While there has been no shortage of Batman in the realm of live-action, we’re still due for a live-action adaptation of one of the most influential Batman stories of all time. After crafting the definitive Batman experience with Batman: The Animated Series, Bruce Timm once again outdid himself with 1999’s Batman Beyond, set 40 years after the events of BTAS.
Despite being decades old, the series still remains beloved by the fandom, and fans were ecstatic when it was rumored that a live-action adaptation with Michael Keaton might be heading our way. Even though it is no longer the case, Timm felt Keaton was perfect to play the part.
Bruce Timm Entertained the Idea of Michael Keaton as Batman Beyond‘s Bruce Wayne
While The Flash had many issues that contributed to its box-office failure last year, Michael Keaton‘s Batman wasn’t one of them and arguably was the best part of the entire film. Following his return, it was heavily rumored that he’d lead a Batman Beyond adaptation, which fans have been importing for years, but with the regime change and The Flash’s failure, the plans were scrapped.
Although there are no talks of a BB adaptation in sight, when asked about his viewpoint on the subject, Bruce Timm found the idea of Keaton playing an older Bruce Wayne intriguing. Timm said.:
“Honestly, I think the idea of Michael Keaton doing it is cool. Honestly, he looks a little too good… I know he’s probably in his mid-60s now, but he looks pretty damn good for being over 60. I like my old Bruce Wayne to be like really old. But, who knows? It could certainly still work. He looks like he could kick most guys’ a–es.”
Timm was right when he said, “He (Keaton) looks like he could kick most guys’ a–es,” which was apparent in The Flash, with Keaton proving he’s still got it as Gotham’s brooding vigilante.
A Clint Eastwood-Led Batman Beyond Was Once in the Talks
Not long after Batman Beyond‘s success, Paul Dini, one of the creators of the show, recalled being approached by WB for a live-action adaptation of the story, which would’ve starred Clint Eastwood.
Set in a future Gotham, the film would’ve adopted a similar tone to Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy, but as the story goes, it never came to fruition.
Speaking on Kevin Smith’s Fatman on Batman podcast (via Collider), Dini said:
“There was a little bit of The Dark Knight, there was a little bit of contemporary comics and there was Terry McGinnis and the suit and everything.”
Considering James Gunn and Peter Safran are open to Elseworld stories, fans will hope a Keaton-led Batman Beyond feature is eventually greenlit in the coming years,
Batman Beyond is available to stream on Max.
