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BumRushDaShow

(149,992 posts)
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 03:33 AM Wednesday

Val Kilmer, Star of 'Batman Forever,' 'Tombstone,' Dies at 65

Source: Variety

Apr 1, 2025 9:04pm PT


Mark Humphrey/AP/REX/Shutterstoc


Val Kilmer, who played Bruce Wayne in “Batman Forever,” channeled Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone‘s “The Doors” and starred as a tubercular Doc Holliday in “Tombstone,” died Tuesday in Los Angeles. His daughter Mercedes told The New York Times the cause was pneumonia. He was 65. He had been battling throat cancer for several years.

Kilmer’s reps did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.

The baby-faced blonde actor had a solid run as a leading man with a volatile reputation in the ’80s and ’90s, starring in “Top Gun,” “Real Genius,” “Willow,” “Heat,” and “The Saint.” He returned briefly to screens in 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick” although he could no longer speak due to his cancer.

In 2021, a documentary on his life, “Val,” was released. His son provided the actor’s voice and the film utilized hundreds of hours of video he had recorded over the years, giving a revealing look at the sets he worked on and showing the actor to be an introspective thinker with an artist’s soul.

Read more: https://variety.com/2025/film/news/val-kilmer-dead-batman-forever-tombstone-1236354606/



Wow. Lost track of him and didn't realize what was going on. R.I.P.
27 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Val Kilmer, Star of 'Batman Forever,' 'Tombstone,' Dies at 65 (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Wednesday OP
Real Genius was one of my favorite films lapfog_1 Wednesday #1
I remember renting the VHS of that movie BumRushDaShow Wednesday #3
according to MTG it's "the jews" lapfog_1 Wednesday #16
The "space lasers" BumRushDaShow Wednesday #17
Thunderheart UpInArms Wednesday #2
From Tombstone to tombstone True Dough Wednesday #4
Probably His Best Role. GB_RN Wednesday #9
Oh, hell. So sorry to hear this. Paladin Wednesday #5
BATMAN FOREVER YoshidaYui Wednesday #6
I'm so glad he got to reprise his role in the latest TOP GUN film radicalleft Wednesday #7
That sequel is on my watch list BumRushDaShow Wednesday #8
Very sad news BlueKota Wednesday #10
Seemed like his health started to decline right after he made that 'Tombstone' movie wolfie001 Wednesday #11
"Another example was Jack Lord." BumRushDaShow Wednesday #12
"Book 'em Danno!!!" wolfie001 Wednesday #18
... BumRushDaShow Wednesday #20
The drums are beating in my brain as the waves crash!!! wolfie001 Wednesday #21
Used to watch these too BumRushDaShow Wednesday #22
How 'bout this hero! wolfie001 Wednesday #24
I know a DUer who used to add that to the end of their posts BumRushDaShow Wednesday #25
Too funny! wolfie001 Wednesday #26
He was the Lizard King, too. rickyhall Wednesday #13
He never even got nominated for his best role in Tombstone. OnlinePoker Wednesday #14
Sad to read of his passing. I sympathized with him having throat cancer. It's sinkingfeeling Wednesday #15
He had a long history of heavy smoking Danascot Wednesday #19
Val Kilmer In Thunderheart Rendville Wednesday #23
I enjoyed his movies. He was too young to go. RIP Val. 🙏 TommieMommy Wednesday #27

lapfog_1

(30,748 posts)
1. Real Genius was one of my favorite films
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 03:39 AM
Wednesday

because it was only a slight exaggeration of my college experience hanging out with a group of very smart people... and pulling the college pranks that they portrayed in the film ( only not with lasers! ). Also the adjunct story line of the professor getting "grant" money from the government and having his grad students and undergrads do the work for peanuts ( sometimes no money at all ).

BumRushDaShow

(149,992 posts)
3. I remember renting the VHS of that movie
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 04:43 AM
Wednesday

way way back in the day. That was during the Raygun (namesake) SDI ("Star Wars" ) era.

Now 40 years later, someone (China and/or Russia?) finally has something like that working in orbit.

lapfog_1

(30,748 posts)
16. according to MTG it's "the jews"
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 10:18 AM
Wednesday

and they use it to start forest fires or zap election machines or something

radicalleft

(524 posts)
7. I'm so glad he got to reprise his role in the latest TOP GUN film
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 06:51 AM
Wednesday

So sad to see him gone.

RIP

edit:sp

BumRushDaShow

(149,992 posts)
8. That sequel is on my watch list
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 07:29 AM
Wednesday

I remember re-watching the original when I had been putting together my own "budget high end" home theater in the mid-'90s and the sound was fantastic. Both he and Tom Cruise created some legendary characters.

wolfie001

(4,391 posts)
11. Seemed like his health started to decline right after he made that 'Tombstone' movie
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 07:51 AM
Wednesday

I really didn't watch any of his movies, but he was a major star for quite a while. All of the sudden he looked 20 years older than he actually was. Another example was Jack Lord. Always in great shape, then one day he's in National Enquirer looking way older and decrepit. As a 65-year-old myself, aging is a beast.

wolfie001

(4,391 posts)
26. Too funny!
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 01:02 PM
Wednesday

Thanks for allowing me to run up my post totals 'cause I've been around here forever and retired a year and some months ago. Finally, really looking through the site and contributing. Always love it here and discovered it way back when in the early 2000s. Cheers and keep up the great work!

OnlinePoker

(5,931 posts)
14. He never even got nominated for his best role in Tombstone.
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 08:54 AM
Wednesday

He should have won best supporting actor for that.

sinkingfeeling

(54,825 posts)
15. Sad to read of his passing. I sympathized with him having throat cancer. It's
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 09:01 AM
Wednesday

a devastating disease. Loved him in both "Top Gun" movies.

Rendville

(118 posts)
23. Val Kilmer In Thunderheart
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 12:23 PM
Wednesday

Part Sioux-FBI Agent Val Kilmer/Ray Levoi is sent to investigate a murder on a South Dakota Reservation.

The Reservation Police played by Graham Greene views Ray as an outsider.

But the Tribal Elder Sam Reaches believes Ray Levoi to be the reincarnated spirit of Thunderheart.

An 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre Native American Hero.

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