The brand-new trailer for The Flash (2023) has officially broken the Internet - and with it, the DC Multiverse. If you've seen the trailer, you'll know that there are at least two versions of Batman in the film. But which other live-action caped crusaders will join the fold? Let's take a look...
Let's start with the two we already know about. While it would have been a nice surprise to go into The Flash completely blind where Batman is concerned, we understand why the marketing has decided to use these two Batmen to get people into movie theaters...
Michael Keaton
First and foremost, the trailer wastes no time in revealing the most iconic and beloved Bruce Wayne/Batman in film - yes, it's Michael Keaton! Does he say, "I'm back"? Of course not - he simply says, "I'm Batman!"
Michael Keaton's previous two outings as Batman were in Tim Burton's Batman (1989) and Batman Begins (1992). And going by The Flash trailer, it would seem that the film is prepared to acknowledge those two entries as canon!
This beloved version of Batman alone will draw in the masses, but as we already know, he won't be the only one responding to the Bat-signal...
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Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck also reprises his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman in The Flash, having previously appeared in Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Suicide Squad (2016), Justice League (2017), and the vastly superior Zack "Snyder cut".
Whether or not this is Batfleck's final outing in the cape and cowl remains to be seen, as it's rumored he's also set to appear in the upcoming Aquaman sequel, but either way, it's great to see yet another brilliant Batman back in action.
Now that we have the two Batmen who are definitely appearing out of the way, who else might emerge from the DC Multiverse?
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Robert Pattinson
Matt Reeves' The Batman (2022) is a critically-acclaimed box office hit, and there's already a sequel in development, as well as the HBO Max Penguin series which will see the return of Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot.
However, fans of Robert Pattinson's Bruce Wayne/Batman might be disappointed (or happy) to learn that he will not be appearing in The Flash, which was confirmed by DC's co-CEO James Gunn a few weeks ago.
Along with stand-alone movies like Joker (2019), The Batman forms part of DC's Elseworlds, much like most of the pre-Disney Star Wars material is referred to as the non-canonical Legends.
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Christian Bale
Many fans believe they've spotted Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne/Batman in The Flash trailer, but unfortunately, it turns out that it's actually Batfleck on that Bat-cycle - although it does look suspiciously like Bale's Batpod.
Whether or not Bale is being kept as a surprise remains to be seen, and though Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy is very much Elseworlds material, let's not forget that Bale was originally supposed to be in Batman vs. Superman.
As we know, Ben Affleck ended up donning the cape and cowl in that film, and while it would be weird to see Bale's realistic Batman show up in a Multiverse movie, we think most fans would punch the air regardless.
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Adam West
The legendary Adam West, who brought us the silly, campy, goofy Batman television show and movie of the same name back in the '60s sadly passed away a few years ago.
But given the huge leaps in digital technology in recent years, it's entirely possible his version of Bruce Wayne/Batman will be re-created in The Flash - for the purpose of a small cameo at least.
Some might consider this to be in poor taste, but it's been done in a number of films already, with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) coming to mind, in which the late Peter Cushing's Grand Moff Tarkin was digitally re-created.
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Val Kilmer
As much as we'd like to see Val Kilmer's Dark Knight from Batman Forever (1995) return to the fold, this is highly unlikely, and not because we're already getting Michael Keaton from the original Batman film series, but because Val Kilmer is in quite poor health, which was actually written into his return in last year's Top Gun: Maverick (2022).
With that said, seeing him return in a similar capacity to his role in last year's Tom Cruise-led blockbuster would also be welcome, as Kilmer is a beloved actor, and though Batman Forever leaves a lot to be desired, his take on the Gotham crime-fighter is one of its few saving graces.
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George Clooney
George Clooney remains one of the most disliked versions of Bruce Wayne/Batman to date, having starred in the widely hated Batman and Robin (1997), the follow-up to Batman Forever, also from director Joel Schumacher.
We could spend all day talking about how both George Clooney and Val Kilmer's Batman films aren't technically canon with the two Tim Burton-directed ones, which means that both actors are free to show up in The Flash, but unfortunately, it doesn't really matter anyway, because James Gunn has already confirmed via Twitter that Clooney will not be returning to play Batman in the DCU.
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Check out the official trailer for The Flash below:
The Flash releases in theaters on June 16. As per Wikipedia, here's the synopsis for the film:
Barry Allen/The Flash travels back in time to prevent his mother's murder, which traps him in an alternate reality without metahumans. He enlists the help of Batman and the Kryptonian castaway Supergirl from alternate realities in order to save this world from the restored General Zod and return to his universe.
The Flash stars Ezra Miller (Barry Allen/The Flash), Sasha Calle (Kara Zor-El/Supergirl), Michael Shannon (General Zod), Ron Livingston (Henry Allen), Michael Keaton (Bruce Wayne/Batman), and Ben Affleck (Bruce Wayne/Batman).
Check out the official Warner Bros. The Flash hub here.