With the announcement that there will be more than one Batman in the upcoming Flash movie, Michael Keaton may want to go back and watch some of those other Batman films. That is because he will be one of those Batmans, reprising his take on the character after decades, according to Deadline.
While the DC movies have seen quite a few actors don the cape and cowl, many believe that Michael Keaton's Batman was the best. His movies were also insanely successful at the box office and featured many memorable performances from the likes of Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Billy Dee Williams, and Kim Basinger. At the very least, Michael set the stage for all of the Batman films since 1989's Batman and 1992's Batman Returns, both of which were directed by legendary eccentric filmmaker Tim Burton. Therefore, fans were upset when he didn't return for a third Batman, although there are many reasons why.
Not only did Michael not return to the character, but he hasn't seen anybody's take on him since... Here's why...
Batman Has Gone Through/Is Going Through Many Transitions
Since Michael Keaton played Bruce Wayne/Batman on the big screen, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Christian Bale (in Christopher Nolan's incredible trilogy) have all shared their take on the character. Then, of course, Ben Affleck took up the mantle of Batman in the DCEU movies, which Michael Keaton will be taking part in thanks to the multiverse.
We're not sure if Robert Pattinson's seemingly separate take on the Dark Knight in next year's The Batman has a part in all of this. The look and tone of the trailer appear to tell us that it's in its own world and won't interact with the other Batman films.
Regardless, we do know that Michael should at least become familiar with Ben Affleck's version since they'll be working together in the same movie universe.
It was the topic of the criticism that Ben Affleck received for being cast as Batman that sparked Michael Keaton to talk about his relationship with the other Batman films.
Michael Keaton Hasn't Seen Any Of The Performances In Their Entirety... Truly
During a 2015 interview with HuffPost Live, Michael Keaton was asked about the actors who took on the role of Batman after him as well as the Ben Affleck criticism.
"Yeah, I dunno, who am I to judge. Ben's probably going to be great," Michael said before we first saw Ben Affleck in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. "And Christian Bale's a monster. He's such a fine actor. And I must say, I assume he's great. Because I have never seen any of them the whole way through."
Michael, of course, said nothing of Val Kilmer's performance in Batman Forever, the movie that caused him to leave the franchise, nor George Clooney's take in the maligned Batman & Robin.
He also said that he believes that Christopher Nolan is a genius and that his Dark Knight Trilogy is probably amazing. Michael claimed that he has seen snippets but never the whole thing.
However, Michael did say that he saw "a big hunk" of Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight and thought he was just incredible.
But Michael is more focused on the experience he had making the original two Batman movies (not counting Adam West's slap-stick take in the 1960s). The HuffPost interviewer also agreed that there was something truly special about those movies. Specifically Anton Furst's insane art direction and how they had more scenes. There was more charm. It wasn't all action scenes.
"That's what's changed," Michael agreed, saying that Tim Burton's take was 100% original. And it was Tim Burton who set that dark blue/black color tone that almost all of the other Batman movies have been inspired by.
It doesn't appear as though Michale Keaton deliberately set out not to watch the other Batman movies, with maybe the exception of Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. But it does seem like he didn't want to take away from his own mark on the series. On top of it, it doesn't appear as though the other Batman movies are his cup of tea. He's spent a lot of time doing superhero films, perhaps he just wanted to take a break...
Luckily for us, Michael Keaton's superhero break is over. Soon he will return in the upcoming Flash movie and share the Batman spotlight with Ben Affleck... and maybe other Batman actors, who knows what DC has in store for us.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErZ%2Bippeoe6S7zGiuobFdoraktMCeo2ajlZbBsLqMoZispqRiwKaxzWaYp7FdpLNuwMeeZKismJq%2Fbq7AraSapl2ivLe1xKxm