The extended Schumacher cut of Batman Forever probably won’t be released
By Eric Bartsch
Bigger, darker, longer, uncut: an extended 170-minute cut of Batman Forever exists but likely won’t see the light of day.
We live in a world where nothing is off-limits and we can get anything, no matter the time that’s passed. HBO Max is releasing Zack Snyder’s cut of Justice League, thought to be a fable for a long time, after a successful social media campaign. There are even calls for the release of David Ayer’s original cut of Suicide Squad among other things.
And now, in a turn of events no one expected after 25 years, Variety confirms there is a darker extended cut of Batman Forever out there – news made more poignant by the recent death of the film’s director Joel Schumacher.
It all started when Star Trek: Picard writer and podcast host Marc Bernardin tweeted he had it on “VERY good authority” the cut exists and is 170 minutes long. He added it is “much darker” and “more serious.”
However, the death of a prolific filmmaker notwithstanding, Warner Bros. isn’t showing signs they will let fans feast their eyes on an epic version of the 1995 film, unlike the Snyder situation. The “hunger” might not be there, thinks WB (Bernardin’s poll says otherwise).
That and, according to company reps, footage ready for assembly may not have survived the last two and a half decades. Some deleted scenes, such as Harvey Dent (Tommy Lee Jones) escaping Arkham and Bruce Wayne facing his destiny in the form of a Man-Bat, are on the Blu-ray/DVD releases.
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Then there is all the other work Schumacher isn’t around to supervise – sound mixing, color grading, and scoring. He may not have even wanted the extra stuff. Reportedly WB talked him into the just-over-2-hour cut we have today so there is a chance.
As the push for content on HBO Max grows, and as DC expands its presence on the service, anything can be deemed possible – especially if Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a smash hit. Variety notes the clarion call to finally see the darker full-length Batman Forever goes back to 2005, longer than the same demand for the Snyder Cut.
Next. 3 reasons why WB should release the Schumacher Cut of Batman Forever. dark
What do you say? Do you want to see Schumacher’s complete and unfettered vision? Leave us a comment.