Died at 66
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Val Edward Kilmer (December 31, 1959 – April 1, 2025) was an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! (1984), then the cult classic Real Genius (1985), as well as blockbuster action films, including a role in Top Gun and a lead role in Willow. During the 1990s, Kilmer gained critical respect after a series of films that were also commercially successful, including his roles as Jim Morrison in The Doors, Doc Holliday in 1993's Tombstone, Batman in 1995's Batman Forever, Chris Shiherlis in 1995's Heat, and Simon Templar in 1997's The Saint. During the early 2000s, Kilmer appeared in several well-received roles, including The Salton Sea, Spartan, and supporting performances in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Alexander, and as the voice of KITT in Knight Rider.
Fables is a comic book series created by Bill Willingham, published by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint. It ran from 2002 to 2015. It follows a huge ensemble of characters from fairy tales / folklore who escaped from a being called "The Adversary" and now hide in a small community called Fabletown, which is located in modern-day New York City. In 2005, NBC began working on a TV adaptation of Fables, but it was canceled soon after. However, a few years later, NBC created a show called Grimm that had a similar premise, yet differed from Fables enough to confirm that there was no connection. In 2008, ABC began working on a TV adaptation of Fables, but it too was canceled soon after. However, a few years later, just like NBC, ABC released a show called Once Upon a Time, which had a similar premise, but it, too, differed from Fables enough to confirm that there was no connection. In 2015, Warner Bros. was developing a film adaptation of Fables, but it too was canceled. It seems like every time Fables gets close enough to an on-screen adaptation, it gets canceled. The characters of Fables aren't just the generic fairy tale characters. They're unique in their own ways. So are the storylines, which is how Fables fans know that there was never any connection between Fables and Grimm or Once Upon a Time. Those who have read the comics know how special this series is, and a live-action adaptation needs to be perfect.
