The Flash: Michael Keaton may not be ready to return as Batman

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

After the recent departure of Billy Crudup from the cast of Andy Muschietti's The Flash, the long-gestating project may lose a supporting role that fans have been very excited about. Michael Keaton, the iconic actor who brought Batman to life on the big screen in Tim Burton's 1989 blockbuster, recently made comments that sound ambivalent at best regarding his much-ballyhooed inclusion in the metaverse of the DCEU.

Recently while speaking with Deadline, Keaton expressed concerns about reprising the iconic superhero and how doing so could be a "stupid freaking idea." When asked if he was trying to dodge questions about suiting up as the Dark Knight for The Flash, Keaton said the following:

That’s right. No, you know what it is? I am needing a minute to think about it because I’m so fortunate and blessed, I got so much going on now. I’m really into work right now. I don’t know why, but I am, and so, yeah, I mean, you know, to tell you the truth, somewhere on my iPad is an iteration of the whole Flash thing that I haven’t had time yet…I called them and said, I have to be honest with you. I can’t look at anything right now. I’m so deep into this thing I’m doing. Also, I’m prepping a thing I’m producing and getting ready to do down the road in the fall that I’ll be in, and I feel responsible to that. So, yeah, there is that. I’m not being cute or coy. If I talked about it, I’ll be just bullshitting you. I don’t really know. I have to look at the last draft. To be honest with you, you know what worries me more than anything about all this stuff?

When asked to elaborate on what worries him about the part, Keaton admitted that Covid is one of his concerns.

It’s Covid. I’m more concerned. I keep my eye more on the Covid situation in the UK than anything. That will determine everything, and so that’s why I’m living outside the city here on 17 acres, staying away from everybody, because the Covid thing has got me really concerned. So, that’s my first thing about all projects. I look at it and go, is this thing going to kill me, literally? And you know, if it doesn’t, then we talk.

Holy uncertainty, Batman! Is there a chance that Keaton will bow out of playing the Bat if the stars don't align? It certainly sounds like that's the case. Personally, until it's confirmed that Keaton's part in The Flash has been filmed, I'm not convinced it will happen. That said, I'd love to be proven wrong.

What do you think the chances are that Keaton will go through with playing Batman again in The Flash? Hey citizens of the UK, let's get our act together, yeah? Like us, I know that you want to see him slip into the Batsuit again. Let's all do our part to keep people safe and make that happen, yeah?