Michael Keaton Dances Around Questions About The Flash Movie, But Has A Definite Answer For Who's The Best Batman

Michael Keaton in Batman

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Over the last decade superhero movies have become the most popular genre in the film world, making tons of money in the process. But before there were shared universes and serialized storytelling, Michael Keaton starred as the title character of Tim Burton 1989 classic Batman. He's expected to reprise that role in the DCEU's developing Flash movie, although the 69 year-old actor recently danced around the subject in the interview, before revealing who is favorite Batman actor is.

The DCEU's Flash movie has sat in development hell for years, but IT director Andy Muschietti is attached to bring the project to theaters. The DC Fandome event teased Michael Keaton's Batman returning to the big screen, with merchandise already being sold featuring the Caped Crusader. But when asked about this upcoming role during a conversation with Jimmy Kimmel, Keaton played coy with:

I can’t confirm anything. I can only say this though: You’re like a comic book guy right? But if I recall, you’re like a Spider-Man guy right? We’re having discussions as they say. We’re talking about it. We’ll see what happens.

How delightfully cryptic. While Michael Keaton was already seemingly revealed to appear in the upcoming Flash movie, it seems the Birdman actor isn't keen on confirming his upcoming DCEU debut. But when asked who was the best live-action Batman, Keaton was happy to answer with a swift, one word "me."

Michael Keaton's comments come from his recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and is sure to puzzle DC fans out there. After all, Flash director Andy Muschietti himself revealed that Michael Keaton was going to play Batman in his upcoming DC flick. And when Ben Affleck also set to play his version of Bruce Wayne, fans were eager to see the Batman multiverse utilized in the developing blockbuster.

Micheal Keaton's tenure as Batman is currently streaming on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

It's unclear if Michael Keaton was merely kidding around with Jimmy Kimmel, or if the actor was being genuine in not confirming his role in The Flash. One possibility is that Keaton was simply keeping his cards close to the chest because he was concerned over DC security. After all, actors in superhero movies have to be careful about spoilers. There's also the possibility that the ongoing pandemic has put Keaton's scheduling into question. Only time will tell.

Despite being delayed countless times over the years and losing a slew of directors, Ezra Miller's upcoming solo Flash movie still has a ton of anticipation behind it. Moviegoers are eager to see what IT director Andy Muschietti will bring to the table, and if any elements of horror make their way into the blockbuster. And with Ben Affleck and (maybe?) Michael Keaton attached to play different version of Batman, there's no telling where the story could go.

Michael Keaton's time as Bruce Wayne is legendary, as he was one of the first actors to play the role in live-action. Keaton starred in both of Tim Burton's Batman movies, the original and the iconic 1992 sequel Batman Returns. But he departed the franchise after that, with Val Kilmer and George Clooney playing the Dark Knight in Joel Schumacher's pair of movies.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on the Flash movie as more details become public. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.