At some point in my lifetime, I’d really like to see a Batman Beyond movie come to fruition. Originally having aired as an animated series from 1999-2001, it focused on a young man named Terry McGinnis who took up the mantle of the Dark Knight fifty years into the future, as he was mentored by none other than Bruce Wayne. Actually, the concept almost materialized as a live action flick in the time separating Batman & Robin from Batman Begins, but the project ultimately fell through.
Fortunately, the show’s legacy has lived on well past its finale, for it’s continued in a number of comic book series, among other things. All we can do is hope that a still rabid fanbase one day gives cause for Warner Bros. to green light a major motion picture, though it’s advised that you not hold your breath.
Speaking of which, having Michael Keaton playing an older Bruce Wayne in such an endeavor has once again become a topic for discussion on social media. As such, digital artist extraordinaire Boss Logic quickly got to work on a couple of pieces, the first of which shows how the veteran actor would look as the retired Caped Crusader. The second is a mock-up theatrical poster showcasing Terry in his Batsuit, and each can be seen in the gallery below.
Like some of you, I’ve been saying for years that Keaton would be perfect for such a gig, even if it did create some backdoor continuity with the Tim Burton-Joel Schumacher quadrilogy. No matter how many actors have run with the torch since, it’s important to remember that the average moviegoer isn’t as hung up on continuity as those of us in the geek community, and many making up that general audience haven’t even realized that the concept of the reboot has been utilized on more than one occasion. In other words, there exist those who haven’t figured out Ben Affleck’s Batman is different from that of Christian Bale’s.
That said, as of this moment, I can’t think of a better fit for Bruce in a potential Batman Beyond movie than Keaton – save for maybe Val Kilmer – but I’m aware the latter’s had health problems to deal with as of late. Actually, Bale could one day fit the bill, though he needs to age just a bit more. No matter how you slice it, this is another case of “make it happen, WB” that demands attention.
