Tim Burton's Batman is one of the most important movies of the 20th century. Released in 1989, it's widely credited as one of the world's first modern superhero movies, and you only have to watch it to see why.
Michael Keaton plays the titular superhero in a film that ultimately redefined his career, with many still calling him the best Batman actor to this day (and it's hard to argue with that). He was joined in the film by Jack Nicholson as The Joker and Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale.
The film's success resulted in Warner Bros. wanting a sequel and, in 1992, Batman Returns arrived in movie theaters. Keaton returned as the Caped Crusader, while Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman and Danny DeVito's Penguin served as the new villains in the eerie return to Gotham City. There was, however, one glaring omission.
Tim Burton didn't want to make a direct sequel to Batman
Although Vicki Vale ultimately didn't appear in Batman Returns, earlier versions of the film's script did have her in the story. Sam Haam, who wrote the script for Batman initially returned to pen the second installment, but director Tim Burton didn't love the idea of making a direct sequel, opting to make another standalone Batman adventure that, although set in the same universe as its predecessor, does not directly continue on the emotional plot threads set forth in the 1989 movie.
As a result, supporting characters like Vicki and Billy Dee Williams' Harvey Dent, were cut from the film altogether as Burton brought in Heathers' Daniel Waters to write a new script that introduced new characters instead. Warner Bros. had given Burton more creative control after the success of the original movie, so he was allowed much more say in what the story should be - that ultimately resulted in a much creepier, Burton-esque film.
Vicki Vale was Bruce Wayne's love interest in Batman, but she was also so much more than that. A photojournalist tasked with reporting on the mysterious "Batman" sightings in Gotham City, she worked with reporter Alexander Knox (Robert Wuhl) at the Gotham Globe newspaper. After starting a romantic relationship with Bruce Wayne, she found herself in the crosshairs of The Joker, which eventually brought her face-to-face with her lover's alter-ego, the man she was researching: The Batman.
Vicki eventually found out that Bruce was Batman and helped him take down The Joker in an epic final battle atop the Gotham Cathedral. After the Clown Prince of Crime fell to his death, she and Bruce embraced while dangling above the city on a grapple rope. The film then ended with Vicki smiling as Alfred told her that "Mr. Wayne" would be a little late to meet her; she wasn't a bit surprised, but she was happy with that, knowing that the man she loved was saving the city as Batman.
Bruce and Vicki could have been happy together, but Burton's decision to move on from the character in the sequel started a trend for Bruce as he never settled down, as all four of the Batman movies in the original quadrilogy featured a different love interest for the Caped Crusader. Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman came along in 1992's Batman Returns, Nicole Kidman's Chase Meridian was next in 1995's Batman Forever and Elle Macpherson's Julie Madison in 1997's Batman and Robin.
As for how Vicki was written out of the narrative...
How Batman Returns explained Vicki's absence
Vicki Vale may not have appeared in Batman Returns but she was mentioned twice. One of those times involved Bruce playfully reminding Alfred Pennyworth that he let her into the Batcave. The other was a conversation between Bruce and Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman.
Although it was no secret that Bruce and Vicki clearly weren't together anymore, the former opened up to Selina about why it didn't work out with her. He said that he was entirely forthcoming with her (which we actually saw in the 1989 film after Alfred revealed that Bruce was, in fact, Batman) but that there were two truths, with which Vicki "had trouble reconciling" because he also had trouble reconciling them.
All superheroes tend to struggle to maintain a relationship when fighting crime as a costumed vigilante and Bruce's words highlight that the same thing happened to his relationship with Vicki. But that's not entirely surprising given that we saw Bruce himself struggle to reconcile his two identities in Batman when he attempted to open up to Vicki about how he lived two lives - and that both were valid parts of who he was.
There is no denying that the chemistry between Batman and Catwoman was there in Batman Returns. It's arguably the most iconic relationship in comic book history and the film's adaptation of it is quite possibly the best of them all. With that in mind, there likely wasn't any place for Vicki Vale in the movie, and that will always be a shame as it would have been interesting to see how her journey played out in the original script.
Needless to say, Basinger's portrayal is one of the most iconic performances in comic book movie history, and to this day, she is still considered the definitive version of Vicki Vale. That is an incredible legacy to have, and Basinger has earned every bit of it.