It's finally here, folks! Joel Schumacher's cut of Batman Forever was recently screened for a select audience in Los Angeles, meaning it'll eventually be available to stream—or perhaps watch in the theater. Warner Bros. may utilize the MAX streaming service or seek out a theatrical release. The latter seems like the most plausible option since the studio's shift towards streaming hasn't been well-received by some of Warner Bros' financiers. Of course, a recent legal victory may encourage the studio to continue exploring streaming options.
Nevertheless, the newest cut of Batman Forever has everyone's eyes peeled for a reason. Plot details revealed that Schumacher's vision was much grittier. The director also had more of an eye for Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones), with the opening scene originally intended to show the one-time District Attorney escaping from Arkham Asylum.
Additional scenes reportedly ran longer than the theatrical cut included. One such scene features Two-Face during the bank robbery scene, and the action sequence between him and the Caped Crusader has been extended. Details regarding how the two versions differ remain scarce, although we can probably assume Harvey Two-Face tortures more security guards in this cut of the film.
Edward Nygma's laboratory introduction takes on a more grounded feel, too. Mind you, the villains are the least interesting bit about the Schumacher cut.
According to the descriptions online, Bruce Wayne (Val Kilmer) suffers from more than villain problems during his crusade. At one point, he gets concussed and forgets about his superhero alter ego—something never depicted in a Batman movie. While the sequence may have only gone on for a few minutes, this has potentially opened the door to spinoff territory. Envision a film where Bruce Wayne has no memory of being Batman, and he's only ever addressed by his first name until he walks into the Batcave, where Alfred addresses him with "Hello, Mr. Wayne."
With that said, certain portions of the movie got cut down in length. Two-Face and the Riddler's defeats both differ slightly. Dent's coin never sinks into the water following his death, and the camera doesn't linger around Nygma as he endures the negative side effects of his Thinking Cap.
How Can Disney Compete
While Warner Bros hasn't successfully crafted a cinematic universe around its DC Comics properties—one as connected as Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe—the studio is ahead of the game in fan-requested Director's Cuts. Releasing the Snyder Cut of Justice League set a unique precedent, and now that Schumacher's version of Batman Forever is out, Disney needs to step up its game.
To compete, the studio can start by releasing an unseen version of a recent movie, specifically Captain America: Brave New World. Though there's no Director's Cut, several scenes got entirely scrapped from the theatrical version. As such, restoring the original version might warrant labeling it a different cut of the Marvel film.
Disney has no need of a measuring stick when comparing comic-related universes, especially with major events such as Doomsday and Secret Wars coming up. Not to mention the numerous subplots bound to draw in niche groups of fans. Still, a Director's Cut of the latest Captain America movie would elevate the franchise further than before.
Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever full release date is TBA. Captain America: Brave New World begins streaming on Disney Plus on May 28, 2025.