Through accident, design or coincidence, Hollywood’s two biggest comic book franchises are now locked in a game of multiversal one-upmanship, and it’ll be interesting to see who the fans declare as the winner when the dust on the first round has settled at the end of next year.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man: No Way Home is expected to bring back Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, with the latest rumors pointing towards an epic scrap against a Sinister Six assembled from the Sam Raimi and Marc Webb timelines, while almost anyone from the past, present and future of the series has been linked with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
As for the DCEU, Andy Muschietti’s The Flash has also been touted as a potential destination for any actor to have appeared in a DC Comics adaptation, but we definitely know that we’re getting Michael Keaton back as Batman for the first time in 30 years. Tim Burton’s Dark Knight is currently on location in England, with Muschietti taking to social media and offering a bloody tease of his iconic Batsuit. Naturally, the merest glimpse was enough to generate a huge response, and you can check out some of the reactions below.
We getting Michael Keaton batman over the actual Flashpoint batman…… What?? Im tired bro lmfaaaoooo pic.twitter.com/NOkJ2rDmTl
— 🐝 Nuke 🐝 (@notnuke_) June 4, 2021
Imagine Keaton, now that he’s gotten grizzled and intense, as Old Man Batman
— Austin Shinn (@untitleduser) June 4, 2021
This is giving me Watchmen vibes and I love it. It’s definitely the Batman returns bat suit even though I love the ‘89 bat suit more I’m glad it’s keeping up with the continuity of where we left off with Keaton’s Batman, also it would be awesome if he had a new suit in the film
— Dylan Daly (@DylanDalyRocks) June 4, 2021
https://twitter.com/3LegGingerCat/status/1400842430904209415
Keaton might be the only Batman who could say “I‘m the goddamn Batman” and make it actually work.
— Christopher Walsh (@splunge2000) June 4, 2021
Michael Keaton’s Batman and it’s not even close! 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/ezbTIFQz18
— Michael Patterson (@michaelp93) June 4, 2021
Also, not homicidal enough? Has this person seen Michael Keaton’s Batman? pic.twitter.com/lyDH5HfDPw
— Steve Rosenberg (@SteveRosenberg) June 4, 2021
https://twitter.com/BitikoferAustin/status/1400840143951568899
Someone once said that anyone can be Batman, but Keaton was the best Bruce Wayne and I agree
— Duncan+ (@kingduncan42) June 4, 2021
God damn Batman and Flash has me pumped. Morgan as Thomas Wayne would have ruled but this is awesome. I grew up with Keaton(even though I prefer Bale) and still love the movies. This is going to be good. #TheFlash #TheFlashmovie #DC
— Ginger Jesus (@JesusByProxy) June 4, 2021
https://twitter.com/BadWilf/status/1400838715174539268
It’s safe to assume that we might not be seeing the 69 year-old actor revealed in all of his costumed glory for a while yet, especially with The Flash not due for release until November 2022. However, there is the return of the DC FanDome event later this year, so it can’t be completely ruled out that we’ll be getting a much closer look at the returning Caped Crusader in a few months from now, long before the Scarlet Speedster’s solo debut finally hits the big screen.
