Batman is a keystone of any DC movie franchise, but what's going on with the Dark Knight as far as the DCEU is concerned? When Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice released in 2016, DC's cinematic landscape was remarkably straightforward, with Warner Bros. rapidly assembling their own shared universe to rival the MCU. Henry Cavill was already in place as Superman, Gal Gadot had been confirmed for Wonder Woman and, despite an air of Daredevil-tinged backlash, Ben Affleck was the big screen's new Batman, following in the footsteps of Christian Bale. Unfortunately, things didn't quite pan out as expected for the original incarnation of the DCEU.
Batman V Superman endured a rough critical landing, and the debacle of Justice League is still rumbling on today. Meanwhile, 2017/2018 saw Affleck address health issues in his personal life and Warner Bros. underwent massive restructuring. In the midst of all this upheaval, DC's movies came to rely less on connectivity, Affleck moved out of the Batcave, and The Batman passed onto Matt Reeves, with Robert Pattinson cast in the title role. Now set to release in 2022, The Batman is now all but unrecognizable from its original draft, and looks to be entirely disconnected from the DCEU.
Complicating matters further, the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut campaign proved successful, and Warner Bros. has announced a 2021 release for the fabled alternate version of DC's 2017 team-up, renewing interest in Affleck's Batman. With three different actors currently laying claim to the cowl, and each existing in a separate DC continuity, what does Batman's future in the DCEU look like?
Michael Keaton & Ben Affleck Return As Batman In The Flash
After Wonder Woman 1984's release and Warner Bros.' COVID-19 reshuffling, the next "proper" DCEU movie will be The Flash in 2022, since The Suicide Squad is only loosely connected to the wider franchise. The first solo movie for Ezra Miller's speedster, The Flash will likely pick up Barry Allen's story after the events of Justice League but, in a shock move, will also feature both Affleck and Michael Keaton reprising their respective Bruce Waynes. According to widespread reports (supported by the casting details revealed so far), the universe-splitting DCEU installment will draw inspiration from the "Flashpoint" comic arc, with Barry's time travelling merging previously disparate DC movie worlds into one shared multiverse. Given Bruce Wayne's role in bringing Flash to the Justice League, Ben Affleck's inclusion in this story isn't especially surprising, but there are obviously plenty of question marks surrounding Michael Keaton's Bruce Wayne crossing over from the original Tim Burton movies.
As things stand, both Keaton and Affleck are confirmed for The Flash only, and nothing more. Rumors continue to swirl of a Snyder cut sequel or a continuation for the original DCEU, which would carry Affleck's story forward, while it was recently reported (and subsequently denied) that Michael Keaton would take over as the DCEU's primary Batman. Despite the wealth of possibilities, it's possible that both actors will reprise their roles for one night only - two streaks of black in The Flash's 2022 solo sprint. In this context, Batfleck's narrative would pick right up from Justice League as a jaded, but still very much active, vigilante. Keaton's Bruce would almost certainly be retired - an aging veteran lending his advice and expertise to younger heroes.
Michael Keaton's Batman Future In The DCEU (Batman Beyond)
Michael Keaton's future as Batman is currently the subject of much speculation. On January 4th 2021, it was reported from an interview between the New York Times and Warner Bros.' Walter Hamada that Keaton would become the DCEU's primary Batman moving forward. The original interviewer subsequently clarified that there were no plans to develop Keaton's story beyond The Flash. However, for those precious few hours when the world thought it was 1989 all over again, several potential avenues for Keaton in the DCEU were mooted, and Batman Beyond sat chief among them.
Airing in 1999 and later indoctrinated into comic book canon, Batman Beyond was an animated series set in a futuristic 2039 and revolved around old man Bruce mentoring 16-year-old Terry McGinnis as his successor. A dark and gritty interpretation of Gotham City, Batman Beyond represents the most obvious long-term DC story arc for Michael Keaton beyond The Flash. Although the futuristic setting would likely be dropped to accommodate the present-day timeline of the DCEU, Keaton is perfectly positioned to portray an elder statesman figure, passing the torch to a new generation of Caped Crusader now that he and Batfleck are reaching the end of their crime-fighting careers. It's a story that hasn't yet played out on the big screen, and introducing Terry McGinnis to the DCEU would allow the franchise to reboot its Batman without any cumbersome retcons.
Even if the DCEU doesn't adapt Batman Beyond directly, there's still room for Michael Keaton in the franchise. While Robert Pattinson is tearing up the streets of Gotham in his own separate The Batman universe, there's little point having another active Dark Knight on the big screen. If Keaton assumed the position of the DCEU's Bruce Wayne, he could lead the other Justice League members without donning the cape and cowl, acting as a mastermind from the shadows rather than a fighting member of the team. The other obvious story for Keaton to follow would be The Dark Knight Returns, although much of this landmark graphic novel has been adapted already in Batman V Superman.
Predicting Batman's Story After The Flash
When The Flash has finished meddling with the timeline, what will become of DC's three Batmen, Pattinson, Affleck and Keaton? The answer likely depends on the success of two future releases - the Justice League Snyder cut in 2021, and The Batman in 2022. Robert Pattinson's debut is currently the most eagerly-anticipated superhero movie on either company's slate, and the trailer received a rapturous response from fans and critics. The Batman will have to try very hard indeed not to be a resounding success, and this means Warner Bros. will want to continue with Pattinson in his own separate movie series, independent of the DCEU.
All while Pattinson's Batman remains popular, the Dark Knight's options in the DCEU are limited. As much as Snyder fans might want it, Affleck is unlikely to be afforded a Batman movie series of his own to run concurrently with Pattinson's. Cinema simply isn't big enough for the both of them. However, Affleck's return in The Flash sets a precedent for his Bruce Wayne to appear alongside other heroes in future DCEU movies. Batfleck can feasibly appear in Aquaman 2, Wonder Woman 3, Black Adam, and more, all without treading on Pattinson's toes. He could become a mentor to the other heroes, playing quarterback without ever taking the spotlight.
Should the Snyder cut prove a runaway success, an alternate model for Batman's future may become necessary. Although Snyder continues to deny that follow-up plans are afoot, his Justice League supposedly paves the way for sequels. This could mean Affleck returns alongside Gadot, Miller, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa and Ray Fisher in future Justice League movies within the Snyder cut's continuity. Affleck's Batman could then continue to deal with the threat of Darkseid and the Knightmare timeline. Either strategy would offer Pattinson's Batman the freedom of his own series, while Affleck's Bruce Wayne story is continued exclusively via team-ups and supporting roles in other heroes' solo movies, similar to Hulk in the MCU post-2008.
This leaves only Michael Keaton and, despite the current excitement, it seems 1989 Batman won't be a permanent addition to the DCEU. After aligning with Barry Allen and Batfleck in The Flash, Keaton's character will likely return to his own universe. Hanging around for a Batman Beyond-style story is tantalizing, but raises far too many obstacles and questions. Is training Terry McGinnis too similar to Pattinson's Year Two Batman? Why does Keaton's Bruce settle down in a new universe rather than trying to go home? What happens to Affleck's Bruce if Keaton sticks around? It's also unlikely that Keaton (seemingly the go-to man for building a superhero multiverse) will commit to more DC movies while simultaneously returning as Vulture in the MCU/Sony Spider-Man world. Michael Keaton's appearance in The Flash is less about reintroducing him into the main line of DC continuity, and more about throwing open the doors of the past, present and future. Any iteration of Bruce Wayne from any previous Batman project can now cross over, and that's a far more exciting prospect than a Batman actor returning to the big screen long-term.
