Michael Keaton as Batman in a still from The Flash
Michael Keaton seems to be single-handedly saving the controversial Flash movie, the first trailer of which has been released. The Flash stars troubled actor Ezra Miller as Barry Allen – in fact, as two versions of him – and there social media is echoing the general outrage that Warner Bros is continuing with the film despite Ezra's many arrests and legal issues. That apart, Michael Keaton is back as Batman and the Internet is absolutely here for it. The first trailer of The Flash shows Barry Allen having managed to travel through time and then becoming trapped in a universe where several realities intersect. Barry meets a version of himself and, with supervillain General Zod (Michael Shannon reprising is role) as this timeline's big bad, the Barrys have to recruit Batman for help.
Turns out, it's the Batman from the Tim Burton's 90s films – Batman and Batman Returns, made iconic by Michael Keaton. Ben Affleck also appears as Bruce Wayne from Barry's original timeline - it's all very meta. The thrills, however, are in the "I'm Batman" line, spoken by the OG Caped Crusader of the big screen.
Actor Josh Gad sums it up:
The Internet has some very real feels:
There's also no glossing over the fact that Ezra Miller's presence in the film is problematic.
Watch the trailer of The Flash here:
Michael Keaton's resurrection as Batman is a sadly delayed one – he was to have reprised the role that made him an icon in the unreleased Batgirl film, which would have opened last year had it not been shelved by the studio (much to the dismay of fans). Michael Keaton had a cameo as Vulture – the villain he plays in the Spider-Man films – in Morbius, which released last year.
Ezra Miller, who has played The Flash in Batman Vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice and Justice League (as well its Zack Snyder cut), is battling multiple accusations of harassment, misconduct and inappropriate behaviour. They are also accused of grooming an 18-year-old Native American and faced a burglary charge which has since been dropped.
The Flash, which also stars Sasha Calle as Supergirl, is expected to hit screens this June.