Will The Flash Movie be The Hunt for Red October of Michael Keaton’s Batman Movies?

 

“I’m Batman”, is the iconic opening line of Michael Keaton’s Batman in the original big-screen debut of the character in the 1989 film simply titled Batman directed by Tim Burton. This of course discounts Adam West’s campy version of the character in the 60s, with Michael Keaton bringing to life for the first time the dark and grizzled take of the dark knight detective as portrayed in the comics originally by Bob Kane in 1939 before the character veered into more campy territory in the 1940s before progressing back to a more serious nuanced take on the character in the late 60s that was spearheaded by Neal Adams and Denny O’ Neil. Batman (1989) saw Michael Keaton’s Batman taking on the forces of Joker (Jack Nicholson) who had taken over the Gotham mob while also in the midst of a brewing romance with the tenacious and beautiful Vicky Vale (Kim Basinger). The film was a blockbuster hit and was followed by Batman Returns in 1992 with Michael Keaton reprising the role of Bruce Wayne/ Batman and Tim Burton returning to direct. The villain of the story was Penguin (Danny Devito) and the wild and off-kilter Max (Christoper Walken) with Michelle Pfeiffer turning in an iconic performance as Selina Kyle/ Catwoman. Batman Returns was met with mixed reviews as Tim Burton who was persuaded to return for the sequel under the condition he would be allowed to make a “Tim Burton movie” instead of a traditional Batman movie and that's exactly what he did with Batman Returns turning out more like a Gothic-themed Tim Burton movie starring Batman than a Batman movie itself in the spirit of the first movie which was a combination of a detective noir and action-adventure film. Ultimately the Batman movie franchise took another route afterwards as Tim Burton was dismissed from the franchise with Joel Schumacher directing the next two installments, Michael Keaton stepping aside as he was not pleased with the quality of the writing and thus Val Kilmer and George Clooney stepped in as the Dark Knight respectively. Those films Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997) live in vast infamy to this day though Batman Forever has its fans and I myself find it to be a watchable mediocre film with its moments, but the same can’t be said of Batman & Robin a film which nearly killed off the Batman movie franchise altogether. It wasn’t till Chistopher Nolan successfully rebooted the character 8 years later in 2005 with Batman Begins with Christan Bale in the titular role did the Batman series get reinvigorated and at the same time elevate the superhero genre in ways that still affect comic book movies to this day. However, besides Superman: The Movie (1978), Batman (1989) is no doubt the film that set the precedent for decades to come in the genre. And now Michael Keaton’s Batman is set to make a triumphant return to the big screen next year in the Flash movie starring Ezra Miller after a 30-year hiatus. 

 

 

How is it possible that Michael Keaton’s version of the Dark Knight can return to the big screen when other actors have already followed in his footsteps? It's rather simple as the concept of the multiverse which will be familiar to comic book readers or fans of The Flash TV show is being introduced on the big screen in the Flash movie next year will open the door wide open for the DC Multiverse which will allow a character like Barry Allen/ The Flash, a character who has the power to run through time and under the right circumstances to other dimensions the ability to visit other worlds where different versions of DC’s iconic movie franchise characters exist. The Flash movie will be taking inspiration from the Flashpoint Paradox storyline in the comics, a storyline which saw Barry Allen running back in time to stop his mom from being murdered when he was a boy which in turn changed reality in intriguing ways including making Thomas Wayne, Bruce Wayne’s father become Batman instead of Bruce. The movie probably won’t be going in this direction and instead will use Michael Keaton’s version of Batman as the alternate timeline or alternate universe version of Batman that Ezra Miller’s Flash will most likely meet as a result of his saving his mother from a terrifying murder that will turn his world upside down. The Flash movie which has seen multiple directors and writers come and go over the years is finally on solid ground as Andy Muschietti, director of the Stephen King-based It movies is helming this motion picture which is filming right now and is set for release on November 4, 2022. In the story, before Barry Allen turns his world upside down and engages in a multiverse adventure allowing him to meet a potential plethora of different versions of DC’s iconic heroes including Michael Keaton’s Batman, the original Batman of his universe and timeline will be the Ben Affleck Batman. Ben Affleck first portrayed the character in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), with his version of the character being a 45-year-old Bruce Wayne who had been in operation as the Dark Knight for 2 decades with Affleck bringing a highly dramatized and nuanced compelling perhaps even Shakespearean tragic version of the Dark Knight to life not unlike Michael Keaton’s Batman. He returned to the role in Justice League (2017), where Bruce Wayne recruited Barry Allen into the League to save the world from Steppenwolf. I was not a huge fan of the Barry Allen character as portrayed by Ezra Miller in the theatrical cut of the movie but upon seeing Zack Snyder’s version of the movie on HBO Max earlier this year I witnessed a much more layered performance by Ezra Miller in that cut of the movie which made me appreciate Ezra Miller’s version of the character in a way that solidifies the Bruce Wayne and Barry Allen relationship dynamic as portrayed by Ben Affleck and Ezra Miller which gives me hope for the Flash movie with the potential to build on that great solid foundation delivered in the Zack Snyder cut of Justice League. In an interview with Vanity Fair Muschetti explained his reasoning behind involving Ben Affleck’s version of Batman in his movie:

 

 

“His Batman has a dichotomy that is very strong, which is his masculinity—because of the way he looks, and the imposing figure that he has, and his jawline —but he’s also very vulnerable,” Muschietti said in an interview. “He knows how to deliver from the inside out, that vulnerability. He just needs a story that allows him to bring that contrast, that balance.”

“He’s a very substantial part of the emotional impact of the movie. The interaction and relationship between Barry and Affleck’s Wayne will bring an emotional level that we haven’t seen before,” the director added. "It’s Barry’s movie, it’s Barry’s story, but their characters are more related than we think. They both lost their mothers to murder, and that’s one of the emotional vessels of the movie. That’s where the Affleck Batman kicks in.”

“I’m glad to be collaborating with someone who has been on both sides of the camera, too,” Muschietti said. “He understands.”

 

 

 

At the time of Vanity Fair’s breakdown in 2020, they noted that Ben Affleck got the script the week before and agreed to sign on to the project. Muschetti’s sister and producer on the Flash movie went on to detail how when they reached out to Ben Affleck they learned the actor-director-writer was in a much better place in his life post his divorce leading to him being in a place where he could just enjoy playing Batman without the burden of carrying the movie himself. Previously Ben Affleck was set to direct, write, and star in his own solo Batman movie before that fell apart due to a number of factors both at the studio and in his personal life. However with Ben Affleck back as Batman, a version of the character that has perhaps been underrated by many fans it will be great to see the actor give it his all as the iconic character on the big screen at least one more time. I find it of particular interest that Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne will have a deep emotional connection with Barry Allen due to the loss of their mothers and how that will serve as an emotional backbone to the movie itself. As Mushcetti noted Affleck understands what it's like in front of and behind the camera as Affleck has directed phenomenal films such as Argo. This may mean that when Affleck is discussing the story with Muschetti when it comes to performance they both are looking at this story's big picture and how the Bruce-Barry relationship forms the core of the movie. Furthermore, if Ben Affleck is one of Barry’s major father-figure characters in the film I see Micheal Keaton as the other side of that coin. Who knows if Michael Keaton’s Batman will meet Ben Affleck’s version of the character but at the very least it seems we will be exploring a deep and emotionally compelling connection between Barry Allen and the Batman characters Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck included. 

 

Michael Keaton’s very involvement in the film is a novelty in itself as he walked away from the role after disliking the Batman Forever script which saw Val Kilmer taking his place. Also, just in recent months, Keaton voiced his uncertainty about returning to the role with the whole COVID of it all saying in an interview with Deadline:

“That’s right. No, you know what it is? I am needing a minute to think about it because I’m so fortunate and blessed, I got so much going on now. I’m really into work right now. I don’t know why, but I am, and so, yeah, I mean, you know, to tell you the truth, somewhere on my iPad is an iteration of the whole Flash thing that I haven’t had time yet…I called them and said, I have to be honest with you. I can’t look at anything right now. I’m so deep into this thing I’m doing. Also, I’m prepping a thing I’m producing and getting ready to do down the road in the fall that I’ll be in, and I feel responsible to that. So, yeah, there is that. I’m not being cute or coy. If I talked about it, I’ll be just bullshitting you. I don’t really know. I have to look at the last draft. To be honest with you, you know what worries me more than anything about all this stuff?”

 

Also in an earlier part of the interview, he was talking about a limited series he is doing for Hulu entitled “Dopesick'' in which he stars opposite Last Man Standing’s Kaitlyn Dever and how a TV series is new territory for him but it doesn’t matter as what matters is good writing otherwise as an actor he gets bored and moves on which to me indicates that his very presence in the Flash movie especially considering the COVID situation means the Flash script has to be really good if he thinks it's worth his time and effort to take on the role of Batman again 30 years later. Michael Keaton also noted how he likes working with talented actors, citing Kaitlyn Dever and if he finds that same level of talent in Ezra Miller or Ben Affleck or anybody involved in the Flash movie and he becomes excited to engage with that talent onscreen perhaps the Muschetti-helmed film is really shaping up to be something really special. 

 

Michael Keaton keeps knocking it out of the park in recent years with incredibly strong performances in films such as the investigative journalism epic Spotlight (2015), the startling biopic The Founder (2016), and even his menacing and deadly performance as the Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), and so his return to Batman in the Flash will no doubt be a standout scene-stealing element of the Flash. There is the question though, is Michael Keaton too old to play Batman? Not in the least as even though upon the release of the Flash next year Keaton will be 71 years old his age certainly has no place placing any limitations on his portrayal of the Dark Knight detective. First off, even in Michael Keaton’s original Batman movies well yes Batman did engage in combat most of the emphasis was on the character’s detective work and intimidating dramatic theatrics which scared the living daylights out of the criminals he faced down. This could be doubled down on in the Flash and this isn’t saying Michael Keaton isn’t capable of action at his age, just watch American Assassin (2017) to see whats he capable of. Also aging action heroes are breaking the rules all the time with Harrison Ford at nearly 80 filming Indiana Jones 5 this summer with the film due out in theaters next summer. Sean Connery was 68 when The Rock (1998) came out where he starred opposite Nicholas Cage as a dangerous former British spy so don’t tell me 71 is too old to be Batman. But just how much will Michael Keaton be in the Flash anyway?

 

Some people have speculated that Michael Keaton’s role in the film will be very small even citing the fact that with him not being locked down in the months before filming began as a clue to that factoid but I have always suspected the opposite was true or at the very least believed that his role will no matter how few scenes be very important and pivotal to the film itself. And concept art from the Flash movie shown at DC FanDome last year showcases his Batman and Flash in battle together painting the picture that Keaton’s Batman plays a key and centerpiece role in the film. Also of interesting note, a film news commentator I follow on YouTube, John Campea was reached out to by somebody in close connection to the Flash production that revealed to him that Michael Keaton’s role in the film will indeed be substantial saying:

“His role is at least as big as Sean Connery’s was in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” It’s that big.” 

 

It's worth noting Sean Connery played Indiana Jones’s dad in The Last Crusade (1989), and though he didn’t show up for a while in the story overall he was in a very sizeable chunk of the film and played a key and pivotal role in the film both on its external journey and to the emotional core of the picture with the relationship between Indy and his father. So I believe the same is true here of Barry Allen and Michael Keaton’s Batman, where Barry probably won’t meet Michael Keaton’s Batman for a while in the film but overall he will be there for a lot of the runtime of the film. And speaking of Sean Connery in terms of what the story is for Michael Keaton’s Batman I think it would be fascinating if they took inspiration from classic Sean Connery films such as The Hunt for Red October (1990) and The Rock (1998). The Rock as I mentioned is a film where Connery played a former British spy who comes back with a deadly ferocity to him and The Hunt for Red October which is perhaps my favorite Connery film besides his performances as Bond sees Connery as Russian submarine Captain Marko Ramius who opens the film killing his political officer in cold-blood as he sets out to defect from the Soviet Union. While the Flash movie will be Barry Allen’s story the Michael Keaton Batman character will still be a pivotal character and it would be fascinating to see Keaton’s Batman returning to the big screen 3 decades after Batman Returns get a great third-act life story in the vein of The Hunt for Red October and The Rock. And just as Connery’s characters in those films showed that at that age (60s) they still had as much grit and edge to them as ever and perhaps moreso the same could be true here. In fact, in leaked set photos for the Flash Michael Keaton was seen sporting more hair than usual with a hairpiece very reminiscent of the great silver hairline of Marko Ramius in The Hunt for Red October implying this Bruce Wayne will be as commanding and imposing as possible in appearance in the film and I suspect in character as well. 

 

So in conclusion, The Flash movie bringing back Michael Keaton’s Batman certainly opens up a lot of possibilities. With Keaton even willing to come back at all, that certainly bodes well for the story, and with the rich concept of the DC Multiverse, who knows what will happen? Perhaps Michael Keaton’s Batman will meet the Christoper Reeve version of Superman portrayed by Brandon Routh (as seen in the 2006 film Superman Returns and CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths). How epic would it be for the original movie Superman and Batman to meet and perhaps team up onscreen? Ben Affleck’s Batman meeting Michael Keaton’s version of the character certainly has potential as well but even if they never meet onscreen rest assured that both will serve as two opposite ends of the emotional spectrum of the Barry Allen and Bruce Wayne relationship that will be the emotional spine of the film. Micheal Keaton’s Batman will inherently have more backstory to be revealed in the Flash with 3 decades having passed between Batman Returns and The Flash. Did Bruce Wayne marry Selina Kyle as seen in the newspaper clipping from CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths? Or will that be retconned? Or more interestingly, did they divorce, and will Michelle Pfeiffer return to the Batman universe in this film? Regardless, Michael Keaton’s Batman story will be full of rich possibilities for a third-act life story in the vein of Marko Ramius in The Hunt for Red October or even Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven (1992). And who knows maybe Michael Keaton will return to the role again after the Flash in his own solo movie, perhaps entitled The Dark Knight Returns? But for now, let's just be thankful we are getting Michael Keaton back in the role at all via the science-fiction device of the DC Multiverse which has grand storytelling possibilities to setup the Flash movie as the beginning of the future of DC while also ensuring DC’s cinematic past is never forgotten or discounted.