Flashpoint Fan Art Reunites Ben Affleck and Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Batman

The Flash movie has suddenly become one of DC’s most-anticipated film projects. Flash got a major boost with the reveal that its Back to the Future-style storyline will feature Micheal Keaton’s Batman acting as mentor to Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen/Flash. That premise is reminiscent of DC’s “Flashpoint” storyline from the comics, in which Barry Allen creates an alternate DC Universe timeline and must partner with an alternate version of Batman (Thomas Wayne) to set things right. Well, DC fans have long wanted to see Ben Affleck’s Batman share the screen with Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Thomas Wayne – and thanks to fan artist Datrinti, we can now see that vision:

This scene is reminiscent of something that DC’s original “Flashpoint” storyline set in motion. That story ended on the tear-jerking epilogue of Flash re-establishing the main DC timeline – albeit with some slight tweaks. However, one thing that Flash did manage to bring back from the Flashpoint timeline was a letter from Thomas Wayne to his son Bruce – the son that Thomas Wayne/Batman lost, causing him to become a violent vigilante in the first place. Bruce reads the letter, and we get one of the rarest events in DC Comics: Batman shedding tears. Unfortunately that happy father-son reunion doesn’t last: In the recent “City of Bane” storyline Thomas actually helps Bane take over Gotham City; injures the entire Batman-family in a brutal fight;murders Alfred, and nearly drives Bruce to madness before getting defeated.

That all said: Ben Affleck and Jeffrey Dean Morgan are a rare combination of star-power that a lot of DC fans would love see in a milestone scene of Bruce and Thomas Waye’s Batmen meeting up. Datrinti does a great job of capturing the mannerisms of both Affleck and (especially) Morgan. You can practically hear JDM’s growling Negan voice saying “My boy…” with his hands outstretched like that.

Unfortunately, it’s been confirmed that Thomas Wayne/Batman won’t be a part of The Flash movie’s version of Flashpoint. Michael Keaton’s Batman will be the alternate universe mentor Barry Allen meets – and Keaton’s role will expand to other DC films, as a serves as the franchise’s “Nick Fury” shepherd. Ben Affleck has moved on from playing Batman, and while Jeffrey Dean Morgan is probably game to don the cowl, his Thomas Wayne was just a brief cameo in Batman v Superman‘s opening sequence. It doesn’t really qualify him to take on a larger role as Thomas Wayne/Batman.

Still, this fan art is a poignant look at what could’ve been – which is pretty much the story of the entire DCEU.