Holy Knightmare! Michael Keaton Uncertain About Batman Return

Warner Bros.’ The Flash is set to commence filming shortly; and yet, one cast member isn’t even sure if he’s going to star in the film — Michael Keaton. The veteran actor was set to reprise his role as the Caped Crusader in Andy Muschietti’s film, potentially establishing a multiverse alongside Ezra Miller’s Flash and Ben Affleck’s Batman, but in a recent interview with Deadline, Keaton expressed some reluctance about donning the cape and cowl once more, stating that it could end up being, “a stupid freaking idea.”

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“That’s right. No, you know what it is? 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. I’m so deep into this thing I’m doing. 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. So, yeah, there is that. I’m not being cute or coy. If I talked about it, I’ll be just bullshitting you. I don’t really know. I have to look at the last draft. To be honest with you, you know what worries me more than anything about all this stuff?”

When pressed to share his concerns, Keaton continued:

“It’s Covid. I’m more concerned. I keep my eye more on the Covid situation in the UK than anything. That will determine everything, and so that’s why I’m living outside the city here on 17 acres, staying away from everybody, because the Covid thing has got me really concerned. So, that’s my first thing about all projects. I look at it and go, is this thing going to kill me, literally? And you know, if it doesn’t, then we talk.”

Obviously, losing Keaton would be a big blow to the production, even if his appearance felt more fan service-y than inspired story decision. Of course, if he bows out, the studio could always call Christian Bale, Val Kilmer, George Clooney or one of his many voice actors — Will Arnett, anyone? — to fill in the gap. Or, they could stick with the Flashpoint storyline and bring in Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Thomas Wayne, which might actually be more interesting from a narrative perspective; and offer even more closure to Zack Snyder’s universe.

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Set to be directed by IT‘s Andy Muschietti, the latest screenplay is being written by Christina Hodson which will still cover the famous Flashpoint storyline. It had been confirmed that Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck would be reprising their respective versions of Bruce Wayne/Batman for the film, but, as this article states, nothing is set in stone quite yet.

The Ezra Miller-led Flash movie is now scheduled to be released on November 4, 2022. Miller first portrayed the scarlet speedster in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Zack Snyder’s Justice League.