Batgirl: Michael Keaton revealed to be joining the cast as Batman

Last Updated on December 23, 2021

Batgirl, Michael Keaton, Leslie Grace, HBO Max

Holy casting news, Batman! Word around the old belfry suggests that Michael Keaton is joining the cast of Batgirl. This exciting update to HBO’s Batgirl project hails from Cinelinx, who says that a Warner Bros. 2022 Preview Kit has confirmed Keaton’s participation in the upcoming film. I’ll point out that WB’s preview specifically says “Credits are not final and dates are subject to change,” but for the moment, it sounds like Keaton is on board.

Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah from a screenplay penned by Christina Hodson (Birds of Prey), Batgirl stars Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon, and Brendan Fraser, who many believe will play the villain Firefly. Previously, the directors teased that Batman will appear in the film, though they were reluctant to say which one.

While chatting with VRTNWS, Arbi and Fallah danced around revealing too much about The World’s Greatest Detective fighting crime alongside Barbara Gordon in the new film.

“Now you’re asking too much,” Arbi said. “I can say that it’s really Batman Batman.”

“But who, we can’t say,” Fallah added. When asked if the actor in question was someone who’d played Batman in the past, like Ben Affleck, Christian Bale, or Michael Keaton, Arbi said, “I don’t think we’re allowed to go into that much detail.”

Even though the press release doesn’t say as much, I think we can all assume that Keaton will reprise his role as Bruce Wayne and Batman for Batgirl. Keaton is already reprising the iconic role for next year’s Flash movie, so, it makes sense that WB would kill two bats with one stone, does it not? Of course, today’s news doesn’t bring us any closer to knowing what Batgirl will be about or when the story will take place. Thankfully, cameras are currently rolling on the project and casting news like today’s little tidbit are beginning to leak out. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if we get an official look at Grace as Batgirl sooner rather than later. I can’t wait to see her costume design. I wonder if they’ll go with a more traditional design or something more akin to her Batgirl of Burnside look. I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see.

Are you excited about Batgirl and a returning Michael Keaton? What do you think about Keaton joining the cast? Let us know in the comments section below. We’ll be sure to update you with any news about Batgirl as it continues to swoop in.

Source: Cinelinx

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He's also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You'll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.