Entertainment
Everyone Is Wrong About Batman Forever
By Robert Scucci
| Published
Of all the Batman movies that have been released over the past several decades, 1995’s Batman Forever receives what I consider to be a lot of unnecessary hate. Losing points among die-hard Batman fans for being incredibly campy and over-the-top when compared to Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman returns (and Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight series), Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever isn’t remembered fondly because it’s not dark and brooding like its predecessors or successors, but rather bright, explosive, stylish, and corny, much like the 1960s iteration of Batman that featured Adam West as the Dark Knight and Burt Ward as Robin.
I don’t necessarily see this stylistic pivot as a reason to hate on Batman Forever because when you look at any movie critically, you need to consider one very important aspect regardless of what critics and audiences say: did the movie accomplish what it set out to do?
I think yes.
Not The Best, But Definitely Not The Worst
I’m going to first extend an olive branch because I need to go on record saying that Michael Keaton is the best Batman, bar none, because of his dry wit and deadpan delivery. Christian Bale working under Chistopher Nolan’s direction in the Dark Knight Trilogy is a close second for me because of how Nolan spent a considerable amount of time building up the backstories and emotional through lines that carried a significant amount of weight throughout the film series, all of which having tremendous payoffs that will stand the test of time.
I also need to go on record saying that Batman Forever’s ill-fated followup, 1997’s Batman & Robin is wholly deserving of its 12 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes for bringing George Clooney, who has publicly (and rightfully) disavowed his portrayal of Batman, into the mix.
But watching Batman Forever in a vacuum instead of comparing it to other adjacent intellectual properties makes for a better viewing experience because it did exactly what it set out to do. Remember, Batman Returns, my personal favorite Batman flick, was so heavy and dark that kids left the theater crying. In fact, Roger Ebert thought Batman Returns’ PG-13 rating was a joke because of how not kid friendly it was.
In other words, Batman Forever’s more light-hearted and campy approach, while not received well by long-time fans of the franchise, made logical sense from a financial standpoint because Batman Returns was considered a box office disappointment despite its $266 million earnings, as 1989’s Batman earned about $150 million more, making it the sixth-highest-grossing film in history at the time of its release.
Batman Forever’s Marketing Hype
Growing up, I distinctly remember Batman Forever’s release being a cultural event – there were McDonald’s collaborations, Six Flags Great Adventure amusement parks had themed tie-ins and rides, its soundtrack reached the number five spot on the US Billboard 200 (even with that god awful U2 song leading the charge), and several video games related to the movie all saw releases to get everybody hyped.
Knowing how over-hyped projects tend to get the wind taken out of their sails upon their release because there’s no possible way they can live up to the lofty expectations made by their own aggressive marketing campaigns, I have reason to believe that Batman Forever was a victim of its own promotional material because everybody I knew was absolutely pumped ahead of its release, and gravely disappointed when they didn’t get what they expected.
Appreciate It For What It Is
Behind the scenes, Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones, who played the Riddler and Two-Face respectively, did not get along, to the point where Jones told Carrey to his face, “I hate you. I really don’t like you … I cannot sanction your buffoonery.” As Batman Forever’s two adversarial antagonists, this dynamic played out tremendously on-screen because both villains reluctantly worked together to take down Batman, and some of that animosity we see between the Riddler and Two-Face in the final cut was coming from a genuinely adversarial place behind the scenes.
Val Kilmer’s portrayal of Batman and Bruce Wayne also actually has some depth to it, as he experiences vivid flashbacks about his parent’s murder while unpacking his personal demons with Nicole Kidman’s Dr. Chase Meridian, his love interest and de facto psychologist in Batman Forever. Perfectly foiling Bruce Wayne/Batman’s secretive, lone-wolf disposition is Chris O’Donnell’s Dick Grayson, the young acrobat who wants to avenge the death of his parents after their run-in with Two-Face, and forces Bruce’s hand to allow him to suit up, call himself Robin, and become his partner.
The Batman/Robin dynamic in Batman Forever ends up paying off because Bruce explains in no uncertain terms to Dick that becoming a vigilante for the sake of revenge will corrode one’s soul, leaving them with a profound feeling of emptiness if they can’t find it within themselves to rally for a larger, more universal cause like keeping the streets of Gotham safe so other ruthless crime lords don’t have the opportunity to tear more families apart. Dick’s stubborn unwillingness to listen to Bruce pays off because when Batman finds himself in an impossible jam in Batman Forever’s third act, he comes to the realization that he can’t go alone in his crusade, and a partnership is finally forged to save the day.
Streaming Batman Forever
At the end of the day, Batman Forever isn’t among the best of the best Batman movies, but its successful in establishing easily digestible backstories, is visually charming in the sense that its fluorescent aesthetic makes it a perfect popcorn movie full of action that has no right being so colorful, and has a form of over-the-top charisma that makes you want to yell “ZIP!” and “POW!” whenever our heroes start throwing hands with their common enemies. For whatever reason you may want to dunk on Batman Forever, you might want to reconsider giving it a rewatch one of these days because it’s hypnotically campy, endlessly entertaining, and never fails to embrace its own inherent silliness.
Batman Forever, which is currently streaming on Max, should be loved for what it is, not hated for not being what it’s not trying to be.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 1, 2026
Today’s Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you believe in coincidences.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
A coincidence.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter F.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
FLUKE
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
Entertainment
How to watch Zimbabwe vs. South Africa in the 2026 T20 World Cup online for free
TL;DR: Live stream Zimbabwe vs. South Africa in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free on ICC.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The 2026 T20 World Cup action this weekend is absolutely electric. A lot of fans will be tuning into the huge clash between India and West Indies later today, but for an exciting warm up, Zimbabwe face off against South Africa.
Zimbabwe did well to make this stage of the competition, but they’ve lost both their games in the second group stage. South Africa have looked formidable, and will want to continue their run of wins before the semi finals. Expect an action-packed contest between two talented sides.
If you want to watch Zimbabwe vs. South Africa in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Zimbabwe vs. South Africa?
Zimbabwe vs. South Africa in the 2026 T20 World Cup starts at 4:30 a.m. ET on March 1. This game takes place at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium.
How to watch Zimbabwe vs. South Africa for free
Zimbabwe vs. South Africa in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup is available to live stream for free on ICC.TV.
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This free live stream on ICC.TV is only available in select regions (see full list of territories here), but anyone can live stream the T20 Cricket World Cup for free with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with free access. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can live stream on ICC.TV from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Zimbabwe vs. South Africa in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free by following these simple steps:
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Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
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Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
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Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access
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Visit ICC.TV
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Watch the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free from anywhere in the world
$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every game from the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you’ll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for ICC.TV?
ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ICC.TV, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
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Fast connection speeds
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Up to 10 simultaneous connections
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30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Watch the 2026 T20 World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.
Entertainment
Hurdle hints and answers for March 1, 2026
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it’ll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
If you find yourself stuck at any step of today’s Hurdle, don’t worry! We have you covered.
Hurdle Word 1 hint
Mixed metals.
Hurdle Word 1 answer
ALLOY
Hurdle Word 2 hint
A popular board game.
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Hurdle Word 2 Answer
CHESS
Hurdle Word 3 hint
The edge of the beach.
Hurdle Word 3 answer
COAST
Hurdle Word 4 hint
Milk-based.
Hurdle Word 4 answer
DAIRY
Final Hurdle hint
A Spanish character.
Hurdle Word 5 answer
TILDE
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
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