"Riddle me this, and riddle me that: Who is afraid of the big, black bat?"

For this third installment of the successful Batman film franchise, change was on the horizon - including a new caped crusader, a new sidekick, a new director, and, of course, a new pair of deliciously colorful evildoers, determined to destroy the poor citizens of Gotham City. Released in 1995, Batman Forever also changed its approach, getting away from the dark look of its predecessors and taking on a more kid-friendly persona that made it one of the most popular films in the series.

This time around, Joel Schumacher took over the director duties, while Val Kilmer entered the batsuit for the first time, replacing Michael Keaton from the first two films. And for the first time, film audiences got a look at his trusty sidekick, Robin, played by Chris O’ Donnell. And in keeping with the tradition of unforgettable villains, Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carey took on the personas of Two-Face and The Riddler, respectively.

Audiences are first introduced to Two-Face, a former District Attorney named Harvey Dent, who had previously been splashed with acid during a court trial, leaving half of his face horribly disfigured. With a split personality to match his appearance, he blames Batman for the incident and proceeds to take out his anger on the citizens of Gotham City. Batman, meanwhile, is attacking his own personal demons, and has sought the help of a pretty psychologist named Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman) to help him deal with recurring nightmares about his parent’s demise.

Over at Wayne Enterprises, another problem is brewing. A scientist named Edward Nygma has invented a device that can transmit 3-D images directly to a person’s brain. When Bruce dismisses the invention, Nygma quits, dejected and determined to seek revenge. He dons a green bodysuit covered with question marks, dubs himself “The Riddler” and joins criminal forces with Two-Face, who appreciates vengeful inventor, as well as the destructive abilities of this new invention.

Learning that Wayne is attending a local circus charity event, Two-Face arrives with his henchmen…and a bomb. A family of acrobats heroically steps in to assist, but their efforts come to a tragic end, when the bomb explodes, killing all but the youngest member, Dick Grayson. Batman gives the revenge-driven orphan a new home and a new alter-ego, as his sidekick Robin. Together, they join forces to put a stop to Two-Face and The Riddler, using every bat-gadget and bat-vehicle at their disposal in an action-packed climax.  

Audiences applauded all of these new changes to the franchise and made Batman Forever the most popular installment of the film franchise to date, eventually grossing over $300 million worldwide. Chris O’Donnell would return as Robin in the next installment, Batman and Robin, but another major change was imminent, as Kilmer would ultimately pass the Batman costume to George Clooney after a single appearance as the Caped Crusader.