The Rumour mill is in full swing after the first set of test screenings have taken place for The Flash. While the Andy Mushietti directed film will figure out how Michael Keaton takes over as the main DCEU Batman, an interesting Reddit leak suggests that Robert Pattinson’s Batman will now be involved in the Crisis event DC is planning.
Will Robert Pattinson take over as the main DCEU Batman?
On paper, it does make a lot of sense to bring in Robert Pattinson as the DCEU Batman. Back when he was originally cast when Affleck had left, the assumption was he would serve as a direct replacement. Similar to how Mark Ruffalo took over from Edward Norton as Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic universe.
But it turns out Matt Reeves had other ideas about his Batman and his interactions with other DCEU characters. He was adamant that he needed his Dark Knight separate from the DCEU. The reason being he couldn’t make an emotionally compelling narrative for Bruce if it was in the DCEU.
For my money, Zack Snyder’s Justice League managed to fit in more emotion for its characters while juggling the DC trinity and also introducing Flash and Cyborg into the mix but somehow Reeves is unable to do it because a cameo from Aquaman will destroy his story.
Was his decision for the better or worse? This writer would argue it was for the worse, but that’s a conversation for another day.
DC Crisis event will leave Pattinson as the main Batman
Back to the leak at hand, if the Reddit leak is to be believed, Pattinson is in pole position to take over from Keaton and Affleck’s Batman in the DCEU timeline. The Snyderverse is in limbo so Ben Affleck’s Batman’s Future is unknown until Zack Snyder returns.
On the other hand, we don’t see many people lining up to see a 70-year-old Batman. Keaton‘s Batman may have been a hit in his generation, but he is a relic of a past era. Maybe Christian Bale would have been a better replacement, but it makes sense for him not to return to such a messy movie. Especially after ending it on such a high in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises.
So if Pattinson takes over from the two older Batmen, it will be interesting to see if he leads the new Justice League. Which will consist of Supergirl, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and the Flash.
Keaton and Affleck to star in the multiverse opening Flash
Meanwhile, Michael Keaton’s Batman will return in the Flash alongside Ben Affleck’s Batman. Flash opens up the DC multiverse and attempts to make a new timeline that separates the Snyderverse timeline from the messy new DC timeline Walter Hamada has carefully curated.
While the fans’ unrelenting demands to bring Affleck back as the Dark Knight continue, the Argo director revealed that The Flash might have his favourite scenes as Batman. But he has doubts that they’ll make it into the final cut.
“I have never said this — this is hot off the presses — but maybe my favourite scenes in terms of Batman and the interpretation of Batman that I have done, were in the Flash movie,” he said.
Further adding, “I hope they maintain the integrity of what we did because I thought it was great and really interesting — different, but not in a way that is incongruent with the character. Who knows? Maybe they will decide that it doesn’t work, but when I went and did it, it was really fun and really, really satisfying and encouraging and I thought, ‘Wow — I think I have finally figured it out.’”
The Batman is playing in theatres and will arrive on HBO Max this month.
