As recently as a couple of years ago, the prospect of Michael Keaton suiting up and returning to our screens as Batman for the first time in three decades would have sounded exceedingly far-fetched, and that’s underselling it significantly.
Not only is the 70 year-old firmly back in the fold as the Caped Crusader, but he’ll be showing up in two upcoming projects, although it remains to be seen which one arrives first. The Flash was the initial source of the Keaton comeback, but with the movie being delayed until June 2023, Batgirl could get out of the gate first.
That’s if the HBO Max exclusive doesn’t end up being pushed back so as not to create even more canonical chaos in the DCEU, but Leslie Grace is massively hyped either way. Speaking to Variety, the incoming Barbara Gordon hyped the unexpected second lease of life for Tim Burton’s Dark Knight.
“It was wild for everyone. Our directors were like two little kids. They’re legit Batman nerds openly. He’s Batman, man! I couldn’t even believe that I was sharing space with Batman. I want to say more, but I can’t. It was insane, surreal, incredible. It was the stuff of dreams really. And J.K. Simmons playing my dad. That’s my pop. I was so nervous because all I could hear in my head was his voice in Whiplash.
Like what would he do and say if I didn’t get something right?. Then we became the best of friends. And just he told me all his great stories of starting out and being a waiter and working in a pizza shop and trying to be an actor and doing theater.”
Even though nobody would be all that surprised were it to be pushed back to accommodate The Flash, Batgirl is still set to arrive on HBO Max before the end of this year, and it’ll be appointment viewing for the sole purpose of seeing Keaton back in action.
