Aquaman 2 Star Speaks on Affleck AND Keaton's Batmen Appearing In Movie

By Richard Nebens Posted:
Aquaman 2 Ben Affleck Michael Keaton

With rumors hinting at both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton returning as Batman in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, star Jason Momoa teased that both characters are on the table.

Aquaman 2 has an unexpected importance as the final movie in the current era of the DCEU before DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran bring their new vision for DC on the big and small screen. But that doesn't mean Jason Momoa's last time playing Arthur Curry won't be a big one, as he explores the vast reaches of the ocean past Atlantis.

In August 2022, Momoa teased that his hero would meet up with two separate Batmen in this sequel, with both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck reprising their role as the Caped Crusader. Even though this will be after the Dark Knight duo team up in The Flash this summer, the entire DCU Batman mantle has been somewhat convoluted over the past few months, especially after the Batgirl cancelation nixed Keaton's first appearance in his DC comeback.

Now, as the underwater sequel moves further into post-production, Momoa once again discussed what's on the way.

Aquaman Actor Hypes Batman Inclusion in Sequel

Aquaman 2, Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton Batmen
DC

Speaking with The Wrap, Aquaman actor Jason Momoa addressed his experience on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom as his Arthur Curry reunites with Batman.

When asked how it was filming with Michael Keaton, a filmed appearance that was rumored to have been abandoned in post-production, Momoa noted that he actually shot with "a couple different Batmans:"

"I shot with a couple different Batmans, but you just don’t know what’s going on and we’ll see what the end product is."

Momoa also looked back on the movie as a whole, highlighting Patrick Wilson's performance as Orm/Oceanmaster and commenting that the film is about tackling something that's very close to him instead of "some alien force that’s trying to attack [them]:"

“It’s really a journey with the brothers. Patrick Wilson is phenomenal and there’s just a lot of themes that are going on in it. What I wanted to do was not have some alien force that’s trying to attack us. It’s not gonna be something that’s from an outer world. It’s all about what we’re doing to our planet, and we’re expediting what’s gonna happen when you melt the caps. It’s our future. You’re seeing it happen right now.”

Two Batman in Aquaman 2 After All?

After everything that went down with Batgirl, on top of the current DCEU coming to an end after Aquaman 2, the Multiversal storyline that was building has been a serious question amongst fans for the four movies coming this year.

Photo evidence confirmed that Keaton would be back in action for the movie, although the cancelations and delays to other movies have clouded his place in Aquaman 2. Later, Momoa shared an image of himself reunited with Affleck from the film's set, celebrating his longtime co-star before what will likely be his final time donning the cape and cowl.

In the end, with so many other things tying this movie together, on top of the controversy surrounding Amber Heard's place as Mera, there's no telling exactly how Michael Keaton or Ben Affleck fit in alongside the King of Atlantis. 

Hopefully, this will become clearer after the two make their long-awaited returns in The Flash, although they'll be part of an intriguing transition in stories for the DC Universe as Gunn and Safran move to make their slate known.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is set to arrive in theaters on December 25.

- In This Article: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Release Date
December 22, 2023
Platform
Theaters
- About The Author: Richard Nebens
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.