As Michael Keaton's return as Batman in Batgirl proves, it seems there are few things as exciting as seeing a fan-favorite performer return to the role that made them a star. Strangely, that statement on its own sort of betrays some interesting aspects of the modern-day dystopia. Some people get excited about finding out they've gotten their dream job or meeting their baby for the first time. Others get really pumped about 3 Spider-Men. Neither is wrong. Just different.
But back to the original point. The comic book movie world went nuts every time Keaton's return as Batman had apparently been set in stone before it finally stuck. First, he was confirmed to appear in DC's upcoming The Flash movie, then he was confirmed again for DC's upcoming The Flash movie. Then he moved on to also appearing in the HBO MaxBatgirl film, but not before rumors circulated of an appearance in a Supergirl series. Frankly, it's gotten to the point where some people won't believe it until they actually see him on screen, and even then, they'll probably still wonder if it's just a really nice hallucination.
Luckily, Keaton himself has been seeding the fields of certainty in recent months by openly discussing his return to the role and his excitement to take another shot at Batman. Now, he's offered a new little tease for all the fans thirsty for any scrap of info they can suck up. Taking to his Instagram, Keaton posted a striking image of his own shadow, sporting the instantly-recognizable silhouette of his Batman outfit. Not even bothering to add a caption, he clearly knew as well as anyone that the photo itself would be enough to set the fandom ablaze, and right he was about that. On a less serious note, as cool as the shadow looks, one has to realize that anybody walking by would have seen a scary-looking man in a Batman outfit taking a picture of the ground with his phone. That's some quality weird stuff to text home about.
After catching a brief glimpse of Keaton's Batman on the set of Batgirl (or at least a stunt performer who really fills out that classic suit well), fans are understandably ravenous for a proper look at the reborn costume. At the moment, this imposing shadow may be all they're going to get, as these huge upcoming projects seem pretty into the idea of keeping their secrets. Granted, they still let a lot of leaks go loose, but maybe that's just DC playing into its chaotic brand.
Keaton himself has spoken about how he still doesn't really understand a lot of where DC and the character of Batman have gone in recent years, but that hasn't stopped him from appreciating his fans and his time as the hero. Even when walking away from his Batman role due to creative differences, that was all about the new movies not following through on the version of Bruce Wayne he'd cultivated with director Tim Burton over the previous films. So he's definitely passionate about it.
The return of Keaton in what many consider his most iconic role is sure to be a gigantic occasion among moviegoers. If the hype levels are any indication, it's sure to be something worth writing about. For Keaton, at least, it certainly seemed like something to post about.
Batgirl currently holds a 2022 premiere date.
Source: Michael Keaton/Instagram
