ew.com/article/1994/04/01/general-hospital-celebrates-31-years/ |access-date=October 14, 2007 }}</ref> due to "creative differences".<ref name="hold" /> [[William Baldwin]] (who previously worked with Schumacher on ''[[Flatliners]]'') was reported to be a top contender, though just days after Keaton dropped out, Kilmer was cast.<ref name="next" /> Kilmer took the role without even knowing who the new director was and without reading the script.<ref name="hold" />

Released in June 1995, ''Batman Forever'' was a success at the box office,<ref name="batman">{{cite web |publisher=The Numbers.com |title=Batman Forever |url=https://the-numbers.com/movies/1995/0BTM3.html |access-date=May 11, 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060508133948/http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1995/0BTM3.html<!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = May 8, 2006}}</ref> despite receiving mixed reviews from critics.<ref name="batmant">{{cite web |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |title=Batman Forever (1995) |url=https://rottentomatoes.com/m/batman_forever/ |access-date=May 11, 2006}}</ref> There was debate about Kilmer's performance: some critics, such as ''[[The New York Times]]''{{'}} [[Janet Maslin]], thought Kilmer was a poor successor to Keaton in the part;<ref>{{cite news|first=Janet|last=Maslin|author-link=Janet Maslin|title=FILM REVIEW: BATMAN FOREVER; New Challenges for the Caped Crusader|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/16/movies/film-review-batman-forever-new-challenges-for-the-caped-crusader.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|location=New York City|date=June 16, 1995|access-date=November 2, 2018}}</ref> while others, such as [[Roger Ebert]], had kind words for Kilmer.<ref>{{cite news|first=Roger|last=Ebert|author-link=Roger Ebert|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/batman-forever-1995|title=Batman Forever|newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|location=Chicago, Illinois|date=June 16, 1995|access-date=November 2, 2018|via=rogerebert.com}}</ref> ''Batman'' co-creator [[Bob Kane]] said in a ''[[Cinescape]]'' interview that of all the actors to have played Batman up to that point, he felt Kilmer had given the best interpretation. Film critic [[Leonard Maltin]] (who criticized the dark tone contained in ''Batman Returns'') complimented Kilmer's portrayal when he reviewed the film in his 2009 movie guide.<ref>{{cite book|first=Leonard|last=Maltin|author-link=Leonard Maltin|title=Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6EgPDierNGUC&q=leonard+maltin+batman+forever&pg=PA92|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|location=New York City|date=2008|isbn=9780452289789|page=92}}</ref>

In February 1996, Kilmer decided not to return for another Batman feature film, feeling that Batman was being marginalized in favor of the villains<ref name="Daly">{{cite magazine |title=A Tights Squeeze |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=March 8, 1996 |url=https://ew.com/article/1996/03/08/george-clooney-superhero/ |access-date=September 17, 2007 |first1=Steve |last1=Daly |first2=Anne |last2=Thompson |archive-date=October 13, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013064740/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,291605,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> due to his scheduling problems with ''[[The Saint (1997 film)|The Saint]]'', and [[George Clooney]] replaced him as Batman in 1997's ''[[Batman & Robin (film)|Batman & Robin]]''. There were also reports that Kilmer had a bad working relationship with Schumacher, as another reason for not reprising the role.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Glenn|last=Hadley|url=http://www.inquisitr.com/3602549/val-kilmer-batman-forever-star-replaced-in-batman-and-robin/|title=Val Kilmer: Why Did The 'Batman Forever' Star Get Replaced In 'Batman And Robin?'|date=October 17, 2016|work=The [[Inquisitr]]|access-date=July 19, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date= August 2019 |first= Andrew|last=Goldman |title= In Conversation: Joel Schumacher |url= https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/joel-schumacher-in-conversation.html |work= [[New York (magazine)|New York]] |quote=I said he was psychotic }}</ref>