Ethan Hawke Regrets Turning Down Batman

Ethan Hawke Regrets Turning Down Batman

Yup, Ethan Hawke was offered the role of Batman after Michael Keaton. The role of the caped crusader eventually went to Val Kilmer in Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever.

By nailbiter111 - Sep 16, 2011 03:09 PM EST
Filed Under: Batman
Source: femalefirst.co.uk



He tells Details magazine,

"This was after Tim Burton's (Batman films), before the bad period. I just didn't want to go to the (New York) Knicks (basketball) game and have everybody go, 'Wow, you were a great Batman!'

"That wasn't my f**king goal in life. Now I wish I'd done it, because I could have used it to do other things."



There has always been rumors that Ethan Hawke was in the running for the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, but confirmation that he was offered the role before Val Kilmer is a surprise. The funny thing is that many Batman fancasts over the years have suggested Hawke for that very role. I think Ethan would've made a great Batman, and an even better Bruce Wayne. He is one of those actors that polarizes the conversation, either you hate him or love him.

And even though Batman Forever was a financial success, it left a bad taste in the mouth of many Batman fans. The dark tone of the previous two films under Tim Burton's watch were replaced by a sickening flamboyance that Joel Schumacher is known for. Sticking with the two villain formula that Batman Returns had, Jim Carrey was given the role of the Riddler, and Tommy Lee Jones was Two-Face. Chris O'Donnell took on the role of Robin, and Nicole Kidman rounded out the cast as the female love interest, Dr. Chase Meridian.







Ethan Hawke is a great actor in my opinion, his performances in Gattaca, Training Day, and Daybreakers were outstanding.

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PaulRom
PaulRom - 9/16/2011, 3:14 PM
Keaton and Burton should've stayed, and Warner Bros should've kept the dark/gritty tone of the first two films. No need to [frick] it up just so you can please parents.
NeoBaggins
NeoBaggins - 9/16/2011, 3:18 PM
So, there was going to be a 23 year old batman? wtf
AiyalKilU
AiyalKilU - 9/16/2011, 3:21 PM
Kilmer was an ok Batman, Bob Kane in fact said Kilmer was his favorite incarnation of a "live action" Batman

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-373506-val-kilmer-as-batman.html

http://www.moviemistakes.com/film124/trivia

The Keaton and Burton films are only tolerable to look at and with the soundtrack playing only. Those were campy themselves but Burton fanboys can't look over the fact that it was as silly as the Schumacher movies because they didn't have as much neon as Forever and B&R did.
Seriously... just watch Batman 89 and Returns and look at all the inconsistent plots, character issues, over-the-top acting, etc
RunDTC
RunDTC - 9/16/2011, 3:23 PM
he was also really good in Dead Poets Society.

I like Hawke as an actor, I just can't see him as Batman.
patriautism
patriautism - 9/16/2011, 3:24 PM
You know David Boreanaz was offered Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins, but turned it down. I bet he regrets that.
NeoBaggins
NeoBaggins - 9/16/2011, 3:25 PM
Big ass mutant penguins, AiyalKilU. Dont forget the big ass mutant penguins.
braces
braces - 9/16/2011, 3:26 PM
I hate that man so much! I'm pretty sure everything he has been in he's a cop.
NeoBaggins
NeoBaggins - 9/16/2011, 3:27 PM
David Boreanaz would have been epic fail material.
LucasMend
LucasMend - 9/16/2011, 3:32 PM
would have been interesting
OverCross
OverCross - 9/16/2011, 3:33 PM
Oh I feel bad for him


Val Kilmer's response:
OverCross
OverCross - 9/16/2011, 3:34 PM
Oh, I feel bad for him




OverCross
OverCross - 9/16/2011, 3:36 PM
Solomon
Solomon - 9/16/2011, 3:38 PM
Turning down Batman, cheating on Uma Thurman...this man made some stupid life decisions :P

also I don't think that he would've made a good Batman.
Hellmont
Hellmont - 9/16/2011, 3:53 PM
i COMPLETELY agree with SuperDude001 it didnt matter who played Batman with Joel Schumacher at the helm the films were destined to FAIL.


Joel Schumacher + CBM = EPIC FAIL
MarcoPilgrim
MarcoPilgrim - 9/16/2011, 3:59 PM
@koibraces He wasn't a cop in daybreakers, or gattaca.
Both of which are really good movies !
SoItGoes
SoItGoes - 9/16/2011, 4:01 PM
II think Val Kilmer made a decent Batman, Hawke would have been terrible
superpooper
superpooper - 9/16/2011, 4:02 PM
He should count his blessings that he DIDN'T get that role. He would have been the shittiest Batman ever.
superbatspiderman
superbatspiderman - 9/16/2011, 4:03 PM
I don't think Ethan would have helped this movie it was just destined to be horrible. Tommy Lee Jones could have been great as Two Face but the writing and scripts were just horrible. Val Kilmer wasn't bad as Batman it was just a bad movie. Even if the greatest actors in the world were in this movie it would have still been horrible because of the script and direction.
aaronite1999
aaronite1999 - 9/16/2011, 4:17 PM
Returns and Forever were my favourites of the original four films.

They weren't as dull/badly paced as the first or as much of a cheesefest as the fourth.

That last one was so bad I thought the characters were going to break into song, LOL
scmittydude
scmittydude - 9/16/2011, 4:42 PM
a while back i thought i'd liked to have seen him as Matt Murdock
scmittydude
scmittydude - 9/16/2011, 4:43 PM
Forever is my favorite, look wize
MaddMonkk
MaddMonkk - 9/16/2011, 4:57 PM
Galactica was a movie where Ethan wanted to be the herald of Galactus but he was too short.
headlopper
headlopper - 9/16/2011, 4:58 PM
Should I send a sympathy card.
Kilmer wasn't bad; guy's a good actor...was a good actor.
Besides it's better not to be in a bad movie than not in a movie at all.
Bandrews1
Bandrews1 - 9/16/2011, 5:02 PM
Ethan Hawke is a pretty good actor, but I'm not sure if I could see him as Bruce Wayne/Batman, and if he was considered for Batman Forever he would have been a young Batman.
RunDTC
RunDTC - 9/16/2011, 5:23 PM
@Solomon: dating Uma Thurman in the first place is a stupid decision.
headlopper
headlopper - 9/16/2011, 5:26 PM
@cyblade- My taste buds work just fine.
Watch 'Batman Begins' and compare.
Elevate your standards my good man.
sbdc1939
sbdc1939 - 9/16/2011, 5:26 PM
If the comicbook character bruce wayne jumped into real life became an actor and was cast as himself in batman forever, he couldnt of made that movie not suck any less than it did.
skullboy
skullboy - 9/16/2011, 5:47 PM
I never knew about that. I'm glad Hawke didn't get the role. He sucks.
One2three
One2three - 9/16/2011, 5:48 PM
Ethan hawke kinda sucks, and is a good example of a dull,
lifeless actor. Kilmer was big at the time, now hes just
morbidly obese.
headlopper
headlopper - 9/16/2011, 5:54 PM
Batman Begins please!
1. Old Bruce Wayne
2. Terry McGuiness
3. Comm.Barbra Gordon
4. Max
5. Dayna
6. 'Ace'
7.villain-? Blight
superbatspiderman
superbatspiderman - 9/16/2011, 5:59 PM
@Cgblade931 - Dude if you liked Batman Forever them there is something seriously wrong with you because it is one of the biggest shitfests I have ever seen other than Batman and Robin. Just because a movie does alright at the box office does not mean it is good just look at the Twilight movies. Batman didn't need a reviving it was great as it was and this movies was the begining of the end for the Batman franchise for a while. Plus how can you think Batman Begins and the Dark Knight are crap? Are you on frickin crack or something? I know exactly what I am talking about this movie was a pile of dog crap.


I mean how can you like this?
RunDTC
RunDTC - 9/16/2011, 6:08 PM
Old Bruce Wayne: Harrison Ford
Terry McGinnis/Batman: Garrett Hedlund
Comm. Barbara Gordon: Meryl Streep
Dayna: Brenda Song
Blight: Timothy Olyphant or Jeremy Irons
headlopper
headlopper - 9/16/2011, 6:18 PM
@rundtc- Nice!
And Scoobi-do as Ace.(kidding)
ICStoopedPeople
ICStoopedPeople - 9/16/2011, 6:24 PM
..Uma Thurman is so damn ugly. To each their own, but I think she's one of the ugliest actresses in Hollywood.

I mean, she can act well enough... but... wow... I never want to see her in a sexual role. Ever.
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