Batman is not seen again for the rest of the film, as Barry Allen ignores his advice and alters reality, accidentally creating the Flashpoint universe (a hybrid of the proper DCEU and the Tim Burton Batman universe), replacing Affleck's Batman with the Michael Keaton iteration.
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.
Unfortunately, that divisive reception to Batman v Superman led to Warner Bros. making significant changes to the then-upcoming Justice League, which then played a role in Affleck walking away from his planned Batman movie.
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.
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.
By establishing this multiverse, multiple versions of the same character. can exist at once, producing exciting new possibilities for the universe. Affleck is supposedly done after The Flash, allowing him to say goodbye to the character, but James Gunn has said that there are possibilities. for Michael Keaton's Batman.
Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, and George Clooney's versions of Batman get spotlighted in new BTS photos from The Flash movie. 2023 is marking the end of the DCEU, and it has not been an easy year for the decade-old franchise.
However, it's evident that these controversies affected the film's performance, as 73% of moviegoers were adult males, much higher than average, meaning that women and children refused to see the movie, most likely due to the lead actor Ezra Miller, leading to lower overall sales.
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.
But The Flash also features four versions of Batman: Ben Affleck's, Michael Keaton's, George Clooney's, and a fleeting cameo by Adam West's. Batman is a central part of any DC universe, whether printed, animated, or live-action, so it's no wonder that he makes so many simultaneous appearances across all media.
Affleck opened up about his exit from the DCEU for the first time during an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” “I tried to direct a version of it and worked with a really good screenwriter but just couldn't come up with a version,” Affleck said about what led him to put down the Caped Crusader costume.
The Andy Muschetti-directed DC film reported a budget of $220 million USD plus $150 million USD in promotional budget. Due to the major flop at the box office, Warner Bros. is slated to lose over $200 million USD, making it the greatest financial loss suffered by a studio over a superhero film.
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.
He replicated the accident that gave the Flash his powers, but was driven insane and became obsessed with ruining the Flash's life upon learning that he was destined to become his greatest enemy–the Reverse-Flash. Fueled by jealousy and hatred, Thawne travels throughout time to torment and destroy the Flash's life.
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.
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.
Val Kilmer was brought in by director Joel Schumacher to lead 1995's Batman Forever. While there are some good moments in the movie, Batman Forever hasn't been held as a cultural touchstone in the way other Batman movies have, so Kilmer returning in The Flash would not have made much sense.
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.
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.
James Gunn Reveals George Clooney Won't Return As the New Batman in the DCU. Clooney's cameo appearance at the end of The Flash is, unfortunately, just a simple cameo appearance, as James Gunn has already revealed that Clooney will "absolutely not" be the new Batman.
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.
Michael Keaton's disagreement with Joel Schumacher about the characterization of Bruce Wayne led to his departure from the Batman franchise. Val Kilmer chose to leave the role of Batman due to feeling underappreciated and conflicts with Schumacher.
