In a surprising move, DC is bringing back a famous Batman actor in the new Flash movie to play Batman! Despite the presence of Ben Affleck’s Batman in the upcoming Snyder Cut version of Justice League and Robert Pattinson already filming a new Batman movie, Warner Brothers’ DC Film Division is bring back actor Micheal Keaton to reprise his role from the Batman Tim Burton trilogy.
Early reports had indicated that The Walking Dead star Jeffery Dean Morgan who played Ben Aflleck’s Batman’s father in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, could return in the new Flash movie. In the comics, when Flash Barry Allen runs back in time to reverse the death of his mother, he inexplicably changes things including making Thomas Wayne the Batman instead of his son Bruce.
Keaton Returns as Batman in latest Flash movie
.@MichaelKeaton, who famously starred as the Caped Crusader in the 1990s #Batman movies, is in talks to reprise the character for Warner Bros.’s #TheFlash https://t.co/Vq0z0SooAD
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 22, 2020
Keaton played Batman in the 1989 film Batman and followed that up with two more popular outings. It is now believed that the actor will don the iconic cape once again to play an older, weathered version of that character for the new Flash movie.
Read more: Martin Scorsese’s New Marvel Comments Repeat “Theme Park” Line – Collider.com
It is believed that meddling of time by Barry Allen, currently set to be played by Ezra Miller, will result in changes in the Burton’s world of Batman and will lead to the two meeting. Fans have already gotten a taste of alternate universes, and The Flash’s ability to cross over as the Ezra Miller Flash briefly appeared in CW’s popular Flash show where he did so using his super speed.
The new film comes from the director of IT, Andy Muschetti and it is rumored that he will adapt the well liked Flashpoint storyline. Ezra Miller who played the Flash on three separate occasions already recently landed in hot waters when a video of him choking a fan made people think he might just get fired off the project.
Read more: Marvel Superheroes coming back with a bang! Several Super-Series planned
Other actors originally involved with the project involve Kiersey Clemmons the actress set to play Iris West, has also been rumored to not appear in this movie. Plus, the Flash movie in development now has seen more than 3 previous directors depart. So it is safe to say that this is DC and WB’s riskiest project yet with so much up in the air.
Flash will also feature in upcoming Justice League
The story for Andy Muschietti’s ‘THE FLASH’ follows Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen as he travels back in time to prevent his mother’s death.
However, he inadvertently creates another universe protected by Michael Keaton’s Batman, now 30 years older.
(Source: https://t.co/CsMbdG9m9b) pic.twitter.com/EL1ugINDO6
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 22, 2020
Ezra’s Flash is next set to appear in the Snyder Cut of Justice League. The film turned streaming project is shrouded in secrecy after it was revealed that the fan campaign to give director Zack Snyder the reins of the superhero team-up movie had worked.
For those in the dark, Snyder had shot some of his Justice League film before his child’s suicide lead to him leaving the project and the film being given to Avengers director Joss Whedon. However Whedon’s changes resulted in a movie panned by critics, and left unseen by fans, leading to a surprise box office flop.
Read more: From Captan Marvel to Spider Man: 10 Most Powerful Avengers
Now WB’s new streaming division has decided to allow Snyder to do reshoots and add additional scenes to make the film true to his original vision. It is unclear if it will be a full movie or given the Web series treatment, as in chopped up into a few parts but it is likely to be the latter.
HBO Max has struggled to bring in new customers after the ongoing pandemic delayed filming of projects that were supposed to be good to go on the streaming service’s launch. Now WB is hoping that the promise of the new Justice League project will inspire people to sign up.
DC is planning its much-awaited online fan event later next month though, so it is likely that it will release information about the new Flash film then.
Usama Masood Ahmad is an entertainment writer and research analyst at Global Village Space.