The trailer for the much-anticipated film The Flash, touted by DC Studios head James Gunn as one of the best movies he’s ever seen, has dropped, and there’s one big surprise (for those who aren’t perennially online)–Michael Keaton will be returning as Batman.
For those who weren’t alive, or were distracted by the fall of the Berlin Wall, Michael Keaton was the second big-screen Batman, or, if we pretend Adam West’s Batman doesn’t count because he was silly, the first.
Michael Keaton was a controversial pick for Tim Burton’s Batman back in 1988 before the film’s release in 1989, as he was mostly known for silly, over the top comedy roles such as Night Shift, Johnny Dangerously, and Burton’s own 1988 hit Beetlejuice, and if Twitter had been around at the time, it would probably have been a bit like if you combined Robert Pattinson’s Batman casting with Henry Cavill’s Superman firing.
Nonetheless, Batman was released, and folks, it was good. Burton’s camp gothic style captured comic book noir with both humor and genuine tension, a funhouse version of a German Expressionist film with Keaton stoically killing it opposite Jack Nicholson’s Joker.
Keaton’s Batman returned for the sequel, aptly titled Batman Returns, in 1992, which was, in an objective manner of speaking, the best Batman movie ever and also perhaps the best Christmas movie ever (if you like your Christmas movies involving beautiful zombie women powered by magical cat bites on a vengeance trail against the men who wronged her), a huge hit that cemented Danny DeVito as the most penguin-shaped man of his generation.
Keaton was supposed to return with Burton for another Batman film, but sadly it never happened, as after Burton dropped out, presumably to emotionally prepare himself for directing Netflix’s Wednesday 30 years later, Keaton dropped out too.
Keaton was replaced by Val Kilmer in Batman Forever, following by George Clooney in Batman and Robin, which we also can pretend never existed because he was silly.
Then, for a long time, nothing happened, or rather, people didn’t think about Michael Keaton as much as they should. He had a movie called Multiplicity that had many, many Michael Keatons, but it just wasn’t as good as having just the one, for whatever reason.
He then returned to prominence in 2014 with Birdman, which was read by many to be a renunciation and thoughtful self-parody of his own post-Batman career, which went on to win Best Picture at the 2015 Academy Awards, and a nomination for best actor for Keaton.
Keaton then found himself in full resurgence, starring in The Founder, following the story of Ray Kroc, the man who founded McDonald’s but also didn’t, and Spider-Man: Homecoming as Vulture.
This role made it clear that he was ready to return as Batman, and despite it being a much better idea to just do a Batman Beyond movie or series (which was in the works but then cancelled), they cast him as Batman in two projects.
First up was Batgirl, which while nearing completion was cancelled and hidden in a vault never to be seen again, reportedly as a tax write-off. So there’s that.
Next up was the Flash, which is actually coming out, and despite rumours that his scene would be cut, actually will feature Keaton as Batman.
Keaton’s best moment, of course, is that time that he said “I’m Batman” during a university commencement speech.
So there you have it. That’s Michael Keaton. I didn’t even google any of that, so I hope it’s accurate.
Happy I’m Batman Day to all those celebrating!