The bat’s stubborn refusal to expire…is driving us insane! The Schumacher Cut of Batman Forever has gained a lot of attention as of late, and with the 30th anniversary this month, we can’t help but wonder if the masses will ever get to see it. But if Warner Bros. has their way – and when do they not when it comes to shelving movies? – the Schumacher Cut will never leave the Batcave.
Just last month, Warner Bros. sent a cease and desist to a video store in California who had been advertising two planned screenings, with only 25 seats available per. As per Film Stories, the store issued the following statement to their members via email: “Our planned screening of Batman Forever has been cancelled. This follows a legal request from Warner Bros. regarding the rights to the version of the film we intended to show. While this was a free, members-only event meant to celebrate a unique piece of film history, we respect the rights of studios and creators, and have chosen to withdraw the event accordingly.”
Objectively, yes, it makes sense for Warner Bros. to issue a cease and desist, as the video store in question, Cinefile Video, hadn’t obtained the rights to screen Batman Forever (let alone the Schumacher Cut) and they decided to charge for it. (Really, they could have just charged for popcorn and been in a much safer zone.) Remember, when Kevin Smith screened that exact cut a couple of years ago, he purposely didn’t charge, which helped him get around any legal issues he may have run into. Even still, I hope that they went ahead and held an ultra-secret screening for their members anyway, as people – especially those devoted to the release of this version – totally deserve to see the Schumacher Cut in any way they can. Considering the lore behind the Schumacher Cut, it’s a surprise that anybody who has a copy hasn’t leaked it online yet…
Clocking in anywhere between two hours and 38 minutes and 170 minutes depending on the specific version, some of the key changes in Schumacher Cut of Batman Forever are a new opening with Two Face escaping from Arkham Asylum, training featuring Dick Grayson / Robin and an infamous scene featuring Val Kilmer and an enormous bat.
Do you think we’ll ever get a wide release of the Schumacher Cut of Batman Forever?
