The Flash: Michael Keaton’s Batman return has yet to be confirmed

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

The Flash Michael Keaton Batman

Remember back in June when it was reported that Michael Keaton's Batman will be making an appearance for Warner Bros.' upcoming THE FLASH? That sure was a lot of fun, wasn't it? Welp, our excitement for what still could be might have been diminished after a recent interview. Recently while talking with Jimmy Kimmel on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Keaton revealed that his participation in The Flash is still very much in flux.

"I can't confirm anything," said Keaton when asked about his slipping into the Batsuit once more. "We're having discussions as they say. We're talking about it and we'll see if it happens."

You can watch Keaton's interview with Jimmy Kimmel below. His talk about The Flash begins at the 4:20 mark:

While Keaton's involvement in The Flash was never officially confirmed by the powers that be, many were led to believe that his contribution to the upcoming superhero film was indeed a done deal. If anything, this goes to show that you should always take fantasy casting news with a grain of salt until the studio makes an official announcement. That said, there's still a good chance that Keaton will make it into the film, he is still "having discussions" with Warner Bros. after all.

While speaking with Vanity Fair back in August, The Flash director Andy Muschietti elaborated on how he plans to approach DC's multiverse – a complex web of worlds in which heroes and villains alike exist in a myriad of alternate dimensions – for the upcoming film. “This movie is a bit of a hinge in the sense that it presents a story that implies a unified universe where all the cinematic iterations that we’ve seen before are valid,” said Muschietti. “It’s inclusive in the sense that it is saying all that you’ve seen exists, and everything that you will see exists, in the same unified multiverse.”

In addition to Keaton's tentative participation in The Flash, it was previously reported that Ben Affleck will appear in the new film as Bruce Wayne.

If you ask me, all of this feels rather flimsy until we see photos of either Keaton or Affleck on set. I'm not trying to be pessimistic either. Hell, I want this to happen. That said, it's become an "I'll believe it when I see it" scenario for me as so much of what's happening in Hollywood right now feels like it could fall through without warning at any given time. My fingers are officially crossed that fans get what they want out of The Flash because seriously, I would give anything to see Keaton back on the big screen as Bats or Bruce Wayne. I feel as if that would make the long and winding road to The Flash well worth all the arduous travel.

Source: Jimmy Kimmel Live!

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.