Michael Keaton Addresses if He’ll Be Returning as Batman in Flash Movie

10/21/2020 12:53 am EDT

This summer, Batman fans got some exciting news when it was reported that not only is Ben Affleck returning as Batman in the upcoming The Flash movie, but that Michael Keaton will be returning as well with director Andy Muschietti saying that Keaton's role would be "substantial". Now, Keaton himself is addressing things, telling Jimmy Kimmel that discussions are happening for him to return as Batman for the upcoming film.

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kimmel asked Keaton if he could confirm that the actor will play Batman in The Flash movie. Keaton said he couldn't, but it's being talked about.

"I can't confirm anything," Keaton said when asked.

He went on to ask Kimmel if he were a "comic book guy" which prompted Kimmel to joke about his "confirmation" that he's playing Kraven The Hunter in Marvel's Spider-Man 3. But then Keaton explained that he is in discussions for The Flash.

"So, we're having discussions as they say," he said. "We're talking about it. We'll see if that happens."

He also joked that "all 127" previous "Batmen" will appear and then declared himself to be the best Batman.

That Keaton wouldn't confirm his Batman reprisal for The Flash isn't a major surprise considering that production on The Flash isn't yet underway -- that's set to kick off in March -- and a lot of things can change between then and now. However, The Flash director Muschietti told Vanity Fair in August that Keaton's appearance in the film actually has a surprising relationship to Affleck also returning to the role, as it will establish a sense of familiarity for both Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) and the audience with Affleck as "the original Batman".

"He's the baseline. He's part of that unaltered state before we jump into Barry's adventure," Muschietti explained. "There's a familiarity there."

Muschietti also explained that The Flash will expand on the multiverse concept.

"This movie is a bit of a hinge in the sense that it presents a story that implies a unified universe where all the cinematic iterations that we've seen before are valid," Muschietti said. "It's inclusive in the sense that it is saying all that you've seen exists, and everything that you will see exists, in the same unified multiverse."

What do you think of Keaton's comments about his return as Batman in The Flash movie? Let us know in the comments.

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