What happened to Ben Affleck's Batman at the end of The Flash?
Thanks to Barry's time-travel meddling, Affleck's grizzled Batman appears to have been erased from existence, possibly for good. In his place, we now have Clooney's suave version of the character — one who appears to be familiar with Barry despite Barry's shock to see him.
After main Barry, past Barry, Batman, and Supergirl attack Zod's forces, they're eventually overwhelmed by the might of the Kryptonian army. Batman and Supergirl both die, which prompts the Barrys to go back a few minutes and do things differently.
The Flash's Missing Batman Story Was The Depth We All Missed
The only reason given for Michael Keaton's Batman retirement in the actual Flash movie was simply that Gotham didn't need him anymore. The traditionally corrupt and crime-filled city had become one of the safest places in the world.
Barry then had to go through all the stages of connecting with a new version of Bruce Wayne, with Keaton's character older than Affleck's, having retired from being Batman after purging Gotham City of all crime. The relationship between the two characters is different, as The Flash and Batman get their roles reversed.
Jim Hemphill. Without question, one of the most thrilling aspects of DC's “The Flash” is the reappearance of Michael Keaton as Batman after a 31-year hiatus from the role, something that was as exciting for the film's director as it is for the audience.
Why Henry Cavill's Superman Cameo Was Cut From The Flash. Henry Cavill's Superman cameo was cut from The Flash and replaced with a new ending because of the complications that otherwise would have been set up for the new DC Universe, as The Flash ending served as a soft reboot of the superhero movie universe.
This Superman is played by none other than Nic Cage — or, at least, an expressionless digital recreation of a younger Cage from the '90s — as the iteration of Superman he was meant to have played in Tim Burton's Superman Lives.
Despite Thomas Wayne's Batman being crucial to the Flashpoint storyline in the comics, it seems as though it has been completely omitted from The Flash, but this isn't the only casualty of the live-action adaptation.
Michael Keaton's Batman was originally set to appear in multiple projects after The Flash, but those appearances will no longer happen. The Flash's original ending would have introduced Keaton's Batman as part of a new timeline, but the final scene instead featured George Clooney as Batman in a more comedic fashion.
Ben Affleck's Batman was cut from multiple DCEU projects, revealing a major flaw in Warner Bros. ' superhero franchise. Despite being a cornerstone of the DCEU, Batman's potential was wasted, with Affleck's role diminishing over time.
Is Ben Affleck coming back as Batman in The Flash?
Affleck appears, uncredited, as the original version of Bruce Wayne / Batman from Barry's timeline and the leader of the Justice League, reprising his role from past DCEU appearances.
Affleck portrayed Bruce Wayne/Batman in five projects over seven years: Batman v. Superman, Suicide Squad, Justice League, Zack Snyder's Justice League, and The Flash.
Thus, the Henry Cavill scene was sliced out: Knowing they were resetting the DC universe under their own vision, Gunn and Safran saw that having Cavill and Gadot in the new ending was potentially promising something their plans were not going to deliver.
When a zombified Flash takes off across the world infecting civilians, Superman regretfully flies in the opposite direction, slamming into the Scarlet Speedster to destroy him. Sadly, while Flash himself is obliterated, a few of his fingers penetrate Superman's skin in the clash, infecting the Man of Steel.
For all the faults of this year's The Flash movie, it did allow viewers to finally see Nicolas Cage as Superman — the iconic superhero role he was originally supposed to play in a '90s film that never got off the ground.
Did Michael Keaton do his own fight scenes in The Flash?
For those fans, seeing him reprise the role for The Flash is worth the price of admission. Obviously, Keaton didn't do his own stunts, and he benefited from a costume with ample padding. It was all so well done that it didn't matter, and he lit up the screen perfectly.
Michael Keaton's return as Batman in The Flash is not just a nostalgic cameo, but an integral part of the story and fight against Zod. The Flash is the first live-action film to feature three different Bruce Waynes, including a surprise appearance by George Clooney.
Pattinson's Batman could have appeared in The Flash due to Barry's ability to explore the multiverse through his connection to the Speed Force. However, DC Studios has determined to keep certain projects such as The Batman and its upcoming sequels separate from the greater interconnected DCU.
Michael Keaton's Batman Will Be Around 64-Years-Old In The Flash Movie. During the events of The Flash, Michael Keaton's Batman will be around 64 years old.
Why is Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton in The Flash?
The film reportedly has two Batman cameos filmed, one featuring Ben Affleck's iteration and the other with Michael Keaton's version. The Keaton cameo was likely based on the now-defunct plan for the DCEU, in which Keaton replaced Affleck as Batman.
Robert Pattinson is set to reprise his role as the Caped Crusader, and writer and director Matt Reeves will also be back to helm the movie and its trilogy and spin-offs - despite the other plans on the way from James Gunn.
