Yesterday evening, a rumour started doing the rounds online claiming DC Studios has decided to scrap a Batman movie starring Michael Keaton.
The Batman and Batman Returns star will return to the role in The Flash next year, with the expectation being that it would end with him replacing Ben Affleck as the DCEU's Dark Knight. From there, his ageing Bruce Wayne was set to serve as a mentor to Barbara Gordon in Batgirl, a movie that's since been scrapped by Warner Bros. Discovery.
To further cement his role in this shared world, Keaton even shot a cameo role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. He was later replaced by Affleck, though we're now hearing that neither of them appear.
So, what was the studio originally laying the groundwork for? A freaking Batman Beyond movie.
That's been confirmed by The Wrap's Umberto Gonzalez, and we're starting to get a better idea of what the future held in store for the DCEU prior to its transformation into the DCU courtesy of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
With Robert Pattinson playing Bruce Wayne in The Batman franchise, it seems the plan was for Keaton's Caped Crusader to pass the mantle to Terry McGinnis, making his "Batman Beyond" the DCEU's new Batman. It's a solid idea, and one that means the Trinity would have consisted of him, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman.
The fact Gunn and Safran have pulled the plug on Christina Hodson's Batman Beyond movie suggests they have no plans to head down that route in the DCU, and we'd guess Pattinson is either being folded into that world or a new actor will be cast to take over from Affleck (and Keaton).
It's always fun to hear about what might have been, and while it's an exciting time for the new DCU, we're sure many of you will be disappointed to learn Batman Beyond is no more.