It was apparently touch-and-go when it came to having Micheal Keaton commit to returning as Bruce Wayne in Andy Muschietti's The Flash. Talks with the actor began nearly a year ago and hoping that Keaton would put on the Batman costume again.
Although both the director said that Keaton's Batman would have a "substantial" role in the film and his appearance being confirmed at DC FanDome, Keaton was actually hesitant to accept the role due to the ongoing pandemic in London.
So, fans should be happy to finally see new set photos of Micheal Keaton on the set of The Flash as Bruce Wayne.
THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS
The first photo of Micheal Keaton as Bruce Wayne has been captured by a fan and posted by @bigscreenleaks at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, where The Flash is currently shooting:
BREAKING: We have our first look at Michael Keaton returning as Bruce Wayne in #TheFlash! pic.twitter.com/BXP7xRvarC
— Big Screen Leaks (@bigscreenleaks) June 20, 2021
It appears that Keaton is also wearing a wig for this role, likely in an attempt to more closely match his appearance as Bruce Wayne in Tim Burton's Batman.
Micheal Keaton can also be seen in another photo posted by @RinconFriki_ok wearing sunglasses while speaking to Ezra Miller:
Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) y Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) #TheFlash ⚡ pic.twitter.com/2j3bkO1w2R
— Rincón⚡Friki (@RinconFriki_ok) June 20, 2021
A LITTLE HELP FROM BATMAN
Considering this same scene is taking place at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, it's possible that Bruce Wayne was also attending a court hearing. What's strange is that Micheal Keaton's Bruce Wayne is meant to be from another universe altogether, so it's peculiar that he's there.
In the original Flashpoint storyline, when Barry Allen returns to his reality, his actions cause a ripple effect of change in his universe, big and small. It's possible that this could be the end of the movie where Keaton's Bruce Wayne has migrated or even replaced Ben Affleck's Batman in Barry Allen's universe.
Keaton's Bruce Wayne could also be at the courthouse because he helped clear Barry's father for the murder of Nora Allen, either using his vast wealth or being the world's greatest detective to his leverage. Regardless, it'd be unsurprising if Keaton's Batman doesn't help in some way in clearing Henry Allen's good name.
The Flash is currently scheduled to release in theaters on November 4, 2022.
