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.