Kevin Smith Says He Has a Copy of the Batman Forever ‘Schumacher Cut’

Director Kevin Smith has claimed he has a copy of Joel Schumacher’s extended cut of Batman Forever, and he intends to review it very soon.

Speaking on the latest episode of his video podcast Fat Man Beyond, Smith confirmed the existence of the Batman Forever Schumacher Cut when he told fellow podcast host Marc Bernardin that he has a copy of the movie in his possession and has already watched it.

“I probably shouldn’t be talking about this. Warner Bros going to take my ticket away, but I’m gonna slip you a f***ing copy,” Smith told Bernardin, adding he wants to discuss and review the alleged 170-minute version of the movie on an upcoming podcast episode on June 19.

“I’ve watched it. It’s longer,” Smith added, giving a very succinct summary of the longer director’s cut, which features tons of unseen footage, including an alternate opening scene that runs for 15 minutes before Two-Face busts into the bank like in the original film.

News of a “much darker, more serious” cut of Batman Forever emerged in 2020 when Variety reported that Bernardin had heard from “VERY good authority” that a 170-minute cut of the 1995 superhero blockbuster existed, but Warner Bros. was unsure about releasing it.

The extended cut of Batman Forever reportedly contains a scene with a massive dream bat as well as a sequence involving Tommy Lee Jones’ Two-Face escaping from Arkham Asylum and extended scenes with Jim Carrey’s Riddler when he invades the Batcave.

However, most of the footage cut from the theatrical release is rumored to center on the emotional and psychological issues that led Bruce Wayne to become Batman, something to which Christopher Nolan would later fully devote an entire movie with 2005’s Batman Begins.

Batman has had plenty of success on the big screen, from campy capers to noir-drenched crime thrillers, so IGN has compiled a chronology of the Caped Crusader’s big-screen adventures to help you view them, including Batman Forever, which is available to stream on Max.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.