Michael Keaton Addresses His Potential Batman Return in The Flash Movie

Michael Keaton says “we’ll see what happens” about returning as Batman opposite Justice League‘s Ezra Miller in The Flash. In June, Keaton entered into talks to reprise his caped crusader role in Flash before director Andy Muschietti said Keaton’s Batman returns with a “substantial” role to play alongside the Ben Affleck Batman of the DC Extended Universe. Should the star of Tim Burton’s Batman cross through the DC Multiverse to don the cape and cowl of the Dark Knight a third time, 30 years after 1992’s Batman Returns, the plan is for Keaton to play a mentor-type role to younger heroes and appear in multiple movies.

“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,” Keaton told Deadline. “I’m so deep into this thing I’m doing [Hulu series Dopesick]. 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.”

Keaton added: “So, yeah, there is that. I’m not being cute or coy. If I talked about [Batman], I’ll be just bullsh-tting you. I don’t really know. I have to look at the last draft.”

But the thing that worries the 69-year-old Keaton “more than anything” is the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m more concerned. I keep my eye more on the Covid situation in the UK than anything,” said Keaton, referring to plans for Flash to film in late April at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden. “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.”

On coming back as Batman, Keaton added, “I’m going to see what happens here. This is going to be kind of fun. We’ll see what happens. I think it’s kind of a drag we’re talking about it, and I’m like, do you really know what the hell you’re talking about? I mean, I could bullsh-t you, but … Once I go, I don’t know, are we going this or not? They say, yeah, we’re doing it. Then I go, okay, now I’m going to overthink it, but until then, I don’t want to think about it.”

As for his wait-and-see approach to his Batman return, Keaton said: “You want to say, like Joe Pesci from My Cousin Vinny… It’s a thing, but it’s not a thing.”

The Flash is scheduled for release on November 4, 2022.