Well it is certainly a very busy time for DC comic fans as again, just two days before DC Fandome, more DC Film news is coming out and Vanity Fair has reported that both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck will reprise their Batman roles for the upcoming solo ‘The Flash’ film which is now confirmed to feature a DC Multiverse of heroes including now, multiple BatMan versions:
In an Adaptation of ‘Flashpoint’, an iconic Flash comic story arc which sees the hero go back in time to prevent the murder of his mother but has dramatic impact on the timeline creating a terrible alternate timeline when he returns. Ezra Miller is returning to the role his had in Justice League and will be directed by Andy Muschietti who in an interview said about Affleck’s return following him agreeing to return after reading the script last week:
“His Batman has a dichotomy that is very strong, which is his masculinity—because of the way he looks, and the imposing figure that he has, and his jawline —but he’s also very vulnerable, he knows how to deliver from the inside out, that vulnerability. He just needs a story that allows him to bring that contrast, that balance.
“He’s a very substantial part of the emotional impact of the movie. The interaction and relationship between Barry and Affleck’s Wayne will bring an emotional level that we haven’t seen before, it’s Barry’s movie, it’s Barry’s story, but their characters are more related than we think. They both lost their mothers to murder, and that’s one of the emotional vessels of the movie. That’s where the Affleck Batman kicks in.”
Keaton of course has a special place in the hearts of DC film fans as his portrayal of Batman in the 1989 film really kicked off a new era of Comic Book films so his return especially with the exploration of a DC Multiverse could be the return for his Batman fans have been hoping for. In fact for me, the Multiverse could be the best way forward for the DCU following the disaster that was the attempt to jump boost the DCU with Justice League.
For me however this is also a very good sign that Ben Affleck is in a much better place than he was when he not only gave up writing and directing a standalone Batman film but also leaving the role. His own personal issues have been fully reported but just to see him being happy to return to the role that helped launch Miller’s Flash character is a good sign, even if it means maybe one last time. Perhaps even the Matt Reeves ‘The Batman’ film progressing as well as it is has meant less pressure on him to carry the role and this could be the send off he would have wanted.
Hopefully at DC Fandome this weekend we will learn even more about ‘The Flash’ film as well as other DCU films planned for the next few years.
