10 Things You Need To Know About Tim Burton's Batman Forever
8. Renee Russo Would've Been The Love Interest
When the third film was put on the production fast track Rene Russo cast as Dr Chase Meridian, a character created especially for the films as a new romantic lead for Bruce Wayne. The first film had Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale, a long-term love interest from the comics who got told Batman's secret identity. Which obviously meant she couldn't appear in the sequel, with Batman Returns being devoid of a traditional love story in favour of the somewhat deranged and kinky sparring between the Caped Crusader and Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman.
Batman 3 was supposed to return to the more standard love sub-plot of the first film. Except it turned out that just a week after Russo was cast Michael Keaton decided he wasn't fussed about returning to the Bruce Wayne role for a third go around, and Val Kilmer was cast in his place (it's all about the chin). It was decided that Russo was too old to be a viable partner to Kilmer, and so she was given the sack and replaced by Nicole Kidman, who played Meridian in the eventual Batman Forever.