Batman Forever star Val Kilmer has passed away, aged 65

Born on 31 December 1959, legendary Hollywood star Val Kilmer passed away on Tuesday, 1 April 2025, aged 65.

The news that will sadden Val Kilmer’s legion of fans was reported by The New York Times, and confirmed by his daughter, Mercedes. Kilmer’s death was caused due to catching pneumonia.

Mercedes also confirmed that Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, a battle that the actor had won, which is unrelated to his cause of death.

While not viewed as the best live-action Caped Crusader movie, not many actors can say that they played the role of DC’s Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, in a blockbuster Hollywood production.

Directed by Joel Schumacher and released in 1995, in Batman Forever, Val Kilmer starred alongside the likes of Tommy Lee Jones (Two Face), Jim Carrey (Riddler), Nicole Kidman (Dr Chase Meridian) and Chris O’Donnell (Robin), to name a few.

Val Kilmer has starred in many truly epic Hollywood movies since debuting in the 1984 comedy Top Secret. The charismatic actor played leading roles in films such as Top Gun, The Saint, The Doors and Tombstone, propelling him to iconic status.

My favourite Val Kilmer movie is Heat, an amazing crime drama featuring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.

Here’s a interesting tidbit that has never been officially confirmed: it’s been speculated for decades that the Albert Wesker from 1996’s Resident Evil is inspired by Val Kilmer’s character Tom "Iceman" Kazansky from Top Gun. If you Google both characters, you’ll see why many believe this to be true.

We at GAMINGbible send our condolences to the family, friends and fans of Val Kilmer during this incredibly tough time.