Val Kilmer’s final words before death: “I’m Ready” — Actor reflects on Batman Forever, his epic 1995 film

“I’m ready… It’s been a while.”

These were the quietly powerful words Val Kilmer shared in what would become one of his final Instagram posts—a haunting nod to his time as Batman.

The Hollywood actor, who died of pneumonia at 65, posted the video on February 23.

In it, Kilmer can be seen holding a handmade Batman mask to his face, standing beside a piece of art he created in tribute to the caped crusader. The moment has since resonated with fans, capturing both nostalgia and vulnerability in one frame.

Kilmer’s legacy spans iconic roles—from Iceman in Top Gun to Jim Morrison in The Doors—but his turn as Bruce Wayne in 1995’s Batman Forever remains one of his most talked-about performances.

Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film also starred Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Tommy Lee Jones, and Chris O’Donnell. Kilmer took over the Batman mantle from Michael Keaton, only to be succeeded by George Clooney two years later.

His decision to accept the role came with a dose of spontaneity. “I just said yes, without reading the script,” Kilmer admitted in an interview with Entertainment Tonight ahead of the film’s release.

“Everything was different about this job than I’d experienced before.”

But that decision came with challenges. On-set tensions were widely reported, with Schumacher later describing Kilmer as “the most psychologically troubled human being I’ve ever worked with,” adding: “The tools I used working with him were the tools I use on my 5-year-old godson.”

Kilmer addressed his reputation for being “difficult” in a candid Reddit AMA in 2017:

“I didn’t do enough hand-holding and reassuring to the financiers… I only cared about the acting, and that didn’t translate to caring about the film or the money. That was foolish of me.”

In 2014, Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer, a battle he documented in the raw and moving 2021 documentary Val. Though his health forced him to step back from acting and altered his voice permanently, he never stopped creating—through art, writing, and moments like his Batman video, shared with fans across the world.

His final post now stands as a moving farewell—one last whisper from a man who once wore the cape and, in his own way, never quite took it off.

With inputs from The Independent and Entertainment Tonight.