“You wanna get nuts? Let’s get nuts!” As crazy as it may sound to fans of modern comic book films, Michael Keaton is officially set to return to the role of Batman for the first time in nearly thirty years. Keaton will be taking up the cape and cowl again in Warner Brothers’ latest DC Comics film, The Flash (2022), where he will once again portray the same version of Batman that we previously saw him as in Tim Burton‘s Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992).
Keaton has been rumored to appear in the film for months. Warner Bros. even alluded to Keaton appearing in the upcoming The Flash film alongside Justice League star Ezra Miller. But with the ongoing global pandemic, Keaton was hesitant to join the production, which officially began shooting in London this week.
As recently as last month, Keaton was unsure of his involvement with the project. He even told Deadline in an interview that he may not actually be appearing in The Flash due to his COVID-19 concerns, saying:
To be honest with you, you know what worries me more than anything about all this stuff? It’s COVID. I’m more concerned. I keep my eye more on the COVID situation in the UK than anything. That will determine everything, and so that’s why I’m living outside the city here on 17 acres, staying away from everybody, because the COVID thing has got me really concerned. So, that’s my first thing about all projects. I look at it and go, is this thing going to kill me, literally? And you know, if it doesn’t, then we talk.
As production kicks off, Keaton’s talent agency has confirmed that he will officially be starring in The Flash as Batman and that the actor has joined the rest of the cast in the U.K.
Michael Keaton made his debut as the Dark Knight in director Tim Burton’s superhero blockbuster, Batman (1989). The film was a massive success that proved to general audiences that superheroes didn’t need to be so campy to be entertaining; essentially reinventing the entire genre an entire generation before comic book films were the hits they are today.
While his performance was praised in its time and is looked back on fondly today, Keaton was considered a controversial choice when he was first cast in the role of the DC Comics hero. At the time he was largely known for his roles in comedy hits like Mr. Mom (1983), Johnny Dangerously (1984), and Beetlejuice (1988), and comic book fans weren’t sure if he would be able to handle the dark and brooding demeanor of the world’s greatest detective. Thankfully Keaton proved them wrong and the rest is history!
Keaton would make one more appearance as Batman in the 1992 sequel, Batman Returns, where Tim Burton would amp up the gothic overtones and embrace his weirdness in a big way. The film was once again a huge success financially, but audiences had mixed reactions to the darker tone of the film. Burton was replaced as director for the third Batman film. Keaton didn’t take too kindly to losing Burton and decided to make his exit as well rather than star in the much campier new take on the hero in Batman Forever with director Joel Schumacher. There would be one more sequel in the series, Batman and Robin (1997), before it was put on ice and eventually rebooted.
To avoid any confusion or cross-camp-contamination, The Flash is set to ignore the later Keaton-less Batman films entirely. Instead, it will pick up with Michael Keaton’s version of Batman from Batman Returns, three decades later, and let fans know just what he has been up to all this time. The film is said to be very loosely based on aspects of the 2011 DC Comics event “Flashpoint,” which had a heavy focus on time travel and alternate realities.
The Flash will be directed by Andy Muschietti and stars Ezra Miller, Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, Ron Livingston, Kiersey Clemons, Maribel Verdu, and Sasha Calle. The film is expected to release in theaters on November 4, 2022.
Are you excited to see Michael Keaton will be back in the Batsuit? Or would you prefer we move on to new generations of caped crusaders? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section below and stick around Geek Anything for more updates on the DC Cinematic Universe!
