Batman Forever has a major Two-Face problem, which could have been fixed by using one Tim Burton storyline. Despite the negativity surrounding the film today, Batman Forever received mixed reviews from critics and was the highest-grossing film from 1995 in the United States. Joel Schumacher took the Batman series in a different direction, rejecting the dark tone of Burton’s films in favor of a campier version inspired by the 1960s Batman television series. This change influenced everything from the color palette to the villains. Schumacher’s casting of Tommy Lee Jones, who gave a ham-fisted performance as Two-Face, is widely regarded as a major misstep.
Batman Forever could have avoided this by having Billy Dee Williams play Two-Face instead. In Tim Burton’s Batman, Williams plays an early version of Harvey Dent, the new district attorney of Gotham City, with Burton originally planning to have Williams become Two-Face in a future installment. Williams as Two-Face would have made a more compelling villain, partly since the audience had already seen his righteous side and partly because he would have played a more grounded version of the character. Batman Forever wouldn’t immediately become a classic with that improvement, but his transformation into Two-Face would have more emotional weight, and his storyline would provide an anchor to the previous films.
Why Billy Dee Williams Didn’t Play Two-Face In Batman Forever
While Burton wanted to use Williams in a future film, he was only contracted for 1989’s Batman. Originally Williams was supposed to reprise his role in Batman Returns, which would have included his transformation into Two-Face. However, this idea was scrapped, and the role he would have played in the story was filled by a new character, corrupt businessman Max Schreck (Christopher Walken).
After complaints about Batman Returns being too dark for children, Warner Bros. asked Burton to step down in favor of another director. Burton approved the choice of Joel Schumacher to continue the series. Schumacher cast Jones as Two-Face after working with him on The Client. Williams was disappointed about the recasting since he only took the role of Dent to play Two-Face in a future film.
Billy Dee Williams Did (Eventually) Play Two-Face
Jones may be remembered as Two-Face, but Williams’ legacy isn’t forgotten. As a nod to his role as Harvey Dent Burton’s Batman, Williams voiced Two-Face in The LEGO Batman Movie. While his role was small, it finally gave Williams the opportunity to play the role he coveted for almost 30 years. There is also a six-issue comic series called Batman ’89 that was released in 2021, which followed Batman Returns and ignored the Schumacher films. This series bases Dent on Williams’ portrayal, and this time, he becomes Two-Face. How Williams’ Two-Face might have panned out in Batman Forever will remain a mystery, but he likely could have made Two-Face a more horrifying villain.
