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Credit: DC / Warner Bros.Michael Keaton’s Batman will return. But how many times has he already appeared?
Despite being followed by several Bruce Wayne/Batman actors in the decades following his departure (Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson), Michael Keaton’s Dark Knight remains one of the most popular versions.
In fact, it’s reasonable to say that the main appeal of 2023’s DC Multiversal crossover movie, The Flash, was Keaton, who finally returned to the iconic role (or a Multiversal variant of the character, at least) after 31 years following his exit after Batman Returns (1992).
Michael Keaton’s Batman Is Back
Now, a new sequel that will see the return of Michael Keaton’s Batman is underway.
Following last year’s novel, “Batman: Resurrection,” which expanded the Burtonverse in an unprecedented way, author John Jackson Miller has returned to pen yet another sequel set between Tim Burton’s original 1989 film and his 1992 sequel, Batman Returns.
The follow-up is titled “Batman: Revolution,” and is due to hit shelves in October this year.
Michael Keaton’s Batman appearances are suddenly stacking up, so let’s explore his storied history as Gotham City’s Caped Crusader.
Michael Keaton’s Batman History Explained
Batman (1989)
Michael Keaton made his first appearance as Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989), the dark, gritty, and quasi-gothic big-screen iteration of the Caped Crusader, which was the second theatrical Batman film following the Adam West-starring Batman (1966).
Batman (1989) sees the titular crime-fighter go up against gangster Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson), who becomes the Clown Prince of Gotham, The Joker.
The beloved 1989 film also features the characters Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger), Alexander Knox (Robert Wuhl), Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Gough), and James Gordon (Pat Hingle), all of whom returned in last year’s “Batman: Resurrection”.
Related: Is Michael Keaton Getting Another Solo ‘Batman’ Movie?!
Batman Returns
Michael Keaton’s Batman returns in the aptly titled sequel, Batman Returns, which saw the actor team up with visionary director Tim Burton once again following Batman (1989).
This time, Batman faces two “Rogues Gallery” villains: Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin (Danny DeVito), who becomes mayor of Gotham City, and Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer), a murdered secretary brought back to life by otherworldly forces.
A third Batman Returns villain appears in the form of the manipulative and murderous Gotham City industrialist Max Shreck (played by Christopher Walken), who also returned in “Batman: Resurrection”.
Related: 5 Actors Who Could Play Batman In James Gunn’s DC Universe
Batgirl (Canceled Warner Bros. Movie)
Before donning the cape and cowl again for the DC Universe Multiverse movie, The Flash, Michael Keaton had already returned as Bruce Wayne/Batman in DC’s Batgirl, which starred Leslie Grace as the titular Gotham crime-fighter.
Unfortunately, seeing Barbara Gordon take on the lesser-known Rogues Gallery villain Ted Carson/Firefly (Brendan Fraser) just wasn’t meant to be, as the film was famously and controversially canceled by Warner Bros. Discovery in August, 2022.
JK Simmons also reprised his role as Barbara’s father, James Gordon, in the film, having played him in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and the two Justice League films, including the Zack Snyder cut. But it’s unlikely we’ll ever see any cut of Batgirl.
Related: After Seemingly Exiting Hit Netflix Series, Jenna Ortega Becomes New Batgirl
The Flash
While Batgirl was mercilessly thrown on the scrapheap by Warner Bros., we saw Michael Keaton’s Batman return in The Flash via the DC Multiverse (although it’s impossible to tell if he’s the Burtonverse version — but let’s hope he isn’t, seeing as he dies in the film).
Leading the action is the “Scarlet Speedster” Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller), who must join forces with Bruce Wayne/Batman (Michael Keaton) and Kara Zor-El/Supergirl (Sasha Calle) after he meddles with time travel and opens the gateway to the Multiverse.
The Flash was a DC disaster, grossing $271.3M against its $200–220M budget. It also came under extremely heavy fire from fans and critics for its poor CGI and weak storytelling.
Still, it’s fun to see Keaton back, along with a few other Bruce Wayne/Batman cameos including the late Adam West (via stock footage/CGI), Ben Affleck (Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, and Justice League), and even George Clooney (Batman & Robin).
The film also features digitally rendered Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman “cameos” from Henry Cavill, Nicholas Cage, and Christopher Reeve.
Related: The Batman Finally Returns in Gritty New Trailer
Michael Keaton’s Batman Has Already Returned Off-Screen
“Batman ’89” Comics
In 2021, DC Comics released the comic book series “Batman ’89”, which follows on from Tim Burton’s Batman Returns.
What’s particularly fun about this series is that it attempts to capture the likeness of all the actors from the Burtonverse films, including Michael Keaton (Bruce Wayne/Batman), Billy Dee Williams (Harvey Dent/Two-Face), and Michelle Pfeiffer (Selina Kyle/Catwoman).
The first series, which is titled “Shadows,” ran for six issues. The second series, “Echoes,” was released in August, 2023. “Batman ’89” is written by the screenwriter of the first two films, Sam Hamm, with illustrations by artist Joe Quinones.
Related: ‘Batman’ (1989) Sequel Casts Martin Short as Riddler and Jeff Goldblum as Scarecrow
“Batman: Resurrection”
“Batman: Resurrection” takes place directly after the events of Batman (1989) to find Bruce Wayne dealing with the aftermath of The Joker’s death, with many survivors of the Clown Prince of Gotham’s chemical weapon (Smylex) attack on the city crowding the hospitals.
But as Bruce tries to track down a seemingly new threat, he wonders whether he has a future beyond defending Gotham against madmen.
Related: New ‘Batman’ (1989) Sequel: Everything We Know (Plot, Characters, Release Date)
“Batman: Revolution”
“Batman: Revolution” will be released on October 28, 2025. It will be available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook formats.
“It’s summer, and Gotham City has cause for celebration. The last vestiges of The Joker’s toxic legacy have finally faded, just in time for the mayor to partner with retail magnate Max Shreck to stage a Fourth of July celebration for the ages,” the official synopsis reads.
“But not everyone is rejoicing. Batman’s eternal vigilance continues as threats from rival gangs and masked criminals escalate by the day,” it continues. “Meanwhile, on the streets, protests grow in opposition to the city’s lavish excesses. No one is experiencing the struggle between Gotham’s optimism and doubt more than Norman Pinkus.”
“The Gotham Globe’s humble copy boy, he’s the unacknowledged mastermind behind the newspaper’s mega-popular Riddle Me This word puzzles. But Norman harbors a secret. He is the smartest man in Gotham City, using his prodigious skills to solve crimes anonymously for years via the police tip line—before Batman even knows there’s a crime to solve.”
“As they clash, Norman—now known as The Riddler—and Batman will uncover hidden secrets about Gotham’s past that will have dire consequences for the city’s future.”
Last year’s novel, “Batman: Resurrection,” is available to purchase across all formats now. For more information on the upcoming book, visit Penguin Random House.
Are you excited to be seeing more of Michael Keaton’s Batman? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!