1
Credit: DC / Warner Bros.Batman fans have been clamoring for years for the possibility that DC would finally turn the Batman Beyond cartoon into a live-action venture. Though it seemed unfeasible for years, it was reportedly in the works until DC’s most recent box office disaster.
Related: DC Is Facing a Huge Superhero Problem That Will Reportedly Cost $1.1 Billion
The current big issue at DC is the massive continuity issues plaguing the Marvel counterpart for years. While the MCU has been built into a successful well-oiled machine (not including the Phase 4 and 5 misses), DC has been trying to play catch up, often cycling out its creators and leaders. The Zack Snyder era is officially over, but the DCEU holdout films have much to make up.
Shazam 2 was a massive disaster, as it only made $133 million at the worldwide box office. The current roster of DC films is Shazam 2, Blue Beetle (releasing in August), Aquaman 2 (releasing in December), and The Flash. Though Blue Beetle and Aquaman 2 have not yet been released, their production and promotional materials will cost Warner Bros. around $1.1 billion.
Though the studio hoped to profit significantly from these “blockbusters,” Shazam 2 started a downward spiral that DC will likely not pull itself out of. It could be that people are just tired of waiting for some semblance of a plan, which is what we all hope James Gunn is offering now that he is running things.
Despite Gunn running things, he allowed the last remaining DCEU holdouts to move forward. One of those is The Flash, which is currently in theaters. However, much like Shazam 2, it’s already making money far below expectations. It has already made more than the Shazam sequel, but its poor $55 million opening weekend has led to speculation that it’s doomed.
The worst part about this is that DC planned to move forward with Michael Keaton returning for the massive requested Batman Beyond film, which is likely not happening.
‘Batman Beyond’ Likely Scrapped
Now that Michael Keaton has officially returned as Bruce Wayne/Batman, everyone wants him to return in other films. One of the films he was meant to appear in was Batgirl, which Warner Bros. Discovery unceremoniously canceled. This cancelation just added to the issues fans are tired of dealing with regarding continuity with DC.
Thankfully, The Flash moved forward, allowing everyone to realize again why Keaton has consistently topped the “Best Batman” conversation. Keaton’s portrayal was chock full of nostalgia and possibility. Kevin Smith revealed on his Fatman BeyondPodcast that Keaton would have returned had The Flash not bombed. According to Smith:
“I was hoping that it did better than it did because Michael Uslan’s kid said that…if the movie did as well as The Batman — The Batman opened at $130 million — one of the next Batman movies they’re going to make is Batman Beyond with Michael Keaton. So I was like, ‘Oh, my God, now I hope this movie makes a lot of money.”
To be fair, it is still early, and The Flash could have a substantial come-from-behind victory at the box office. However, based on projections, that might not happen. The film cost a reported $300 million, meaning it would likely have to make somewhere in the $550 million range to be profitable.
We would also like to point out that Smith’s take on this is hearsay, and what he says might be inaccurate. However, Smith is a Batman nerd of epic proportions who has also made a living from talking about the DC hero. If there were anyone who did know this information, it would be Smith.
Hopefully, DC can turn things around, especially with James Gunn in this new DCU era. There are so many possibilities that can be done with the storied DC catalog, which we know Gunn understands.
Related: DC’s Choice of Robin for Upcoming ‘Batman’ Reboot Questioned by Fans
Batman Beyond would be a fantastic place to venture into the live-action space. As an older Bruce Wayne teaching Terry McGinnis about the finer details of being the Dark Knight, Michael Keaton would be excellent.
Do you want Michael Keaton in a Batman Beyond movie? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!