6 Ways Tim Burton's Batman Changed Everything
3. Keaton Paved Way For Less Conventional Casting
When Ben Affleck was announced to play Bruce Wayne/Batman in next year's Batman V Superman, the world looked like it was going to catch fire from all the negative hype. Far from a red letter day, history was just repeating itself.
Twenty-five years earlier, the public bristled at the announcement that Michael Keaton - known mostly for comedy - would play Bruce Wayne/Batman in 1989's long-awaited feature. The Wall Street Journal even ran a scathing report about the decision to cast the five foot, ten inch actor. Fortunately, Tim Burton understood that when you're dealing with masks, the eyes have it.
Burton reasoned that with so much covered, Batman's personality must show through the eyes. Few in Hollywood have eyes like Keaton's and, sure enough, they helped sell Batman's righteous indignation. As referenced earlier, the idea that an otherwise tall man with an imposing figure would need such an elaborate suit was ludicrous to Burton.
With Keaton, the profile was complete. If one bought into the world of Gotham, they could easily buy into this disturbed, somewhat isolated millionaire secretly working through issues of anger and guilt while dispensing justice in a frighteningly iconic, yet functional and impenetrable disguise. Long term, it probably emboldened future directors to take chances on unlikely actors, like Tobey Maguire for Spider-Man and Heath Ledger for the Joker. And, like Keaton, both proved themselves worthy.