NEED TO KNOW
Chris O’Donnell is shining the Bat-Signal!
In a rare post to his Instagram grid on Wednesday, June 11, the 54-year-old actor shared a throwback snapshot from the premiere of 1995’s Batman Forever, in honor of the superhero movie’s milestone 30th anniversary.
Aside from O’Donnell, the photo also included late director Joel Schumacher, plus O’Donnell’s costars Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman and the Bruce Wayne/Batman to his Dick Grayson/Robin: the late Val Kilmer, who died in April at age 65.
“Cannot believe it’s been 30 years since premiere of Batman Forever, wow, time flies,” wrote O’Donnell in the caption.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
While O’Donnell later reprised his role as Batman’s trusty sidekick in 1997’s Batman & Robin, Kilmer did not return; instead, George Clooney suited up as the Caped Crusader in that film.
As for whom he might choose to play Robin in a future iteration, “I know it’s not going to be me,” O’Donnell told PEOPLE as Batman Forever turned 20 back in 2015.
And “it was fun to be a part of” the movies while it lasted, he added at the time.
“I put my time in, I had a great time doing it, I think the first go-round was fantastic,” said O’Donnell, who will next lead the upcoming ABC series 9-1-1: Nashville as Capt. Don Sharpe.
Warner Bros. Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty
Kilmer succeeded Michael Keaton as Batman for the third of Warner Bros.’ live-action movies about the DC superhero, which began with Tim Burton’s 1989 entry Batman and 1992 follow-up Batman Returns. Director Schumacher, who died in 2020 at age 80, later took the reins for Batman Forever.
In addition to O’Donnell, Batman Forever also featured Carrey, 63, as the villain Edward Nygma/Riddler, Tommy Lee Jones as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, Kidman, 57, as Dr. Chase Meridian and Drew Barrymore and Debi Mazar as Dent’s assistants Sugar and Spice.
The PEOPLE App is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more!
Following Kilmer’s death earlier this year, Carrey said in a statement, “I’m remembering Val Kilmer today with great admiration for him as a man and as a generational talent who left us an enviable legacy of indelible acting performances.”
Added the actor, “His greatest artistic achievements were rivaled only by the grace and courage with which he endured his life’s most challenging moments. Wishing his family so much love.”
