Batman Forever 30th anniversary watch party
Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Batman Forever, with two back-to-back Batman classics on the Big Screen.
Dive into the dark, thrilling world of Gotham City with a special double bill of classic Batman films: animated feature Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (directed by Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm) and Batman Forever (directed by Joel Schumacher).
In 2022 Rolling Stone magazine ranked Batman: Mask of the Phantasm as the second-best Batman film of all time, after The Dark Knight. In 2018, it was lauded by American film critic Roger Ebert as the only Batman film until the 2000s ‘that made Batman the subject of its film, not an accessory’. The film was an insight into future psychologically based portrayals of the Dark Knight, made popular in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy.
Batman Forever, the first of two Batman films directed by Joel Schumacher, marked a move to create a more family-friendly film, portraying a lighter, less-gloomy Gotham City than in Tim Burton’s previous Batman, Batman Returns. The film features Val Kilmer in the role of the caped crusader alongside the physical comedy antics of Jim Carrey as the Riddler, Tommy-Lee Jones as Two-Face, Nicole Kidman as Batman’s love interest, Dr. Chase Meridian and Chris O’Donnell in the role of Batman’s sidekick, Robin.
Batman fans of all ages are welcome to come celebrate this milestone anniversary and the legacy of the iconic superhero, together at Fed Square.
The deckchairs will be out, or you can bring your own camping chair or picnic rug to enjoy the action.
And of course: dressing up is encouraged!
4pm | Big Screen
Running time:1h 16m | Rated PG: low level violence
Batman faces a mysterious new vigilante, the Phantasm, who is targeting Gotham’s crime bosses. As Bruce Wayne’s past love, Andrea Beaumont, returns, he must confront his own past and the possibility of a future without Batman.
Following previous film | Big Screen
Running time: 2h 2m | Rated PG: medium level violence
In Joel Schumacher’s first Batman film, Batman (Val Kilmer) battles the dual threats of Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and the Riddler (Jim Carrey), who team up to uncover his secret identity. Alongside new ally Robin (Chris O’Donnell) and love interest Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman), Batman must confront his own fears and past traumas to save Gotham from their sinister plot.