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

[BumRushDaShow]

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/

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Wow. Lost track of him and didn't realize what was going on. R.I.P.

[lapfog_1]

1. Real Genius was one of my favorite films

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]

3. I remember renting the VHS of that movie

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]

16. according to MTG it's "the jews"

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

[BumRushDaShow]

17. The "space lasers"

[UpInArms]

2. Thunderheart

Rip … dear Val

[True Dough]

4. From Tombstone to tombstone

A great actor. RIP!

[GB_RN]

9. Probably His Best Role.

Loved him as Doc Holliday.

[Paladin]

5. Oh, hell. So sorry to hear this.

His Doc Holliday portrayal is one for the ages.

[YoshidaYui]

6. BATMAN FOREVER

[radicalleft]

7. I'm so glad he got to reprise his role in the latest TOP GUN film

So sad to see him gone.

RIP

edit:sp

[BumRushDaShow]

8. That sequel is on my watch list

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.

[BlueKota]

10. Very sad news

[wolfie001]

11. Seemed like his health started to decline right after he made that 'Tombstone' movie

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.

[BumRushDaShow]

12. "Another example was Jack Lord."

Jack Lord is a "blast from the past"!!!

[wolfie001]

18. "Book 'em Danno!!!"

[BumRushDaShow]

20. ...

[wolfie001]

21. The drums are beating in my brain as the waves crash!!!

The '70s are so under-rated!

[BumRushDaShow]

22. Used to watch these too

[wolfie001]

24. How 'bout this hero!

"Who Loves Ya Baby"

[BumRushDaShow]

25. I know a DUer who used to add that to the end of their posts

(mahatmakanejeeves )

[wolfie001]

26. Too funny!

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!

[rickyhall]

13. He was the Lizard King, too.

[OnlinePoker]

14. He never even got nominated for his best role in Tombstone.

He should have won best supporting actor for that.

[sinkingfeeling]

15. Sad to read of his passing. I sympathized with him having throat cancer. It's

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

[Danascot]

19. He had a long history of heavy smoking

https://oncodaily.com/stories/celebrities/val-kilmer-cancer#:~:text=Val%20Kilmer%20likely%20developed%20throat,risk%20factor%20for%20the%20disease.

[TommieMommy]

27. I enjoyed his movies. He was too young to go. RIP Val. 🙏