A.V. Opinions: A Batman Beyond movie with Michael Keaton needs to happen NOW!
Despite all the buzz around Michael Keaton reprising some of his most legendary roles - Beetlejuice and Batman in The Flash - there's one no-brainer project that continues to slip through DC and Warner Bros.' fingers: a “Batman Beyond” movie starring Keaton as the aging Bruce Wayne.
And look, “The Flash” wasn’t the triumphant return everyone hoped for—let’s be real, it wasn’t a great movie, but it wasn’t a complete train-wreck either. It just... existed. But here’s where it gets insane: DC originally planned to make a “Batman Beyond” movie if “The Flash” performed well at the box office. But since “The Flash” didn’t rake in the billions, “Batman Beyond” got the axe. Seriously? That’s the logic? Canceling a Keaton-led “Batman Beyond” movie because a totally unrelated film didn’t make enough money? The only thing anyone was excited about in “The Flash” was Keaton’s Batman. Ezra Miller’s legal drama and the cloud of Snyder-verse baggage were the real anchors dragging that film down.
James Gunn, the new head honcho of DC Studios, needs to take a hard look at this decision. Keaton is in fantastic shape for his age, and he’s perfect for the role. This isn’t just another Batman film; it’s Batman passing the torch to the next generation. People have been clamoring for this for years. Just look at the fan art online—Keaton as Bruce Wayne in “Batman Beyond” is practically a meme at this point. He looks exactly how you’d picture an older, wiser Bruce Wayne. And it’s not like Keaton hasn’t proven his enduring appeal. His viral appearance at the 96th Academy Awards earlier this year with Schwarzenegger and DeVito, riffing on their Batman villains, had people eating it up. He looked the part, played it to perfection, and reminded everyone why he’s the definitive cinematic Batman for so many fans.
And yes, I get it: they’ve already got two Batmen running around with Robert Pattinson and whoever the new Batman will be for James Gunn. But “Batman Beyond” isn’t just another dark and brooding tale. It’s a futuristic, high-tech reinvention that can stand alone as a special event movie—no need for sequels, no endless spin-offs, just one killer film that brings Keaton back in style.
And it’s not just about a live-action film, either. There was even a pitch floating around for a “Batman Beyond” movie done in the same groundbreaking animation style as “Into the Spider-Verse.” From the brief glimpses we’ve seen, it looked incredible. If DC is serious about expanding its universe in unique ways, why not greenlight both? Give us the live-action torch-passing with Keaton, then launch an animated series to keep the world alive—let Keaton voice the character, and you’ve got lightning in a bottle.
The demand is there. Keaton still has it. DC needs to recognize that “Batman Beyond” isn’t just another Batman movie. It’s a celebration of everything that makes Keaton’s Batman so iconic and a chance to bring a fresh, futuristic spin to the big screen. So let’s stop dragging our feet. If ever there was a time to bring Keaton back for one last run as Bruce Wayne, this is it. The world needs a “Batman Beyond” movie—let’s not wait until it’s too late to make it happen.
-Brad McBoom