EXCLUSIVE: Val Kilmer 'Was Set for Batman Cameo' in Next Caped Crusader Blockbuster Alongside Robert Pattinson — 'He Would Have Played an Older, Battered Version of the Dark Knight'
Val Kilmer slipped on the iconic Batman mask during his last ever online video.
April 2 2025, Published 7:20 a.m. ET
Hollywood actor Val Kilmer was poised to reprise his role as Batman before his tragic death.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the late superstar, who passed away on Tuesday, was in talks with movie bosses about appearing in the next Caped Crusader flick alongside Robert Pattinson as the vigilante – with our showbiz sources saying he may have appeared as an "older, grizzled version" of the Dark Knight.
Kilmer – seen here 'playing' Batman in his final Instagram clip – played the Caped Crusader on the big screen in 1995's 'Batman Forever.'
In 2022, Kilmer reprised his role as Iceman in Top Gun: Maverick for a memorable cameo, and it’s thought Batman execs were hoping to include him in their next movie, Batman Part II, due for release in 2027.
The actor, who played the lead role in 1995 movie Batman Forever, put on the iconic mask in his last ever video, which he posted on Instagram, saying "I'm ready", which has fueled speculation he may have been set for a part in the latest upcoming Batman flick.
Kilmer's haunting final social media post showed him wearing a bizarre Batman mask and declaring 'I'm ready.'
A source said: "Val had talked about playing an older broken version of Batman speaking through a voice box.
“It's the kind of nostalgia fans of the franchise would have enjoyed, so you can see why movie bosses would have been keen to feature him.
"It would have been the type of role he had in Top Gun: Maverick, which saw him return as an older, wiser, more battered version of his iconic Iceman character."
Kilmer, also famed for playing Jim Morrison in the The Doors in 1991, died aged 65 after living in agony for years following a throat cancer battle that left him wheezing through a voice box.
His daughter Mercedes Kilmer confirmed he passed away in Los Angeles from complications of pneumonia following a string of brutal health issues linked to his breathing after his body was ravaged by years of chain smoking.
She said he passed away "peacefully, surrounded by loved ones."
Kilmer may have been set to play an older, broken version of Batman speaking through a voice box.
Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015 after spitting up blood and endured extensive treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy and a tracheotomy – which left him with permanent vocal damage and using a voice box to talk.
He was declared cancer-free in 2016 but continued to face huge health challenges related to his breathing and inability to exercise.
Born in Los Angeles in 1959, the actor carved out a reputation as a hugely charismatic screen presence, becoming one of the 1980s and '90s most bankable and highly paid stars on the planet.
Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015 after spitting up blood and endured extensive treatment,
He achieved international fame as Iceman in 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, and later took on the mantle of the Caped Crusader in Batman Forever, a role he later said he despised.
Along with daughter Mercedes, 33, Kilmer is survived by his son Jack, 29, whom he shared with his former wife, actress Joanne Whalley.
The couple were married from 1988 to 1996.
Tributes have poured in from across Hollywood to the star.
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Kilmer with his Alexander' co-stars Colin Firth and Angelina Jolie – a decade before he was left stricken with throat cancer.
Actor Josh Brolin shared the heartfelt message on social media alongside a throwback photograph of the pair: "See ya, pal. I'm going to miss you."
He also described Kilmer as a "smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker," adding: "There's not a lot left of those."
Josh Gad, best known for his role in Frozen, posted an image of Kilmer from Top Gun, writing online: "RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon."
