The upcoming movie The Flash will see the long-awaited return of Michael Keaton’s Batman, and one big reveal about the movie’s characters debunks a popular theory about what happened to Keaton’s Batman. The DCU is going through a lot of changes now that James Gunn and Peter Safran have become co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios, but before those changes are seen in this connected universe, there are a couple of movies that will be released, among them The Flash.Directed by Andy Muschietti, The Flash is influenced by fan-favorite storyline Flashpoint, and as such, it will see Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) using his powers to travel back in time to prevent his mother’s murder. However, this brings unintended consequences to his timeline, making way for the introduction of alternate versions of himself. This will also allow Barry to meet other superheroes from his and other universes, such as Supergirl (Sasha Calle) and two versions of Bruce Wayne/Batman: Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton. The latter’s story wasn’t given closure after Batman Returns, so there are many theories on what happened to him and what his role in The Flash will be – and a recent reveal completely debunks a theory about his death.Related: Why Michael Keaton's Batman 1989 Casting Was So Controversial

What Happened To Michael Keaton's Bruce Wayne After Batman Returns?

Micael Keaton as Bruce Wayne_Batman 1989 Casting

The first trailer for The Flash is narrated by Keaton’s Bruce Wayne but doesn’t show him at all, except for one shot following Batman as he enters the Batcave. However, the trailer shows Wayne Manor in a poor state, with cloths over the furniture, dust collecting, and a Batman suit and cowl with blood splattered around, which made some viewers believe that Keaton’s Batman faked his death at some point after the events of Batman Returns. However, this has now been debunked as merch shown at this year’s CCXP event describes Keaton’s Batman in The Flash as “a retired vigilante”.

The last time the audience saw Keaton’s Batman was in Batman Returns, where he came across Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Oswald Cobbeplot/Penguin (Danny DeVito). At the end of Batman Returns, Selina was supposedly killed, though her silhouette is seen in the final minutes of the movie, and the Bat-Signal shone above the city as she looked on, showing that Batman continued his work as Gotham City’s vigilante. Exactly what happened to Keaton’s Batman after that is unknown, but in August 2022, a comic book limited series titled Batman ‘89 was released, serving as an alternative continuation of Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns.

In it, Gotham City is even worse than in Batman Returns, but Bruce continues his journey as Batman, and at the end, Selina offers Barbara Gordon a partnership to incriminate Gotham’s power elite, while Barbara also receives a package from the late Harvey Dent revealing Batman’s identity. The Caped Crusader is last seen deciding whether to go out on patrol or not by flipping a coin.

What We Know About Keaton's Batman Role In The Flash Movie

Michael Keaton as Batman and Ezra Miller as The Flash

The Flash has gone through a number of obstacles since it was in pre-production, including multiple delays, so not many details about the plot and its characters have been revealed. That said, it’s still unknown what Keaton’s Batman role in The Flash will be, but as seen in the trailer and as shown in the CinemaCon footage shown this year, he will join Barry Allen’s plans, whatever these are. Of course, these will have to be important enough for the Caped Crusader to decide to come out of retirement and put on the Batman suit and cowl again, and The Flash should also address what happened to him after Batman Returns that led him to retire. More details about The Flash’s plot will be revealed as its release date approaches, and hopefully, more details about Michael Keaton’s Batman role will also be shared.

Next: The Flash Movie Image All But Confirms A Keaton Batsuit Theory

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