THE FLASH Star Michael Keaton Talks Reason For Batman Return And Why He Doesn't Watch Superhero Movies

THE FLASH Star Michael Keaton Talks Reason For Batman Return And Why He Doesn't Watch Superhero Movies

Michael Keaton has explained why he decided to reprise the role of Batman in The Flash and reveals that he doesn't watch Marvel or DC movies "Because I have other sh*t to do." Read on for details...

By JoshWilding - Aug 02, 2022 05:08 AM EST
Filed Under: The Flash
Source: Variety

Michael Keaton played the Dark Knight in Batman and Batman Returns, but declined to return as Bruce Wayne when filmmaker Tim Burton decided to step away as director for a more commercially friendly third instalment. Needless to say, we never expected to see the actor don the cape and cowl again. 

Of course, he's never shied away from superhero projects, eventually joining Spider-Man: Homecoming as the villainous Vulture. Despite that, the genre isn't one he spends much time consuming as a viewer!

"I know people don’t believe this, that I’ve never seen an entire version of any of those movies - any Marvel movie, any other. And I don’t say that I don’t watch that because I’m highbrow - trust me! It’s not that," he tells Variety. "It’s just that there’s very little things I watch. I start watching something, and think it is great and I watch three episodes, but I have other shit to do!"

That's fair enough, but we are pleased he didn't suffer through Morbius!

As for his return as Batman in The Flash and Batgirl, Keaton confirmed that the reason he decided to come back was simple: "It seemed like fun." 

"I was curious what it would be like after this many years. Not so much me doing it - obviously, some of that - but I was just curious about it, weirdly, socially. This whole thing is gigantic," the actor continued. "They have their entirely own world. So, I like to look at it as an outsider, thinking 'Holy moly!'"

When the trade pointed out that Bruce Wayne is a character who has changed a lot on screen since Keaton last played him, all he would say to that, with a smirk, is, "Not mine."

There appears to be a lot of confusion at Warner Bros. when it comes to the DC Extended Universe's future, especially amid reports that Ben Affleck has actually replaced Keaton in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom! If the studio is hoping to bring its live-action Caped Crusaders together on screen, Spider-Man: No Way Home-style, then they need to get a proper plan in place.

The Flash is set to race into theaters on June 23, 2023.

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SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 8/2/2022, 6:02 AM
A lot of people don't have the time to dedicate watching movies or shows. Actors included. So I definitely understand having things to do and not having the time or interest to binge something or getting into a new fandom. It's one of the reasons I haven't gotten into Harry Potter. It's just too time consuming and rich with so much lore that I don't have the time to dedicate to that fandom.
dragon316
dragon316 - 8/2/2022, 8:07 AM
@SonOfAGif - there’s difference by watching and watching as fan,
Fans watch it and compare movies to books see what’s different what they like and don’t like,
Other watch for fun entertainment not needing know whole history not need to care for whole history of characters that’s what books are for.,

My family they like transformers and comic book movies they don’t spend there time trying to understand how different characters are from comic to movie and tv show they like watch and not to compare there fan but small fan of those things they don’t care looking up history of characters after movie they don’t read comics they don’t buy comics they like live action not cartoons
KWilly
KWilly - 8/2/2022, 6:07 AM
TheVandalore
TheVandalore - 8/2/2022, 6:10 AM
I can't believe DC managed to actually convince him to come back to reprise... and they plop him into Flash and a Batgirl show and not Batman Beyond like fans have been dreaming and begging for literally for decades. I thought DC was in this business to make as much money as possible, because Keaton in a Batman Beyond movie would make them billions. They just are so dang oblivious it's borderline bafoonery at this point. How do these people keep their jobs?
dragon316
dragon316 - 8/2/2022, 8:12 AM
@TheVandalore - dc may not want to do batman beyond as fans want after that movie where will it go where will connect to.,
Marvel makes movie they connect to other movies and tv shows end game connect to Loki show, wandavision connect to dr strange , your not going see marvel make movie of ghost rider or wolverine solo movie and call it quit after that and not have it connect to other marvel movie tv show no point in it,.

Batman beyond stand alone movie would work not connecting to dc characters as they may want to which could be there palm to do with flash movie to reboot series after Justice league
TheVandalore
TheVandalore - 8/2/2022, 9:34 AM
@dragon316 - No. DC publicly denounced the Marvel method around the time JOKER was released, saying they are devoted to making creator driven stand alone projects moving forward.

And even if they did want to branch films off, they could take Batman Beyond and connect it to the Legion of Superheroes, Justice League Beyond, or even do some time travel stuff with Booster Gold or The Flash or even just the Legionares do time travel stuff,, and have the future characters go back in time to work with classic DC heroes and connect it that way.

There are smart ways of both giving the audience what they've been begging for for decades and still check whatever boxes they want to check. It's not even that difficult to do so. WB just suck at this genre and mismanage DC with staggering consistency.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 8/2/2022, 6:13 AM
" I like money" dude made bank back in the day off of Batman and Returns merch. Plus he's my favorite so idc lol
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 8/2/2022, 6:24 AM
Probably explains why he was so confused by the multiverse aspects of The Flash and/or Spider-Man (don't remember which) as well.

Anyway, I don't blame him. Makes sense what he says
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 8/2/2022, 6:42 AM
I believe him. If he were being "high brow" he wouldn't agree to be in these movies. Keaton is the man.
TheDpool
TheDpool - 8/2/2022, 6:47 AM
Isn't Keaton's Batman the same as Kilmer and Clooneys? They took over from him right so technically isn't he living in the world their movies were set? Or was there a "let's forget those" announcement.
IronSpider101
IronSpider101 - 8/2/2022, 9:41 AM
@TheDpool - It was very much a 007 situation where despite being recast with Val Kilmer and then George Clooney the idea was they were all the same Batman. But they have said that The Flash will be ignoring the Kilmer and Clooney films in the continuity. Which makes sense, frankly. There's justification in the actor/aesthetic differences and lord knows they've done multiple reboots of "Halloween" using Jamie Lee Curtis as an anchor.
Fares
Fares - 8/2/2022, 8:57 AM
Based.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 8/2/2022, 9:07 AM
$$$
Fogs
Fogs - 8/2/2022, 9:16 AM
Why the Morbius thing in the middle of the article? It's like to quote the meme or something?
PartyKiller
PartyKiller - 8/2/2022, 10:24 AM
Keaton's Batman is devalued by being used as a promotional gimmick for the Ezra Miller Flash no one wants.
supermanrex
supermanrex - 8/2/2022, 10:32 AM
WB having a plan....HA!!! The only plan they have is to throw shit at the wall see if it sticks then cancel it after making more corporate mergers and corporate style dumb decisions based on bottom lines they aren't meeting cause they don't have a plan in place.
BigMikeReviews
BigMikeReviews - 8/2/2022, 10:37 AM
It boils down to making truckloads of money and that superhero movies are made for children and man babies. (I'm including myself in that group)
bigdannymac
bigdannymac - 8/2/2022, 10:48 AM
One time, just one time, it would be nice for Josh to just write an article. Share the info and hit submit. Leave the snarky personal comments out of it.
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