What’s old is new again in the DCEU’s latest installment. The Flash is set to feature the return of Michael Keaton’s Batman, the first time the veteran actor is suiting up in the iconic cape and cowl since 1992’s Batman Returns. Keaton will be reprising his role from the Tim Burton movies, made possible by this Ezra Miller-led film diving into the expansive multiverse. It remains to be seen as to how exactly Keaton’s Batman will find himself entangled in The Flash’s adventure, but trailer footage indicates that the Caped Crusader will be roped in after Miller’s Barry Allen travels back in time and saves his mother’s life, triggering a butterfly effect of present day changes.
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While The Flash‘s promotional campaign has not been shy about showing off Keaton in his full Batman glory, the latest clip gives fans their best look yet at the old Batcave brought back to live-action life. In The Flash‘s first clip, two versions of Barry Allen are seen exploring the Batcave, with the longer-haired Barry exclaiming that he used to see the Batmobile “on the news” when he was younger. This hints that that iteration of Barry exists in the same universe as Keaton’s Batman.
From there, Keaton’s Batman arrives, declaring that he will “help [them] get to Superman.” This leaves the longer-haired Barry shocked, as he faints at the sight of Keaton’s Batman in the flesh.
The full clip can be watched below…
Keaton’s return to the role comes in the midst of a much different comic book movie landscape. His last go around came when superhero films were a rarity. Today, there are upwards of half a dozen per year.
“What’s really interesting is how much more I got [Batman] when I went back and did him,” Keaton said in a 2021 interview. “I get this on a whole other level now. I totally respect it. I respect what people are trying to make. I never looked at it like, ‘Oh, this is just a silly thing.’ It was not a silly thing when I did Batman. But it has become a giant thing, culturally. It’s iconic. So I have even more respect for it because what do I know? This is a big deal in the world to people. You’ve got to honor that and be respectful of that. Even I go, ‘Jesus, this is huge.’”
The Flash races into theaters on June 16th.
