Michael Keaton will be Batman again. Warner Bros. is planning on bringing Keaton back as the Caped Crusader in The Flash, the upcoming superhero movie based on the Flashpoint comic story. Keaton played the Dark Knight in Tim Burton’s 1989 blockbuster Batman, and reprised the role again in 1992’s Batman Returns. And while this all seems out of left field, it makes a lot of sense when you consider the plot of Flashpoint and the current state of the DC Universe on the big screen.

I don’t think anyone expected this again, but here we are. Via The Wrap, Micheal Keaton is returning to play Batman/Bruce Wayne yet again. Keaton is expected to appear as Batman in The Flash, the solo superhero movie that is currently set to be helmed by Andy Muschietti. In the Flashpoint comic, which serves as inspiration for the film, the Flash travels to an alternate universe where Thomas Wayne, not Bruce Wayne, is Batman. This has lead to speculation that Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who played Thomas Wayne in Batman v. Superman, might appear as Batman.

But it also sets up the possibility of multiple universes within the DCEU (or whatever we’re calling it these days). And that’s where Keaton as Batman might come in. This is all speculation, of course. With with THR’s Borys Kit reporting that Keaton may sign on for multiple movies (acting as a mentor figure to other heroes), the sky’s the limit. This means there’s also the chance of a Batman Beyond-style movie, with an older Bruce Wayne training a young apprentice.

Honestly, the possibilities are endless here, and this type of outside-the-box thinking on the part of Warner Bros. is promising. WB has struggled with their DC movies, but it seems like they’ve learned a lesson from their mistakes and are in the process of trying to set things right. They seem far less concerned with building a cinematic universe and more interested in trying to create movies that can stand on their own. Joker was a major blockbuster for them, and it had absolutely no connection to anything else they’re doing right now.

And while there are plans to finally release the fabled Snyder Cut of Justice League, which features Ben Affleck as Batman, there’s also an entirely different Batman movie coming from director Matt Reeves, with Robert Pattinson playing the part. However, it’s been reported that Reeves’ film will exist on its own and have no connection to the larger universe being built in other films. All of this is not to say Warner Bros. are giving up on franchise potential – they still have sequels for Aquaman and Shazam in the works, along with Wonder Woman 1984 due out this year, and Black Adam with Dwayne Johnson in the lead.

As for the status of Ben Affleck’s Batman now that Keaton has re-entered the picture…ask again later.

When Keaton was first cast as Batman in Tim Burton’s movie, fan reaction was less-than-positive. At the time, Keaton was seen more as a comedic actor, and the idea of having him playing the Dark Knight had some people worried Burton was going to emulate the campy Adam West-era of the Caped Crusader. But as we all know now, that wasn’t the case. Burton’s film was dark and brooding, and Keaton played Batman/Bruce Wayne in a (mostly) serious way. Keaton and Burton took things even further with Batman Returns, which portrayed Bruce Wayne as a lonely guy literally sitting around in the dark waiting for the Bat Symbol to summon him to action. Having Keaton back as Batman is exciting, and I’m very curious to see how this plays out.

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