On paper, the idea of a 70 year-old superhero starring in a movie that’s been stuck in development hell for over half a decade doesn’t sound particularly exciting, but it would be a huge understatement to say that the internet went into raptures at the announcement that Michael Keaton was set to reprise the role of Bruce Wayne in The Flash.
If that wasn’t enough, the star of Tim Burton’s two Batman movies is also poised to play a huge role in the future of the DCEU, and will be positioned as a mentor figure to the franchise’s less experienced heroes, while Robert Pattinson’s rebooted version of the Dark Knight exists separately from the main timeline, but will technically remain canon due to the introduction of the multiverse.
There might still be continued speculation surrounding the involvement of leading man Ezra Miller, but now that Keaton’s casting has been announced, it could be argued that the title hero is no longer the main selling point of the movie. The adaptation of the Flashpoint arc contains almost limitless possibilities, and one of the most exciting things to consider is what Batsuit the veteran actor will be kitted out in. WB has yet to reveal that, of course, but we’ve now heard that it could be based on an all-time fan favorite.
According to our sources – the same ones that told us The CW is developing an Arrow spinoff and Kevin Conroy was playing Kingdom Come Batman in “Crisis,” both of which were correct – Keaton’s costume is set to be based on the Kingdom Come version of the character, with the comic book storyline being “somewhat adapted” in one of DC’s many alternate realities that we’ll see.
Of course, it would make total sense for The Flash‘s Batman to use a variant of the Kingdom Come outfit, given that it was a heavily-armored exo-suit that protected his battered body from wear and tear while still allowing him to fight like he was in his prime. After all, in the DCEU’s new alternate reality, Keaton’s Bruce Wayne will have been Gotham’s protector for well over 30 years, and he can’t exactly be charging into battle at his age without guaranteeing his survival.
