The Flash has finally started to take form as the latest set photos of Michael Keaton reprising his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman from Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) have been revealed. Directed by Andy Muschietti, Keaton’s return into the fold once again as the Caped Crusader was met with feverish anticipation as the movie will pave the path for DC’s multiverse. Earlier this month, Muschietti had released the famous Batman logo used by Tim Burton in Batman for Michael Keaton with a few tweaks of his own on his social media handle. And now, the first set photo of an old yet suave Keaton as Bruce Wayne has been revealed. Here’s the first look:
BREAKING: We have our first look at Michael Keaton returning as Bruce Wayne in #TheFlash! pic.twitter.com/BXP7xRvarC
— Big Screen Leaks (@bigscreenleaks) June 20, 2021
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Michael Keaton, who played the role of Batman in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), became a global star for his portrayal of the Dark Knight despite being doubted by his critics for being typecast as a comedic actor prior to his casting. Keaton once again returned to the superhero genre as Adrian Toomes/The Vulture in MCU’s Spider-Man: Homecoming which was once again met with critical acclaim for his terrifying yet relatable acting performance. However, when the news of Michael Keaton returning as Batman first broke out, numerous reports were released that it might not be possible due to the actor’s jam-packed schedule. As a result, the news was fully confirmed only when the movie entered production.
“I am needing a minute to think about it because I’m so fortunate and blessed, I got so much going on now. I’m really into work right now. I don’t know why, but I am, and so, yeah, I mean, you know, to tell you the truth, somewhere on my iPad is an iteration of the whole Flash thing that I haven’t had time yet… I called them and said, I have to be honest with you. I can’t look at anything right now,” Keaton told Deadline. “I’m so deep into this thing I’m doing [Hulu series Dopesick]. Also, I’m prepping a thing I’m producing and getting ready to do down the road in the fall that I’ll be in, and I feel responsible to that.”
Drawing inspiration from the universally acclaimed The Flashpoint Paradox, Andy Muschietti’s The Flash will have both Keaton and Affleck as two distinct Dark Knights in separate timelines. While Ben Affleck’s Batman will serve as a base for Ezra Miller’s Flash, Keaton is expected to return in more of an advisory role as an older and wiser Batman.
“[Ben Affleck’s Batman] ‘s the baseline. He’s part of that unaltered state before we jump into Barry’s adventure. There’s a familiarity there,” Muschietti explained in an interview with Vanity Fair in 2020. “This movie is a bit of a hinge in the sense that it presents a story that implies a unified universe where all the cinematic iterations that we’ve seen before are valid. It’s inclusive in the sense that it is saying all that you’ve seen exists, and everything that you will see exists, in the same unified multiverse.”
Related: Ben Affleck Rumored To Return As Batman On HBO Max
Apart from Michael Keaton, Sasha Calle has also been confirmed to play the role of Supergirl, alongside Kiersey Clemons as Iris West from Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Ron Livingstone will be replacing Billy Crudup as Henry Allen in the movie.
The Flash is scheduled to release on 4th November, 2022.
