Batgirl (2022)

[The Laughing Fish]

Recently, in a now deleted tweet, Twitter user @the_iain_shaw revealed a prop newspaper he found on King Street in Glasgow that seems to suggest that more than just Keaton's Batman will be transplanted into the DCEU by the events of The Flash.
...

It seems to read "A COMEBACK FOR COBBLEPOT", which is likely a reference to Oswald Cobblepot AKA The Penguin. The newspaper is an issue of the Gotham Globe, a fictional newspaper previously seen in Batman Returns. The paper's logo is the same as the one seen in the Burtonverse. The image can be seen below, via Twitter user @drisraelluna.

https://web.archive.org/web/20220222161520/https://screenrant.com/batgirl-movie-set-photos-penguin-danny-devito/

I saw this photo of the newspaper prop, it has been taken down now. The prop was folded underneath, but you could tell what the headline print was saying, as quoted in that source.

While it's very unlikely Penguin will make an appearance in this movie or any planned follow-ups, this shows yet again it's a completely different universe from the Burton canon. You'd have to be delusional to deny the likelihood at this stage. If they're planning to retcon Penguin, even as an Easter egg, there's no reason why anyone should expect the Jack Napier Joker stuff will be retained. Same probably goes for the BR Catwoman too. Even if Penguin does appear, I strongly doubt he'd look like his BR counterpart anyway. For all we know, he probably wouldn't be played by DeVito either, given his age after all.

Again, I'm not impressed at all. Keaton's return is less of a comeback, and more of a reboot. I just don't see the point in bringing him back if his original canon that everyone remembers and cherishes gets discarded. They might think Keaton will bring more eyes to stream Batgirl, but where's the nostalgia factor if his world (and maybe the character's personality too?) is completely unrecognisable? Forget about The Flash, if you were going to make a new timeline for Batgirl then make a completely new movie altogether with new actors. Not make this jumbled mess.

As for the Lex Luthor spelt with an 'E'? This is the second time they've done this. I'm starting to think this was done on purpose for whatever reason, but that's trivial compared to these significant changes to the world that Keaton's Batman now lives in.

[thecolorsblend]

DeVito seems to have a lot of affection for that character. I can't prove it but I would imagine that if someone invites him to come back, he'd relish that opportunity.

[The Dark Knight]

Only this Batman won't have Alfred to patch him up, which would make such a defeat harder to bounce back from. I wonder if the film will address how the Burtonverse Alfred died. Old age, MacGregor's Syndrome, or did one of the villains kill him?

I'd rather they avoid the MacGregor's Syndrome angle and keep that to the Schumacherverse. A villain killing Gough would be brutal. I'm leaning on the side of old age - perhaps a heart attack like TDK Returns. Brought upon by excessive worry about Bruce's wellbeing due to his advancing age and refusal to retire. A beatdown by a gruesome heavy validates Alfred's original concern, and thus weighs heavy on Keaton's soul. He was told but he didn't listen. His crusade nearly cost both of their lives. I see the thematic possibilities there.

[Silver Nemesis]

DeVito seems to have a lot of affection for that character. I can't prove it but I would imagine that someone invites him to come back, he'd relish that opportunity.

I reckon he'd return if they asked him. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if they already have, and if DeVito's bizarre contribution to last year's Gotham City Villains special was his way of reconnecting with the character. If he does appear in any future DCEU films, I'd expect his role to be limited to a cameo. He'd probably be portrayed more in line with the traditional comic book Penguin, which is what fans were expecting back in 1992, and would be shown running the Iceberg Lounge. I can't see them making Oswald a major villain in any upcoming DCEU movies, simply because Farrell's version looks set to play a prominent role in the Reevesverse. But a DCEU cameo from DeVito sounds plausible to me.

Saying that, the Penguin reference in the newspaper article is probably just something a prop maker threw in as a gag. But if there were plans for Oswald to appear, then I wouldn't rule out DeVito from playing the part.

[Gotham Knight]

A big truck showed up on set. Everyone is convinced that the batmobile is about to make an appearance.

[The Dark Knight]

A big truck showed up on set. Everyone is convinced that the batmobile is about to make an appearance.

No guarantees he would be using the Furst design either - some Batfleck elements will carry over to the new timeline, and that may include the BvS mobile.

[thecolorsblend]

A big truck showed up on set. Everyone is convinced that the batmobile is about to make an appearance.

No guarantees he would be using the Furst design either - some Batfleck elements will carry over to the new timeline, and that may include the BvS mobile.

Eh. I mean, yeah. Maybe.

But while I can picture the Burtonverse continuity getting some kind of tweak, I would be shocked if the aesthetics and iconography change too much. Nothing is impossible. But the Furst Batmobile is nearly as iconic as Keaton himself playing the character. It would be totally out of left field to give him a completely different Batmobile.

[Gotham Knight]

[Gotham Knight]

a look at firefly:

[Gotham Knight]