10 Ways DCEU's New Multiverse Could Outshine The MCU
The Flash will introduce the DCEU's Multiverse, but should Marvel Studios be worried?
Late last night, the news broke that Michael Keaton is in talks to return to the big screen as Batman in The Flash. Making his debut as the Caped Crusader in 1989's Batman from director Tim Burton, the actor would go on to play the character in Batman Returns before hanging up his cape and cowl (a decision which came at the right time after the campy direction the franchise later took).
It's said that when the Flash travels back in time to save his mother's life, he creates a new reality which Keaton's Batman has spent the past three decades protecting, and this Dark Knight will be sticking around for the foreseeable future. The Flash, meanwhile, will also be used to introduce moviegoers to the concept of the DC "Multiverse."
A concept already explored in The CW's TV shows, this opens the door to countless new realities and stories for Warner Bros. to explore, and could finally give the DC Extended Universe the advantage over Marvel Studios and its Marvel Cinematic Universe. That may sound like fighting talk, but the potential of this idea is massive, and could definitely be a game-changer for the DCEU.
So, should Marvel Studios be worried? It's early days, but if the return of Keaton's Batman is any indication, the tide could soon turn in Warner Bros.' favour...
10. They've Got The Goddamn Batman Back
A lot of actors have suited up as Batman at this point, and while the likes of Christian Bale and Ben Affleck certainly managed to make an impact, it's Michael Keaton who remains THE Batman in the eyes of many comic book fans. His work in those early movies was extraordinary, and Warner Bros. bringing him back for The Flash and beyond is undeniably exciting.
Clearly eyed as a replacement for Affleck's Dark Knight, this Batman will reportedly serve as a mentor to characters in this shared world, including Batgirl. This is an unprecedented move, and the equivalent of Marvel Studios bringing Robert Downey Jr. back as Iron Man twenty years from now.
This is also a decision which opens the door to Batman Beyond being adapted, a move which could work nicely for the DC Extended Universe, while allowing a younger Bruce Wayne's story to continue playing out in Matt Reeves' The Batman trilogy. The future has never looked better for the DCEU, and the addition of this classic Batman is a guaranteed game-changer.