Michael Keaton: I Left Batman Movie Franchise Because Script For 'Batman Forever' 'Sucked'

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- "It sucked."

Actor Michael Keaton didn't pull any punches in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter's "Award Chatter" podcast when he was asked why he didn't continue his role as Batman in the movie franchise in the 1990s.

"It sucked. The script never was good," Keaton said, referring to the 1995 Joel Schumacher-directed "Batman Forever."

Tim Burton directed the first two superhero movies Keaton was in: 1989's "Batman" and 1992's "Batman Returns."

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Keaton said he didn't like Schumacher's direction of trying to make Batman more bright and colorful, and not the dark figure he was in the first two movies.

"I didn't understand why he wanted to do what he wanted to do," Keaton explained. "I hung on for many meeting … but I knew it was in trouble when he said, 'Why does everything have to be so dark?'"

Keaton continued, "I just can't do it. Not like I'm above it, but maybe I'm enough of an artist to go, 'I just don't think I can do this without blowing my brains out.'"

Val Kilmer took over for Keaton in "Batman Forever."