Credit: DC / Warner Bros.Few actors who have portrayed Batman in film have made quite as big an impact as Michael Keaton. Despite the initial casting announcement being met with criticism, the Beetlejuice (1988) actor slipped effortlessly into the cape and cowl in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989), while the film itself paved the way for the “gritty superhero movie” as we now know it.
But, of course, subsequent Batman films have varied greatly in style and tone.
Though Batman Forever (1995) maintained the quasi-gothic nature of Burton’s films, it also leaned into the cyberpunk aesthetic that its sequel, Batman & Robin (1997), opted for in its entirety. Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy gave cinemagoers a more grounded iteration before the DC Universe brought things back to their fantastical comic book roots.
Matt Reeves’ The Batman (2022), however, plunged the titular character into an even grungier realism than Nolan’s films.
Michael Keaton’s Batman Legacy
With all that said, it seems audiences care more about the actor behind the mask more than the film itself. Michael Keaton’s portrayal of the Dark Knight might have been buried beneath several iterations over the decades since Tim Burton’s two films, but he remains the definitive fan-favorite actor to have ever donned the cape and cowl.
Val Kilmer (Batman Forever), George Clooney (Batman & Robin), Christian Bale (The Dark Knight trilogy), Ben Affleck (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Justice League, The Flash), and Robert Pattinson (The Batman) each brought their own unique qualities to the role, but for many audiences, Keaton’s iteration is the most nostalgic.
So nostalgic, in fact, that he was asked to reprise his role in last year’s DC Multiverse (DCU) crossover movie The Flash (2023). While the movie was a box office bomb (grossing only $271.3M against its $200–220M budget), Keaton’s involvement was a huge draw for fans.
He also returned in the DC movie Batgirl, which starred Leslie Grace in the titular role. Unfortunately, the film was famously scrapped by Warner Bros. in August 2022 and so it’s unlikely we’ll ever get to see footage of the beloved actor in action as the iconic crime-fighter.
Fortunately, Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne/Batman is set to return in an official sequel to Batman (1989) — just not on the big screen. Or the small screen for that matter.
Related: Michael Keaton’s New Batsuit Revealed Ahead of Upcoming ‘Batman’ (1989) Sequel
New Batman Sequel Replaces Michael Keaton
Written by Star Wars author John Jackson Miller (“Star Wars: A New Dawn,” “Star Wars: The Living Force”), “Batman: Resurrection” is a new book set in the “Burton-Verse,” which marks the first time the universe brought to life in film has been given the novel treatment.
Acting as a “direct sequel” to Tim Burton’s Batman (1989), thus preceding Batman Returns, the story takes place in the aftermath of The Joker’s death to find Bruce Wayne dealing with a health crisis and the possibility that the Clown Prince of Gotham has somehow survived.
“Remnants from The Joker’s gang are leading wannabes fascinated by his bizarre mystique on a campaign of arson that threatens the city — even as it serves greedy opportunists, including millionaire Max Shreck,” the official synopsis reads. “And survivors of exposure to The Joker’s chemical weapon Smylex continue to crowd Gotham City’s main hospital.”
It adds: “The World’s Greatest Detective must solve the greatest mystery of all: Could The Joker have somehow survived? And could he still have the last laugh against the people of Gotham City?” While The Joker dies in the 1989 film, he may return in this new sequel.
It remains to be seen whether Jack Nicholson’s The Joker will actually show up, though, however, “Batman: Resurrection” features characters who appear in both films, such as Alfred Pennyworth, Commissioner Jim Gordon, and, of course, Bruce Wayne/Batman himself, as well as Batman Returns-specific characters like Selina Kyle and Max Shreck.
The voice cast is yet to be revealed, although it has now been confirmed that the book will be narrated by Will Damron, who has voiced over 700 titles across a variety of genres.
Damron, who’s also an accomplished actor and author, will be our new eyes and ears to Tim Burton’s Gotham. And, if the book’s perspective has been written in the first-person format (which is yet to be revealed), he will also replace Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Related: ‘Batman’ (1989) Sequel Casts Martin Short as Riddler and Jeff Goldblum as Scarecrow
Michael Keaton and Tim Burton Reunion
Those disappointed that they won’t be hearing Michael Keaton reprise his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman in the upcoming sequel will be thrilled to know that he’s back as another iconic character, which has also involved teaming up with director Tim Burton once again.
The long-awaited sequel Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice (2024), which sees the actor slip back into those black-and-white striped pajamas and wild green hair as the titular “bio-exorcist,” is out in theaters now. So, if you want to see Keaton “go nuts,” you won’t be disappointed.
Keaton’s Future as Bruce Wayne/Batman
Michael Keaton’s future as Bruce Wayne/Batman is unknown. Clearly, the actor is no stranger to reprising iconic roles from the ’80s, but given the ever-changing landscape of the DC Universe in film, with DC Studios’ co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran currently spearheading a new version of the shared cinematic universe, it’s highly unlikely.
The new DCU’s Batman reboot will be titled The Brave and the Bold (TBA) and will feature a new actor in the lead role. Robert Pattinson is also set to return in the upcoming sequel The Batman Part II (2026). There are currently no other Batman movie projects in the works.
While there’s always room for more than one version of Batman (after all, Keaton starred alongside Ben Affleck’s version in The Flash), we can’t see the actor responding to the Bat-signal ever again — at least not in film. But if The Flash taught us anything, never say never.
Related: Michael Keaton’s New ‘Batman’ (1989) Series Explained
“Batman: Resurrection” will be released on October 15. It’s now available to pre-order from Amazon, Penguin Random House, and Bookshop.
Will you be picking up a copy of “Batman: Resurrection”? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!