Michael Keaton's potential return as Batman in The Flash could answer some big questions that have lingered for decades surrounding his version of the Dark Knight. As reported, Andy Muschietti's The Flash will star Ezra Miller and will introduce the Multiverse to the DC Extended Universe. The plan is for Keaton's Batman to play a Nick Fury-like role and appear in multiple DCEU films.

The chance to catch up with Keaton's eternally popular incarnation of Batman is incredibly exciting for fans who grew up with those classic films. Keaton, a solid dramatic actor who was nonetheless best known for his comedic turn in Beetlejuice, was a controversial choice to play Batman but he instantly won fans over in Tim Burton's 1989 blockbuster. Both the star and director followed Batman up with 1992's Batman Returns, which was an even more idiosyncratic, Burton-esque take on the Dark Knight. Batman Returns ended up grossing far less than the original, which led Warner Bros. to demand the Batman movies lighten up. When Burton was replaced as director by Joel Schumacher, Keaton also left and Val Kilmer donned the cowl in 1995's Batman Forever. Kilmer was then replaced by George Clooney in 1997's Batman & Robin, which tanked the franchise.

Related: Why Michael Keaton's Batman Is In DCEU's Flash Movie (& Not Affleck Or Pattinson)

Since The Flash will see Ezra Miller's Scarlet Speedster meet Keaton's Batman, naturally this will open up questions about what the Caped Crusader been doing for the past 30 years. Here are the biggest questions about Michael Keaton's Batman The Flash can answer.

What Became of Selina Kyle and Vicki Vale?

Catwoman during the final confrontation with Schreck in Batman Returns

Batman Returns ended with the apparent death of Selina Kyle AKA Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer), but the final shot revealed that she's alive. The Flash could update fans on what happened next to Selina. A photo of Pfeiffer's iconic version of the feline fatale was seen in Halle Berry's 2004 Catwoman movie, but it's unlikely that unpopular film will be referenced or is considered canonical. Similarly, a photo of a newspaper prop from the Arrowverse's Crisis On Infinite Earths indicating Bruce was engaged to Selina circulated online but since it wasn't seen on camera, it's likely this isn't canon.

Fans also never found out what happened next to Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger) after her relationship with Bruce Wayne ended. Bruce spoke briefly of Vicki to Selina in Batman Returns and, presumably, the photojournalist left Gotham, although she knew Batman's secret identity. These were the only two known love affairs Keaton's Dark Knight had and it would be fascinating to learn if he ever reunited with either woman in the last 30 years, or if Bruce met someone else?

Will The DCEU Acknowledge Crisis On Infinite Earths And The Arrowverse?

Crisis on Infinite Earths

The Arrowverse's Crisis On Infinite Earths established that Tim Burton's Batman is part of the Multiverse and is designated Earth-89. Crisis even showed reporter Alexander Knox (Robert Wuhl) on camera reading a copy of the Gotham City Gazette announcing that the Joker (Jack Nicholson) is somehow alive and was captured by Batman.

Related: How Robert Pattinson’s Batman Is Impacted By Michael Keaton’s DC Movie Return

But will the DCEU movies acknowledge the Arrowverse as part of the Multiverse? If so, this would return the favor from when Ezra Miller's Flash cameoed in Crisis and met the Arrowverse's Flash, Grant Gustin. The DCEU movies have never referenced the highly-successful DC TV properties but The Flash could set a historic precedent if did just that.

Is Michael Keaton's Batman The Same Character Played By Val Kilmer And George Clooney?

Michael Keaton Val Kilmer and George Clooney as Batman

Fans have long debated if Michael Keaton's Dark Knight is the same Batman played by Val Kilmer in Batman Forever and George Clooney in Batman & Robin. The radical change in directors from Tim Burton to Joel Schumacher, the various Batman actors, and the constantly changing Gotham City have confused some fans, even though Batman Forever references Selina Kyle's Catwoman while Alfred Gough's Alfred and Pat Hingle Commissioner Gordon have been constants throughout the four films.

The Wrap's story about Michael Keaton returning to play Batman indicated that Joel Schumacher's Batman movies will be disregarded, but it remains unclear whether Keaton's Dark Knight really was a different character until The Flash definitively establishes it.

Did Michael Keaton's Batman Ever Get A Robin?

Marlon Wayans and Robin in Batman

Actor Marlon Wayans was originally cast as Robin in Batman Returns but the Boy Wonder was cut from the film after it was deemed there were already too many characters involved (Wayans still received payment for the role). Robin didn't debut until Batman Forever and Joel Schumacher recast the role with Chris O'Donnell. But if Schumacher's Batman films are indeed going to be ignored by The Flash and Keaton's Batman story continued, did he ever get his own Robin, whether it was Marlon Wayans' version or someone else?

Next: What Michael Keaton's Batman Return Means For The DCEU

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