Michael Keaton in talks to return as Batman

[Silver Nemesis]

Apparently Michael Keaton is in early talks to reprise his role as Batman in The Flash movie and several other upcoming DC films. Several sources are backing this up, including The Hollywood Reporter:

Micheal Keaton in Talks to Return as Batman for 'Flash' Movie

Keaton last played the character in 1992's "Batman Returns" and skewered the idea of a faded superhero actor in 2014's Oscar-winning "Birdman."

There may be new Batman in town. And he's the same as the old Batman.

Michael Keaton, who famously starred as the Caped Crusader in the Tim Burton-directed early 1990s Batman movies, is in talks to reprise the character for Warner Bros.'s DC movie, The Flash.

Ezra Miller is on board to star as Barry Allen, AKA, the Flash, in the feature that will be directed by It filmmaker Andy Muschietti.

But wait, there's more. If a deal makes, Keaton wouldn't just return for Flash but possibly for several other DC-oriented film projects. Sources tell THR that the role being envisioned for the veteran actor is akin to the role played by Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, something of a mentor or guide or even string puller. Batgirl is one the projects in development that could fall under that win.

Warners had no comment.

Keaton was a comedic actor who was nabbed the plum role of Batman for 1989's Batman, something on which he initially took heat from fans who didn't see him as imposing or chiseled. But the movie became a sensation and the actor reprised the character for the 1992 sequel, Batman Returns. For the longest time, Keaton tried to distance himself from the part and even skewered it in 2014's Birdman, where played a faded actor who once starred in superhero movies. The part earned him an Oscar nomination for best actor.

Pattinson's The Batman is currently being looked as separate from Flash or other DC movies but the Flash feature project is offering an intriguing escape hatch to such ideas: the story is said to involve not just time travel but inter-dimensional travel. This posits the idea that those movies existed in their own timeline and, more tantalizing with the Keaton development, the idea that you can cross over from one "movie universe" to another.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/micheal-keaton-talks-return-as-batman-flash-movie-1299668

Several other sites, as well as some entertainment journalists on Twitter, are reporting the same thing. I've generally been opposed to the idea of the Flash's first solo film being a Flashpoint adaptation. But if this pans out, and we get Keaton back in the cowl, then count me in.

[johnnygobbs]

What a weird day.  My head is all over the place right now.

I saw this news first, and welcomed it with cautious excitement.  I still have some apprehension about any canonical follow-up to Batman '89 and Batman Returns that isn't directed by Tim Burton (even if I do regard Batman Forever, Batman & Robin, and even Catwoman, as loose sequels), particularly in view of the different aesthetics and mindsets that dominate today's superhero milieu.  I would not, for instance, have been happy to see Keaton appear in CW's Crisis on Infinite Earths, as I utterly despise the CW.  But the solo Flash movie is reportedly being directed by Andy Muschetti, who helmed one of my favourite genre films of the last ten years (2017's It, the sequel of which is also pretty good if not quite up to the same quality - incidentally, the first It is set during the summer of 1989, and you can even spot a theater marquee displaying 'Batman').  So, like I say, I'm cautiously excited.

I also saw the sad news, in very quick succession, of Joel Schumacher's death at the age of 80, and so, like I also say, my head is a bit all over the place at the moment, speaking as an aficionado of the Burton/Schumacher era of Batman films.

[thecolorsblend]

Apparently Michael Keaton is in early talks to reprise his role as Batman in The Flash movie and several other upcoming DC films. Several sources are backing this up, including The Hollywood Reporter:

Micheal Keaton in Talks to Return as Batman for 'Flash' Movie

Keaton last played the character in 1992's "Batman Returns" and skewered the idea of a faded superhero actor in 2014's Oscar-winning "Birdman."

There may be new Batman in town. And he's the same as the old Batman.

Michael Keaton, who famously starred as the Caped Crusader in the Tim Burton-directed early 1990s Batman movies, is in talks to reprise the character for Warner Bros.'s DC movie, The Flash.

Ezra Miller is on board to star as Barry Allen, AKA, the Flash, in the feature that will be directed by It filmmaker Andy Muschietti.

But wait, there's more. If a deal makes, Keaton wouldn't just return for Flash but possibly for several other DC-oriented film projects. Sources tell THR that the role being envisioned for the veteran actor is akin to the role played by Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, something of a mentor or guide or even string puller. Batgirl is one the projects in development that could fall under that win.

Warners had no comment.

Keaton was a comedic actor who was nabbed the plum role of Batman for 1989's Batman, something on which he initially took heat from fans who didn't see him as imposing or chiseled. But the movie became a sensation and the actor reprised the character for the 1992 sequel, Batman Returns. For the longest time, Keaton tried to distance himself from the part and even skewered it in 2014's Birdman, where played a faded actor who once starred in superhero movies. The part earned him an Oscar nomination for best actor.

Pattinson's The Batman is currently being looked as separate from Flash or other DC movies but the Flash feature project is offering an intriguing escape hatch to such ideas: the story is said to involve not just time travel but inter-dimensional travel. This posits the idea that those movies existed in their own timeline and, more tantalizing with the Keaton development, the idea that you can cross over from one "movie universe" to another.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/micheal-keaton-talks-return-as-batman-flash-movie-1299668

Several other sites, as well as some entertainment journalists on Twitter, are reporting the same thing. I've generally been opposed to the idea of the Flash's first solo film being a Flashpoint adaptation. But if this pans out, and we get Keaton back in the cowl, then count me in.

This seems a little too good to be true. If it was anything besides the Hollywood Reporter, I'd probably reject the entire idea as absurd. As it stands, it still seems too good to be true. But I'm willing to kick back and let things happen however they need to happen. Anything that brings Keaton back to Batman in any capacity whatsoever is automatically good in my book.

[Silver Nemesis]

It does sound far too good to be true, but I can't help getting my hopes up. West and Keaton are my two favourite live action Batmen, and I still maintain Keaton was the best of the Warner Bros actors. The other Batmen were physically closer to the Bruce Wayne in the comics, but Keaton's performance was magic. As Steve Englehart said:

For my money, Christian Bale looked like Batman on the outside but Keaton looked like Batman on the inside, which is where Batman lives.

https://13thdimension.com/batman-89-an-appreciation-by-steve-englehart/

I've been wanting Keaton back as Batman since I was a child. I remember discussing the idea with friends on the school playground after Batman & Robin came out. And now, 23 years later, it might just happen.

I have a dream of a Keaton Batman movie trilogy:

•   Batman
•   Batman Returns
•   Batman Beyond

This news brings that dream one step closer to fruition. Now I just need Marvel to announce Charlie Cox is returning as Daredevil.

[Silver Nemesis]

The Wrap has posted some alleged plot details explaining how Bat-Keaton will cross over with the DCEU. If this is true, then Schumacher's movies will no longer be canonical sequels to the Burton films.

Keaton last played Batman in 1992's "Batman Returns," but quit the role during development of a third film after Burton was pushed out as director and replaced with Joel Schumacher, who took the series in a campier direction with 1995's "Batman Forever" and its much-reviled 1997 follow up "Batman & Robin."

But "The Flash" will disregard the latter two entries entirely, and explore what Keaton's version of Batman has been up since we last saw him. Loosely based on the 2011 DC Comics crossover event "Flashpoint" — previously announced as the film's title at Comic-Con 2017 — the story sees Ezra Miller's Barry Allen travel back in time to prevent the death of his mother. The result? Allen inadvertently creates another universe protected by Michael Keaton's Batman, now 30 years older.

https://www.thewrap.com/batman-returns-michael-keaton-bruce-wayne-the-flash-movie/

[johnnygobbs]

The Wrap has posted some alleged plot details explaining how Bat-Keaton will cross over with the DCEU. If this is true, then Schumacher's movies will no longer be canonical sequels to the Burton films.

Shame about the timing...

Honestly, I consider Forever and B&R to be canon to the Burton films, but ideally we'd be getting a genuine sequel to Returns, or a Pfeiffer Catwoman spin-off.

[The Joker]

"Oh, what a day."   

[Travesty]

Keaton back in a new Flash movie? Yes, sign me up. Let's do this.

Hopefully this pans out, because this sounds awesome. And it doesn't hurt Affleck's Batman, JP's Joker or Robert Pattinson's Batman, in fact, it just makes it that much more badass that the multiverse could be an actual thing for the DCEU.

I like this rumor a lot!

[The Dark Knight]

Dreams are becoming realities.

I don't consider BF or B&R pure canon to the Burronverse, so ignoring them is exactly what I would want. At Keaton's current age, if he's ever going to return the time is now. We've waited around long enough, and for something that had a slim to none chance or happening in the first place.

Anything that gives us more Keaton Batman IN THE FLESH has my total support. Even if that means he's mentoring a Burtonverse version of Batgirl rather than Terry - which would still give us the same mentor role we want to see. The fact we're even debating this as a live option is insane.

Late last year this was raised:

I'd usually dismiss this, and while doubt levels are still high, I'm not so sure I can.

Keaton is set to appear at a comic convention and he has also written the foreword to the new Batman hardcover book. His role as the Vulture in Homecoming is more proof he's more open to this stuff. This is my own indulgence, but with the passing of Adam West, perhaps he has loosened up further about his place in the franchise? He always says he IS Batman.

JOKER's legacy being standalone films unconnected to other continuity would be fantastic. Do we really need to wait for an era to end before we can do something else? I don't think so. We are all intelligent enough to know if something is separate from the Pattinson or Affleck timelines.

Keaton's return would be the biggest Batman event in...well...ever.

It'll probably go nowhere. But if the thought bubble is out there, that's a start.

I can see Keaton agreeing to this, much for the reasons I posted above in the quoted post.

Apparently Jeffrey Dean Morgan is in talks for Flashpoint Batman, too. So add in ZSJL, The Batman, WBGM's game and now this Keaton news....the fandom is entering a special place despite prior frustrations.

[The Laughing Fish]

If Keaton were to come back on a more regular basis, then I guess the chances of a Batman Beyond adaptation is greater than ever.

If this happens then it goes to show that DC are really embracing that multiverse concept for live action, as they already started with Ezra Miller's Flash cameo in Crisis on Infinite Earths.

I wonder if there is any truth to the rumours of Jeffrey Dean Morgan reprising his role as Thomas Wayne, but as Flashpoint Batman?