Following his show-stealing appearance at this year's Oscars, Batman fans have taken to social media to applaud Michael Keaton, commending his portrayal of the DC icon and calling for more from the Batman Returns star as The Dark Knight. Many have heaped praise on Keaton's ability to switch instantly into 'Batman mode,' even when sitting in the audience at the Academy Awards.
Some have even called his appearance at the Oscars their 'favorite Michael Keaton Batman performance,' as the actor slips so effortlessly into the guise of Batman while being barraged by Batman Returns star Danny DeVito and Batman & Robin's Arnold Schwarzenegger.
As well as appearing in last year's The Flash, Keaton was set to cameo in the infamously shelved Batgirl movie, but he was able to channel the character once again at the 96th Annual Academy Awards. During a bit at the ceremony, presenters Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played villains in Batman Returns and 1997's Batman & Robin, respectively, jokingly poked fun regarding their hatred of Batman while Keaton sat in the audience. The camera eventually panned towards the actor as he gave a signature smirk that was reminiscent of his time as the character.
Keaton first took on the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman in 1989's Batman, directed by Tim Burton. When the actor was initially picked for the role, his casting drew some backlash from fans who felt he wasn't right for the part given his background primarily in comedies, the most recent having been Burton's Beetlejuice in 1988.
Despite the initial misgivings, Keaton scored with fans and critics for his portrayal of the Caped Crusader and, even today, he's considered by many to be the best actor to don the cape and cowl. Batman also changed the game in terms of promotion for a tentpole summer release, completely infiltrating all pop culture barriers to become a huge financial hit, grossing over $400 million at the global box office.
Keaton took on the role once again in the film's sequel, 1992's Batman Returns. Once again directed by Burton, the filmmaker was given far more creative control over the project, and it resulted in a much darker tone than that of the original film. When the movie was released in the summer of 1992, the film was successful but not as successful as its predecessor due to complaints from parents over its more adult tone that was juxtaposed with marketing tie-ins that were aimed at children. By the end of its run, Batman Returns grossed $266.8 million worldwide.
It would take 30 years for Keaton to return to play Batman once again in last summer's The Flash. In the film, Keaton's Batman is tasked with helping Ezra Miller's Barry Allen return to his proper timeline after he accidentally altered it to reverse the death of his mother. Despite an early reaction that seemed to indicate it was one of the best comic book films ever made, The Flash settled with a so-so 63 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film's box office was also dreadful, with the movie taking in $271.3 million globally on a reported budget that ranged between $200-220 million.
The actor has also now addressed a possible return as Batman. In true Keaton fashion, he said it's not something he thinks about, but he didn't entirely rule it out either.
The Flash can currently be streamed on Max.
