Batman: First Images of Michael Keaton in the Batsuit in Over 30 Years!

We’ve known for a long time that Michael Keaton‘s Batman would appear in Batgirl, but the question has always been how he finds his way into the same universe as Leslie Grace’s Barbara Gordon.

After all, J.K. Simmons’ on-screen father and Gotham City’s police commissioner, as well as the fact that the HBO Max exclusive occurs in main DCEU continuity, suggests it takes place after Simmons previously interacted with Ben Affleck’s Batman during his brief Justice League appearance.

When The Flash debuts in November, it will presumably address that topic, but we’re not waiting for Tim Burton’s Caped Crusader to make the most of his unexpected return.

Production on Batgirl continues, and new set photos reveal that 70-year-old Keaton has donned his costume and reported for duty, as you can see below.

EXCLUSIVE: 30 years later, Michael Keaton is still the goddamn #BATMAN! #Batgirl

[📸@LukeMcL36558743] pic.twitter.com/wlKA1JB74x

— Batgirl Film News 🦇 (@BatgirlFilm) February 13, 2022

The more we learn and hear from Batgirl, the more inexplicable it appears that Warner Bros. and DC Films are restricting the film to a streaming debut, especially when Blue Beetle was removed from HBO Max and given a cinema release date, with the long-time fan favorite’s solo bow set to be a major component of the franchise.

Here’s what we can tell you about Michael Keaton and his tenure as Batman.

About Michael Keaton and His Batman

It’s hard to imagine anyone but Michael Keaton playing Batman.

But before he was the Caped Crusader, Keaton had a long and varied career as an actor in comedies like Mr. Mom and dramas like The Paperboy. And just because you know him as the movie star doesn’t mean he didn’t have his fair share of struggles along the way-in fact, many people might not realize that this iconic American actor is actually from Ohio!

So perhaps it shouldn’t be too surprising that when Tim Burton cast someone to play Batman for his 1989 blockbuster film, he chose Michael Keaton-a man who has always been drawn to offbeat roles in dark films with haunting themes. Indeed, it seems that this is what Burton saw in him-and it’s no surprise that the role of Batman made Keaton a major acting force to be reckoned with.

And interestingly, if you know anything about Michael Keaton’s life, you might also understand why he was cast for the part.

Born on September 5, 1951 in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, Keaton lived a difficult childhood-his alcoholic father abandoned him and his mother at the age of three. He often clashed with his mother over his desire to be an actor (which was not looked well upon by society), and later relocated to Ohio for high school, where he starred on the track team.

But those difficult years have only fueled his amazing work as an actor. In fact, Keaton’s emotionally-driven performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman was praised by critics and fans alike, who hailed him as a hero for reviving the dark character after playing Batman in the 1960s television series The Batman/Superman Hour .

And if that weren’t enough, he finally won an Academy Award for Best Actor in 2014 after decades of acting and starring in some great films-and perhaps his greatest role was playing superhero (albeit a darker one) Batman.

Are you excited about Michael Keaton’s return as Batman in The Flash and Batgirl? Let us know in the comments below!