Michael Keaton’s potential return to the function of Batman/Bruce Wayne raises obvious questions about how this may affect Robert Pattinson’s The Batman movie. Michael Keaton is in talks to reprise his Batman role in The Flash movie, set to arrive at 2022. The star beautifully portrayed the Dark Knight in Tim Burton’s genre-defining Batman back in 1989, and his return will undoubtedly be welcomed by legions of fans keen to see their youth Batman come back to the display. But with Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which will comprise Robert Pattinson’s highly-anticipated take on the character, set for a 2021 release, Keaton’s potential reappearance raises obvious questions about whether the upcoming Batman reboot is going to be impacted.
The Flash was in development at Warner Bros. for some time, with many directors picking up and dropping the job. It looks as though Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen will look in 2022, in a movie which will reportedly feature Keaton – though his look remains to be formally verified – in a narrative that sets up the DC multiverse and potentially has wide-ranging consequences for its DCEU as a whole. There is even talk of Keaton emerging in the upcoming Batgirl movie. Meanwhile, The Batman has gone through its share of development issues, transforming from a Ben Affleck-helmed standalone film to its present incarnation, which has been just recently given the green light to restart filming in the united kingdom after a corona-induced delay.
Even though The Batman’s story will happen within its self-contained world – similar to Joker – the potential establishment of this multiverse in The Flash signifies anything that might happen in the DCEU post-2022. At this time, DC and Warner Bros.’ plans for the future are unclear, but some things remain certain. Here’s what Michael Keaton’s Batman reunite signifies of the film of Robert Pattinson.
Robert Pattinson’s The Batman Is A Separate Story
The Batman tells its own, standalone story set in an original world of manager Matt Reeves’ creation. That essentially means, regardless of what happens from 2022 when The Flash debuts, the forthcoming Batman reboot will almost surely be unaffected by the Keaton revelation. Reeves is thought to be crafting a detective noir story that will feature a Batman in the early stages of his career. With old-fashioned crime-solving along with a distinctive lo-fi aesthetic, evidenced by official shots of Pattinson’s Batsuit and Batmobile, taking center-stage now around, the film is likely to feature a far more grounded take on the Dark Knight than Ben Affleck’s version – significance time traveling and Batmen of old will probably not be making an appearance.
It is apparent Warner Bros. has let Reeves the chance to establish his own distinct version of Gotham City and its various characters. With Colin Farrell’s The Penguin, Paul Dano’s Riddler, and Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman set to appear alongside Pattinson’s version of Batman, and the film will already have a whole lot on its plate when it comes to balancing plot points and character introductions. The fact that the movie is going to be a narrative is a positive in this respect as it allows Reeves to set his universe without linking his story to events in the wider DCEU. Possessing the movie exist outside the fantastical world of Justice League, or Magic Woman also allows the manager to double down on his more realistic depiction of this iconic hero. A time-travel plot that delivers the aging Burton-era, Bruce Wayne, into Reeves’ universe could be a lot for The Batman to package into its runtime, no matter whether such a narrative fit into Reeves’ more realistic world.
The Batman Can Be Made DCEU Canon By The Flash Movie
With all this said, there are still big questions about how the possible return of Michael Keaton could impact Reeves’ Batman universe going forward. While it appears almost sure that The Batman will not feature Keaton’s variant of this hero or some time travel components, The Flash is said to be introducing what could be a significant change for DC movies in general. The movie’s narrative will mirror the Flashpoint storyline in the comic books and will focus on The Flash traveling back in time to rescue his mother, in the process of producing an alternate universe. This parallel world is supposedly where Keaton’s Batman exists, and where Miller’s Flash will find the aging hero several 30 years after the events of Batman Returns.
With the invention of the new alternate reality, The Flash will allegedly also introduce viewers to the idea of the multiverse – a selection of distinct DC universes that exist within precisely the same area but are entirely separate. The multiverse has been established in the Arrowverse, where the TV version of The Flash revealed numerous different’earth’, culminating in the Crisis. That event has confirmed that the DCEU, as well as both Keaton’s Batman universe, are a part of the multiverse since the Arrowverse shows. What’s more, it’s been noted that Keaton himself could appear in numerous films after The Flash, including the as-yet-untitled Batgirl movie, suggesting his Bruce Wayne will become a familiar face during the expanding DCEU, and potentially the TV shows in-future.
Bearing this in mind, it’s not beyond conceivable that in the years to come, a multi-dimensional plot advancement will actually bring the world of The Batman into the more full DCEU fold. Obviously, there hasn’t been any official word about some of this, and also Keaton’s look stays unchanged for now. But there is enormous potential for The Flash to begin bridging the divide between the wide-range of all upcoming DC movies that have been put into the production of late, such as The Batman.
Why Michael Keaton’s Batman Return Won’t Affect Pattinson
If Keaton does appear in The Flash and does become a recurring character in the DCEU, his Bruce Wayne/Batman is unlikely to influence Robert Pattinson’s, Dark Knight. Keaton is supposed to become a mentor figure in the upcoming Flash movie, overseeing the pops of present heroes instead of once again donning the cape and cowl to become Warner Bros.’ new front-line Batman. At this point, the studio has made transparent Matt Reeves’ film establishes the primary Batman persona for DC’s movie future, despite Ben Affleck’s version building a semi-return in the approaching Justice League Snyder Cut. It would surely be a thrill for lovers to find the 68-year-old Keaton suit to get a Dark Knight Returns-fashion to follow up to his late-80s/early-90s bat-movies, it doesn’t seem like anything of this sort is planned for now.
For the time being, it appears Robert Pattinson is safe in his function and will stay so if The Batman hits its October 2021 launch date and proves to be successful. The actor has yet to confirm if he is signed up for movies, but it appears likely with studios keen to have the option if they could of milking a franchise. Now, it seems Pattinson and Keaton will stay wholly different, at least. Nevertheless, a Pattinson Batman being guided by the wise words of Keaton Dark Knight is a thrilling prospect.
