Fans have been waiting for what feels like forever to catch a proper glimpse of Michael Keaton’s returning Batman in The Flash, but now that the trailer has been released, it’s immediately become a bittersweet experience.
Tim Burton’s Dark Knight was announced to be returning to the cape and cowl over 30 years since last suiting up to much fanfare, but the constant changes behind the scenes at Warner Bros. have rendered his long-awaited and hotly-anticipated comeback over before it’s even had the chance to gather any steam.
The actor played a sizeable supporting role in the canceled Batgirl, and given that James Gunn and Peter Safran effectively confirmed the film was terrible, there’s virtually no chance the infamous tax write-off is ever going to see the light of day unless someone illicitly smuggles it out of the vault.
On top of that, canonical casualties ensured that Keaton’s post-credits cameo in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was also removed, with Ben Affleck stepping in at the last minute to provide a greater sense of continuity. Gunn has confirmed The Brave and the Bold will feature another new face as the Caped Crusader, so we’ll have to enjoy Keaton’s short-lived second wind while we can.
One huge positive is that The Flash looks to be more than capable of living up to the massive hype that surrounds it, regardless of how disappointing it’s going to be knowing that the first blockbuster Batman won’t be sticking around for the long haul once the credits roll.