Michael Keaton to reprise role as Batman in future DC films, will play Nick Fury-type figure: reports

Actor Michael Keaton could return to play Batman in future DC Comics films. The actor famously played The Dark Knight in director Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns.

The Wrap reports that the actor is in talks to reprise his role in the upcoming Flash movie, starring Ezra Miller. Directed by Andy Muschietti, the film is being set up to restructure the DCEU, and introduce alternate universes. Loosely based on the Flashpoint comic book arc, the film will feature Barry Allen travel back in time to save his mother, and ‘inadvertently creating another universe protected by Michael Keaton’s Batman, now 30 years older.’

According to the report, The Flash will ignore the events of Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, both directed by the late Joel Schumacher. Keaton first played Batman in the 1989 blockbuster, and reprised his role in 1992’s darker Batman Returns. He dropped out of future films because of the fan backlash against the bleak tone of Batman Returns, which saw Warner Bros remove Burton from the director’s chair.

Also read: Joel Schumacher, director of St. Elmo’s Fire and Batman Forever, dies of cancer at 80

In recent years, Keaton has lampooned his superhero past, earning an Oscar nomination for his performance in Birdman, in which he played an actor forever overshadowed by his former glory as a superhero movie star. Keaton played the villainous Vulture in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. He is said to be reprising the role in the upcoming Morbius film, which is a part of Sony’s Marvel Universe.

The Hollywood Reporter says the Keaton’s Bruce Wayne will play a mentor figure in the future of the DCEU, sort of like Nick Fury in the MCU. He will not interfere with Robert Pattinson’s future as Batman. Pattinson will debut as the character in Matt Reeves’ upcoming film.

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