3) Bruce Overcomes His Guilt – Batman Forever
Tim Burton was basically fired from the third Batman movie following a backlash to the dark tone of Returns, as Warner Bros. were keen on a more family-friendly entry. As a result, Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever was considerably campier, but the director’s original cut suggested a darker film.
The darkness was toned down for cinemas, with a major subplot involving Bruce overcoming guilt about his parent’s murder being removed. After The Riddler’s attack on Wayne Manor, Bruce was supposed to be left with amnesia, and wander into the Batcave to face his fears. There, he finds his father’s old diary, which revealed it was his idea to go to the cinema that night, not Bruce’s.
Absolved of his guilt, Bruce then faces a giant bat, and while the effects are cheesy, it was still a surprisingly emotional scene. In the final cut, Bruce still feels this guilt, but gets no resolution over it.