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Michael Keaton is reportedly preparing to reprise his role as Batman, but not in the movie you might be expecting. First reported by The Wrap and confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, Keaton is currently in talks to appear in the upcoming Flash movie, appearing alongside Ezra Miller's Barry Allen. (Here's how we think the return of Keaton's Batman in The Flash could change the DC movie universe moving forward.)According to THR, Keaton's role won't be a simple cameo or one-off appearance. Instead, Warners hopes to include him as a recurring character in upcoming DC films, in a role compared to the one filled by Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.THR writes, "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."
This will mark Keaton's first time reprising the role in almost 30 years. Keaton previously played Bruce Wayne and his alter ego in 1989's Batman and 1992's Batman Returns, both directed by Tim Burton. At one point both Burton and Keaton were expected to return for a third movie, but both dropped out and Val Kilmer took over the Batman role in 1995's Batman Forever (which just celebrated its 25th anniversary). Keaton has previously voiced an interest in returning to the role, but only if Burton directs. It would seem he's changed his mind in that regard.
THR doesn't indicate how Keaton's Batman will be drawn into the DCEU, but it's probably safe to assume Miller's speedster hero will open a breach between alternate DC Universes during the course of the movie. With Keaton's version of Bruce Wayne being positioned as an aging mentor figure, a la Batman Beyond, the studio may be looking to replace Ben Affleck's Batman with this alternate universe doppelganger.
The Wrap writes the film's plot "will introduce general audiences to the idea of the multiverse, one of the of core concepts underpinning DC Comics… Matt Reeves upcoming “The Batman” will not be affected and Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne is still viewed as the future of the franchise."
Interestingly, this wouldn't be the first time a link has been formed between the DCEU and the world of Burton's Batman. The first episode of The CW's Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover features a cameo of the Burton-verse, labeled Earth-89. While Keaton himself doesn't appear in that scene, Robert Wuhl does reprise his role as journalist Alexander Knox. A later episode of Crisis featured an unexpected meeting between Grant Gustin and Miller's versions of Barry Allen. Could the Flash movie build on the events of Crisis?The Flash Movie's Possible DCEU CameosAndy Muschietti (Stephen King's It) is set to direct the long-gestating Flash movie. In January, Muschietti reiterated the movie will be offering its own take on the iconic Flashpoint storyline, which previously inspired elements of the Flash TV series and 2013's Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. The Flash is currently scheduled to open June 3, 2022.
For more on the Flash movie, check out how Michael Keaton's Batman could completely change the DCEU. And in unhappy DC movie news, we learned today that Batman Forever director Joel Schumacher has died.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
