Editing Val Kilmer (section)

===1996–2009: Further career===
In 1996 he appeared in a largely unknown film, ''[[Dead Girl (film)|Dead Girl]]'', and starred alongside [[Marlon Brando]] in the poorly received<ref name="moreaut">{{cite web |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |title=The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) |url=https://rottentomatoes.com/m/1072156-island_of_dr_moreau/ |access-date=May 11, 2006}}</ref> ''[[The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996 film)|The Island of Dr. Moreau]]''. That year, Kilmer starred alongside [[Michael Douglas]] in the thriller ''[[The Ghost and the Darkness]]''. In 1997 he played [[Simon Templar]] in the popular action film ''[[The Saint (1997 film)|The Saint]]''. Kilmer looked forward to the title role as a change toward a more fun, less serious action thriller, while enjoying the "master of disguise" chameleon characters including a mad artist, a nerdy British scientist, a cleaner, and a Russian mob boss. Kilmer also wrote the poetry in the film.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} He received a salary of $6&nbsp;million for the movie.<ref name="Daly"/> ''The Saint'' was a financial success, grossing $169.4&nbsp;million worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Saint-The|title=The Saint (1997) – Financial Information|website=The Numbers}}</ref> In 1998, he voiced both [[Moses]] and [[God]] in the animated film ''[[The Prince of Egypt]]'',<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chapman |first1=Brenda |title=The Prince of Egypt |date=December 18, 1998 |type=Animation, Adventure, Drama |url= https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120794/ |access-date=April 2, 2025 |others=Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer |publisher=Dreamworks Pictures, DreamWorks Animation |last2=Hickner |first2=Steve |last3=Wells |first3=Simon}}</ref> before starring in the [[independent film]] ''[[Joe the King]]'' (1999). Also in 1999, he played a blind man in the drama/romance ''[[At First Sight (1999 film)|At First Sight]]'', which he described as being, as of then, the hardest role he had ever had.<ref name="biz">{{cite interview |via= planetkilmer.com| interviewer = Kevin Maynard, ''[[Mr. Showbiz]]'' |first= Val| last= Kilmer | title = Val Kilmer — At First Sight — Interview with Mr. Showbiz | url = http://www.planetkilmer.com/movies/afs/articles/mrshowbiz/showbiz.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051221113015/http://www.planetkilmer.com/movies/afs/articles/mrshowbiz/showbiz.html | archive-date = December 21, 2005 | access-date = October 24, 2009 | quote = It's probably the hardest role I've ever played.}}</ref>

[[File:Val-Kilmer.jpg|thumb|alt=Kilmer looking down at paper|Kilmer in 2005]]
Kilmer's first role in 2000 was in the big budget [[Warner Bros.]] box office disaster<ref name="rplanet">{{cite web |publisher= | work=The Numbers |title=Red Planet |url=https://the-numbers.com/movies/2000/RPLNT.html |access-date=May 11, 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051208084938/http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2000/RPLNT.html<!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = December 8, 2005}}</ref> ''[[Red Planet (film)|Red Planet]]''. That same year, he had a supporting role as the Dutch-born American [[abstract expressionist]] painter [[Willem DeKooning]] in the film ''[[Pollock (film)|Pollock]]'' and hosted ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' for the first time. In 2002, he starred in the thriller ''[[The Salton Sea (2002 film)|The Salton Sea]]'', which was generally well-reviewed,<ref name="sea">{{cite web |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |title=Salton Sea (2002) |url=https://rottentomatoes.com/m/salton_sea/ |access-date=May 11, 2006}}</ref> but received only a limited release.<ref name= "sea2">{{cite web |publisher= |work= The Numbers |title=The Salton Sea |url=https://the-numbers.com/movies/2002/SASEA.html |access-date=May 11, 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060509023100/http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2002/SASEA.html<!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = May 9, 2006}}</ref> The same year, he teamed with his ''True Romance'' co-star, [[Christian Slater]], to appear in the low-budget film ''[[Hard Cash (2002 film)|Hard Cash]]'', also known as ''Run for the Money''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Run For the Money |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/479708/run-for-the-money#overview |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614181311/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/479708/Run-For-the-Money/#overview |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 14, 2013 |access-date=April 2, 2025 |website= TCM.com| publisher= [[Turner Classic Movies]] |language=en}}</ref>

In 2003, Kilmer starred alongside [[Kate Bosworth]] in the drama/thriller ''[[Wonderland (2003 film)|Wonderland]]'', portraying porn star [[John Holmes (actor)|John Holmes]]. He also appeared in ''[[The Missing (2003 film)|The Missing]]'', where he again worked with ''Willow'' director [[Ron Howard]]. The next year, he starred in [[David Mamet]]'s ''[[Spartan (film)|Spartan]]'', where he played a United States government [[secret agent]] who is assigned the task of rescuing the kidnapped daughter of the president. He received [[Delta Force]]-like training in preparation for the role.<ref name="ign">{{cite web |publisher= IGN |title=An Interview with Val Kilmer |url=http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/497/497668p2.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20040321234601/http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/497/497668p2.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 21, 2004 |access-date= May 11, 2006}}</ref> Subsequently, he had a role in the drama ''[[Stateside (film)|Stateside]]'', and starred (again with Slater) in the thriller ''[[Mindhunters]]'', which was filmed in 2003 but not released until 2005. Kilmer next appeared in the big budget [[Oliver Stone]] production ''[[Alexander (2004 film)|Alexander]]'', which received poor reviews.<ref name="alexander">{{cite web |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |title=Alexander (2004) |url= https://rottentomatoes.com/m/alexander/ |access-date=May 11, 2006}}</ref>

Also in 2004, Kilmer returned to the theater to play Moses in a Los Angeles musical production of ''[[The Ten Commandments: The Musical]]'', produced by [[BCBG (brand)|BCBG]] founder [[Max Azria]].<ref name="moses">{{cite web |work= jewish-theater.com |publisher=All About Jewish Theatre |title=Val Kilmer and the Parting of the Red Sea to Music |url=http://www.jewish-theater.com/visitor/article_display.aspx?articleID=877 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20130126202135/http://www.jewish-theater.com/visitor/article_display.aspx?articleID=877 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 26, 2013 |access-date=May 11, 2006 }}</ref> The production played at the [[Kodak Theatre]] in Hollywood and also featured [[Adam Lambert]]. This same year, Kilmer appeared in an episode of ''[[Entourage (U.S. TV series)|Entourage]]'', where he played a [[Sherpa people|Sherpa]] whose primary source of income was growing, harvesting, and distributing high-quality [[cannabis (drug)|cannabis]], all under a guise of [[Metaphysics|metaphysical]] insights.

[[File:Val Kilmer and 50 Cent (cropped).jpg|left|thumb|alt=Kilmer standing next to 50 Cent who is being interviewed|Kilmer with [[50 Cent]] at the [[American Music Award|AMAs]] 2009]]
Kilmer was in negotiations with [[Richard Dutcher]] (a leading director of [[Mormon]]-related films) to play the lead role in a film entitled ''Prophet: The Story of [[Joseph Smith]]'', although the project never materialized.<ref name="dutcher">{{cite web |work=[[Deseret News]] |title=Son of God's Army |url= http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635158379,00.html |access-date=May 11, 2006 |archive-date=May 19, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060519072254/http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635158379,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Kilmer performed in ''The Postman Always Rings Twice'' on the London stage from June to September 2005.<ref name="postman">{{cite web |publisher= | website=ThisIsTheatre.com |title=The Postman Always Rings Twice |url=http://www.thisistheatre.com/londonshows/postmanalwaysringstwice.html |access-date=May 11, 2006}}</ref> In 2005, he co-starred with [[Robert Downey, Jr.]] in the action-comedy film ''[[Kiss Kiss Bang Bang]]''. His performance was praised and the film was well reviewed,<ref name="kiss">{{cite web |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |title=Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005) |url=https://rottentomatoes.com/m/kiss_kiss_bang_bang/ |access-date=May 11, 2006}}</ref> but it received only a limited release.<ref name="kiss2">{{cite web |publisher= |work= The Numbers |title=Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang |url= https://the-numbers.com/movies/2005/KSBNG.php |access-date=May 11, 2006 |archive-date=May 8, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060508175530/http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2005/KSBNG.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> It later won the award for "Overlooked Film of the Year" from the Phoenix Film Critics Society.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 21, 2005 |title='Cinderella Man' is tops with Arizona film critics |url=https://tucson.com/entertainment/movies/cinderella-man-is-tops-with-arizona-film-critics/article_f57bcffb-a90a-5277-8021-89c24a747cc2.html |access-date=April 2, 2025 |website=Arizona Daily Star |language=en}}</ref>

''Filmink'' argued "we're really surprised Kilmer could not make more of a comeback in the 2000s. Was he too chubby? Had he burned too many bridges? Another '90s movie star who hit a cold streak and got jowly Alec Baldwin came back in a big way via ''30 Rock'', but for whatever reason, Kilmer could never come close to his old glory."<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=Ten Connections between Val Kilmer and Australia|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/ten-connections-between-val-kilmer-and-australia/|date=7 April 2025|access-date=7 April 2025}}</ref>

In 2006, Kilmer reunited with director [[Tony Scott]] for a third time for a supporting role opposite [[Denzel Washington]] in the box-office hit ''[[Déjà Vu (2006 film)|Déjà Vu]]''. The song "Val Kilmer" was named after him on [[Bowling for Soup]]'s 2006 album ''[[The Great Burrito Extortion Case]]''. The song was later used for a [[Ford Motors]] commercial on season 10 of ''[[American Idol]]'' in 2011. In 2007, he guest-starred on the hit TV series ''[[Numb3rs]]'' in the episode "[[Trust Metric]]", portraying torture expert Mason Lancer. That same year, he released a CD, proceeds of which went to his charity interests.{{citation needed|date=October 2012}} In 2008, Kilmer starred alongside [[Stephen Dorff]] in the [[Sony]] and [[Stage 6]] film ''[[Felon (film)|Felon]]''. The film was given only a limited theatrical release in New York and Los Angeles in 2008, but it developed into a success secondary to positive word of mouth.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}} Kilmer was the voice of the car [[KITT]] for the 2008 ''[[Knight Rider (2008 film)|Knight Rider]]'' TV pilot film and the following [[Knight Rider (2008 TV series)|television series]]. He replaced [[Will Arnett]], who had to step down from the role due to contractual conflict with [[General Motors]].<ref name=kilmervox>{{cite news |url=https://variety.com/2008/scene/markets-festivals/val-kilmer-voices-knight-rider-1117980382/ |title=Val Kilmer voices 'Knight Rider' |date=February 6, 2008 |access-date=April 3, 2025 |last=Adalian |first=Josef |work=Variety |publisher=Reed Business Information}}</ref> In keeping with tradition established by the original ''[[Knight Rider (1982 TV series)|Knight Rider]]'' series and original KITT actor [[William Daniels]], Kilmer was [[Billing (film)#Unbilled appearances|uncredited]] for the role on-screen.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2025/04/02/val-kilmer-cancer-the-doors-top-gun-heat-film/|title= Val Kilmer, prolific but volatile actor whose films included The Doors, Top Gun, Heat and Batman Forever |date=April 2, 2025|work=The Telegraph}}</ref> He next starred alongside [[Nicolas Cage]] in the [[Werner Herzog]] film ''[[Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans]]'', and alongside [[50 Cent|Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson]] in ''[[Streets of Blood]]''. Both were released in 2009. He appeared as the main antagonist "Mongoose" in a live TV series adaptation of the comic/video game of ''[[XIII (TV Mini-series)|XIII]]'' on [[NBC]] in 2009.