GOTHAM CITY — "I'm Batman."
Those were the words spoken by Michael Keaton in the opening scene of the 1989 big-screen comic book adaptation of "Batman."
Now it's been reported that the Oscar-nominated actor will once again don the batsuit for the upcoming film version of "The Flash," which began production Monday and is slated for release next year.
Special announcement from filmmaker Andy Muschietti on his Instagram: Here we go!!! THE FLASH Day 1. #TheFlashMovie pic.twitter.com/QjHnAJNHFB
— Warner Bros. Pictures (@wbpictures) April 19, 2021
The latest DC Comics character to get the movie treatment, "The Flash" includes a time-bending narrative that sends the titular character's alter ego, Barry Allen, (Ezra Miller), into the past to prevent the death of his mother. Along the way, however, he encounters Keaton's Batman, also known as reclusive millionaire Bruce Wayne.
Keaton's last turn as the Caped Crusader came almost 30 years ago in 1992's "Batman Returns." He dropped out of the third film after director Tim Burton was replaced by the late Joel Schumacher, whose drastically different take in 1995's "Batman Forever" and 1997's "Batman & Robin" killed the franchise until Christopher Nolan's rebooted "Dark Knight" trilogy came along.
"The Flash" is scheduled for a Nov. 4, 2022, release.